Livestock Biotech Summit

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — As the first transgenic animal seeks approval from the Food and Drug Administration to join the American food supply, bioethics has become the center of attention. Raymond Anthony, University of Alaska-Anchorage assistant professor of philosophy, addressed bioethical concerns on September 30 at the first Livestock Biotech Summit.

The idea of “playing God” or tampering with evolution is one philosophical viewpoint on “introducing novelty into the genome” said Anthony. Another viewpoint considers risks to humans, animals, and the environment. The fair distribution of benefits and harms is another factor.

Ethical conversations based on different perspectives must occur between the scientific community and the public said Anthony.

Scientists in New Zealand are leading conversations with the indigenous Māori who place significance on human lineage. Most Māori introductions include their tribe and the tribes of their parents.

Vish Vishwanath of AgResearch Limited said, “We as scientists had to go explain to them and have this conversation to show what we are doing doesn’t really disrupt that lineage, because anything that modifies genes, or modifies the integrity of those genes, the Māori considers a disruption.”

Some Māori view placing human genetics in other species as breaking human lineage. These transgenic animals are made more like humans when humans are meant to be sacred said Vishwanath.

Anthropocentrism, a philosophical approach where animals “don’t count directly,” was also discussed by Anthony. Anthony described a philosophical approach by animal welfare utilitarian Peter Singer, “There can be no moral justification for regarding the pain or pleasure animals feel as less important than some pain or pleasure felt by human beings.”

Anthony suggests using the “Ethical matrix” as a guide for analyzing bioethical issues. It is a “structured way of working together through some of the ethical issues” said Anthony. The matrix promotes “rational thought and democratic deliberation.”

“Biotechnology has recently caught the imagination of practical philosophers, like myself, who are interested in how some of these new techniques, like genetic modification, is impacting not only human safety, the environment, but also animal well-being,” Anthony said.

A majority of the summit was devoted to the discussion of the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Training, a tool for scientists to ensure animal well-being. The guide addresses animal healthcare, husbandry, housing, biosecurity, transport. Proper care for beef cattle, dairy cattle, horses, poultry, sheep/goats, and swine is included.

This guide is one of three used to gain Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) International accreditation. The AAALAC website states accreditation is a “bridge between progress and animal well-being”. Gaining accreditation is voluntary through the private, nonprofit organization.

 “We are AAALAC accredited and have met all the requirements. We are very concerned about animal welfare and health and so we meet and try to exceed those requirements so the animals are well taken care of,” said Exemplar Genetics president John Swart.—“If you live in the Midwest you will know there is that opportunity to find those people who care about what they do and care about the animals too.”