Can clones be organic?

by Nicole Weston, Posted Feb 6th 2007 @ 1:32PM

Meat and milk from cloned animals have been deemed safe by the FDA and won't make it to market for some time yet, which is a relief to many consumers because the USDA has also determined that there needs to be no label distinguishing between cloned meat and naturally-bred meat and some would like to see that policy change before the products are on store shelves. Another issue that needs definition is whether or not clones can be organic. Many feel that as long as the clones are "raised organically," living the same lifestyle and receiving the same food as conventionally organic animals, they should receive the designation.

Others, all supporters of the organic movement, range from strongly against the issue to rabidly against it. The terms "organic" and "cloned" just don't belong together, they say. The current guidelines state that genetically modified foods cannot be consider organic. By implication, an animal made in a lab - even if it isn't "genetically modified" - should also be excluded. "Surely, these opponents conclude, no animal is more engineered than a clone."

For the moment, it seems that the current organic rules would apply and that it would not be difficult for cloned foods to qualify as such, but ultimately, the decision lies in the hands of the USDA, which could be considered by an advisory panel as early as spring. After this decision, we may see a revision of the definition of "organic" itself.

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Filed Under: Science, Farming, Did you know?, Ingredients
Tags: america, clone, clones, controversy, definition, did you know, farming, laws, organic, organics, rules, usda

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

2-06-2007 @2:00PM David said... You can bet that the revised definition of organic will increasingly benefit big businesses who see the organic buzzword as a potential cash cow (no pun intended) but want to be able to further cut costs. Eventually the term organic will become as inane as "fat free".
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2-06-2007 @8:39PM Karen said... If, in the future, you would like to know if meat is cloned before buying it, now is the time to tell the FDA you want it labeled as such. www.fda.gov
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