The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced last month that the agency will likely approve the sale of cloned foods this year. FDA’s action flies in the face of widespread scientific concern about the risks of food from clones, and ignores the animal cruelty and troubling ethical concerns that the cloning process brings. What's worse, FDA indicates that it will not require labeling on cloned food, so consumers will have no way to avoid these experimental foods.

In response to FDA's pending approval, US Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) has introduced Senate Bill S.414, the Cloned Food Labeling Act, and U.S. House Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced an identical bill, H.R. 992, in the House just a few weeks later.

Tell Congress to label food from cloned animals!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am writing to urge you to support the Cloned Food Labeling Act, S.414, and H.R. 992, bills by Senator Mikulski and Rep. DeLauro to label any foods from animal clones or their offspring in the event FDA approves such products for sale.

Cloning carries unknown food safety risks, increases animal cruelty, and threatens the image of U.S. dairy and meat products. Many Americans object to animal cloning on moral or ethical grounds, and there is no need for cloned foods.

Despite all of this, FDA announced in late December that they expect to approve the introduction of food products from cloned animals and their progeny into to the US food supply, unlabeled, later this year. Studies have shown the American public actively opposes cloning. Gallup Polls report more than 65 percent of Americans think it is immoral to clone animals and the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology found that a similar percentage say that, despite FDA approval, they would not buy cloned milk. Americans deserve to decide for themselves whether or not to purchase such food, even if the FDA deems it "safe," but FDA has failed to require labeling. Congress must take action to protect consumers right to know and label these foods.

FDA based its decision on labeling on the agency's claims that no issues in food from animal clones were found, and that such foods were "indistinguishable" from conventional foods, yet among the few new studies cited, several reported troubling results. Among the studies, published in January 2007, one found a failure rate in animal cloning of over 90%, with over 40% of 'successful' clones suffering from disabling health problems leading to early death. Another found significant health differences in clones' offspring compared to normal animals. A third study found that healthy appearing clones are often physiologically different than normal animals, and concluded that food from clones should not be marketed without further research. The National Academy of Sciences has said that there is not enough data to know if the hidden defects in clones could pose food safety risks, and cautioned the Federal Government to monitor for potential health effects and urged diligent post-market surveillance, which is not possible without mandatory labeling.

Many Americans are also concerned about the troubling animal cruelty issues inherent in cloning. Surrogate cows must be used to produce clones, and these surrogates suffer from high rates of late-term spontaneous abortion, early prenatal deaths, and grossly oversized calves, and often have severe pregnancy complications and caesarian births. Cloned offspring suffer from common defects such as enlarged tongues, squashed faces, intestinal blockages, immune deficiencies and diabetes. These are not unusual side-affects, but a certain inhumane cost of animal cloning. Despite the concerns of Americans, FDA refuses to address this issue. In addition to passing the Cloned Food Labeling Act, I urge the Senate and House to establish an ethics committee to review these animal welfare issues.

Given the many concerns and uncertainties around food from cloned animals and their offspring, it is essential that these foods be labeled as such so Americans have the right to choose what we feed ourselves and our families. I urge you to support the Cloned Food Labeling Act, SB 414 and HR 992.

Thank you for taking my views into consideration. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
February 16, 2007