Gene-Edited Cattle Approved for Meat Production

U.S. food regulators announced this week that short-haired cattle produced through gene editing (CRISPR) can now be raised for meat production. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says meat from these cattle could be available for purchase within the next two years. The short-haired cattle join a list of gene-edited animals approved by FDA for human consumption.

Other CRISPR animals include Agua Bounty’s GMO salmon and a pig whose meat lacks the sugar that can cause allergic reactions in some people. The cattle come from a precision breeding company near Minneapolis that used CRISPR techniques to produce cattle with a slicker coat, saying these cattle may be better able to tolerate hot weather.

Read more on short-haired cattle and CRISPR techniques here.