Meet the speaker - Craig Lewis, Genus PIC

The ‘Fourth Agricultural Revolution’ and the potential of gene editing in pigs 

Dr Craig Lewis was raised on a family farm in Herefordshire. He has advanced degrees in Animal Behaviour/Welfare and Animal Breeding/Genetics, including a PhD at the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, which he undertook before having research positions in Australia and a commercial position in the United States. Craig currently oversees Genetic Dissemination for Genus PIC in the Europe/Middle East/Africa region working with pig producers from developing farmers in Africa to multinational integrated food businesses. He is also the current chair of the steering committee for the European Forum for Farm Animal Breeders (EFFAB). 

From Family Farm to Global Impact 

The son of a pig farmer, Craig’s journey in genetics began at a young age, where he was exposed not only to the wonders of the animal, but the challenges of rearing them and supporting a viable business  

“I remember good times and the bad, I remember my Dad breaking with PRRS (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome) in the nineties, seeing the aborted pigs on the floor, pulling the dead pigs out of the barns myself, and witnessing the emotional toll it had on us as a family,” recalls Craig.  

While the disease, and its devasting impacts, remain endemic in outdoor and indoor reared pigs both here in the UK and overseas, Craig believes that precision breeding in the form of gene editing represents a paradigm shift in animal welfare improvement and livestock farming, globally.  

He has witnessed the industry evolve and been involved first hand in the implementation of transformational genetic innovations such as genomic selection.  

“Gene editing can really be a game changer, for the industry, but also down to individual farmers, like my father.”   

The Case for Genetic Improvement  

Craig explains, “While an effective vaccine against PRRS is yet to have been developed, we do have the technology to rear disease-resistant pigs. With gene editing, we can essentially turn off disease like we turn off a light switch. And innovative solutions, that have a massive positive impact on the industry, already exist – including the PRRS-Resistant Pig developed by PIC.” 

Craig is passionate about pushing agriculture to embrace innovation and ensuring that farmers across the world can access the best possible technology. During his session at the 2025 Oxford Farming Conference, he will apply a science-based approach and outline the potential of genetic innovation in real terms, addressing the ‘why’ and ‘what’s in it’ for different stakeholders. 

For example, Craig emphasises that while consumers are demanding greater animal welfare and sustainable food supply chains, farmers are combatting animal suffering and increased costs of production stemming from disease, amongst other factors. Precision breeding offers solutions for parties at all stages of the food supply chain. 

“It’s not just about creating novel variants to drive profit with gene editing”, says Craig. “It’s about producing healthy, affordable and tasty animal protein that meets the societal and environmental needs of today.” 

Navigating Barriers to Implementation 

Despite the promising advancements, Craig acknowledges the regulatory and consumer acceptance challenges associated with gene editing technologies.  

From a regulatory standpoint, the progressive Genetic Technology Act (2023) was passed in the UK last year to unlock growth in precision breeding technology, but the enabling legislation has yet to be written. 

“Having the technology and the legislative green light does not mean the game is over. A significant amount of discussion still needs to take place; at the local regulatory level but also internationally considering pork is traded globally. We also have a lot of talking through to do in terms of consumer acceptance as ethical considerations ultimately surround the gene editing conversation.” 

“But we must not be afraid of talking openly about the tools we have at our fingertips. With these new genetic solutions, we are on the cusp of real change, and the fourth revolution in agriculture is on the horizon”.  

Facing Change, Finding Opportunity  

With the 2025 Oxford Farming Conference addressing the theme of change and opportunity, Craig’s session promises to offer valuable insights into the complex genetic improvement landscape.  

“People say that farming needs to go back to the way it was in the 1940s, but my argument is clear: farming like we did in the 40s wouldn’t fill the societal needs of today. We must evolve to have more effective farming systems that can help deal with global concerns such climate change and growing populations, all while embracing the technological innovations available to us,” says Craig.  

He adds, “From my childhood to my professional travels, I’ve seen what disease does at farm level. But with gene editing, we can accelerate the existing benefits of high-quality pig genetics, improving animal welfare, reducing the environmental impact of protein production and further cutting antibiotic use – which is good for people, pigs, the planet and profit. It represents a huge opportunity; we just need to get talking about it.”