Public opposed to cloning in the food chain, claims Fischer Boel

THERE is a very strong public reluctance to use cloning in the food chain, according to European Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel.

She said this reluctance was echoed by the European Parliament, which has adopted an almost unanimous report in favour of banning cloning in the food chain.

“From an agricultural perspective, there is to the best of my knowledge, no proven commercial interest at this stage in using cloning in livestock breeding.

“For the time being cloning has little added value compared to the risk that using the technology represents in terms of public confidence in meat and milk,” she said.

“Allowing cloning would only benefit a handful of companies while it could undermine consumer confidence in farmers and food producers.

“But the question of cloning also goes beyond the farm gate and this we have to consider when we make the law... there could be very interesting applications in the field of medical research.”

She added that while she believed banning cloning in the food chain should take place “for the time being”, research-related activities should continue.

“The status quo does not equal a ban but a gradual and undocumented introduction of genes from cloned animals into the world’s animal production.

“If we don’t want that to happen we need to act and we need to act now.

“Only global action can bring a response to this problem. That is why the EU should take the lead and set an example to follow,” said Fischer Boel, writing on her internet blog.