Ottawa (Rural Roots Canada) – Health Canada has confirmed it has indefinitely paused a proposed update to its food policy that would have allowed products from cloned cattle and swine to enter Canada’s food supply.
“The Government of Canada has received significant input from both consumers and industry about the implications of this potential policy update,” it says in a statement. “The department has therefore indefinitely paused the policy update to provide time for further discussions and consideration.”
“Until the policy is updated, foods made from cloned cattle and swine will remain subject to the novel food assessment. There are currently no approved foods from cloned products on the market in Canada.”
The decision comes amid ongoing debate over transparency and consumer choice in the regulation of new food technologies.
Health Canada began consulting on foods derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), a reproductive cloning technique, in 2024. The process allows livestock breeders to create copies of animals with desirable traits, such as disease resistance or meat or milk quality.
The process took on renewed interest after duBreton, a Quebec-based organic pork producer, issued a news release earlier this month saying Health Canada would exclude cloned animals from the definition of novel foods, meaning it would remove the requirement for a pre-market safety assessment and allow the product to be sold without disclosing to consumers that it’s cloned.
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duBreton has been a vocal critic of cloning and genetically modified livestock. In a statement, the company welcomed the government’s decision to delay the policy update, seeing it as an opportunity to re-engage with producers, retailers, and consumers about what Canadians want in their food system.
“Canadians expect clarity, transparency, and meaningful consultation on issues that directly touch their food supply,” said Vincent Breton, duBreton President. “As producers, we consider it our responsibility and believe our governing food authorities should too.”
While Health Canada has paused changes, duBreton says gene-editing technologies remain under active review and could still receive approval for use in Canada despite what it calls “clear and overwhelming public concern.” It maintains that any food produced in such a way should come with clear labelling, allowing consumers to make informed choices.
“We have never, and will never, participate in animal cloning or gene editing practices,” says Breton. “Mandatory labelling practices should be a requirement for producers who do. Consumers have a right to know, and there’s still work left to do.”
For its part, Health Canada says it conducted a rigorous review of the science behind foods derived from cloned cattle and swine, which is summarized in its scientific opinion.
“The science underpins Health Canada’s conclusion that food products made from these animals and their progeny are as safe and nutritious as foods from traditionally bred animals,” it says. “This is consistent with the interpretation of other trusted jurisdictions.”
