Entering the chat: gene-edited pigs.
And they’re not just any gene-edited pigs – ones resistant to the virus that has cost the pork industry $2.7B each year – porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS).
Not the sound a cat makes: PRRS is one of the deadliest diseases for pigs, killing millions each year. Currently, the industry only has vaccines that reduce symptom severity. Thus creating the need for a more aggressive approach.
Genus? More like Genius: Genus is an international breeding company, and its researchers have successfully used CRISPR technology to remove a portion of a protein that would stop PRRS from infecting pigs’ cells but still remain healthy.
These aren’t the first gene-edited animals on the market. The FDA previously approved a salmon species and a different gene-edited pig that would allow some who are allergic to a sugar molecule in pork to eat the other white meat.
Getting the pork to the plate: Genus has bred hundreds of PRRS-immune pigs and says the FDA could approve public sales of the gene-edited pork as soon as next year, but not without several hoops to get through.
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Congress to EPA: What’s Your BEEF with Meat Packers?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering new regulations that take aim at meat and poultry processors.
And some members of Congress have a BEEF with the EPA’s proposals.
The proposed rules: In late January, the EPA released the details of its proposed “Clean Water Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products Point source category.”
Huh?
Basically, the EPA formally published its proposals to combat wastewater contaminants that come from slaughterhouses.
Okay… that makes more sense.
At the heart of the rules proposal is a concern from environmental groups about nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants that originate from slaughterhouses. In some cases, the wastewater goes directly into waterways. In other cases, the water goes to municipal wastewater treatment facilities.
But not everyone is on board with the EPA’s suggestions…
Congress responds: Last week, two U.S. representatives—Eric Burlison (MO) and Ron Estes (KS)—pushed back against the EPA and introduced the “Banning EPA’s Encroachment of Facilities (BEEF) Act.” If passed and signed by President Biden, the law would prohibit the EPA from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the rule.
According to the lawmakers, the proposed rules place undue burden on small processors—costs that can be absorbed by larger companies.
Soundbite: “The… proposed regulation isn’t just an attack on family-run small businesses, it’s an attack on rural communities,” said Burlison. “These meat and poultry processors are the lifeblood of our communities. The BEEF Act… lets these hardworking Americans do what they do best, produce safe, affordable food for our families.”
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