NFU Blog

On January 15, the FDA announced the findings of the department’s final risk assessment for the consumption of cloned animal products. The FDA’s announcement that food from cloned animals is safe to eat will likely pave the way for these products to soon be available to consumers.

While many people feel cloning animals has moral, ethical or social implications, the safety of consuming this food should certainly be studied further. The long-term effects of eating products from cloned animals are still unknown. Also, in light of recent food safety scares, many consumers have become disenchanted with the FDA’s procedures and decisions.

NFU’s e-newsletter recently asked about human consumption of products from cloned animals, as well as whether or not those products should be labeled. One consumer said, “Knowing the FDA’s history, I don’t trust these products have been adequately tested for consumer safety.”

So is this country ready for more food that could be risky or dangerous to our health? If cloned products do enter the market, they should be labeled as such to allow consumers to make an informed decision about what they eat and where it comes from. Along with implementing mandatory COOL, USDA should extend mandatory labeling procedures to food that comes from cloned animals or their offspring.

Another respondent to our poll said, “Why consume cloned product when natural is available?”

Assuming that products from cloned animals and their offspring are safe to eat, is it even necessary to clone animals for human consumption? There are plenty of farms in this country who are willing and able to provide natural animals and animal products to our consumers. The only people that stand to benefit from a closed-door cloned animal product operation are large corporations.

After five years of delays, mandatory country-of-origin labeling is set to be implemented in 2008. The house farm bill passed at the end of July includes language to efficiently and cost-effectively implement this law that so many have been waiting so long for.

A recent consumer poll released by Zogby shows that 94% of American consumers believe they have a right to know where their food comes from. While knowing where food comes from does not necessarily make it safe, it can help consumers make wiser, safer decisions during their next trip to the grocery store, and according to the poll, 90% of consumers agree. 88% even believe that all retail food should mandatorily be labeled.

Read more about NFU’s COOL policy.

If you have yet to read the New York Times today, I urge you now to do so. On the front page is an article that elicited many ‘woops’ and ‘hurrahs’ and sighs of relief this morning. “Labels Lack Food’s Origin Despite Law,” addresses legislation American farmers and ranchers, consumers and many members of Congress have been fighting to implement for years.

Country-of-origin labeling, also known as COOL, is currently voluntary in the United States for meats, produce and nuts even though a law was passed in 2002 to make it mandatory. COOL for farm-raised and wild-caught seafood has already been implemented. (more…)