PIC’s PRRS-resistant pigs have been approved for sale as food in Canada after rigorous and thorough review, in a significant breakthrough for gene-editing technology.
Following approval by Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Friday, Canada joins a growing list of countries that have deemed the gene edit safe and effective. The US FDA approved it in April 2025, while Colombia, Brazil, Dominican Republic and Argentina have issued positive determinations for PRRS-resistant pigs, meaning they have recognised that the pigs are not GMO and should be treated the same as any other pigs.
Additionally, Environment & Climate Change Canada (ECCC) conducted its own review of the research and data and concluded that PRRS-resistant pigs may now be manufactured or imported in Canada.
“We have spent years conducting extensive research, validating our findings and working with the Canadian government to gain approval,” said Matt Culbertson, PIC’s chief operating officer. “Today marks a major milestone for consumers, farmers, and the entire pork industry who have hoped for relief from PRRS for decades.”
“We are committed to the responsible and intentional introduction of the PRRS-resistant pig around the globe. Gaining approval in Canada is an important step in this process, and we are working with additional countries to gain regulatory approval and protect global trade prior to initiating sales and delivery.”
No different to other pigs
Health Canada and CFIA conducted scientific assessments that ensured the pigs are safe for consumption and do not differ from other pigs available on the market. Their evaluation led them to conclude that aside from the precise deletion of a small part of a gene involved in PRRS infection, the PRRS-resistant pigs are no different than other pigs.
They further concluded that there are no differences in the nutritional value of the pork from PRRS-resistant pigs compared to other pork available for consumption.
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) is one of the most devastating, global swine diseases. It causes needless suffering and premature death for pigs, negatively impacts animal welfare, exacerbates the need for antibiotics and increases the environmental impact of raising pigs.
“Addressing PRRS can allow us to improve animal welfare, reduce the need for antibiotics and decrease the environmental impact of raising pigs,” said Todd Wilken, PIC director of North America sales. “In fact, recent research indicates that PRRS increases the need for antibiotics by more than 2 times compared to pigs without PRRS.”
Positive consumer research
Research conducted by Circana and commissioned by PIC in late 2025 found that there is an above average likelihood that Canadian consumers will purchase pork from gene-edited pigs.
It polled more than 5,000 pork consumers from eight key countries, representative across genders and ages 18 to 70 and found that 90% of Canadian consumers are open to purchasing pork from gene-edited pigs and that responsibly reducing the need for antibiotics ranked as the top motivator.
PIC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Genus, a UK-based company, publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange.