Compliancy is Not an Option

"Consumers have an expectation that a product is safe and wholesome, and they shouldn't have to worry about that, and they shouldn't have to pay more for food safety," said Tres Bailey with Wal-Mart. He pointed to a consumer survey that showed, a food safety confidence rating of about 55 percent (out of 100 percent). "That's about 20 points lower than 18 months prior," he noted. He discussed Wal-Mart's commitment in requiring suppliers to meet specific international standards-"This is not just a national issue."

"As standards come into play, there needs to be better understanding and education up the chain as well as down," said Tom Burkgren with the American Association of Swine Veterinarians. He believes more partnering is needed throughout the pork chain to address food safety issues and consumer education, pointing specifically to the retail sector to do more.

David Plunket with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, told the pork chain, "We always think you can do better, and will push harder. In the end, we all have a stake in this." He pointed out that CSPI wants to see a single food agency. "If you were to create a system today, would you have 12 to 15 different agencies involved and 35 different laws? It's a 1906 law, but it's not a 1906 industry."