December 28, 2007

US launches new system to track cloned livestock

Leading livestock cloning companies in the US announced the use of a new tracking programme to identify cloned animals in the food processing chain.

The programme, which uses supply chain management system took a year to develop and follows a rigorous assessment by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and two previous reports by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

Mark Walton, president of cloning company ViaGen Inc, said that the system virtually ensures that processors would be able to identify food from a cloned animal.

The programme functions through a national registry, affidavits and incentives. Cloning companies will give each cloned animal a unique ID. This identification will be entered into a registry which would then be queried and verified by the livestock auction market or processor.

Upon delivery of the animal by the cloning company, the owner will sign an affidavit to ensure proper marketing and disposal of the animal. The owner then notifies the cloning company of death, consumption by owner or sale to a producer. In all cases, a verified signed statement accompanies the notification.

In December 2006, the FDA released a draft risk assessment confirming that food from clones and their offspring is indistinguishable from that of conventionally reproduced animals.