In-ovo sexing technology has made its way to the U.S., with an egg hatchery in Iowa becoming the first in the country to implement this innovative and humane alternative to the practice of culling male chicks. The technology uses a sorting machine called Cheggy, which can determine the sex of a chick before it hatches by measuring differences in light spectrums on feather color. This machine, developed by Agri Advanced Technologies, is capable of processing up to 25,000 brown layer hatching eggs per hour.
The adoption of this technology by NestFresh Eggs marks a significant milestone in the egg production industry. Eggs from in-ovo sexed hens are expected to be available on the market by June 2025, providing consumers with a more ethical option. This development follows the installation of an identical Cheggy machine at a hatchery in Texas. The technology is seen as a game-changer, offering a solution to the longstanding issue of male chick culling, a practice where male chicks are killed shortly after hatching because they do not lay eggs and are considered economically unproductive.
The push for in-ovo sexing technology is gaining momentum in the U.S., driven by consumer demand for more sustainable and humane practices in the poultry industry. While in-ovo sexing has already gained traction in Europe, its adoption in the U.S. has been slower, primarily due to a lack of consumer awareness about the issue of chick culling. However, as consumers become more informed about the ethical concerns surrounding chick culling, demand for alternatives like in-ovo sexing is expected to rise.
The Cheggy machine offers a non-invasive method of determining the sex of the chicks before they hatch, eliminating the need for the culling process. This aligns with growing concerns about animal welfare and sustainability in food production. As more egg producers adopt this technology, it could lead to a significant reduction in the number of male chicks being killed, ultimately making the egg industry more humane and environmentally friendly.
AquaBounty to End Production of Gene-Edited Salmon
AquaBounty, a company that made history by becoming the first to receive U.S. approval to sell a gene-edited animal, has announced that it will shut down its operations after running out of funds. The company, which had been working to produce genetically modified salmon, will close its hatchery in Bay Fortune, Canada, and cull all remaining fish. Despite being the first to receive commercial approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, AquaBounty has faced significant financial difficulties, and consumer skepticism about gene-edited foods has hindered its growth.
The company had been working to raise capital for over a year, including selling off assets such as a fish farm in Indiana and listing another farm in Canada for sale. However, these efforts were not enough to generate the funds necessary to maintain operations. AquaBounty’s financial struggles were compounded by consumer wariness about gene-edited technology, which led to a lack of partnerships with major grocery retailers, food service companies, and restaurants.
Despite its pioneering status in the gene-edited food industry, AquaBounty’s salmon faced strong opposition from consumer groups and environmental organizations. Many consumers expressed concerns about the safety and ethical implications of genetically modified animals, which contributed to the company’s inability to secure widespread market acceptance. AquaBounty’s shutdown marks a setback for the gene-editing industry, particularly in the field of genetically modified animals.
As AquaBounty winds down its operations, it will assess alternatives for its Ohio farm project, which was intended to be a large-scale, land-based salmon farm. The company’s closure raises questions about the future of gene-edited food and whether consumer resistance will continue to hinder the development of genetically modified animals for commercial use.
Syngenta and Enko Advance Sustainable Weed Control Using AI
Syngenta and Enko have made significant progress in their collaboration to discover more sustainable weed control solutions. The two companies have been working together to identify novel weed control molecules that target a new Mode of Action—how herbicides kill unwanted plants. This breakthrough is part of Syngenta’s broader “Safer by Design” strategy, which focuses on developing crop protection technologies that enhance yields while minimizing environmental impacts.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in this collaboration has been instrumental in accelerating the discovery process. Enko’s AI-powered discovery platform has allowed the companies to identify new leads for sustainable weed control molecules, marking a significant step forward in addressing the growing challenge of weed resistance. The partnership is part of a broader effort to develop more environmentally friendly herbicides that can help farmers control weeds without causing harm to the environment
