Health Canada has ended its 20-year restriction on cloned cattle and swine, meaning meat and dairy from cloned animals and their offspring can now be sold in Canada with no labels or public notice.
The decision follows a 2023 policy review by Health Canada, the CFIA, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, which concluded there’s “no scientific difference between cloned and conventionally bred livestock.” The agencies maintain the move is science-based and poses no new health risks.
The move, finalized quietly in late 2024, removes cloned cattle and pigs from Canada’s “novel foods” list — eliminating the requirement for pre-market safety reviews and public disclosure.