By MoveOn Denver Metro Council (Contact)
To be delivered to: The Colorado State House, The Colorado State Senate, and Governor John Hickenlooper
In 2010, the Food and Drug Administration began paving the way for approval of genetically engineered (GE) salmon. The first transgenic animal approved for human consumption, GE salmon would open the floodgates for GE cows and pigs, which biotech companies are waiting in the wings to finally commercialize after years of research and development.
Not to be outdone by the FDA, this year the U.S. Department of Agriculture has already approved three GE products. First the department announced it would allow unrestricted growing of GE alfalfa, which could destroy the organic dairy industry and block farmers from the export market since many countries won’t accept GE-contaminated crops. The USDA has also “partially deregulated” GE sugar beets and approved a new type of GE corn that is designed to be facilitate ethanol production.
The biotechnology industry has genetically engineered a fish that grows at twice the normal rate, so it can get to market sooner and make more money, faster.
The FDA doesn’t even do its own testing of genetically engineered animals: it relies on information provided by the company that wants approval. And because GE salmon are being considered as a new animal drug, the process isn’t focused on what happens to people who eat genetically engineered animals. So on top of the health concerns posed by raising salmon in crowded factory fish farms that rely on antibiotics and other chemicals, the FDA could be adding the unknown risks of GE salmon to the mix.
It’s up to us to demand that our legislators take action by supporting and passing HB 1192 and other measures to label genetically engineered foods in Colorado.
This is a joint effort between Food & Water Watch Colorado, MoveOn Denver Metro Council and MoveOn Boulder Council.
Link to HB 1192:
http://www.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2013A/csl.nsf/MainBills?OpenFrameSet
(type in "1192" in the search box. The URL keeps changing)
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