This British Firm Wants to Sell Virus-Resistant Pigs to China
- Genus is seeking to develop disease-resistant hogs for China
- China prohibits GMO food and consumers are wary after scandals
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As China struggles to stem a contagious, hog-ravaging disease, a British company offers some hope. But it may first need to convince consumers and the government that it’s safe.
Genus Plc, one of the world’s largest animal genetics companies, has developed gene-edited pigs that resist a viral disease that spread across China’s farms more than a decade ago. It’s now also eyeing ways to stamp out a more lethal contagion: African swine fever, which is threatening to wipe out more than a quarter of the nation’s herd.