I saw this article yesterday, and I’ve been thinking about the implications of it since then.
In the interests of full disclosure - I don’t really see the shock and fear regarding cloned meat animals as being justifiable by any scientific standard. AIUI, at the moment the developement of these cloned animals is indisguishable from that of a more normally devolped embryo, and given that, what’s going to matter with the taste and safety of the meat derived from these animals is the way that they’re raised. I’m not sure that mass cloning of any crop is a good idea - It seems to me to be the livestock version of monocropping, which is a practice that I have grave reservations about. I remember the Irish Potato Famine. But that concern has nothing to do with the safety of the meat, itself.
So, I can see the arguements presented by the proponents of this idea.
I can also see why it would leave those most concerned about the organic label, including the CSPI spokesperson, ahem having a cow.
Whether I don’t believe that their concerns are justified, I can accept that the impetus for the organic standard was to allow consumers to be able to choose ‘simpler’ and more ‘eco-friendly’ farming practices. (I seem to recall that vaccinations aren’t allowed for organic meats, which seems silly to me.) And given that reasoning, I have to admit that cloned critters ain’t what I’d call any kind of simple. I think the problem is that, based on the article, the people advocating for official sanction for organic suffered from a case of not being able to see the forest for the trees: They worked out as many specific, precise, and measurable standards as possible, without ever getting official recognition of the purpose for getting the organic certification recognized.
There’s a part of me that is honestly amused to think of members of CSPI being stuck eating their latest anathema, because they screwed up their definitions. Of course I’ve been less than impressed with the CSPI for some time.
But that amusement isn’t a way to guide forming public policy. Alas.
Given the fact that, in my mind, the majority of those people who choose to pay premiums for organic foods do so because they want to avoid anything they consider unnatural, I can’t justify fighting to allow cloned meat animals to be certified organic, if raised that way. Whether their concerns strike me as legitimate, they shouldn’t be forced to eat something they find objectionable.
But I am still amused by the conniption fits some of these organic foods people are having at the very idea.
I wonder what other Dopers might be thinking about this, and hope you’ll share. And upgrade my knowledge, if I’m out of touch.