Sound Bites September 20th, 2010

 

POLICY

 

The FDA began the first of two public meetings on Sunday, discussing a genetically engineered (GE) Atlantic salmon intended to be used for food.

 

The fish, a North Atlantic salmon developed by AquaBounty Technologies Inc. would be the country's first genetically engineered food animal.

The salmon is produced by taking a portion of the gene that protects an eel-like fish called an ocean pout against freezing, transplanting it into the growth gene of a Chinook salmon and transferring the blended genetic material into the fertilized eggs of a North Atlantic salmon.

According to the company, it grows to market size in half the time of other salmon and consumes 25 percent less feed in the process. 

But because genetic engineering is an issue that raises ethical and medical as well as marketing concerns, loud arguments are expected.

Earlier this month, the FDA released a preliminary report that the salmon "is as safe as food from conventional Atlantic salmon" and unlikely to harm the environment.

The FDA advisory committee will vote later today on whether to approve preliminary findings that a modified salmon is as safe as an ordinary salmon.

 

 

WORLD

 

China has recently surpassed Japan and Mexico to become the United States’s second leading importer of our agricultural goods.

 

Since China’s entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001, food exports to China have grown by 12 billions dollars annually.

 

For years, China was thought to be restricting market access. Yet through negotiations in the past week, the USDA feels confident that headway is being made.

 

The USDA intends to spur additional trade into NE portions of China. U.S. food imports have largely been absent from the region until now, some noting strong opportunities for imports of pork, soybeans and specialty goods, such as wines. 

 

Soundbites: Jim Miller, USDA Undersecretary of Agriculture

 

CULTURE

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine recently launched a controversial ad campaign, playing on McDonald’s “Im lovin it” slogan. The spot shows a dead man laying on a gurney with a half-eaten burger in one hand and a grieving woman at his side. As the camera pans around and stops at the man's feet, the Golden Arches logo appears with the line, “I was lovin' it,”, and a voiceover people to consume less meat, 

 

According to Susan Levin, the Committee’s Director of Nutrition Education, they chose to focus on McDonald's because it epitomizes fast food and everyone seems to recognize the Golden Arches logo.

 

The goal of the campaign is to make it more difficult for some restaurant chains to expand, and encourage businesses that promote healthier foods.

 

In response to the ad, McDonald’s spokesperson, Bridget Coffing, stated, "This commercial is outrageous, misleading and unfair to all consumers".

 

The PCRM’s ad campaign will launch in major cities across the country, including Chicago, D.C., Miami, Memphis, Houston, Detroit and Los Angeles. To view the ad, go to croptocuisine.org

 

HEALTH

After one of the nation’s most publicized food recall’s in years, Senate Democrats say they are on the brink of passing a sweeping food safety overhaul, which the House approved more than a year ago. However, Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Okla. has recently make a public effort to block a final push of the legislation.

Coburn's office affirmed his objection to the bill, on the grounds of fiscal restraint. Coburn is demanding that this, and all other legislation be fully paid for before passage into law. In the case of food safety, Sen. Coburn is threatening filibusters on a range of legislation ranging from war spending to unemployment benefits.

The pending legislation would give much-needed updates to a food regulatory system approaching its’ 100th birthday. The bill would grant the FDA the authority to mandate recalls, impose stricter rules on mandatory inspections, trace-back protocol and access to company records, and include whistleblower protections.

 

UN Hunger

And the United Nations recently announced a decline in the number of hungry people worldwide by about 98 million, leaving 925 million without access to enough food in 2010.

Though noting the reduction, the United Nations stated that at this rate, the world will not meet the Millennium Development Goal to cut world hunger in half by 2015.

 

Many factors are contributing to global hunger, yet many site the 2008 food price crisis as having the single largest impact.

 

The UN FAO's Executive Director Jacques Diouf says the decrease is no cause for complacency. 

 

Still, better access to food and an overall reduction in food prices have been welcomed by the agency and its’ affiliates.

To get a better understanding of the areas to celebrate, and the victories yet to be won, we are joined over the phone by Rene McGuffin, Senior Spokesperson for the UN World Food Programme in North America.

Soundbites: UN Food & Agriculture Organizations Executive Director, Jacques Diouf 

Interview: Rene McGuffin, Senior Spokesperson for the UN World Food Programme in North America.