Trustee Archive

AGRICULTURE »» AQUACULTURE »» »» Apr 19, 2021
Studies of salmon purchased from stores have found that 70% of Atlantic farmed salmon raised in Canada, the U.S. and Iceland were contaminated with unsafe levels of organic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Banned in 1976, PCBs are persistent, cancer-causing chemicals which also cause birth defects. Studies have shown that farmed salmon may be a consumer’s single largest source of toxic dietary pollutants. It may take decades for one's body to clear toxicants ingested from a single meal. Health advocates also say a clear link exists between PCBs and diabetes and obesity - diseases that have increased along with the consumption of farmed salmon over the past few decades. On average, farmed salmon are found to have more than 8 times the dioxin-like PCBs that are found in wild Pacific salmon. PCBs concentrate in the oils and fats contained in the fishmeal fed to farmed salmon. The EPA does not regulate PCB levels in farmed salmon as it does with wild fish.

The aquaculture industry says salmon is an excellent source of high-quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids which protects people against heart disease and other medical problems. They also claim FDA standards allow farmed salmon to be safely consumed more than once a week.
Critics call the FDA’s standards inadequate because they were formulated in 1984, before PCBs were known to be as harmful as they are now recognized to be. If the levels of PCBs found in farmed salmon were present in wild salmon, the EPA would restrict consumption of wild salmon to no more than one meal per month. More than 23 million Americans eat farmed salmon more than once a month.

Proposed Legislation: To require the EPA to uniformly regulate the PCB levels in both farmed salmon and wild salmon.
Prospective Sponsor: Rep. Don Young (AK)

  • I oppose reforming current salmon toxicity policy, and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA).
  • I support requiring the EPA to uniformly regulate the PCB levels in both farmed salmon and wild salmon, and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Rep. Don Young (AK) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.
Winning Option »» No issues were voted

  • I support requiring the EPA to uniformly regulate the PCB levels in both farmed salmon and wild salmon, and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Rep. Don Young (AK) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.
Trustee Candidates

  • Representative
    If elected as a trustee, the campaign committee of Rep. Don Young (AK) will be unconditionally awarded the funds pledged to this issue along with a letter requesting him to favorably consider introducing legislation requiring the Food and Drug Administration to regulate the PCB levels in farmed salmon.

  • Center for Food Safety
    If elected as a trustee, Center for Food Safety will be awarded the funds pledged to this issue along with a letter requesting these funds be used to advocate for reducing and regulating the amount of dioxins in farmed salmon.

    Center for Food Safety's mission is to empower people, support farmers, and protect the earth from the harmful impacts of industrial agriculture. Through groundbreaking legal, scientific, and grassroots action, we protect and promote your right to safe food and the environment. CFS's successful legal cases collectively represent a landmark body of case law on food and agricultural issues. Center for Food Safety works to ensure and improve aquaculture oversight, furthering policy and cultural dialogue with regulatory agencies, consumers, chefs, grocers, fish retailers and legislators on the critical need to protect public health and the environment from industrial aquaculture.

Elected Trustee

  • No trustee votes received.
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Poll Opening Date April 19, 2021
Poll Closing Date April 25, 2021