Dear John,
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Demand transparent regulations for GMO animals.
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The first genetically engineered animal -- GMO salmon -- was unlawfully approved. Now a new GMO pig was just approved, with no public comments or notice. Take action to prevent GMO animals from sneaking onto the market.
Right now, our food system faces an urgent new threat: GMO animals. Fish, pigs, chickens and cows are being genetically engineered to better fit into a factory farming system that’s terrible for animal welfare, our communities, our health and our climate.
Now, Trump’s outgoing administration is trying to make it even easier for GMO animals to enter the market with almost no scrutiny by giving USDA authority to approve them. John, we need your help to stop it.
Demand strong regulations for all GMO animals to protect people, the environment, and animals.
The USDA has a history of rubber stamping risky GMOs. It recently gave the green light for a new wave of GMO crops to be released into the environment ahead of assessments. The decreased regulation of gene-edited crops may exacerbate harm to farmers and the environment from increased contamination. Under USDA, GMOs will be likely continue to be self-evaluated by the companies that make them, and rubber stamped to enter the market. And USDA has worked hand and hand with Big Ag to perpetuate factory farming.
Clearly the USDA cannot be trusted to regulate GMO animals. But there is a solution. Instead of authority going to USDA, the FDA could step up and strengthen its GMO animal regulations to make up for current shortfalls:
- The FDA should rewrite and strengthen its regulations to fully evaluate GMO animals for public health and environmental safety.
- The FDA should allow for public review of all GMO animals for food, and should be doing full comprehensive environmental reviews.
- Regulators must also assess any unintended genetic changes that could have health impacts for the animals themselves or people who consume them.
- The FDA should require food safety testing of the new meat to make sure it doesn’t contain toxins, pathogens or cause allergic reactions.
We have a chance to fix this situation with the next administration. If Biden’s FDA overhauls its regulations for a truly transparent and comprehensive assessment of GMO animals, we may be able to keep these science experiments off our plates and out of the environment.
Demand the new Biden administration implement strict oversight for GMO animals.
Under the status quo, new GMO animals, made with gene editing, could race onto the market. This could happen with barely any assessments, and they may not be labeled as genetically engineered. If these biotech products end up on people’s plates, we may not know what we are eating.
The federal government needs to hear from concerned people like you. You can send a clear signal that you do not want unregulated GMO animals on your plate. Take action for a truly sustainable, humane and equitable food system -- not more risky GMOs and factory farms.
Protect our environment, our communities and our health from genetically engineered animals.
Standing with you,
Dana Perls,
Emerging technology program manager,
Friends of the Earth
