Recent high profile outbreaks of food borne illness in the United States have created political and professional pressure for additional food safety controls, regulations and a single food safety agency. In addition, numerous food safety laws have been proposed at the state and federal levels.

At Walmart, we are committed to providing our customers with safe and high quality foods at the most affordable prices. In an effort to maintain the trust of consumers in the safety of our nation’s food supply, we believe any legislation that addresses food safety advancements should be based on the following guiding principles:

• Collaboration – Food safety regulatory oversight in the United States remains a patchwork of federal, state, and local responsibility. More than at any other time in human history, food safety is a shared responsibility. We believe we can do more to advance food safety by working together in a coordinated manner (industry, regulatory, academia, consumers and the media) than by working alone.

• Science & Risk-Based – What we know about existing and emerging threats to the food supply continues to evolve. Meaningful food safety reform must be based on science and risk. Furthermore, because we understand that good risk management must address both types of risk, real and perceived, we are committed to working with stakeholders to address perceived risks through education, not regulation.

• Performance Standards vs. Prescriptive Solutions – Wherever possible, food safety reform should be founded on science-based performance standards required for safety rather than prescriptive solutions, lest we inhibit creative problem-solving that leads to innovation and further advancement in the safety of the nation’s food supply.

• Private & Third Party Standards – Food safety regulatory reform should recognize the useful and historical role private and third party food standards (such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point or HACCP) have played in providing yet another hurdle in protecting the safety of the nation’s food supply. In addition, as in some European countries, the use of internationally recognized food safety standards and credible third party audits can allow limited regulatory resources to focus on those products and production facilities that need it the most.

• Cost-Effectiveness – During these challenging economic times, consumers are trying to make their food dollar go further to feed their families and loved ones. As an advocate for the consumer, we believe proposed food safety laws should undergo a thorough cost-benefit analysis to ensure that they truly deliver on advancements in safety while protecting against ineffective and unnecessary cost to the food system.