Court Rules FDA Violated Environmental Laws in Approving GMO Salmon

Photo: Pixabay

This article originally appeared in the December edition of Presence Marketing’s Industry Newsletter

By Steven Hoffman

A federal judge in San Francisco on November 5 ordered the US. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to re-evaluate its approval of genetically modified salmon based on ecological concerns if the GMO salmon were to escape into the wild. 

FDA in 2015 approved the commercialization of Maynard, MA-based AquaBounty Technologies’ genetically engineered “AquAdvantage” salmon, finding it had no significant impact. Five years later, however, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California agreed with environmental groups who shared concern that the GMO salmon could escape to damage wild salmon populations, reported Food Safety News. 

According to a statement by Earthjustice, “The court ruled that FDA ignored the serious environmental consequences of approving genetically engineered salmon and the full extent of plans to grow and commercialize the salmon in the U.S. and around the world, violating the National Environmental Policy Act. The court also ruled that FDA’s unilateral decision that genetically engineered salmon could have no possible effect on endangered, wild Atlantic salmon was wrong, in violation of the Endangered Species Act,” Earthjustice said. “FDA must now thoroughly analyze the environmental consequences of an escape of genetically engineered salmon into the wild,” it added.

In a 16-page decision, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria rejected FDA’s position that it has no duty to consider environmental impacts when reviewing applications to breed genetically modified animals. “Even if the FDA is correct that environmental considerations writ large were not relevant to its decision, the agency is always required to consider the subset of environmental impacts that directly involve the health of animals or humans,” Judge Chhabria wrote. 

“This decision underscores what scientists have been telling FDA for years—that creating genetically engineered salmon poses an unacceptable risk if the fish escape and interact with our wild salmon and that FDA must understand that risk to prevent harm,” said Earthjustice managing attorney Steve Mashuda. “Our efforts should be focused on saving the wild salmon populations we already have—not manufacturing new species that pose yet another threat to their survival.” 

According to Alaska Public Media, AquaBounty Technologies President and CEO Sylvia Wulf released a statement saying the company is “disappointed” by the ruling. But she said it won’t impact operations at its egg growing facility on Prince Edward Island, Canada, or its fish farm in Albany, Indiana. 

“It’s a terrible idea to design genetically engineered ‘Frankenfish’ which, when they escape into the wild (as they inevitably will), could destroy our irreplaceable salmon runs,” said Mike Conroy, Executive Director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations (PCFFA), in the Earthjustice statement. “Once engineered genes are introduced into the wild salmon gene pool, it cannot be undone. This decision is a major victory for wild salmon, salmon fishing families and dependent communities, and salmon conservation efforts everywhere,” he said.

Organic Products Growth Outpaces Overall Conventional Food Market; Hits 5 Percent Market Share

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Market Research
Author- Steven Hoffman
Published In- June 2017 Presence Marketing / Dynamic Presence Newsletter

The news is just in from the Organic Trade Association (OTA) and it’s very good. Sales of organic products in the U.S. reached a record $47 billion in 2016, up from sales of $43.3 billion in 2015, reflecting overall growth of more than 8 percent. Compare that to a lackluster growth rate of less than 1 percent for the overall food industry, says OTA. Another significant first for the organic industry, reports OTA in its May 2017 Organic Industry Survey, is that organic food now accounts for more than 5 percent – 5.3 percent to be exact – of total U.S. food sales.

The organic industry is creating jobs, too, according to the OTA report. More than 60 percent of all organic businesses with more than five employees reported an increase of full-time employment in 2016, and said they planned to continue adding to their full-time work staff in 2017.

Source: Organic Trade Association, May 24, 2017

“Organic farmers are not just staying in business, they’re often expanding. Organic handling, manufacturing and processing facilities are being opened, enlarged and retooled. Organic farms, suppliers and handlers are creating jobs across the country, and the organic sector is growing and creating the kinds of healthy, environmentally friendly products that consumers are increasingly demanding,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of OTA. Produce – organic fruits and vegetables – accounted for nearly 40 percent of overall organic food sales. Growing at 8.4 percent in 2016 – almost three times the 3.3 percent growth rate of total fruit and vegetable sales – organic fruits and vegetables now account for nearly 15 percent of the produce Americans eat, says OTA. Organic meat and poultry products, too, marked record growth of more than 17 percent in 2016 to $991 million. The category is expected to top $1 billion in sales in 2017 as consumers demand transparency and awareness continues to grow about the benefits of organic over conventionally produced meat, poultry and dairy products.

Other organic food categories showing explosive growth included organic dips, growing 41 percent to $57 million, and organic spices, posting a 35 percent increase to $193 million. Of the overall $47 billion in sales of organic products, non-food organic items claimed nearly $4 billion of that total. Organic fiber, supplements and personal care products accounted for the majority of those sales, reporting nearly 9 percent growth in 2016.“Increasing consumer awareness that what we put on our body is as important as what we put in our body is driving the growth in organic fiber sales, while a growing desire for transparency, clean ingredients and plant-based products is spurring sales of organic supplements and personal care products,” OTA noted. “Organic products of all sorts are now found in the majority of kitchens and households across our country,” said Batcha. “But the organic sector is facing challenges to continue its growth. We need more organic farmers in this country to meet our growing organic demand, and the organic sector needs to have the necessary tools to grow and compete on a level playing field. That means federal, state and local programs that help support organic research, and provide the organic farmer with a fully equipped tool kit to be successful.”