Dr. Steven R. Webb (PhD) is CEO of the Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan.
The CEO of the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan is applauding Health Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) following the regulatory approval of the PRRS-resistant pig, which was developed using gene-editing technology.
The approval, which was announced in January, is in line with the Government of Canada’s previous science-based policy developments updating the regulatory guidelines for novel plants in Canada.
These updates have opened the door to the commercialization of food products that use gene-editing technology to make precise changes in the DNA of animals, plants, and microorganisms.
“Gene editing is one of the most important tools we have to advance global food security,” said GIFS CEO Dr. Steven R. Webb (PhD).
“By making precise changes that could also occur naturally, gene editing offers a safe and efficient way to advance resilient and sustainable food production.”
The approval of the gene-edited pigs, which are resistant to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, demonstrates how Canada’s regulatory bodies can provide a framework for researchers and industry to foster innovation without compromising safety, said Webb.
The regulators’ review, which included extensive public consultation, found the gene-edited pigs were identical to other pigs.
“I applaud Canadian regulators for making decisions that align with other leading jurisdictions and providing a transparent, predictable, science-based framework that Canadians can be confident in. Health Canada’s approach continues to be the right one, delivering transparency within its science-based decision-making and only engaging in mandatory labelling when there are health and safety factors,” said Webb.
“Mandatory labelling of safe products does not contribute to food security, but it can amplify misinformation and inflate food price. As gene-edited products advance to market, agricultural producers, consumers, and the broader community are poised to benefit as the innovation ecosystem delivers new solutions enhancing crop performance, nutritional quality, animal health, and more.”
Driving safety, productivity, and competitiveness
In testimony before committees of the House of Commons and Senate, as well other forums, Webb and other GIFS representatives have raised concerns about Canada’s widening innovation and productivity gaps, pointing to slow and unpredictable regulatory timelines as a key contributor.
“While Canadian researchers and organizations have a long history of being really good at research, the country has a poor track-record when it comes to converting that research into market-impacting innovations,” said Webb.
The World Intellectual Property Organization has highlighted this discrepancy with its input-output conversion rate, which ranked Canada as 123rd in the world.
Meanwhile, Canadian agricultural exports are slipping. Once the fifth largest exporter of agri-food products in the world, Canada is now ranked seventh — a position that’s projected to further decline — according to RBC.
Farm Credit Canada has also tracked Canada’s declining agricultural productivity, describing a $30 billion opportunity to restore productivity growth.
“Innovation drives agricultural safety, productivity, and sustainability. We see so many examples of that, from new machinery to new crop inputs to breeding innovations that help Canadian farmers produce some of the most sustainable agricultural products in the world,” said Webb.
“Gene editing is another one of these critical technologies that will help Canadian producers feed a growing world. In recent years, updates to Canadian regulations that provide a path to market for gene-edited products are a significant and positive step forward, but there is more to do.
“I encourage all regulators and stakeholders to engage in productive dialogue, supporting the establishment of predictable, transparent, and science-based regulatory frameworks that enable the delivery of safe and nutritious food to people here in Canada and abroad.”
Background on the PRRS-resistant pig
- Using gene-editing technology, Genus PLC and PIC (Pig Improvement Company) developed a pig resistant to infection from the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS). The viral disease compromises animal health and fertility, resulting in diminished welfare, higher antibiotic use, economic losses for producers, and a decreased availability of pork products for consumers.
- Genus PLC/ PIC made their request to Health Canada in 2023. Health Canada’s review found no safety concerns. “In addition to the assessments noted above, in December 2025, the New Substances program—jointly administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada and Health Canada—determined that environmental and human health risks from indirect exposure to these pigs is no different from pigs currently available in Canada,” says Health Canada on its website.
- Genus PLC’s PRRS-resistant pigs are already approved in several other major pork exporting countries, including the United States and Brazil.
- Genus PLC has stated that, although Canada has approved PRRS-resistant pigs, the company plans to wait for additional approvals in other major markets before making these animals available.
You can learn more about the PRRS-resistant pig on the Government of Canada’s website:
- Canada approves pigs resistant to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses for use in food and feed
- Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus-Resistant Pigs
- Summary of information submitted by the public to the New Substances program on the environmental and human health risks of four lines of gene-edited pig
- Technical summary: Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus-Resistant Pigs