Consumer, environmental, labor groups and tribes call on Costco to reject GMO salmon

SEATTLE, WA — A broad coalition of progressive groups, concerned Costco customers, and fishermen will demonstrate this Saturday at the Costco de Seattle to challenge the grocery chain to publicly commit to not sell GMO salmon. Due to a campaign by Friends of the Earth and local, regional and national allies, more than 60 retailers, including Target, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Safeway and Kroger, representing more than 9,000 grocery stores across the country, have made commitments to not sell this genetically modified fish. As one of the largest retailers of salmon and seafood in the U.S., and headquartered in the Northwest region home to Pacific wild salmon, Costco’s stance on GMO salmon will factor heavily in national retail decisions.

Casi dos millones de personas —entre científicos, pescadores, empresarios y consumidores— han escrito a la FDA oponiéndose a la aprobación del salmón transgénico debido a los riesgos que este representa para la salud humana, el medio ambiente y el salmón silvestre. A pesar de esta protesta, la FDA aún está considerando su aprobación. De aprobarse, sería el primer animal transgénico autorizado por los reguladores para ingresar al mercado alimentario estadounidense, y probablemente no se etiquetará.

What: A rally and petition delivery of more than 50,000 petition signatures demanding that Costco commit to not selling GMO Salmon.
Where: In front of the Seattle Costco (Sodo neighborhood), 4401 4th Ave S, Seattle, WA
When: 2-4 p.m., Saturday, March 7
Who: Representatives of Alaskan Native American Tribe, UFCW Local 21; fishermen; members of the Washington environmental community; and Seattle residents will speak at the rally.
Visuals will include people holding banners, and salmon art and boxes of petitions.
La información sobre el salmón transgénico y el rechazo del mercado del salmón transgénico está disponible en www.gefreeseafood.org

Para obtener más información, comuníquese con Danielle Friedman, directora organizadora de la Alianza Comunitaria para la Justicia Global, y con Dana Perls, activista de alimentos y tecnología de Amigos de la Tierra.

###

Contactos de expertos:
Danielle Friedman, (206) 910-7877, [email protected]
Dana Perls, (925) 705-1074, [email protected] 

Contacto de comunicaciones: Kate Colwell, (202) 222-0744, [email protected]