Re: After FDA Approval, Input Sought from Montanans on Cloning

[Guest guest]

Michele, at this point, I don't think they have enough information to evaluate an informed opinion. Besides, eating cloned animals, just doesn't sound healthy to me. I have been reading about this for a couple of weeks, now, and it just doesn't feel right. Thanks for sharing. Blessings and Love. Joy

[ ] After FDA Approval, Input Sought from Montanans on Cloning

Well, this is not something out of a science fictionmovie! Read on,Michelehttp://www.newwest.net/topic/article/after_fda_approval_input_sought_from_montanans_on_cloning/C520/L40/After FDA Approval, Input Sought from Montanans onCloningBy Kisha Lewellyn Schlegel, 1-22-08 Jopek's Farm Two weeks ago, I reported on the possibility that theFDA would make a decision that cloned meat and milk issafe to eat. This article follows up on that story,after the FDA released their decision on January 15ththat cloned food is indeed safe to enter our foodchain. This week, Whitefish, Montana's State RepresentativeMike Jopek, sent out an email asking constituents totell him what they think about cloned food. In it, hewrites: "I am looking for input as I truly respect the insighton the best approach. If no approach at all iswarrented, (sic) please let me know. I also know manyfolks are unaware of this debate and may rather Icontinue to advocate for a more fair tax climate,better state funding of our education system, andclean water and open public lands. But I am a farmerwho believes that good food is the foundation to agreat health system."The organic farmer's outreach comes less than a weekafter the FDA decided that cloned milk and meat aresafe to eat. "We found nothing in the food that couldpotentially be hazardous. The food in every respect isindistinguishable from food from any other animal,"according to FDA food safety chief Dr. Sundlof. "It is beyond our imagination to even find atheory that would cause the food to be unsafe." Even so, the USDA has asked producers to continue avoluntary moratorium on sales of meat or milk fromclones for a little longer, claiming that thisdecision is solely for marketing reasons and todistribute the safety findings among foreign tradepartners and food companies. As Bruce Knight, USDAUndersecretary, said, "This is about marketacceptance." But that market acceptance may come by default sincethe USDA moratorium applies to clones but not theiroffspring. Companies producing clones, such as ViagenInc. and Trans Ova Genetics, have already focusedtheir efforts on immediately selling the offspring ofclones into the market.no labels required. For Jopek, "Montanans know best and have a right tomorally good food," and the government's decision putsthat at risk. Subsequently, he is consideringreintroducing a bill in the 2009 Legislative Sessionthat would put a moratorium on cloned milk and meatproducts in Montana. The bill could also includemandatory labeling of cloned milk and meat and banpublic funding for research on animals cloned forconsumption. Jopek introduced a similar bill (opens pdf) in 2007,which would have put a similar ban in place. Accordingto Jopek, this bill failed in the House AgriculturalCommittee because of "heavy lobbying frombig-corporate agricultural interest." Jopek is not alone in his concern. Margaret Mellon,Director of the Food and Environment Program at theUnion of Concerned Scientists writes: "Animal cloning is a controversial technology withfew, if any, benefits to consumers. Althoughsuccessful clones may appear normal, the possibilityremains that some may harbor subtle genetic defectsthat could impair their health or make them unsafe forconsumption. The FDA should have required that clonedproducts be labeled as such and kept them off themarket at least until it established a mandatorytracking system to allow retailers to avoid purchasingthe products. "The agency's risk assessment is long on assumptionsand short on hard data. It fails to address ethicalissues associated with cloning, including the role ofanimal cloning as a steppingstone to human cloning. Because of these risks Jopek, calls the decision toallow cloned products into our food supply, "bad forour family farmers, our morals, our State, andconsumer confidence." Whether Montanans agree with himis yet to be seen. Join Kisha Lewyllen Schlegel each week for adiscussion about local food and agriculture in theRocky Mountain West at www.newwest.net/spadeandspoon. Resources: If you have comments, contact: Rep. MikeJopek mike@... 406.250.1184 ____________________________________________________________________________________Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Search. http://tools.search./newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

[Guest guest]

Hi Joy,

I agree, I think this stinks. It sounds to me that

corporate companies like these are at the root of the

problem, and their lobbyists friends, and when money

is the essence, not their conscience, well, it seems

to seep into the butcher's hands, out into the market

it goes..like genetic corn, and other grains, thanks

to monsanto.

