In July, Senate Bill 1528 – Genetically Engineered Salmon Labeling Act, was introduced to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Murkowski (R) from Alaska, and co-sponsored by Washington Sen. Cantwell (D), as well as Sen. Sullivan (R) from Arkansas and Sen. Merkley (D) from Oregon.
As a community organization working for food justice, we support the right to know about genetically modified and engineered foods. We therefore urge you to co-sponsor S.1528 – Genetically Engineered Salmon Labeling Act.
In 2011, you championed taking a cautious approach to genetically engineered salmon and its potential threats to public health and our invaluable aquatic ecosystems. We feel this was necessary and important work. Thank you for speaking out and taking a stand.
We hope that you will continue to be an advocate amongst your colleagues for a mandate to label GE salmon if it ever goes to market, specifically by supporting Senate Bill S.1528 alongside Senator Cantwell. Millions of U.S. citizens and consumers clearly feel it is our right to know about how the food that is marketed to us is produced, so that we can make choices not only about the health of our bodies, our families and our communities, but to have some say about what kind of food system we have, and how it impacts the environment.
Finally, we are committed to support the tribal sovereignty of Native Northwest peoples, and the co-management of Northwest fisheries by Treaty Tribes and U.S. state actors. Northwest tribes have already organized to pass multiple resolutions urging federal agencies to stunt GE salmon production and distribution before industry and state actors make good faith conferrals with the governments of the Northwest treaty tribes. We hope you will bring this perspective into your advocacy.
Sincerely,
Food Justice Project members of Community Alliance for Global Justice
