Cloned Food? − 25 January, 2008
I want to know if I am buying and consuming animal products from clones. I think I should be fully aware and then make my choice – not be fooled into consumption by a lack of labeling. The FDA is not requiring labeling of food items from cloned animals, and that bothers me.
I frequently shop at Whole Foods and buy organic produce – it tends to be more expensive than non-organic – as I like the flavor and I don’t mind the extra money to support the farmers who grow things the way I would if I were a farmer. I believe in doing things the old-fashioned way sometimes.
I fully agree that cloning should be allowed. I am all for forward thinking things and reproducing genetics that are favorable (disease-resistant strains, etc.) for growth and consumption. However, I think it is only fair that people are able to choose for themselves what they want to support.
I think the growers will find that their cloned products will not sell very well. I have a feeling the American public will opt for things created the old-fashioned way, too. And it’s the almighty dollar that controls supply and demand – I think there will be a demand for “real” food and not cloned products.
Perhaps that’s what is behind the labeling (or lack of) issue. Unless the cost of cloned products is a whole lot lower than “real” food, I will hedge a bet that people will pay more for “real” products.
Look at the boom in supermarkets like Whole Foods – so many more people are opting for organic and natural and holistic that it has created a demand for huge supermarkets devoted to what used to be considered alternative.
Perhaps there is also something in the back of our minds linking cloning and bad science fiction movies… really cloning is no different than identical twinning. There are also many plants that are propagated by a “cutting” effectively cloning them. I guess perhaps the American public thinks of “cloning” as test tubes and mad scientists and that there is an inherent risk.
We saw how Dolly aged faster than normally-created sheep of the same biological age. We know that bad copies of genes are dangerous – frayed edges are thought to cause a whole host of genetic faults. Perhaps that’s were this negative impression comes from.
Whatever the link, Americans are going to want to know where their animal products are coming from, and I think full disclosure is only fair. We all know the FDA is not infallible and I, for one, would like the ability to make an informed decision, whatever that may be.
If cloned products hit the market and there is no labeling, I can tell you that I will undoubtedly do all my shopping at Whole Foods. Right now, it is somewhat of a luxury to shop there as it is so much more costly overall than my local Publix. But I want to know what I am consuming – and who I am supporting – and I like things done the old-fashioned way. Breed better animals through regular old artificial selection – not artificial cloning.
Comments:
edunn (January 27, 2008. 04:54am)
I am so glad you brought this up! How is it possible that they don't have to label things that are cloned?! I am pretty sure they do not have to label foods that are genetically modified (GMOs) either! I do not want anything to do with ingesting stuff that has been altered from it's natural state. I am in love with belonging to a food coop that supports local farmers, and I benefit by getting organically grown produce that is super fresh and grown just miles away. To check some out if you want www.localharvest.org. I am with you Sara!
kga245 (January 29, 2008. 05:29am)
I hear cloned sheep taste like cloned chicken.