00                   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 12                                                                   
01 Relating to federal labeling requirements for farmed salmon.                                                            
02 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
03       WHEREAS farmed salmon are raised in captivity, and raising salmon in captivity                                  
04 involves the ingestion of significant amounts of antibiotics, dyes, and other chemicals by the                          
05 salmon; and                                                                                                             
06       WHEREAS the ingestion of significant amounts of antibiotics, dyes, and other                                    
07 chemicals by salmon may concern some consumers of salmon products; and                                                  
08       WHEREAS a consumer should be able to determine when purchasing salmon                                           
09 whether the salmon has been farmed using antibiotics, dyes, and other chemicals; and                                    
10       WHEREAS Alaska prides itself on its wild salmon, and the sale of wild salmon is a                               
11 significant part of the state's economy; and                                                                            
12       WHEREAS labels that identify whether salmon is farmed using dyes, antibiotics, and                              
13 other chemicals would help consumers make intelligent purchasing decisions and would                                    
14 encourage some consumers to purchase wild salmon, which would help the economy of the                                   
15 state; and                                                                                                              
16       WHEREAS a national approach to the labeling of farmed salmon would be helpful                                   
01 because salmon products are shipped to markets all over the United States; and                                          
02       WHEREAS the adoption by the United States Food and Drug Administration of                                       
03 regulations requiring that salmon be labeled as farmed using antibiotics, dyes, and other                               
04 chemicals would benefit consumers throughout the United States; and                                                     
05       WHEREAS the University of Alaska has the expertise and facilities to perform the                                
06 research necessary to support a petition by the state to the United States Food and Drug                                
07 Administration to develop the necessary labeling regulations;                                                           
08       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the                                      
09 governor to direct the Department of Environmental Conservation to petition the United                                  
10 States Food and Drug Administration to adopt labeling requirements for salmon farmed using                              
11 antibiotics, dyes, and other chemicals; and be it                                                                       
12       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the                                    
13 University of Alaska to perform the research necessary to support the petition  by the                                  
14 Department of Environmental Conservation to the United States Food and Drug                                             
15 Administration to adopt labeling requirements for salmon farmed using antibiotics, dyes, and                            
16 other chemicals.                                                                                                      
17       COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Mark R. Hamilton, President                            
18 of the University of Alaska; to the Honorable Michele Brown, Commissioner of the                                        
19 Department of Environmental Conservation; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the                                      
20 Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S.                                             
21 Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.