Here is what prompted me to share this article:

" But that market acceptance may come by default since

the USDA moratorium applies to clones but not their

offspring. Companies producing clones, such as Viagen

Inc. and Trans Ova Genetics, have already focused

their efforts on immediately selling the offspring of

clones into the market.no labels required. "

LUV

Michele

--- Joyce Hudson <bjoyful@...> wrote:

> Michele, at this point, I don't think they have

> enough information to evaluate an informed opinion.

> Besides, eating cloned animals, just doesn't sound

> healthy to me. I have been reading about this for a

> couple of weeks, now, and it just doesn't feel

> right. Thanks for sharing. Blessings and Love.

> Joy

> [ ] After FDA Approval,

> Input Sought from Montanans on Cloning

>

>

> Well, this is not something out of a science

> fiction

> movie!

>

> Read on,

>

> Michele

>

>

>

>

>

http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/after_fda_approval_input_sought_from_montan\

ans_on_cloning/C520/L40/

>

> After FDA Approval, Input Sought from Montanans on

> Cloning

>

>

> By Kisha Lewellyn Schlegel, 1-22-08

>

>

>

> Jopek's Farm

>

>

> Two weeks ago, I reported on the possibility that

> the

> FDA would make a decision that cloned meat and

> milk is

> safe to eat. This article follows up on that

> story,

> after the FDA released their decision on January

> 15th

> that cloned food is indeed safe to enter our food

> chain.

>

> This week, Whitefish, Montana's State

> Representative

> Mike Jopek, sent out an email asking constituents

> to

> tell him what they think about cloned food. In it,

> he

> writes:

>

> " I am looking for input as I truly respect the

> insight

> on the best approach. If no approach at all is

> warrented, (sic) please let me know. I also know

> many

> folks are unaware of this debate and may rather I

> continue to advocate for a more fair tax climate,

> better state funding of our education system, and

> clean water and open public lands. But I am a

> farmer

> who believes that good food is the foundation to a

> great health system. "

>

> The organic farmer's outreach comes less than a

> week

> after the FDA decided that cloned milk and meat

> are

> safe to eat. " We found nothing in the food that

> could

> potentially be hazardous. The food in every

> respect is

> indistinguishable from food from any other

> animal, "

> according to FDA food safety chief Dr.

> Sundlof. " It is beyond our imagination to even

> find a

> theory that would cause the food to be unsafe. "

>

> Even so, the USDA has asked producers to continue

> a

> voluntary moratorium on sales of meat or milk from

> clones for a little longer, claiming that this

> decision is solely for marketing reasons and to

> distribute the safety findings among foreign trade

> partners and food companies. As Bruce Knight, USDA

> Undersecretary, said, " This is about market

> acceptance. "

>

> But that market acceptance may come by default

> since

> the USDA moratorium applies to clones but not

> their

> offspring. Companies producing clones, such as

> Viagen

> Inc. and Trans Ova Genetics, have already focused

> their efforts on immediately selling the offspring

> of

> clones into the market.no labels required.

>

> For Jopek, " Montanans know best and have a right

> to

> morally good food, " and the government's decision

> puts

> that at risk. Subsequently, he is considering

> reintroducing a bill in the 2009 Legislative

> Session

> that would put a moratorium on cloned milk and

> meat

> products in Montana. The bill could also include

> mandatory labeling of cloned milk and meat and ban

> public funding for research on animals cloned for

> consumption.

>

> Jopek introduced a similar bill (opens pdf) in

> 2007,

> which would have put a similar ban in place.

> According

> to Jopek, this bill failed in the House

> Agricultural

> Committee because of " heavy lobbying from

> big-corporate agricultural interest. "

>

> Jopek is not alone in his concern. Margaret

> Mellon,

> Director of the Food and Environment Program at

> the

> Union of Concerned Scientists writes:

>

>

> " Animal cloning is a controversial technology with

> few, if any, benefits to consumers. Although

> successful clones may appear normal, the

> possibility

> remains that some may harbor subtle genetic

> defects

> that could impair their health or make them unsafe

> for

> consumption. The FDA should have required that

> cloned

> products be labeled as such and kept them off the

> market at least until it established a mandatory

> tracking system to allow retailers to avoid

> purchasing

> the products.

>

> " The agency's risk assessment is long on

> assumptions

> and short on hard data. It fails to address

> ethical

> issues associated with cloning, including the role

> of

> animal cloning as a steppingstone to human

> cloning.

>

> Because of these risks Jopek, calls the decision

> to

> allow cloned products into our food supply, " bad

> for

> our family farmers, our morals, our State, and

> consumer confidence. " Whether Montanans agree with

> him

> is yet to be seen.

