After a cursory review, the Food and Drug Administration is poised to allow milk and meat from cloned animals into the food supply, without any labeling. Clones could soon be the food on your table, and you would never know it.
A majority of cloned animals never make it to adulthood due to birth defects and disease. Most sicken and die before they reach their first birthday. With weak immune systems, they contract infections requiring antibiotic treatment. Overuse of antibiotics already contributes to the rise of antibiotic resistant strains.
But we have a chance to make the FDA reconsider. A proposed amendment to the Farm Bill would keep cloned food off the market until the FDA fully considers some of the things you care about -- safety, animal health and public health.
Tell your Senators to support the Mikulski amendment to the Farm Bill -- because cloned food should be proven safe for humans and animals before it's on our tables!
Dear Senator [Name]:
As a consumer, I am deeply concerned about the possibility that cloned milk and meat may soon be sold in my supermarket without even any labeling. I won't be able to decide whether I want my family to eat food from clones. This is being forced on me.
A majority of cloned animals never make it to adulthood due to birth defects and disease. Most sicken and die before they reach their first birthdays. With weak immune systems, they contract infections requiring antibiotic treatment. Overuse of antibiotics already contributes to the rise of antibiotic resistant strains.
I am therefore asking you to contact Senators Harkin and Chambliss and request that they include Senator Mikulski's amendment (#3524) in the manager's package of the Farm Bill (HR 2419). This amendment will require FDA to do additional and essential analysis of human safety, animal health and economic impacts of cloning before they allow it to be put on the market. FDA has not considered all the relevant facts so far.
Consumers count on having access to safe and wholesome food. We appreciate your efforts to maintain consumer choice and safe food in the marketplace.
[Your Comments]
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
