304 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington DC 20510

Dear Senator,

 I am deeply concerned about the FDA's decision to fast-track products from cloned animals into the human food supply. The various and limited number of studies that are currently available on the topic suggest a lack of understanding of some of the more unpredictable aspects of this new breeding process. Even the National Academy of Sciences has indicated that food from cloned animals cannot yet be considered safe.

Even more disturbing is the fact that the manner in which the FDA has approved the safety of this product suggests the agency is not intending to require labeling of food products containing ingredients from cloned animals. A 2004 Gallup poll found that 64% of consumers find cloning of animals morally wrong. A more recent Pew poll in September of 2006 indicated that 64% of Americans do not want to eat food from cloned animals.

This is a relatively new practice and requires more safety testing. The majority of animals born from cloning are born with painful birth defects, making this an important animal welfare issue. In addition, as every Biology 101 textbook will tell you, the sustainability, health and stability of any population of animals requires diversity in the genes.  By creating massive monoculture cloned herds across the U.S., we greatly reduce the ability of the nation's horticulture to withstand disease and/or bioterrorist threats.

At the very least, food from clones should be labeled so that consumers can make informed decisions.

I ask that you listen to the concerns of the strong majority of citizens and reverse your decision.

Thank you for your consideration,

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