Your grocery store is about to become one scary place.
By the end of this year, the FDA is expected to approve the sale of meats and dairy products from cloned animals. And if they have their way, you'll have no way of knowing the origins of what you're buying.
Let me explain. Since scientists successfully produced Dolly the clone sheep in 1996, a cloning debate has been raging - but mostly under the public's radar. Proponents say it will ensure a consistent, quality product for consumers and alleviate some risk for farmers. Opponents say it's an unproven attempt to manipulate nature that should be banned or at least heavily regulated. When asked, the public has repeatedly shown its distaste for cloning - some surveys show that as much as 60 percent of Americans are uncomfortable with the idea. By my count, that's two against one in the cloning debate.
But in today's world, that's not how we keep score. Based on a handful of short term studies, the FDA has concluded that meat and milk from cloned animals pose no health risk to the people that consume them. (And guess where the research came from? You guessed it: from cloning firms that have already heavily invested in cloning technologies.) Now experts say these products could start turning up in your grocery store as early as next year.
But how will you know? Because the FDA, in its wisdom, has also decided that there is no need to label products from cloned animals. The milk from cloned cows will look the same as the milk from a regular cow. The chicken breasts from a science-project chicken will look the same as one hatched from an egg.
Despite the public's discomfort with this issue, most people are unaware of the coming change. It has received little coverage in the media. And obviously, the FDA is not about to launch a public awareness campaign.
They say there's no reason for concern, that cloning is just the latest advancement in reproductive technology. Farmers have been using artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization techniques for years to produce our milk, meat and eggs.
They may be right. But then again, they may be wrong - and it wouldn't be the first time. These are the same people who allowed farmers to use growth hormones and antibiotics on our food supply for years without informing us. They told us that was no reason for concern about that, too - but we're only just beginning to uncover its damaging effects, from antibiotic resistance to early puberty in our children. And don't get me started on how the FDA has failed to protect us against dangerous prescription drugs.
The fact of the matter is, we just don't know. And it's unconscionable to conduct a safety trial on the American public without their knowledge. Consumers should at least be aware of what they are buying, so they can decide for themselves if the risk is worth it.
If you share my concern about clones in our food supply, here are some things you can do. First of all, buy only organic meats and dairy products. Technically, the organic requirements don't preclude cloning. But chances are a small organic farmer won't support (or be able to afford) cloning technology. Find a local farm and ask - that's the best way to know. Same goes for meats; I've long been a proponent of pasture-fed beef, which is lower in saturated fat and rich in omega-3s, iron and zinc. Local farmer's markets and food co-ops are good places to find sources, or check out www.eatwild.com.
You can also express you concern to your elected officials (visit www.senate.gov and www.house.gov to find out how) and support organizations that are seeking tighter control of cloned livestock. The Center for Food Safety (www.centerforfoodsafety.org) is one of the best; they've filed a petition asking the FDA for tighter cloning regulations and statements on cloning's environmental and health impact.
