published Wednesday, May 8th, 2013 at 11:55 am by
Gloria
Tell Supermarkets, Food Companies, and Seafood Restaurants to Reject GE Salmon!
As you know, genetically engineered (GE) salmon, the first GE animal meant for human consumption, may soon be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Center for Food Safety, along with Friends of the Earth and a coalition of thirty consumer, food safety, fishing, environmental, sustainable agriculture, parent, public health and animal welfare organizations, has?launched a national campaign to keep GE salmon out of our supermarkets and off our plates.?
Since the FDA has stated that it will likely not require GE fish to be labeled, consumers will have no way of avoiding GE salmon unless companies make clear to consumers where they stand on the issue.??Over the last month, we?ve sent letters to the nation?s top grocery stores, seafood companies, and seafood restaurants?asking them to commit not to sell genetically engineered fish should it come to market. Some of the biggest grocery stores in the U.S. have already replied, stating that they will not sell genetically engineered salmon in their stores, including:?Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Marsh Supermarkets, Aldi, H-E-B, Hy-Vee, and PCC Natural Markets.[1] Seafood companies like?Crown Prince and EcoFishhave also told CFS they will not buy GE salmon. Additionally,?over 400 chefs and restaurants?have pledged not to intentionally purchase, sell, or serve genetically engineered salmon in their restaurants.[2]?But there are a lot more companies yet to sign!
Go here to sign petition:?http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=10107
Sign the Petition Telling Supermarkets, Food Companies, and Seafood Restaurants to Reject GE Salmon:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed the approval of genetically engineered (GE) salmon for commercial use. Now in its final stage of review, the GE fish would be the first transgenic animal to be approved for human consumption. Biotechnology companies are announcing plans to seek approval for other GE fish. Over one million Americans have already submitted comments to FDA opposing approval of these risky GE salmon. We are deeply concerned about the risks to wild salmon populations, sustainable fisheries, the marine environment, and the potential effects to human health from the introduction of GE salmon.
GE salmon threaten marine environments, wild salmon fisheries, and the communities that depend upon them. The risk of transgenic contamination of wild salmon has been raised numerous times by members of the public, scientific and fishing communities, and even Congress. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Guide opposed the introduction of GE salmon ?due to the inherent environmental risks involved.?
While data on human health impacts of GE fish is sparse, some recent studies have provided cause for concern. Some research has suggested that transgenic fish may be susceptible to more diseases, so the amount of antibiotics given to GE fish may be higher than the amount currently given to farmed fish.
According to a recent poll, 91% of Americans feel FDA should not introduce GE fish into the marketplace. Consumers want to make more sustainable seafood choices, and food companies, restaurants, and supermarkets need to provide them.
We are very concerned about buying unlabeled GE salmon and are looking to food companies and retailers to assure us that they will not carry GE fish. We urge you to take a position not to intentionally purchase, sell, or serve GE salmon or other GE fish, and to make your policy known to consumers.
