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Is that a clone in the food supply?

Animal cloning is ethically and morally unsound, and once cloned products have entered the marketplace, there is no turning back.

The FDA has revealed little about the tremendous animal welfare implications of cloning, but according to studies, only five percent of cloning attempts are "successful" (even in the most optimistic scenario, no more than 20-30 percent of cloning attempts will succeed), and those animals who do survive commonly suffer from deformities, as well as heart, kidney and liver disorders. The surrogate mothers used in cloning research also suffer from fetal overgrowth, repeated surgeries and pregnancy complications that often result in death.

Despite all of these facts and fierce opposition from consumers, animal protection, food safety and consumer advocacy groups, environmental organizations, and members of Congress, the FDA approved cloned animals and their products for the U.S. food supply in January 2008.

To make matters worse, neither the FDA nor the USDA plan to label cloned animal products. In reaction to these developments, numerous states have introduced bills to mandate labeling of cloned animal products.

We need you to voice your support for these initiatives, which are critical for protecting animals, as well as consumers’ right to say NO to these products of cruelty.

You Can Help:

Contact your legislators. Bills to mandate labeling of cloned animal products are pending in Massachusetts (SB 197), New Jersey (A 1811), New York (AB 5768), and Washington (SB 5338). Please voice your support for these efforts with a quick and easy e-mail.

Make sure to personalize your e-mail so it will make the greatest impact. Use the talking points below for guidance. Mention the bill number for your state in your subject line and in the body of the e-mail. Get more tips on lobbying.

Background & Talking Points

Policy

• In January 2008, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a ruling permitting the use of cloned animals and their offspring for human food.
• The USDA is maintaining the voluntary moratorium on cloned animals, although it has been considerably weakened. The moratorium no longer covers the offspring of clones, is only voluntary and is being managed by the cloning industry.
• The European Parliament has called for a ban in the European Union on cloning animals for food. They also urged an embargo on imports of cloned animals and their offspring, as well as products derived from cloned animals.

Public Opinion

• Two out of three Americans are uncomfortable with animal cloning, according to the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology. In addition, public opinion polls show that 89 percent of consumers want food from clones to be labeled, and that most Americans are unlikely to buy meat, milk and eggs from the offspring of cloned animals even with FDA assurances that these products are safe for human consumption.

Animal Welfare

• More than 95 percent of cloning attempts fail. Of the 5 percent of cloned animals who survive, a disproportionate number suffer from deformities, early death and heart, kidney and liver disorders (among other health problems).
• More than 50 percent of all calf clones suffer from Large Offspring Syndrome, a condition where the calf is grossly oversized and often displays other significant abnormalities.
• The surrogate mothers also suffer from a range of pregnancy complications, including a high rate of “hydrops,” an often fatal condition in which the mother and/or fetus swells with fluid. This condition is extremely rare (only 1 in 7,500) in traditionally-bred cattle.
• Older clones who may appear healthy have been known to develop “adult clone sudden death syndrome,” which casts doubt on the assumption that cloned animals can ever be considered healthy.

Learn more about Farm Sanctuary’s other advocacy efforts.