Innovation & Technology

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Healthier Animals = Healthier Food System, Healthier Planet

PIC’s new FDA-approved, disease-resistant pigs aim to protect herds from the devastating impacts of PRRS and lower both antibiotic use and environmental impact.

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Food producers around the world face a growing number of challenges feeding a growing population in our climate-changing world — innovators are now fine-tuning everything from their sourcing and growing practices to the crops themselves in a bid to increase the climate resilience of staple commodities.

But for livestock producers in particular, disease can pose an even bigger threat — with viruses such as Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Disease (PRRS) among the most destructive: Recent studies estimate 60 percent of US pig herds are infected with PRRS at any given time and put related financial losses at over a billion a year. And the problem is only getting worse: According to the USDA, Q2 2025 recorded the highest number of PRRS outbreaks in pigs’ most crucial growth phase since 2013*.*

Earlier this year, the Pig Improvement Company (PIC) received FDA approval for the gene edit used in its PRRS-resistant pig — making PIC one of the first companies to gain approval for gene editing in commercial livestock in the US. PIC asserts that in addition to the economic benefits of PRRS-resistant herds, eliminating PRRS increases animal welfare, reduces the need for antibiotics and lowers the environmental impact of pig farming.

We spoke with Banks Baker, PIC’s Senior Director of New Product Strategy, to learn more.

What are the expected environmental and business benefits of PRRS-resistant pigs?

Banks Baker: PRRS is one of the most common, costly and devastating viruses impacting global pork production. Our PRRS-resistant pig provides a genetic solution to this problem and creates many positive benefits by doing so.

In the US, 60 percent of pig herds are infected with PRRS at any given time — regardless of the size or type of farm. A recent study from Iowa State University reported that PRRS costs $1.2 billion per year, in the US alone. That number has increased 80 percent from previous estimates of $664 million between 2006-2010.

However, this challenge goes beyond economics. It directly affects animal health and welfare while driving increased antibiotic use. PRRS weakens pigs’ immune systems, leaving them more vulnerable to secondary infections that often require treatment. Another recent Iowa State University study found that eliminating PRRS could reduce antibiotic use by more than 200 percent.

PRRS also increases the environmental footprint of pork production. The disease drives higher resource use — more feed, water and land — and ultimately contributes to greater greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). By eliminating PRRS, we can reduce this burden. A recent ISO-conformant lifecycle assessment (LCA) showed that eliminating PRRS could cut GHGs by up to 9 percent compared to the industry average — demonstrating how removing PRRS will truly enable us to produce more with less.

Along with disease resistance, what other areas is PIC working on (ex: increasing nutritional content)?

BB: While the FDA-approved gene edit confers resistance to the PRRS virus, there are additional benefits that come with limiting or eliminating PRRS: improving animal welfare, reducing the need for antibiotics, and reducing the environmental impact of raising pigs.

Farmers are increasingly being asked to do more with less to meet the demands of the value chain, and the PRRS-resistant pig can be a valuable tool for doing so. In 2023, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) identified genetics as a key opportunity to improve the sustainability of animal agriculture. This aligns directly with PIC’s 60+ year history of advancing swine genetics to improve productivity and efficiency while reducing resource use.

In 2024, we quantified this impact through an ISO-conformant LCA, which found that in North America, PIC’s full-program genetics reduce GHGs by 7.5 percent compared to the industry average.

With this validation, we are establishing a new class of GHG intervention — Genetic Carbon™ — which recognizes and enables the emissions reductions made possible through PIC’s genetic improvement.

We are now working with the Meat Institute and leading US pork companies to apply the Genetic Carbon™ framework to their systems — establishing a credible, scalable pathway to meet climate goals.

Does PIC have specific goals/aspirations for the market share of PRRS-resistant pigs vs conventional? Will farmers have to purchase PRRS-resistant pigs at a premium? If so, will the pork products be priced at a

premium?

BB: We believe that gene editing and our PRRS-resistant pig represent a monumental step forward for how we manage animal disease, and it’s our ambition to bring it to pigs and producers around the globe.

