Currently there are two version of
legislation on Capitol Hill regarding the creation and marketing of Genetically
Modified Salmon. Both of these were
Originally Sponsored by Alaskan DC Delegation Members Mark Begich (D) US Senate
and Don Young (R) US House of Representatives. I decided to see who out there
was trying to influence Our Congress on this issue…
Congressional Lobbying 2013:
On the Pro-Side of the senate bill We
find The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission spending $20,000 in the
first quarter of 2013 for: Issues related to FY 2013 and FY 2014 fisheries
management funding; FY 2013 Appropriations; FY 2014 Appropriations;
Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act Reauthorization;
S.246 Prevention of Escapement of Genetically Altered Salmon; Coast Guard
Reauthorization Act; Atlantic Coastal Act Reauthorization with a firm called
Blank Rome. There is also Friends of The
Earth filing to have spent less than $5000.00 in lobbying various issues that
also included this one.
On the Anti side of the Senate and House bills we find the company
trying to develop and market this technology, Aqua Bounty and The American
Renderers Association (ARA). The ARA is
an 80-year-old meat production and packing industry association that focuses on
producing products with animal by-waste.
One of the products is fish food, which they have already seen great
success with in providing to the Chilean fish farming industry.
Let’s look at who Aqua Bounty is:
Significant Shareholders:
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- Intrexon Corporation
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53.75%
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- Alejandro Weinstein (1)
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17.66%
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Alejandro Weinstein is the Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of CFR Pharmaceuticals. ß A
Chilean Foreign National
Intrexon Ownership:
Intrexon is a developing and growing
bio-genetic engineering company aiming at creating synthetic life.
Intrexon just went public not long
ago and a majority of the purchased stocks are controlled by a fund run by a
group known as Third Security. The
public offering was underwritten by J.P. Morgan and raised over a billion
dollars. The stock value from this
company has also enjoyed a 25%+ growth since it’s IPO. Their
founder and CEO is Randal J. Kirk. He
just happens to the CEO and Founder of Intrexon. Forbes lists Mr. Kirk at #143
of their Top 400 Wealthiest People in America. Also on the Board of Intrexon are former CEOs
of both Monsanto and Pfizer.
Aqua Bounty and Washington D.C.
Aqua Bounty has contracted with a leading Food and Drug
lobbyist firm called Policy Directions Inc.
The lead lobbyists for Aqua Bounty are Jill Homer Stewart and Stephen L.
Kopperud. Let’s look at Mrs. Stewart’s
employment history:
Prior to professional government
emplyment she had also interned for Rep. Gary Condit. Both Visclosky and Condit are listed in
lobbyist filings as having had been contacted by Policy Directions concerning
the GMO Salmon legislation representing both the American Renderers Association
and Aqua Bounty.
Naturally the FDA was the federal agency most listed in
the rather vague filings… but the congressional staffers and such are listed as
well. Congressional Contacts on behalf
of Aqua Bounty in 2013 on : FDA approval of
transgenic salmon eggs including S. 246.
Labeling of foods from biotech
animals including HR 584, S. 248 and S. Amendment to S. Con Res. 8.
2013 First Quarter:
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S.
SENATE, Agriculture - Dept of (USDA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA),
Health & Human Services - Dept of (HHS)
2013 Second Quarter:
Rep. Peter Visclosky
Rep. Robert Weygand
Sen. Dianne Feinstein
Rep. Gary Condit
2013 Third Quarter:
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S.
SENATE, Health & Human Services - Dept of (HHS), Food & Drug
Administration (FDA), Agriculture - Dept of (USDA), U.S. Trade Representative
(USTR)
Third Security campaign contributions
aren’t too shabby either:
Randal Kirk was one a few Americans that donated $50000
to President Obama’s Inauguration Fund in 2009.
That’s ten times the amount allowed as a personal contribution during
the election cycle.
They tend to bounce back and forth from
Republican to Democrat, but it is interesting to know that Mr. Krk not only
donated to the Inauguration, but he also gave $16000 to Obama’s Victory Fund
and another $2300 to Obama for America.
Life Cycle of the GMO Salmon:
The GMO Salmon begins as eggs in a lab located in
Massachusetts…then goes to ditch’s in Panama.
These eggs have been genetically modified and combined with an Atlantic
fish called the Ocean Pout.
Accumulated and Published by Jon Corbett.
