Orwell-Speak Award Goes to Canada's GM "Enviropig"

By the time this post goes live, Environment Canada will have officially announced its approval of a genetically engineered pig, allowing the animal to overcome its first hurdle on the way to a grocery store near you (if you happen to live in Canada), and possibly to become the first transgenic animal to enter our collective diet.

Developed by the University of Guelph in Ontario, these Yorkshire pigs have genes from mice that reduce the amount of phosphorous in the pigs' feces by up to two thirds by allowing them to digest phosphorous from grain. Like cows, industrially farmed pigs are fed almost nothing but corn; unlike cows, they don't become sick from it, but it isn't exactly a balanced diet. The pigs can't absorb the phosphorous they need on this diet, requiring mineral phosphate supplements to be added to their feed — which further increases the already concentrated amount of phosphorous in their feces.

Excess phosphorous is a problem because it runs off into bodies of water, causing algae blooms that strangle fish and other sea life. So naturally the University has trademarked this new low-phosphorous pig as, no joke, the Enviropig.

Once again (and again) we see incomplete industrial solutions being offered for industrially-caused problems. Industrial agriculture's motto ought to be Solutions in search of a problem.

Health Canada will have to approve the pigs as fit for human consumption before they are released on the market. The University of Guelph has also submitted an application to the FDA, but it is unclear if or when these "Frankenswine" — excuse me, "Enviropigs" might be approved for use in the United States.

Hey, Canada, I have a great idea for you. A groundbreaking solution. It's not as if you're short on space up there: Why don't you quit cramming thousands of pigs into tiny warehouses and let them eat — and shit — as nature intended?

Photo credit: Just chaos