Meat and Dairy Industry Warned to stay Clone-Free

NZ Meat and Dairy Industry Warned to stay ‘Clone-Free’

New Zealand’s Dairy and Meat industries should position their products as “clone-free” to secure their premium-quality image and maintain a point of difference in the world market should US authorities approve cloned products.

The US FDA announced before Christmas a round of public consultation on plans to approve food products from clones as “substantially equivalent” to those from conventional animals.

Despite gross deformation in many animals created through cloning, and ignoring warnings from independent scientists of less-visible and untested differences, the FDA want to deny consumers the choice to avoid such products by not labelling them.

In the 1990’s the FDA ignored its own scientists and made similar declarations that GE foods were “substantially equivalent” to conventional food and would require no labels or independent testing. The result has been the spread of contamination in the food-chain, and an international dispute that continues to this day with US farmers losing millions in exports.

The FDA cloning proposal has been welcomed by AgResearch scientists in New Zealand who have been researching cloning and genetic modification of cattle and sheep.

But GE Free NZ (in food and environment) believe it would be unethical to produce such products and market them without labeling.

Moreover given the global demand for clean, natural and organic foods New Zealand’s use of cloned animals would put at risk the country’s primary exports and international reputation.

“We are urging organisations like Meat New Zealand and Fonterra to recognize the threat to exports that cloning presents. The consumer is king and people want a choice to avoid such products,” says spokesman Jon Carapiet.

“This can only be achieved by labeling and tracking of clone products, or by excluding them from food production entirely.”

US manufacturers are already reported by Associated press (see below) to be considering labeling products “Clone-Free”.

“It is in the national interest that New Zealand products are tracked from the “field to the fork” so that we can meet the standards being set internationally and can market our food as Clone-free, and GE-free,” says Jon Carapiet.

“This is about our national brand-image and community values, not just ‘safety’. It is important scientist and food producers recognise this is an ethical and cultural issue and that they respect people's right to avoid such products.”

And it is not just human food that may soon be affected. Pet food manufactured in the US is shipped internationally, including to New Zealand.

Many pet-owners will also want to avoid these products for ethical and cultural reasons.

New Zealand producers as well as companies selling US-made human food and pet food must take urgent action to secure the integrity of their supply and ensure they have the option to remain “Clone-free”.

There is no doubt cloned products may sell, especially if they are cheap and have no labels so consumers are left in the dark. The problem is that for New Zealand such unethical practices run counter to our international reputation as one of the countries best able to produce clean and natural food.

ENDS

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