Recipient Organization
USDA/ERS
1800 M STREET NW
WASHINGTON,DC 20036
Performing Department
Economic Research Service
Non Technical Summary
The report concludes that the introduction of these products could trigger development of markets in which manufacturers distinguish market products that do not come from cloned animals.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
On January 15, 2008, the FDA issued its final risk assessment on the safety of meat and milk from healthy cloned animals and their offspring, finding that the meat and milk from cattle, swine, and goat clones pose no safety concerns and that these products are no different than food from traditionally bred animals. Despite these safety assurances, the decision to lift the voluntary moratorium on the introduction of cloned animal products into the food supply could trigger the development of differentiated markets for cloned and non-cloned products. Such a differentiation would entail costs, including those for segregation/identity preservation, traceability, labeling, and marketing. The net benefits of introducing products from cloned animals depend on the extent of these costs. This study will examine the potential costs of market differentiation for meat and milk from cloned and non-cloned cattle and swine. The analysis will consider the major factors influencing the extent of market differentiation and the resulting costs. The analysis will also consider the distribution of costs and benefits arising from the introduction of cloned animal products into the food supply.
Project Methods
This study will examine the potential costs of market differentiation for meat and milk from cloned and non-cloned cattle and swine. The analysis will consider the major factors influencing the extent of market differentiation and the resulting costs. The analysis will also consider the distribution of costs and benefits arising from the introduction of cloned animal products into the food supply.