Death knell may sound for Canada's GMO pigs

[n2doc]

By Rod Nickel

WINNIPEG, Manitoba | Mon Apr 2, 2012 3:59pm EDT

(Reuters) - Pigs that might have become the world's first genetically modified animals approved for human consumption may instead face an untimely end, as key backers of Canada's "Enviropig" project withdrew their support for the controversial engineered animal.

Scientists at the University of Guelph, 90 km west of Toronto, bred the first GMO pig that was developed to address an environmental problem in 1999. The animal - known as Enviropig - digests its feed more efficiently than naturally bred pigs, resulting in waste that may cause less environmental damage to lakes and rivers.

The project has produced eight generations of Enviropigs, including the current herd of 16 animals. But they may be the last of their kind, after Ontario Pork - an association of hog farmers in the eastern Canadian province - yanked their funding last month.

"We think we took the genetic research as far as it could possibly go," said Keith Robbins, spokesman for Ontario Pork, which funded Enviropig with more than C$1 million ($1 million) since the late 1990s. "It's probably best for industry to take it forward. When you're the first of anything, it's tough to get it out of the gate."

Genetically modified plants and animals intended for the food chain face tough scrutiny from regulators, with some consumers leery of unproven long-term health effects.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/02/canada-us-gmo-canada-pigs-idCABRE83110320120402?sp=true

[NickB79]

1. That's a shame. A more efficient way to produce meat in a world of high grain prices is impressive

I know, we could just eat chicken or less meat altogether, but I do love a good ham

[Nihil]

2. Not sure if you're reading the same thing from that as I am ...

>> "It's probably best for industry to take it forward."

I interpreted it as the University's "Enviropig" project is being taken down with
the view that future work will be purely run by the industry outside of the academic
world and away from any idealistic (rather than greed-driven) researchers.

>> "The GM pig was going to drive consumers away from eating pork if it was
>> ever approved for market," said Paul Slomp of the National Farmers Union

Yet research "can continue without live animals".

Whilst I'm with you for the personal taste issue (a bacon sandwich is a hard thing
to resist on a cold morning), I'm concerned that "Out of sight, out of mind" is not
always a good maxim when it comes to public health & safety issues ...