Revision of SAFEMEAT Biotechnology policy

Summary

​Biotechnology provides new tools for improving animal health and welfare and increasing livestock productivity. Biotechnology can reduce an animal's impact on the environment and enhance the ability to detect, treat and prevent disease. Livestock cloning has the potential to improve breeding programs through the selection of healthier or better quality offspring.
While the focus of this review is the red meat industry, animal biotechnology extends to all animals including livestock, poultry, fish, insects, companion animals and laboratory animals. Currently, three key scientific areas of animal biotechnology have emerged:
• Animal genomics - the defining and characterisation of the complete genetic make-up of an animal. Understanding animal genomes provides a basis for disease resistance, disease susceptibility, weight gain, and determinants of nutritional value.
• Animal cloning - cloning does not manipulate the animal's genetic make-up or change its DNA. Cloning creates an exact genetic copy of an existing animal, essentially an identical twin, using somatic cell nuclear transfer.
• Genetically modified (GM) animals - the creation of an animal which has had genetic material from the same or from another species added to its DNA, with the aim of improving the original animal.
The SAFEMEAT Red Meat and Livestock Industry Biotechnology policy was produced in June 2006. Since then, considerable developments have occurred in the last six years including the implementation of new federal gene technology regulation in Australia, the implementation of gene technology moratoria across many Australia states and territory governments, new international regulations (notable the EU) and research and policy developments within the scientific and agriculture business communities.