Animal Care & Handling ConferenceMarch 29, 2007

Cloning: Consumer Acceptance and

Product Opportunities

Today’s Presentation

Cloning OverviewRisk AssessmentConsumer AcceptanceSupply Chain ManagementProduct Opportunities

These bulls, born April 2006, were cloned from Panhandle Slim, 1997 PBR Bucking Bull of the Year

Cloning History1996 – Roslin Institute clones “Dolly”

1984 – Embryonic cell nuclear transfer in sheep

1983 – First mammal cloned from embryonic cells

1952 – Frogs cloned from adult nuclear cells

1928 – First nuclear transfers performed

1903 – Term “clone” coined

1894 – First clones from blastomere transfer

What is Cloning?Assisted reproduction technology

Artificial Insemination (1322)Embryo Transfer (1891)In vitro Fertilization (1959)Embryo Freezing (1972)

Exact genetic copy of the donor animal“Identical twins separated in time”

Cloning Process

Electrofusion

Embryo Culture

EmbryoTransfer

Gestation

Unfertilized Egg

Remove Nucleus

Cell Culture

Cells

Transfer Donor DNA

Genetic Donor(the “original”

animal)Egg Donor

Recipient(“Surrogate Mother”)

Cloned animal

Keep in mind…

Cloned animals are NOT “Genetically Modified”Progeny of cloned animals ARE NOT “clones”Cloned animals will be rare in food supply

Pigs cloned from show pig Miss Pauline

Progeny of Cloned Animals

Risk Assessment Timeline

FDA risk assessment began 2001Cloned animals & their progeny v non-clonedVoluntary moratoriumTechnology providers

National Academy Reviews (2002, 2004)2006 Draft Risk Assessment90-day comment period (ends April 3, 2007)Final risk assessment by year-end

Risk Assessment: Sound Science

Among largest food safety studiesBased on peer-reviewed researchFDA work reviewed by outside scientists

Risk Assessment Findings

Products from cloned animals & progeny As safe as from non-cloned animalsNational Academy of Sciences: same conclusion

No Unique Risks to AnimalsIETS developing guidelines on animal handling and care

Cloning Is Not a Food Safety Issue

What, if anything, are you concerned about when it comes to food safety? (Open-ended question)

Source: Cogent Research for the International Food Information Council (IFIC). Nationally representative survey of 1,000 adults, March 2005. Margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points.

15%

4%

0%

0%

7%

23%

23%

28%

42%

Don't know

Nothing

Cloning

Biotechnology

Chemicals/pesticides

Ingredients/nutrition

Disease/contamination

Food handling/prep

Packaging

Attitudes are Changeable

43% 53%

Now that you’ve heard more about cloning, would you say the use of cloning in farming, ranching, and food production is completely acceptable, somewhat acceptable, somewhat unacceptable, or completely unacceptable? (KRC Research, 2004)

Unacceptable

Acceptable

63%35%

Unacceptable

Acceptable

BEFORE MESSAGES

AFTER MESSAGES

Completely unacceptable:went from 14% to 10%

Completely acceptable:went from 14% to 13%

Communication and Education

Extensive media outreach What cloning isWhat it is notProvide information for consumers, industry

www.clonesafety.orgBIO, ViaGen, other cloning companies

Processor and retailer meetingAppropriate consumer outreach

Supply Chain Management

On-going industry discussionsEnable companies to meet marketing requirements of their customers

NOT a safety or health issueEnable labeling by exclusionCompatible with NAIS Cloned animals only, not progeny

K.C. was cloned from a carcass. She’s shown here with her traditionally bred calf.

For Cloned Animals Only, Not Progeny

Works for cloned animalsNo “test” to detect cloned animals Requires industry cooperationSmall numbers

Won’t work for progeny of cloned animalsNo unique physical or genetic characteristicsPotential for many progenyRequires NAIS-like program

Process-Based System

Cloned animals are uniquely identifiedTagsTattoos

Registry is a clearing house of information ConfidentialFocal point of communication for all groups

Tracking involves all stakeholdersTechnology providersRegistry (3rd party)ProducersProcessors

Why Clone?

Disseminate best genotypes

Reduce genetic lagUtilize broadly and directlyAmplify impact of superior animals

Increase breeding progressFemalesOvercome death, infertilityIncrease impact of outliers

Product Opportunities

Proven AttributesPro-environmentConsistency

Top: cloned animal 1. Middle: cloned animal 2. Bottom: conventional control animal, matched for age, genetics, breed.

Photo Credit: Carol Guzy, The Washington Post

“It’s like duplicating Michael Jordan until you have five Michael Jordans on a team” – Donald Brown, Throckmorton, TX (Fort Worth Star Telegram)

New Possibilities

Economic Impact

U.S. Swine Industry100 million market hogsClone 15,000 terminal and grand-sires per year$3.00/offspring value$300M impact

U.S. Beef IndustryClone 200,000 natural service sires/year$75.00/offspring value$1.8B impact

“A few years ago, some producers thought embryo transfer was a crazy concept. Cloning could someday take the place of ET.” Cody Gillispie, beef producer, Decatur, TX