Hmm. This Hamburger Tastes Awfully Familiar ; Meat From Clones Will Carry No Warning

By LIBBY QUAID, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON “Cloneburgers” won’t come with warnings.

When the government approves food from cloned animals, expected in the next year, the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t plan special labels. Government scientists have found no difference between clones and conventional cows, pigs or goats.

However, shoppers won’t be in the dark completely. To help them sort through meat and dairy products, one signal is the round, green USDA organic seal, says Caren Wilcox, who heads the Organic Trade Association.

Though many people choose organic to avoid pesticides or antibiotics, Wilcox says the U.S. Department of Agriculture label also means clone-free.

“Organic animal products will not come from cloned animals,” she said.

“Clone-free” labels are also likely on some non-organic food, such as ice cream made by Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc.

Still, it’s unclear how much cloning will matter to consumers.

The nation’s milk industry worries that people might reject food from clones or turn away from dairy products altogether. But so far, public opinion appears mixed. In a September poll by the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology, 64 percent said they were uncomfortable with animal cloning.

In a December poll by the University of Maryland, the same percentage said they would buy, or consider buying, such food if the government said it was safe.

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