VOA慢速英语2010年-Agriculture Report - US Considers Firs

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Farmers in the United States have grown genetically¹ engineered crops since the late nineteen nineties. Now, a federal agency is deciding whether to let a genetically modified animal into the food supply for the first time.

A company, AquaBounty Technologies, has developed the AquAdvantage Salmon². The fish is an Atlantic salmon that contains genes³ from two other kinds of fish: ocean pout⁴ and Chinook salmon.

With these genes, it can grow twice as fast as a wild Atlantic salmon. The company says the fish does not taste or smell any different from other salmon.

The Food and Drug Administration says there would be no need for special labeling if the salmon is found to have the same basic contents as other fish. But critics say the genetically changed salmon is different from other fish. They say if the FDA approves it for sale, people should be told what they are buying.

Americans eat mostly imported seafood⁵. Last year that included a billion dollars worth of imported salmon, one of the top imports.

Most of the wild salmon caught in North America comes from Alaska. That state banned farmed salmon from its waters years ago.

AquaBounty Technologies added growth genes from two other fish to Atlantic salmon, causing it to grow twice as fast

Alaska Senator Mark Begich is leading a group of other United States senators, organizations and businesses to try to stop the FDA approval process.

Wenonah Hauter of the activist⁶ group Food and Water Watch says the AquAdvantage Salmon has not been studied enough for food safety.

WENONAH HAUTER: "Why are they using three studies with very small samples that the data is not available to the public, and one of the studies is nineteen years old?"

Ms. Hauter worries that the farmed fish could escape into waterways and reproduce with wild populations. And she says the idea could spread to other countries.

WENONAH HUNTER: "We know there are fish farming operations in China, in Asia, that are very interested in this, that have a poor record regarding regulation. And we're very concerned that there will be escapees."

But the company says most of its fish are raised at inland fish farms. And it has promised the Food and Drug Administration that it would only market female salmon unable to reproduce.

David Edwards at the Biotechnology Industry Organization says the genetically modified fish is "just a new technology."

DAVID EDWARDS: " "As the public has the opportunity to learn about it and the public has the opportunity to taste it, I think it’s something that they’ll appreciate. If the FDA says it's safe, and the data certainly does indicate that, then I'm certainly willing to go out and eat the fish."

And that’s the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson with Steve Baragona. What are your thoughts on this subject? You can post comments at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Jim Tedder⁷.
 

1 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

2 salmon   

n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的

参考例句：

• We saw a salmon jumping in the waterfall there.我们看见一条大马哈鱼在那边瀑布中跳跃。
• Do you have any fresh salmon in at the moment?现在有新鲜大马哈鱼卖吗？

3 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

4 pout   

v.撅嘴；绷脸；n.撅嘴；生气，不高兴

参考例句：

• She looked at her lover with a pretentious pout.她看着恋人，故作不悦地撅着嘴。
• He whined and pouted when he did not get what he wanted.他要是没得到想要的东西就会发牢骚、撅嘴。

5 seafood   

n.海产食品，海味，海鲜

参考例句：

• There's an excellent seafood restaurant near here.离这儿不远有家非常不错的海鲜馆。
• Shrimps are a popular type of seafood.小虾是比较普遍的一种海味。

6 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

7 tedder   

n.（干草）翻晒者，翻晒机

参考例句：

• Jim Tedder has more. 吉姆？特德将给我们做更多的介绍。 来自互联网
• Jim Tedder tells us more. 吉姆？泰德给我们带来更详细的报道。 来自互联网