Coming to a Grocery Store Near You: The Campaign for GE-Free Seafood!

Friends of the Earth is excited to announce our new campaign to prevent genetically engineered fish from hitting our dinner plates: the Campaign for Genetically Engineered (GE)-Free Seafood.

As we recently reported, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration is in the final stages of approving genetically engineered salmon for human consumption. If approved, it would be the first-ever genetically engineered animal allowed to enter the U.S. food supply. To make matters worse, the FDA has stated that it will likely not require genetically engineered fish to be labeled, providing consumers no way of avoiding it at the market. Without a label, consumers wouldn’t even be able to “vote with their wallets” for natural fish over the genetically engineered option.

Now for the good news: Through the Campaign for GE-Free Seafood, we’re identifying companies that have policies to not sell genetically engineered seafood, providing a way for consumers to safely buy seafood without unknowingly purchasing genetically engineered fish.

As part of our campaign, we’ve asked the nation’s top grocery stores to commit to not selling genetically engineered seafood and we are already seeing amazing results. Some of the biggest grocery stores in the U.S. have stated that they will not sell genetically engineered seafood, including Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, Marsh Supermarkets and PCC Natural Markets.

This is huge news. These stores represent a significant portion of the U.S. market and, by agreeing to not sell genetically engineered seafood, they are showing their staunch support for consumers’ rights. But our work is not done yet.

There are still many grocery stores–including Walmart, Costco and Safeway–that may soon be selling unlabeled genetically engineered fish to their customers. It’s essential that, as consumers, we speak up for our right to know what foods we feed our families by encouraging these stores to not carry genetically engineered seafood.

Don’t see your favorite grocery store on the list of signers? Click here to sign a petition to other grocery stores and make it clear that consumers do not want genetically engineered salmon or other genetically engineered seafood in their neighborhood markets.

Our campaign is just ramping up, so be sure to check out our website at www.gefreeseafood.org for updates as we continue to add more stores, restaurants and chefs to the list. And take action today to tell your favorite grocery stores you don’t want to purchase genetically engineered seafood by asking them to Sign the Pledge for GE-Free Seafood.

Thanks to our partners: Alaska Marine Conservation Council, Alliance for Natural Health USA, American Anti-Vivisection Society, Animal Welfare Institute, Cascadia Wildlands, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Environmental Health, Center for Food Safety, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, Food Democracy Now!, Food & Water Watch, Global Alliance Against Industrial Aquaculture, Gloucester fishermen’s Wives Association, Go Wild Campaign, Healthy Child Healthy World, Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Institute for Responsible Technology, Mangrove Action Project, Massachusetts Fishermen’s Partnership, National Family Farm Coalition, National Organic Coalition, Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, Organic Consumers Association, Sierra Club, Waikiki Hawaiian Civic  Club, Wild Salmon First.

And thanks to the stores for taking a lead on this important issue. Here’s to a future with real seafood and a safe, sustainable food system.