NCBA Staff Contacts:
Dr. Elizabeth Parker, Chief Veterinarian
202-347-0228
eparker@beef.org
Phyllis Marquitz, Director of Food Policy
202-347-0228
pmarquitz@beef.org
Summary
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released its Final Risk Assessment on Animal Cloning, along with a risk management plan and guidance for industry documents on January 15, 2008. These materials are posted on FDA’s website at http://www.fda.gov/cvm/cloning.htm.
“After years of detailed study and analysis, the Food and Drug Administration has concluded that meat and milk from clones of cattle, swine, and goats, and the offspring of clones from any species traditionally consumed as food, are as safe to eat as food from conventionally bred animals.”
- FDA News Release, January 15, 2008
FDA released its Draft Risk Assessment on December 28, 2006. Since that time, the risk assessment has been updated to include new scientific information. That new information reinforces the food safety conclusions of the drafts.
"After reviewing additional data and the public comments in the intervening year since the release of our draft documents on cloning, we conclude that meat and milk from cattle, swine, and goat clones are as safe as food we eat every day. Our additional review strengthens our conclusions on food safety."
- Stephen F. Sundlof, D.V.M., Ph.D., director of FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, January 15, 2008
Background
Cloning is an assisted reproductive technology that allows livestock breeders to duplicate the genetic traits of their best animals. This technology does not change the DNA of the animal. Clones are not “genetically-modified.” They are merely “twins,” which are born at different times.
Additionally, the offspring of cloned animals are not clones. They are conventionally-produced animals. All cattle are born naturally, including those that are cloned.
Cloning technology is used in breeding animals. These animals are very costly and will represent the most valuable breeding stock. Cloned animals are not likely to enter the food supply in quantity, although beef derived from the offspring of clones could eventually become part of the food supply.
For more information on cloning, visit www.clonesafety.org.
What the Research Says:
The risk assessment conducted by the FDA found that the cloned animal, its progeny, and meat from a cloned cow is the same as its non-cloned counterpart and is completely safe.
In addition, research studies have been conducted by numerous government agencies and independent scientific institutions, including studies published by the National Academies of Science in 2002 and 2004, and an Assessment of Safety of Animal Cloning published by the FDA in 2003. The findings from these studies indicate that meat from the offspring of cloned animals is not chemically different (and is indistinguishable) from the meat of offspring from conventionally-bred animals.
How Will Cloning Be Used in the Cattle and Beef Industry?
Beef producers use safe and efficient methods to develop high quality, safe and affordable beef for consumers. Cloning could allow ranchers to duplicate their best breeding animals and, therefore, more consistently produce higher quality cattle. The technology would enable cattle producers to better meet consumer expectations at the meat case.
Cloning technology still is relatively new and very expensive. According to the Biotechnology Industry Organization, there are fewer than 600 clones in existence, and they mostly are used for breeding purposes.
Is a continued moratorium and/or labeling necessary?
Previously, FDA had a voluntary moratorium pending release of its final risk assessment on meat and milk products from animal clones and their progeny from the food supply. But FDA’s guidance documents released January 15, 2008, say “food from clones would be subject to the same requirements as food from their conventionally bred counterparts…We do not believe that meat or milk from cattle, swine, and goat clones would require any additional controls compared with meat or milk from cattle, swine, or goats currently entering the food supply today.”
USDA said on January 15, 2008, it has intentions to convene stakeholders “to discuss efforts to provide a smooth and orderly market transition, as industry determines next steps with respect to the existing voluntary moratorium.” USDA is expected to ask that a voluntary moratorium on clones remain in place for the near future as part of the market transition process.
Even after the voluntary ban is lifted, industry experts say it will be several years before these food products appear in the marketplace because they primarily will be from the offspring of cloned cattle. FDA concluded that the food products from progeny of cloned animals “are suitable to enter the food and feed supply under the same controls as applied to any animal that is the product of sexual reproduction. FDA does not have recommendations for any additional measures related to the use of the progeny of clones for the production of food for humans or feed for animals based on the fact that these are progeny of clones.”
The agency is not requiring labeling or any other additional measures for food from cattle, swine, and goat clones, or their offspring because food derived from these sources is no different from food derived from conventionally bred animals. Should a producer express a desire for voluntary labeling (e.g., "this product is clone-free"), it will be considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure compliance with statutory requirements that labeling be truthful and not misleading.
Key Points:
· The final risk assessment conducted and released by the FDA on January 15, 2008, found that the cloned animal, its offspring and meat from a cloned cow is the same as its non-cloned counterpart and is completely safe.
· Cloning is an assisted reproductive technology that allows livestock breeders to duplicate the genetic traits of their best animals. This technology does not change the DNA of the animal. Clones are not “genetically-modified.” They are merely “twins.”
· The progeny of clones are not considered clones. They are the same as their non-cloned progeny counterparts and are completely safe.
· NCBA supports the development of cloning technology as another assisted reproductive technology that can be used in the beef industry.
· Based on FDA’s findings, NCBA does not believe that food from cloned animals or the progeny of clones needs to be banned from the food supply or labeled. Food derived from cloning technology should be subject to the same controls and safety measures as conventionally-produced food.