Posts Tagged ‘food policy’

Frankenstein Fish About To Be Approved For Human Consumption

Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

A company called “AquAdvantage Salmon” wants people to believe its product is safe. So does the burgeoning genetically-modified food industry.

  • On September 19th, staff from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are expected to deliver a report that says AquAdvantage – a genetically-modified salmon – is as safe as regular Atlantic salmon and should be approved for human consumption in the U.S.
  • The AquAdvantage fish was created with DNA from another, eel-like fish, and added growth hormones from a different species of salmon. The resulting creature grows twice as fast as a normal Atlantic salmon.
  • Critics say the approval process doesn’t allow the public (including independent scientists) to fully understand the implications of allowing this genetically-modified fish into the U.S. food supply. They are also concerned about the potential ecological risks posed by a fish created in a lab.

Facts & Figures

  • The University of Guelph in Canada wants the FDA to approve their genetically-engineered “Enviropig,” which is purported to produce “environmentally friendly manure.”
  • The United States has already approved the cultivation of genetically-modified corn and soybean crops.

Best Quote

“If these genetically engineered salmon are approved, it will be setting worldwide precedent because salmon is a global commodity. It will be the first genetically engineered animal approved for human consumption and for wide-scale farming.” – Anne Kapuscinski, Professor at Dartmouth College and international expert on the safety of genetically modified organisms

Baltimore Hires For Healthy Food

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

Providing healthy food to Baltimore’s poor residents has been given a face, and a salary

    • Baltimore recently became one of the first U.S. cities to hire a “food czar” – someone who works to make healthy food more accessible to the city’s poor residents.
    • But Holly Freishat, Baltimore’s food czar, lacks a budget for major food programs and so spends most of her time raising grant money.
    • Despite these challenges, Ms. Freishtat’s paid position signifies a hefty improvement in the effort to provide healthy food to a city’s residents. Though many cities have food-policy councils, few of them have managed to implement lasting changes.

    Facts & Figures

    • Ms. Freishat is paid for 30 hours of work per week
    • New York, Boston, and Kansas City have also hired food policy directors