Livestock production, specifically pig production, is an integral part of the food supply, and sustainable production is important. It is estimated that at least 70% increase in animal protein productivity will be needed to feed the world by 2050 (1). Conventional strategies aimed to improve food productivity often result in incremental improvements and will be impossible to nearly double the productivity by 2050. Genetic engineering can result in animals that perform well even in the face of threats such as disease and improve animal welfare. The repurposing of the CRISPR/Cas9 system to introduce novel alleles has revolutionized our ability to produce targeted modifications in cells and animals. While this technology has proved useful, there are complex events that need to take place in order to generate high-efficiency production of genetically engineered (GE) pigs. A robust system of embryo production is a necessary enabling technology for the genetic engineering of livestock. In the review below, the current status of in vitro maturation of pig oocytes, in vitro fertilization (IVF) to create zygotes and embryo culture is described. Two main types of genetic modification routes are also described. Embryo-based methods include microinjection of reagents into oocytes or zygotes and spermmediated gene transfer, and cell-based methods include the development of embryonic stem cells and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).