A US panel on organic agriculture has called for a ban in the use of cloned animals in the production of organic food.
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The National Organic Standards Board has voted to exclude cloned animals and related products from the organic sector.
The Cornucopia Institute, a farm policy and organic watchdog group, said the vote is “a victory for farmers, consumers and retailers” keen to protect organic food from “a highly controversial and experimental technology”.
“This vote seeks to plant a flag squarely in the center of the organic food sector, declaring it off limits to cloning while providing consumers a clear choice in the marketplace,” the institute’s Will Fantle said.
Last year, the US Food and Drug Administration indicated that it would accept the commercialisation of cloning in livestock agriculture. The FDA also said it would not seek the use of labels on meat, dairy and other food products stating that they came from cloned animals.
A bill is before the US Senate to outlaw the use of cloned animals and their offspring in organic food production.
