The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasbannedthe import and sale of AquAdvantage Atlantic salmon, the first genetically modified animal approved for human consumption.  This action comes after a large spending bill (Fiscal Year 2016 Omnibus Appropriations Act) passed Congress, in which regulators were directed to prevent the sale of the genetically modified salmon until FDA finalized guidelines about how it should be labeled.

Despite FDA’sapprovalof the salmon, deeming it was not materially different from conventional Atlantic salmon, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) pushed for the language in the spending bill instructing regulators to prevent the salmon from reaching the U.S. marketplace. This prompted an FDAimport alertthat took place on January 29, 2016. This is a victory for activists and fisherman concerned about the safety and environmental impact of a genetically modified fish, although a temporary one.

Published on WholeFoods Magazine online 2/4/2016