Consumer Reactions to Products of New Animal Technologies Presentation to: Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21 st Century Agriculture (AC21) November 29, 2007 Michael Fernandez

Outline Background/Context Animal Cloning Transgenic Animals (“genetically modified”) Ethics

Background Data from a series of polls prepared for the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology by the Mellman Group and Public Opinion Strategies, ,000 individuals Margin of error +/- 3.1 percent at 95 percent confidence level Other consumer surveys cover some of the same areas (e.g., International Food Information Council) For complete survey results and additional information on issues relating to animal biotechnology see

Consumer Familiarity with GM Foods Was Highest in 2001 How much have you seen, read or heard recently about genetically modified food that is sold in grocery stores?

Support For Genetically Modified Foods Has Been Stable, While Opposition Has Declined Favor/Oppose the Introduction of GMF to food supply

Few Americans Believe They Have Or Are Likely To Eat GM Foods How likely are you to eat GM foods? As far as you know, have you eaten GM foods?

Women Are Particularly Wary of Eating GM Foods Likelihood to Eat GM Food by Gender

Americans Split Over The Safety Of GM Foods, Though Many Are Still Undecided Initial Ask: Are GM foods basically safe or unsafe? *Informed Ask: Now, as you may know, more than half of processed products at the grocery store are produced using some form of biotechnology or genetic modification. Knowing this, are GM foods basically safe or unsafe? *The term “processed”, referring to products, was introduced to the survey in 2005.

Outline Background/Context Animal Cloning Transgenic Animals (“genetically modified”) Ethics

The Public Claims To Have A Higher Level Of Awareness Of “Animal Cloning” Than Of “Genetic Modifications” GM FoodsGM Animals Amount Heard About GM Foods, GM Animals, And Animal Cloning (2005) Animal Cloning 8% great deal 27% nothing at all 6% great deal 32% nothing at all 16% great deal 9% nothing at all

Awareness And Knowledge of Animal Cloning Has Declined Over The Past Year Heard About Animal Cloning Knowledge Of Animal Cloning

Consumers Do Not Favor Genetic Modification Of Plants Or Animals, And Are Particularly Uncomfortable With Cloning (2005) GM FoodsGM Animals Support/Oppose Animal Cloning 8% strongly 33% strongly 11% strongly 37% strongly Comfort Level 10% strongly 48% strongly

Safety Concerns Are Much Higher When It Comes To Clones GM Foods Safety Of GM Foods And Animal Clones (2005) Animal Clones 12% strongly 18% strongly 10% strongly 28% strongly

Men Are More Comfortable With Animal Cloning And Are More Likely To Believe That Foods Produced By Cloned Animals Are Safe (2005) Men Women Comfort With Animal Cloning by Gender Men Women Safety Of Animal Cloning by Gender

Those Responsible For Purchasing Food Are More Likely To Be Uncomfortable With Animal Cloning And Believe It Is Unsafe (2005) CompletePartly Comfort With Animal Cloning by Food Purchase Responsibility NoneCompletePartlyNone Safety Of Animal Cloning by Food Purchase Responsibility

Religion And Ethics Tops The List Of Concerns Among Those Who Are Uncomfortable With Cloning (2005) Religious or ethical concerns Personally uncomfortable with it Concerns about safety Distrust producers of clones Fear of risks The effect on animal species Other % most important concern about animal cloning No opinion

Those Who Favor Animal Cloning Cite Their Support For Scientific Advancement, And Lowering The Price Of Food (2005) Help small farmers Support scientific advancement Lower the price of food Develop new medical treatments Protect endangered plants and animals To improve veterinary care Other % most important benefit about animal cloning No opinion

Outline Background/Context Animal Cloning Transgenic Animals (“genetically modified”) Ethics

The Public Claims To Have A Higher Level Of Awareness Of “Animal Cloning” Than Of “Genetic Modifications” GM FoodsGM Animals Amount Heard About GM Foods, GM Animals, Importation Of GM Foods, And Animal Cloning (2005) Animal Cloning 8% great deal 27% nothing at all 6% great deal 32% nothing at all 16% great deal 9% nothing at all

While Majorities Of Both Sexes Oppose Genetic Modification Of Animals, Men Are More Likely Than Women To Favor Research MenWomen Favor/Oppose Transgenic Animals by Gender (2005) Total

Knowledge Increases Support Opposition Is Shared By All Levels Of Awareness (2005) TotalGreat DealSome Favor/Oppose Transgenic Animals by Amount Heard About Transgenic Animals Not Too Much

Developing Heartier Livestock Are The Most Widely Supported Reasons To Genetically Modify Animals Headlines On Avian Flu May Have Pushed It To The Top Of The List (2005) To reduce the cost of fish, like salmon To expand our understanding of science and nature To produce more affordable pharmaceutical drugs by using animals to produce compounds To make it possible to transplant animal organs to humans To provide organs for transplant to humans To produce beef with less fat that is healthier % very good reason to genetically modify animals To breed livestock which produces waste that is less polluting To breed novelty pets To develop cattle resistant to mad cow disease To produce chickens resistant to avian flu

Consumers Believe Their Interests Should Be Balanced With Those Of Producers, And That Includes Requiring Government Approval To Sell Food Derived From GM Animals (2005) Foods derived from GM animals should be sold only after govt determined they are safe Foods from GM animals should require govt approval, even if it causes substantial delays Foods from GM animals should be sold w/out govt review, as long as developer believes safe Should not be sold under any circumstances Sold with same regulations as other products Allow foods from GM animals to be sold, and removed from market if found unsafe % strongly favor proposal to regulate GM animals Foods from GM animals should be prohibited from being sold, even if govt believes it is safe The interests of consumers and food producers must be balanced

Outline Background/Context Animal Cloning Transgenic Animals (“genetically modified”) Ethics

Religion And Ethics Tops The List Of Concerns Among Those Who Are Uncomfortable With Cloning (2005) Religious or ethical concerns Personally uncomfortable with it Concerns about safety Distrust producers of clones Fear of risks The effect on animal species Other % most important concern about animal cloning No opinion

Americans Strongly Favor Incorporating Moral And Ethical Considerations When Regulating Cloning (2005) Government regulators should include ethical and moral considerations, in addition to scientific evaluation of risks and benefits, when making regulatory decisions about cloning or genetically modifying animals. Which of the following statements comes closer to point of view? (darker shading=stronger intensity) Though ethical and moral considerations are important, government regulators should consider only scientific evaluation of risks and benefits when making regulatory decisions about cloning and genetically modifying animals % strongly 18% strongly

There Is No Overt Gender Gap In Attitudes Towards Regulation Of Genetic Modification Or Cloning (2005) MenWomen Ethical/Scientific Standards by Gender Total

Even Those Who Do Not Attend Church Believe Morals And Ethics Should Be Included In Government Decisions About Cloning (2005) Ethical/Scientific Standards by Religious Attendance Once/week or more 2-3 times/ month Once/monthFew/year or less