Ponderings of a Freezer Hugger

by Expat Chef

Lately, I’ve had the urge to hug not a tree, but my freezer. You see, stashed inside this unimpressive white box is meat. Real meat that came from animals that made more real meat in the way that animals do. As opposed to, say, strands of DNA being inserted into an egg in a laboratory somewhere.

I’ve stayed calm and quiet on the whole cloned animal thing, since it looked as if common sense would prevail and cloning would not. I guess I should know better than to under, or rather, overestimate the FDA. So here we are with cloned meat being approved. No labeling required as yet, either.

Now, the no labeling thing is not a shock. Big Dairy and Monsanto are currently waging state-by-state war against “no growth hormone” labeling. Thus, not having cloned meat or milk labels either is par for the course. Indeed, It’s been status quo to keep consumers pretty much in the dark about the origin of our food, even though we know where our TVs, blenders and (non-edible) underwear were made. In fact, we probably DO know where our edible underwear came from, which would be one of the few edible items we can buy that are labeled. If you’re into that kind of thing. Which I'm not.

The overwhelming question in my mind is “Why?” As in, “why cloning?” It’s simply not necessary. Animals have not had any trouble breeding on their own (except for commercial turkeys which is a good lesson here), and farmers have managed selective breeding for some time with artificial insemination. Why turn to an expensive process that has a high fetal mortality rate and can cause issues for the surrogate mother?

Another “why” is why hasn’t the industry embraced this new technology either? Likely because of consumer disgust with the concept, also because of the lack of approval for it on the international level which would limit the sale of the products to U.S.-only. It’s very odd to find myself on the same side of an issue, for differing reasons, with Big Ag. But cloning is just that kind of issue.

The only beneficiaries I can identify would be the biotech companies and those who hold the “patents” on “desirable” genetic material, which further removes the idea of an animal being an actual sentient and natural being toward being just a “product.”

Regardless of the mechanism, limiting the gene pool is never a good idea. Since 1900, we’ve lost 75 percent of the diversity of our food plants. Some GMO varieties threaten that remaining diversity. Additionally, farmers whose neighboring crops were cross-pollinated by GMO crops have been sued for “planting” a patented seed. Livestock diversity has been equally decimated effectively without the “help” of cloning. Many breeds of livestock raised in industrial agriculture can neither breed or survive outside of the factory farm environment.

Diversity is one of nature’s defenses to survive great changes in the environment. Changes such as the ones our planet will experience with global warming. Why should we put our own survival at risk by willfully eradicating some of the very genetics that could help us all survive the changes?

Comments

[Belle]

Thank you for posting this. I have been following these issues but wasn't sure where to go to do anything about it. This has helped me to add my voice to the protest regarding GMO foods and cloned animals.

[Jen]

Well said! Really, I can't add anything to your comments.

[angel]

Anything that finds a solution to the horrors of factory farming receives resounding applause from me. I understand that you are opposed to the genetic creation of food because of the homogenization that may occur, but that seems like a far less significant concern - especially in the face of the ridiculously high demands for meat at cheap prices from American consumers. The meat industry will not change it's hellish ways unless it is forced to do so by competition. If the consumer wants meat which is guaranteed not to be produced via cloning, they may purchase organic meat. Keeping the labeling off the standard supermarket meat will be the only thing that drives some people to purchase organic meat. However, they won't change their purchasing habits unless they know that the unmarked meat could possibly be cloned, so I welcome the opposition that keeps the issue in the media!

[Tempered Woman]

I think the biggest argument coming from the pro-cloning side is actually the ability to recreate ideal markers. Even with artificial insemination it is still a guessing game in how the animal will turn out. With cloning there is less guess work- they know what they are getting.
I'm really glad you mentioned the concept of diversity since there is where I see the biggest issue. We have selectively breeded the flavor and ability to recreate out of so many things. With such a big push for heirloom varieties you would think people in the industry would be more cognizant of the trends. I can't help but think that we are literally straining out the good stuff that comes with diversity- the ability to grow stronger. Letting nature do its thing.
I personally feel this is a battle that will be won in the free market tho, not with our government. I take the time to make a stand with my pocketbook and I buy organic, no hormone, grass fed, free range, whatever I need to do. I know not everyone can afford this as it can be costlier but we can certainly all do our part to patron these food producers as much as possible. Goodness knows my local farm food markets are MUCH cheaper than supermarket produce. And they don't mind answering tough questions- many of them actually welcome them!