FDA poised to OK food from cloned animals

[Honeykiss1974]

Scientists say meat, milk just as safe as from conventional livestock
AP Wire
Updated: 51 minutes agoWASHINGTON - Federal scientists have concluded there is no difference between food from cloned animals and food from conventional livestock, setting the stage for the government to declare Thursday that cloned animals are safe for the human food supply.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16372490/

[AlexMack]

Right, well that article is a load of horseshit. 'People are uncomfortable'. Then don't tell them dumbasses. There is no difference. Holy shit.

[valkyrie]

GOOD THING BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST ABOUT TO RUN OUT OF COWS.

Seriously, WTF.

[squirrely girl]

as a vegetarian, just not worried 'bout it

[AKA_Monet]

Agriculture has been using cloned plants--or genetically modified plants for at least 15 years. And most major grocery chains as well as canned vegetables carry GMO foods. Moreover, I wouldn't trust the packaging on Organic as far as I could throw it... And it is the USDA, not the FDA that gives that rating system... The FDA just approves the use of foodstuffs for human consumption.

And what are you all calling cloned animals? If you are talking "Dolly the Sheep" cloned animal, then that is cloning. But if you are talking about that "Sweet Pork" that has a genetically altered insulin pathway gene, which causes the muscle to taste sweeter, that happened naturally by breeding...

How many different cows do we have? Or pigs? Goats, chickens or turkeys? What about fish?

Although I am a vegetarian, I am one because of my personal decision. Not because I think the meat industry needs improvement, but because I am an informed adult who made a decision.

The worst issue with cloned animals are they get too sick with cancers or infection. Meat prices will skyrocket just to come from a cloned animal.

I wonder if folks would consider Exotic Meats as an alternative--knowing that the risks have not been checked by ANY Federal Agency... So if you eat rattlesnake, there may still be venom in is... So if you die, then tough... If you drink raw milk, you can get both E. coli or Lactobacillus poisoning... So, if you die, well, you've been informed...

A lot of steer died in California this past summer. That put a dent into the market. That is why they are probably opting for cloned animals. 1 steer cost ~$3000 to keep alive per year. And dairy cows cost more...

[blueangel]

GMO's, the possibility of cloned animals in our food suppy, viruses added to deli meats, bovine hormones, illegal pesticides sprayed on fruit brought in from South America and Mexico is why we should all buy stock in Whole Foods Markets.

[CutiePie2000]

Originally Posted by valkyrie

GOOD THING BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST ABOUT TO RUN OUT OF COWS.
Seriously, WTF.

Even though I'm not vegetarian, the thought of eating cloned meat sounds gross and very soylent green'esque.

[blueangel]

What is really disturbing is that the meat will not be labeled as coming from a cloned animal or from a descendent of a cloned animal. That takes away our choice, much in the same way as the FDA's recent approval of adding viruses to lunch meat without labeling.

The Consumer Federation of America has been against the FDA's plan to allow cloned meat for quite a while. Ms. Foreman makes some very good arguments about allowing cloned meat in our food supply.

Here is a news release I received back in October on the subject:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carol Tucker Foreman
October 17, 2006
Phone: 202-441-4510
CFA’S CAROL TUCKER FOREMAN ON FDA’S INTENTION TO
FOIST MEAT AND MILK FROM CLONED ANIMALS ON
UNWILLING PUBLIC

The Food and Drug Administration is, once again, flirting with inflicting meat and milk from cloned animals on the consuming public despite the fact that almost two-thirds of Americans oppose the technology and don’t want to eat cloned milk and meat. By not requiring that cloned milk and meat be labeled, the U.S. Government is permitting these ethically questionable products to be foisted on a reluctant public through secrecy and stealth. There will be no freedom to choose in the cloned milk and meat marketplace.

Independent polls taken over several years, including one by the Gallup organization and the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology show over 60 percent of Americans oppose animal cloning and would not purchase cloned meat and milk even if the government says they are safe.

Three times in the last four years the FDA has stated it has evidence that the cloned milk and meat are safe and will soon be on the market. The FDA has, however, never made its full risk assessment or scientific studies available to the public nor provided an opportunity to comment.

Claims that cloning is safe for animals are questionable. Clone pregnancies, even those in the studies FDA cites to support cloning, often end in miscarriage and many of the animals are deformed or do not survive to maturity. FDA has acknowledged that there
are more negative outcomes of pregnancy than in other forms of assisted reproduction but says they are similar in nature to problems that arise in non-cloned animals. In other words, it is okay to increase the number of animals that suffer as long as they don’t suffer in new ways.

A flood of milk from highly productive cloned cows is not good for the taxpayers. Americans have a milk surplus that has cost taxpayers over $5 billion in the last five years. Surplus milk is turned into high fat products that then go to school children adding fat and cholesterol to their diets.

Page 2
There is, in short, no public value from a technology that raises serious concerns regarding cruelty to animals and the nasty underlying threat that this is the first step down
the slippery slope to human cloning.
# # # # #
Consumer Federation of America is a non-profit association of 300 consumer groups, representing more
than 50 million Americans. It was established in 1968 to advance the consumer interest through research,
education and advocacy. The Food Policy Institute at CFA works to promote a safer, healthier and more affordable food supply.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by blueangel

What is really disturbing is that the meat will not be labeled as coming from a cloned animal or from a descendent of a cloned animal. That takes away our choice, much in the same way as the FDA's recent approval of adding viruses to lunch meat without labeling.

I hate this argument - it doesn't actually "remove choice" in any form at all, and to claim this is purely sensationalism.

The real issue is how much responsibility should be placed on the consumer, or on the company/labeling - it certainly appears that this firmly places all responsibility on the consumer, which is NOT the same as limiting choice. Be upset because the government is kowtowing to corporate concerns to save a buck, but don't make up nonsense 'choice' issues.

It's like the walrus complaining about the stolen bucket . . .

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by valkyrie

GOOD THING BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST ABOUT TO RUN OUT OF COWS.

Seriously, WTF.

The thread really should have just stopped after this post.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

The thread really should have just stopped after this post.

Yeah, I seem to remember another organic foods thread that turned into a trainwreck, with people going off on tangents. I'm not sure of the exact thread though.

[Drolefille]

The whole FDA issue boils down to numbers. For the vast majority of foods, the FDA does good things. They're very quick to stamp down on actual dangers such as the e. coli outbreaks and they do study potential dangers of hormones, genetic engineering, etc.

They have a very very good average. At least 99% I'd estimate. Issues like genetically modified food and cloning, etc. become little more than scare-mongering and attention-whoring, particularly when there is no evidence that they're dangerous. They just sound scary.

[CutiePie2000]

Originally Posted by valkyrie

GOOD THING BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST ABOUT TO RUN OUT OF COWS.
Seriously, WTF.

Cloned sushi will look like this: