The United States has long been a leader in agricultural innovation, including in the development and regulatory review of gene-edited agricultural products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) 2025 approval of the gene edit used to breed PRRS-resistant pigs marked an important step in bringing the technology closer to commercial reality.
As discussions about gene editing continue across the livestock sector, interest in the technology is growing throughout North America, especially as the impact of PRRS continues to grow at an alarming rate.
Across the continent, the industry sees the same problem—and perhaps the same potential solution. As gene editing moves from theory to commercial reality, both with the PRRS-resistant pig and other gene-edited livestock and crops, a number of countries are signaling confidence in the technology’s potential.
Improving animal welfare and maintaining safety standards
In 2026, Canadian regulators approved PRRS-resistant pigs after an extensive review of animal, environmental and food safety data. The decision reflects a broader regulatory approach that treats gene editing as an extension of established breeding practices, provided it meets strict safety standards.
Stephen Heckbert, former CEO of the Canadian Pork Council (CPC), says the technology’s value begins with its impact on animal health.
“Animal care is job one for farmers,” he says. “Any time you see an animal struggling for air or coughing, it’s an enormous emotional toll on farmers. Any technology that would help that and help farmers be more confident in the health of their animals is an enormous relief.”
Heckbert notes that gene editing is not new to Canadian agriculture, pointing out that more than ten gene-edited crops have already been listed by Health Canada as non-novel products for commercialization.
“We have one of the most robust regulatory processes in the world,” he says. “How we’ve gotten to this process shouldn’t be taken lightly.”
Ian Affleck, vice president of plant biotechnology and sustainability at CropLife Canada, frames gene editing as part of a much longer continuum of agricultural innovation.
“All food must meet specific standards set out in government regulation, not just food from gene-edited animals or crops,” he says, noting that genetic improvement has always relied on evolving tools.
“Animal husbandry, like plant breeding, has been part of agriculture for ten thousand years,” Affleck says. “Agriculture has always been trying to make better animals and plants, and gene editing is just another tool in the basket of tools breeders have.”
Mexico’s production reality and industry interest
Travel south and Mexico’s pork industry is confronting the same disease pressure—and sees similar promise in gene-editing solutions.
PRRS remains a major challenge in Mexican production systems, where managing herd health is a constant constraint. Producers say the ability to breed resistance into animals could significantly change long-term efficiency and productivity.
“PRRS is a very expensive disease,” says Próspero Peral, member of AMVEC and third-generation pork producer. “Right now, it practically puts you out of business. The way to keep a farm running over time in Mexico would be the genetic capacity to produce PRRS-resistant animals.”
Heriberto Hernández Cárdenas, former president of Opormex, which represents Mexico’s pork industry, says the potential impact extends beyond individual farms to national food production.
“At any given time, approximately 70% of pigs in Mexico are PRRS positive,” he says. “Eliminating this devastating disease would improve farm productivity and resilience, decrease costs, improve animal welfare and sustainability, and increase Mexico’s domestic production capacity.”
While PRRS-resistant pigs have not yet received regulatory approval in Mexico, industry leaders say interest is strong, and producers are eager for access to future innovations as they become available.
“Genetic management is always evolving,” says Peral. “Before it was direct crossbreeding. Now, responsible gene-editing technology allows us to breed a pig better suited to the needs of today’s world.”
A converging North American view of innovation
Across Canada and Mexico, the technology is being viewed through a similar lens: not as a departure from traditional animal breeding, but as an important extension of it.
The approval of PRRS-resistant pigs in Canada was welcomed by industry groups, who see it as part of a broader shift toward science-based agricultural innovation.
“We support the development of tools grounded in science that support herd health,” says Heckbert. “PRRS is an enormous challenge.”
For agricultural leaders throughout North America, the conversation is increasingly not about whether innovation should happen, but how quickly farmers can access tools that address persistent challenges.
“We’re aware of the future we want to leave for those who come after us,” says Peral. “We’re here because someone bequeathed us through hard work and sacrifice. That’s why we have the responsibility to find new ways to improve what we leave behind.”
Click here to read more about how innovation can support a future without PRRS.