We are committed to introducing the technology intentionally and responsibly, in a way that protects trade between key pork markets. We’ve already received regulatory clearance in the US, Colombia, Brazil, Dominican Republic and Argentina — where PRRS-resistant pigs will be treated the same as any other pigs. We are currently working toward additional approvals in countries including Japan, Canada, Mexico and others.

While we are excited to introduce the PRRS-resistant pig, we will continue to additionally offer and continuously improve the genetic merit of all our product lines.

What’s unique about PRRS-resistant pigs is that they deliver immediate economic and sustainability benefits. By removing PRRS from their herds, producers can reduce production costs while meeting the growing demands of the value chain. For downstream audiences, this means access to pork with premium attributes without the premium price. Unlike many sustainability interventions that take years to deliver a return, PRRS resistance provides an immediate economic benefit that also translates directly into improved animal welfare, reduced need for antibiotics, and a lower carbon footprint — aligning with the priorities of consumers, corporations, and governments alike.

Dr. Jayson Lusk, Vice President and Dean of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University, recently developed an economic model to assess the market impact of adopting PRRS-resistant pigs. His analysis shows that as adoption increases, pork production rises and prices decline. At first glance, that may seem like a challenge for producers. However, Dr. Lusk’s model demonstrates that the reduction in input costs far outpaces the decline in prices — ultimately leading to higher profitability for producers.

Before bringing PRRS-resistant pigs to market, PIC evaluated four approaches to consumer messaging about the benefits of the gene-edited pigs — highlighting Fewer Antibiotics, Improved Sustainability, Safety and No Impact to Taste. While all four received a positive response, results showed that PRRS-resistant pork has the highest likelihood of being purchased when messages revolve around the taste (87 percent), followed by safety (83 percent). What do you think this says about the ability to assuage public fears about gene-edited foods going forward?

BB: We believe gene editing represents the future of both animal and human health. As one of the first applications in our industry, we recognize the responsibility to introduce this technology thoughtfully and responsibly. That means engaging with consumers to truly understand where they stand, what resonates with them, what concerns them, the questions they need answered, and ultimately what builds their trust and comfort with gene editing.

According to consumer research firm Circana, with whom we partnered to guide our insights work, taste consistently emerges as the strongest driver in food-related research. At the end of the day, consumers want confidence that the food they serve their families is not only safe but also tastes great.

We’ve now partnered with Circana on this research for three years, and the trend is clear: As awareness of gene editing increases, so does consumer acceptance. Five years ago, few consumers had even heard of gene editing. Today, as familiarity with the technology and its benefits has grown, so too has acceptance.

Our findings are reinforced by research from others — including Mintel and the Food Industry Association — which consistently shows that when consumers clearly see the benefits of a technology and how it aligns with their values of providing safe, affordable and great-tasting food for their families, they are open to and accepting of innovation in food production.

As awareness of gene editing continues to grow, it is critical for PIC to maintain an up-to-date understanding of consumer perceptions of both gene-edited foods broadly and gene-edited pork specifically. That’s why we will continue to invest in consumer research, trend monitoring and ongoing engagement to ensure we meet consumers where they are and respond to their evolving expectations.

While consumer acceptance might no longer be a hurdle, some groups are still concerned that gene-editing animals to increase resistance to diseases will mean that the meat industry won’t be motivated to deal with the conditions — such as crowded, unsanitary conditions — that lead to animals getting ill in the first place. How does PIC respond to such concerns?

BB: The reality is that the challenge of PRRS is getting worse, not better; and it impacts farms of all types, sizes and scales around the world.

For example, per the University of Minnesota, 60 percent of US swine herds are PRRS positive at any given time, regardless of size.

PRRS is a highly contagious and often fatal disease that affects pigs indiscriminately. Its impact can be devastating for both animals and producers, sometimes determining whether a multi-generation family farm can continue to operate.

The world is facing some unfortunate realities, and we are asking a lot of our food system. We can meet those demands, but we are going to need technologies like gene editing to do it.