Consumer Reactions to Products of New Animal Technologies

Presentation to:Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and

21st 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, 2001 - 2006

• 1,000 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 www.pewagbiotech.org

Consumer Familiarity with GM Foods Was Highest in 2001

40%41%44%

34%32%

58%

58%54%

65% 65%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

2001 2003 2004 2005 2006

Heard Not Heard

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

46%

27%25%27%25%26%

50%47%48%

58%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

2001 2003 2004 2005 2006

Favor Oppose

Favor/Oppose the Introduction of GMF to food supply

Few Americans Believe They Have Or Are Likely To Eat GM

Foods

38%40%38%

43% 42%54%

53%54%50% 52%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

2001 2003 2004 2005 2006

Likely Unlikely

How likely are you to eat GM foods?

26%25%19%

24%30%

60%60%62%58%

54%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

2001 2003 2004 2005 2006

Yes No

As far as you know, have you eaten GM foods?

Women Are Particularly Wary of Eating GM Foods

50%51%

46% 46%

47%

36%35%32%

35%

30%

49%49%

46% 46%44%

61%59% 58%57%57%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

2001 2003 2004 2005 2006

Male Likely Female Likely

Male Unlikely Female Unlikely

Likelihood to Eat GM Food by Gender

Americans Split Over The Safety Of GM Foods, Though Many Are Still

Undecided

34%31%29% 27%30%

29%30%

25% 25%27%

38%

48%

37%

42%46%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

2001 2003 2004 2005 2006

SafeUnsafeDon't Know

Initial Ask: Are GM foods basically safe or unsafe?

45%47%48%

44%48%

29%28%21% 21%

25%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

2001 2003 2004 2005 2006

Safe 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”

41%

58%

34%

64% 65%

35%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Heard

Not Heard

GM Foods GM 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

65%

35%

55%

43%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

2005 2006

Heard

Not Heard

51%48%

44%

54%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

2005 2006

KnowDon't Know

Heard About Animal Cloning Knowledge Of Animal Cloning

24%

66%

10%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Comfortable Uncomfort DK

Consumers Do Not Favor Genetic Modification Of Plants Or Animals, And Are Particularly

Uncomfortable With Cloning (2005)

25%

50%

27%

56%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Favor

Oppose

GM Foods GM 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

31% 30%

23%

43%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Safe

Unsafe

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)

31%

58%

19%

72%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Comfortable

Uncomfortable

Men Women

Comfort With Animal Cloning by Gender

30%35%

17%

50%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Safe

Unsafe

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)

23%

68%

24%

64%

33%

56%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Comfortable

Uncomfortable

Complete Partly

Comfort With Animal Cloning by Food Purchase Responsibility

None

20%

46%

26%

40%

27%

36%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Safe

Unsafe

Complete Partly None

Safety Of Animal Cloning by Food Purchase Responsibility

Religion And Ethics Tops The List Of Concerns Among Those Who Are Uncomfortable With Cloning

(2005)

6%

1%

5%

6%

10%

13%

23%

36%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

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)

5%

1%

4%

8%

14%

19%

21%

28%

0% 10% 20% 30%

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”

41%

58%

34%

64% 65%

35%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Heard

Not Heard

GM Foods GM 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

27%

56%

17%

32%

52%

16%

23%

59%

19%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

FavorOpposeDK

Men Women

Favor/Oppose Transgenic Animals by Gender (2005)

Total

Knowledge Increases Support Opposition Is Shared By All Levels Of Awareness (2005)

38%

55%

8%

39%

54%

7%

22%

61%

17% 20%

55%

25%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

FavorOpposeDK

Total Great Deal Some

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)

4%

15%

16%

22%

23%

27%

27%

31%

40%

40%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

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)

6%

20%

21%

36%

52%

61%

63%

64%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

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)

6%

1%

5%

6%

10%

13%

23%

36%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

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)

10%

27%

63%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Morals and science

Science only

Not sure

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.

+36

53% strongly

18% strongly

There Is No Overt Gender Gap In Attitudes Towards

Regulation Of Genetic Modification Or Cloning (2005)

63%

27%

10%

61%

30%

9%

64%

25%

11%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Morals and science

Science onlyDK

Men Women

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)

70%

23%

8%

60%

35%

5%

63%

25%

12%

56%

30%

14%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Morals and science

Science onlyDK

Ethical/Scientific Standards by Religious Attendance

Once/week or more

2-3 times/ month

Once/month Few/year or less