Farm at centre of clone storm

A Shropshire farm was today at the centre of a storm over a calf created from a cloned mother which is being reared in Britain.

The calf, called Dundee Paradise, was grown from an embryo taken from a cloned cow by scientists in America.

The embryo is thought to have been implanted into a cow and born on a farm in the Albrighton area, near Shifnal. Nobody from the farm, which breeds premium cattle, was prepared to comment.

NFU regional chairman Simon Latter urged people to keep an open mind over the controversy."Public confidence is an absolute priority for farmers. Our industry must be guided by consumer preference and it is appropriate that we have a sensible, scientifically based, regulatory framework in place to control new technologies and protect consumer interests.

"The world is a rapidly changing place and an open mind must be kept."

EU regulations mean cloning of animals is not permitted in Europe but offspring may be imported.

A spokeswoman for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "We do not believe that any animal health and welfare regulations have been contravened in this case.

"This case refers to a cloned animal, not a genetically modified one, therefore the genetic material of the cloned animal would be an identical genetic replica of the original cow.

"Therefore, from a scientific point of view, we would not have any additional concern for the animal's welfare over and above those we have for any cow."

Lord Melchett, policy director of the Soil Association, said the Government's failure to impose regulatory controls on such a practice was "inexcusable". British consumers had no desire to eat meat or drink milk from animals who were created in such a way, he said.

Peter Stevenson, of Compassion in World Farming, said: "It is horrifying to learn that animal cloning has arrived on our farms."

By Farming Correspondent Nathan Rous and London Editor John Hipwood