CHEW ON THIS... CLONED ANIMALS: ARE YOU WILLING TO EAT THEM?
- Renee Gannon, Assistant Website Editor
After seven years of study and some 30,000 public comments, the federal barrier is coming down on cloned meat and milk. A final 986-page report from the Food and Drug Administration finds that lab-grown farm animals are fit to eat.
Although backed tenfold by the scientific seal of approval, the new FDA approval doesn't seem to be very settling with the public. Surveys show that many shoppers have no appetite for milk and animal products that trace back to cloned sources.
Because of this, the federal authorities expect it will take from three to five years before cloned cattle, pigs and goats move from experimental confines to the broader market. That's enough time to see if public awareness and acceptance will wear down the skeptical reaction brought on by such an innovative form of breeding.
Interestingly enough, cloned animals won't themselves be sold for steaks, chops or bacon. These genetically perfect animals are too valuable and are likely to be used for breeding instead. The public will get a taste of the process through the offspring, bred the old-fashioned way.
We know this is a lot to take in, in fact, we are just as overwhelmed as you are, as is most of the general public. Luckily, we aren't the only ones who want to investigate this further and the issue is far from settled. The Senate version of a new farm bill
proposes a ban in lieu of further study. This stance must be reconciled with the House version of the bill that doesn't bar cloned food.
The federal agency also left out an idea that cloning critics have long sought: A label on milk cartons or meat packets that would tell a shopper if a cloned animal was involved. Advocates claim such notice would produce a fear factor where none is warranted, but it would tell a consumer the facts and let that shopper decide.
We ask you: would you prefer a label telling you which foods come from cloned sources and which ones don't? We'd love to hear your thoughts on this matter and as always, comments are encouraged. We will be sure to keep you posted on all the latest cloning news and information, so be sure to check back soon!
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