Organic
Will Not Include Food From Cloned Animals
GREENFIELD,
Mass., Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The
Organic Trade Association (OTA) today reiterated that
meat, milk and other products produced from cloned animals will
not be able to be sold as organic in the United States.
OTA issued the reassurance after the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its conclusion
that foods from cloned animals and their offspring are as safe
as those produced from traditionally bred animals. FDA today
posted a risk assessment report, risk management plan and guidance
for industry to outline its regulatory approach on animal cloning.
The national organic standards enforced by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture require that organisms be
developed and grown by systems that must be compatible with
natural conditions and processes-including the breeding and
raising of animals for meat and for dairy or other animal production.
Cloning as a production method is incompatible with the Organic
Foods Production Act (OFPA) and is prohibited under
the National Organic Program regulations. Thus, animals produced
using cloning technology are incompatible with national organic
standards and cannot be considered organic.
"The Organic Trade Association (OTA) only
supports the use of traditional processes for breeding and raising
animals in the organic system," said Caren Wilcox, Executive
Director of OTA. "The organic business community has never
supported cloning animals as a part of the organic process.
Organic animal products will not come from cloned animals. In
the future, consumers who seek to avoid cloned meat, dairy or
other animal products should look for the organic label on products."
In response to the FDA announcement, the National Organic
Program today posted its updated statement on cloning
and organic livestock production at www.ams.usda.gov/nop/todaysnews.html.
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the
membership-based business association for organic agriculture
and products in North America. Its more than 1,650 members include
growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers' associations,
distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and
others. OTA's mission is to promote and protect the growth of
organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public
and the economy.
CONTACT:
Organic
Trade Association
Barbara Haumann
+1-413-774-7511, Ext. 20