Moo-oooooove Over, Old-Fashioned Flesh – There’s A Fancy New Clone In Town

Here you go -- please enjoy this juicy-flavorful char-grilled steak. It's my gift to you - I insist. No, you don't owe me anything for it - it's on the house. Looks really good, huh? Yup, it's hot off the grill, seasoned with a phenomenal blend of mouth-watering spices - you know, a little of this and a little of that. You'll see -- it's definitely going to blow your mind. You know you want it. Go ahead, give in. No need to worry about your cholesterol level today...this is a special treat. Want some steak sauce with that? -- No? - ohhh, you must be a beef purist. Boy, I lucked out when I found you - you're the ideal candidate for my USDA prime cloned cow taste test! 

Why the sour puss? You're going to pass on a free meal - in this economy? Come on, just chill out. Here's a little bite -- mmmm, who can resist all those beefy juices and seared edges? Wanna give it a go? Please sit back down. It's the same USDA prime beef that you've known and loved your whole life, just with a little twist. Hey - it smells like real beef, it sure looks like real beef - all I need to find out from you is if it tastes like the real deal. So, what do you think - are you ready to give it the old college try? Hey, where are you going? Jeeze...what's your problem? Why look a gift cow in the mouth?!? 

Raise your hand if you are vehemently opposed to consuming cloned meat and dairy products. Wow, that's a lot of you.  Okay, it seems that the great majority of us are in agreement. Well, how would you feel if, instead of being asked your preference, someone decided to go ahead and nonchalantly slip a cloned roofy into your drink? Totally uncool, right? Well, guess who's been roofy-ing the food supply of the American population since the beginning of 2009? Let's all stand up and give the Food and Drug Administration a standing ovation.

I've gotta hand it to the agency appointed with the critical task of regulating the safety and nutritional integrity of our food supply - they've really outdone themselves this time. Despite overwhelming public and scientific outcry regarding the highly problematic cloning process itself - which is riddled with ethical and animal welfare issues - the FDA has nevertheless forged ahead.  Although they received 35,000 officially-recorded public protestations (at last count) calling for more extensive research on the legitimate long-term safety of cloned meat and dairy products, they were dismissed. What makes this issue all the more mind-boggling is that there is no U.S. law in place requiring that a food product's origins (whether via clone or genetically modified organism) be fully disclosed to the public. 

It would appear that in their quest to meet the rising demand of a population hungry for cheap and plentiful protein sources, the FDA has opted to cross their fingers and hope for the best. Tampering with nature, however, has often yielded Frankenstein results and with that, the very real potential for unexpected mutations and unwelcome ailments. It would seem that the very best defense consumers can take to arm themselves against the unknown is to stick with a diet that is higher in vegetarian sources of protein. Additionally, purchasing certified organic products that subscribe to self-imposed full label disclosure can offer a further measure of comfort. U.S. shoppers who are concerned about the sourcing of their favorite traditional meat and dairy brands should be happy to know that Tyson, Kraft, Ben & Jerry's, Smithfield and even Wal-Mart have pledged to remain clone-free for the foreseeable future. As for the FDA, I give this baa-aaaaaad idea two hooves pointed wayyyy down.

http://agricultureguide.org/moo-oooooove-over-old-fashioned-flesh-theres-a-fancy-new-clone-in-town/