'Game changer' PRRS-resistant pig still has several hurdles to clear'Game changer' PRRS-resistant pig still has several hurdles to clear

RaboResearch model forecasts a decline in sow numbers to offset the decline in pre-wean mortality and to avoid overwhelming the market with supply.

Ann Hess, Content Producer

January 14, 2025

6 Min Read
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In December 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a first-of-its-kind genetically engineered animal for food or human therapeutics. The line of domestic pigs, referred to as GalSafe pigs, are genetically modified so they do not produce a specific sugar molecule that can cause allergic reactions in people with Alpha-gal syndrome.

Three years later, Washington State University made history, when it received FDA authorization to have gene-edited pigs enter the food chain for human consumption, as German-style sausages. While the authorization was investigational, and limited to five gene-edited pigs, the research showed that gene editing could quickly produce desirable traits for improved food production and food made from the animals is safe to eat.

Skip forward to 2025 and the industry is eagerly awaiting an FDA approval for the first gene-edited animal of commercial significance, clearing the way for the market release of a porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus-resistant pig.  

While widespread adoption would improve U.S. herd health and stabilize the pork supply, RaboResearch foresees implementation requiring several adjustments in industry infrastructure and swine trade. U.S. commercialization of the PRRSv-resistant pigs (PRP) technology will also not advance until regulatory approval is granted in the key pork export markets of Mexico and South Korea, notes Rabobank’s Senior Analyst for Animal Protein, Christine McCracken. And without this regulatory clarity, new technologies might struggle to attract funding.

Related:Researchers discover molecule that could disable PRRSV

“Since its introduction in 2018, gene editing has been widely adopted in plant-based agriculture in several countries (excluding the EU). However, its broader use in poultry and livestock breeding programs faces challenges due to the often complex and uncertain global regulatory process,” McCracken states.

Disease prevention

From 2016 to 2020, PRRSv was responsible for an estimated $1.2 billion loss per year in U.S. pork industry production, an 80% increase from a decade earlier, according to a recent analysis by Iowa State University.

ISU experts state the reason PRRSv is the most economically-damaging illness for U.S. swine producers is due to the virus causing respiratory distress in pigs of all ages and reproductive problems in breeding stock. Controlling the disease is also a continuous challenge because the RNA virus that causes PRRS evolves frequently and vaccines have had limited effectiveness.

Regulatory gaps

Since researchers at the University of Missouri published their 2015 study, identifying the CD163 protein as the entry receptor for PRRS in swine, the technology has been licensed to Genus PIC. The firm’s goal is to develop commercialization in its elite porcine lines. While the U.S. swine industry awaits approval, the technology has received a positive determination in Colombia and Brazil. But as McCracken notes, without a global regulatory agreement, scientific progress has stalled and investment has been limited.

Related:Protecting America’s pork industry

“Delays in the U.S. approval of the PRP have slowed the approval process in other countries considering the technology. We believe most agencies are waiting for FDA guidance regarding the technology before taking action. At the same time, other PRP research programs are underway in China, South Korea and Japan.”

Global approval

Although Brazil and Colombia have provided a positive determination, only a few other countries appear supportive of the PRP. The majority (61%) of U.S. pork export markets are currently opposed to gene editing or lack a formal approval process to accept the technology.

According to RaboResearch, U.S. pork production accounts for roughly 11% of the global pork supply, 23% of U.S. per capita animal protein consumption, and 32% of global trade of pork meat. In 2023, pork exports generated $7.6 billion, or an estimated $64 per head in carcass value.

Related:Borgic Family named Illinois Pork Family of the Year

“With exports responsible for 26% of pork consumption, anything that would jeopardize trade is a nonstarter,” McCracken states.

While there are no explicit bans on gene-edited animals globally, McCracken acknowledges Mexico’s 2018 ban on gene-edited corn and cotton products remains a contentious issue between the two nations and public support appears limited there. That said, Mexico relies on imports for nearly half of its feed and pork needs. In fact the country accounts for 38% of total U.S. pork and pork-variety meat exports.

There is also concern surrounding South Korea and China as the two countries lack clear regulations for gene editing of animals. “Together, these markets account for 16% of U.S. pork export volume and 12% of pork export value — large enough to be problematic if regulators fail to approve the products or if consumers prove unwilling to purchase U.S. pork,” McCracken notes.

“Approval of PRP technology in either country would potentially remove a barrier for U.S. commercialization but could also limit U.S. export potential, as the foreign adoption of PRP would reduce the incidence of the disease, stabilizing local pork supplies and reducing demand for imports.”

Economics of PRP

RaboResearch anticipates a slow introduction to PRP. Production impacts will be gradual in the first three years, increasing in the fourth year as the industry moves toward herd immunity.

“The industry would need to adjust the sow herd to avoid overwhelming the market in the short run. Our model forecasts a decline in sow numbers to offset the decline in pre-wean mortality and to avoid overwhelming the market with supply, with an estimated 3% to 5% negative impact on price. While a 5% to 10% annual adoption rate appears manageable, an accelerated pace would likely stress industry resources, as it is already operating at peak seasonal slaughter capacity and could not absorb materially larger production,” McCracken notes.

Consumer acceptance

McCracken points out few studies have considered the differences in public acceptance of gene editing and genetic modification. A recent survey found less than 20% of U.S. consumers know what the difference is between the two technologies, indicating low overall consumer awareness.

Understanding the technology is crucial for its acceptance, McCracken argues, and a challenge with PRP is that many of the benefits are primarily for production, with only secondary benefits offered to the public.

“While consumers indirectly benefit from improved animal welfare due to disease reduction, quantifying these benefits is challenging. Consumers prioritize animal welfare, as evidenced by voting for animal housing mandates like cage-free egg production and sow housing regulations in California,” McCracken states. “Surveys show support for the animal welfare benefits of PRP, but broader concerns about gene editing in animals and product safety remain. Trust in regulatory authorities, such as the U.S. FDA, will significantly impact consumer acceptance and commercial viability.”

Transparency, even before labels are created for these products, will be critical for moving forward.  

Next steps

McCracken notes the approval of the PRP would be a “game changer for the swine industry,” however implementation will require substantial structural and trade adjustments to mitigate the economic impacts.

“Producers would have to adapt to a market with significantly lower mortality rates, while processors would need a measured approach to commercialization and approvals in key export markets to minimize disruption,” McCracken concludes.

About the Author

Ann Hess

Content Producer, National Hog Farmer

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