The Truth on Cloned Beef

Commentary Editor

   While well-known conqueror Genghis Khan initially invented the hamburger, the public must conquer a new dilemma with beef.

   Jan. 15, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released its final risk assessment along with a risk management plan concerning the proposal of human consumption of cloned beef.

   The news release states, “After years of detailed studies and analysis, the FDA has concluded that meat and milk from clones of cattle, swine and goats and the offspring of clones from any species traditionally consumed as food, are as safe to eat as food from conventionally bred animals.”

   As an assisted reproductive technology, livestock breeders duplicate the best traits of their best animals claiming their most important interest to give the consumers high quality, affordable beef.

   While reading the assessment, my thoughts zoned in on the words used to describe the possibilities of dangers to animals and humans. Phrases including, “The focus of this analysis is the identification of potential subtle hazards in otherwise healthy-appearing animals,” and, “Cyagra, Inc. attempted to gather information on all of the cattle clones that it had produced, including animals that did not survive or that were culled for various reasons.”

   Potential subtle hazards? Animal death and culling for various reasons? I don't know about you, but after reading just a small portion of the assessment I would be a  little weary of chomping down on any type of cloned beef.

   The reasons for death, explained further in the FDA assessment, included failure of most systemic functions, obstruction of the small intestine, hydrocephalus, unexplained internal bleeding, lung immaturity and congenital heart defects.
 
   If cloning affects the animals in such a manner, what real hazards exist for its consumption by humans?

   “The FDA is relying on results from just about 100 animals, which is a very small sample, and safety questions cannot be answered with such a small sample,” said Joseph Mendelson, the legal director at the Center for Food Safety in Washington, D.C.
 
   Not only a human safety issue, but the unneeded suffering of the cloned animals concern the public. Researchers involved in cloning witnessed physical deformities occurring in cloned animals including oversized navels, bulldog-shaped heads and malformed arteries.

   Cloned animals tend to have more problems during childbirth causing higher rates of death among mothers and children during birthing. They also display disorders such as immune deficiencies and diabetes.

   Joseph Mendelson, of the Center for Food Safety, says the ethical and moral issues of cloning should be debated further. He contends the FDA proposal presents many risks and few benefits for consumers.
 
   “This is FDA policy gone awry and only benefits cloning companies, not consumers,” Mendelson said.

   Cloning costs $20,000 per attempt, wasting our tax dollars and emptying our pockets with over-priced, non-labeled cloned beef. I now understand who will benefit from the cloning of animals. The cloning companies such as Geron and Cyagra who receive $150,000 per clone by breeders and the FDA to persuade the public to accept cloned beef.
 
   Once again the government continues to screw the nation with under the table transactions without showing the real picture. If and when cloned beef hits the tables of Americans, I urge consumers to ask, “Where’s the Beef?”

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