WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) today applauded the Senate’s passage of her amendment to halt the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) endorsement of the use of food from cloned animals. The amendment, which was included in the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419), calls for greater intellectual rigor and more time to review the impact of bringing cloned food into the nation’s food supply.

“Just because something has been created in a lab, doesn’t mean we should have to eat it. If we discover a problem with cloned food after it is in our food supply and it’s not labeled, the FDA won’t be able to recall it like they did Vioxx – the food will already be tainted. We have been down this road before with product safety – the FDA has a credibility crisis,” said Senator Mikulski. “I believe in science, in research, and in a transparent process. Before we allow cloned animals into our food supply, we must know more about it. When something is this new, unclear and uncertain, we need to be sure.”

Senator Mikulski’s provision, co-sponsored with Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), requires two studies before the FDA can issue its final decision. It directs the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to convene the nation’s top scientists to review the FDA’s initial decision that food from cloned animals is safe. It also requires the NAS to study the potential health impacts if cloned foods are allowed to enter the food supply, including the possibility of an increase in people developing chronic diseases if they consume less milk for fear of cloned products. It additionally directs the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to examine consumer acceptance of cloned foods and the impact they could have on domestic and international markets.

“The FDA received thousands of comments when it released its initial decision that food from cloned animals is safe. Many of these comments said more information is needed. We must listen to the public. Consumers should have confidence in what they are putting into their mouths,” said Senator Mikulski. “Why the urgency? We do not have a shortage of food in our country. We should stop the FDA from putting this into our food supply without more information and informed consent.”

Studies have shown that the American public actively opposes cloning. Gallup Polls report more than 60 percent of Americans think it is immoral to clone animals and the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology found that a similar percentage say that, despite FDA approval, they won’t buy cloned milk.