>

> Join Kisha Lewyllen Schlegel each week for a

> discussion about local food and agriculture in the

> Rocky Mountain West at

> www.newwest.net/spadeandspoon.

>

> Resources: If you have comments, contact: Rep.

> Mike

> Jopek mike@... 406.250.1184

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

> Looking for last minute shopping deals?

> Find them fast with Search.

>

http://tools.search./newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

And I would bet that these clones offsprings are raised on factory farms!

[ ] After FDA Approval,> Input Sought from Montanans on Cloning> > > Well, this is not something out of a science> fiction> movie! > > Read on,> > Michele> > > > >http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/after_fda_approval_input_sought_from_montanans_on_cloning/C520/L40/> > After FDA Approval, Input Sought from Montanans on> Cloning> > > By Kisha Lewellyn Schlegel, 1-22-08 > > > > Jopek's Farm > > > Two weeks ago, I reported on the possibility that> the> FDA would make a decision that cloned meat and> milk is> safe to eat. This article follows up on that> story,> after the FDA released their decision on January> 15th> that cloned food is indeed safe to enter our food> chain. > > This week, Whitefish, Montana's State> Representative> Mike Jopek, sent out an email asking constituents> to> tell him what they think about cloned food. In it,> he> writes: > > "I am looking for input as I truly respect the> insight> on the best approach. If no approach at all is> warrented, (sic) please let me know. I also know> many> folks are unaware of this debate and may rather I> continue to advocate for a more fair tax climate,> better state funding of our education system, and> clean water and open public lands. But I am a> farmer> who believes that good food is the foundation to a> great health system."> > The organic farmer's outreach comes less than a> week> after the FDA decided that cloned milk and meat> are> safe to eat. "We found nothing in the food that> could> potentially be hazardous. The food in every> respect is> indistinguishable from food from any other> animal,"> according to FDA food safety chief Dr. > Sundlof. "It is beyond our imagination to even> find a> theory that would cause the food to be unsafe." > > Even so, the USDA has asked producers to continue> a> voluntary moratorium on sales of meat or milk from> clones for a little longer, claiming that this> decision is solely for marketing reasons and to> distribute the safety findings among foreign trade> partners and food companies. As Bruce Knight, USDA> Undersecretary, said, "This is about market> acceptance." > > But that market acceptance may come by default> since> the USDA moratorium applies to clones but not> their> offspring. Companies producing clones, such as> Viagen> Inc. and Trans Ova Genetics, have already focused> their efforts on immediately selling the offspring> of> clones into the market.no labels required. > > For Jopek, "Montanans know best and have a right> to> morally good food," and the government's decision> puts> that at risk. Subsequently, he is considering> reintroducing a bill in the 2009 Legislative> Session> that would put a moratorium on cloned milk and> meat> products in Montana. The bill could also include> mandatory labeling of cloned milk and meat and ban> public funding for research on animals cloned for> consumption. > > Jopek introduced a similar bill (opens pdf) in> 2007,> which would have put a similar ban in place.> According> to Jopek, this bill failed in the House> Agricultural> Committee because of "heavy lobbying from> big-corporate agricultural interest." > > Jopek is not alone in his concern. Margaret> Mellon,> Director of the Food and Environment Program at> the> Union of Concerned Scientists writes: > > > "Animal cloning is a controversial technology with> few, if any, benefits to consumers. Although> successful clones may appear normal, the> possibility> remains that some may harbor subtle genetic> defects> that could impair their health or make them unsafe> for> consumption. The FDA should have required that> cloned> products be labeled as such and kept them off the> market at least until it established a mandatory> tracking system to allow retailers to avoid> purchasing> the products. > > "The agency's risk assessment is long on> assumptions> and short on hard data. It fails to address> ethical> issues associated with cloning, including the role> of> animal cloning as a steppingstone to human> cloning. > > Because of these risks Jopek, calls the decision> to> allow cloned products into our food supply, "bad> for> our family farmers, our morals, our State, and> consumer confidence." Whether Montanans agree with> him> is yet to be seen. > > Join Kisha Lewyllen Schlegel each week for a> discussion about local food and agriculture in the> Rocky Mountain West at> www.newwest.net/spadeandspoon. > > Resources: If you have comments, contact: Rep.> Mike> Jopek mike@... 406.250.1184 > > > > > > > >____________________________________________________________________________________> Looking for last minute shopping deals? > Find them fast with Search. >http://tools.search./newsearch/category.php?category=shopping> > > >