Simple list of principles can make a world of difference

In light of some of the recent decisions, actions and discussions on food lately — where the basis for priorities and underlying principles are not always explicit — I thought it might be helpful to share a set of guiding principles I’ve always found useful, both in my private and public sector roles, when approaching food system-level decisions.

My intent is to elevate the public conversation and contribute to a clearer, more structured, and consistently principled framework for navigating the complex trade-offs in the food system decisions that are being made and we have to still make in ways that best support both public health and broader societal goals.

Guiding principles for making food safety decisions
At [insert organization name], we are committed to providing our customers with safe, affordable, and sustainable foods of the highest quality. In an effort to maintain our customers’ trust in the food supply, we believe food system decisions should be based on the following guiding principles.

Safety – Because we care about our customers’ safety, when it comes to making food system decisions, we will start with food safety and it will always be our first consideration in the decisions that we make about food.

Affordability – During these challenging economic times, consumers worldwide are trying to make their food dollar go further to feed their families and loved ones. As an advocate for the customer, we believe proposed food system changes should always undergo a thorough cost-benefit analysis to ensure that they truly deliver benefits while protecting against ineffectiveness and unnecessary cost.

Sustainability – With our commitment to sustainability,  we believe we have an obligation to make food policy decisions that meet our current customers needs while allowing future generations to meet theirs (while not imposing unbearable costs or shortages on them). Food system changes that reduce inputs, increase efficiencies, are good for the environment, reduce waste and water usage, will always be desirable.

 Customer Choice – Food is personal and what might be desirable food to some may not be to others. Tolerance and the freedom to choose the foods we want to buy is a fundamental right. We will strive to offer our customers choice and let them choose what they want to eat, while promoting healthy options and making healthy choices more affordable.

Legal – We are committed to regulatory compliance when growing, buying, transporting, storing, preparing, and selling food. We will never knowingly operate our food business in a manner that does not meet all Federal, State, and local regulatory requirements. 

 Transparency – To maintain and, in some cases, restore public trust in the food system, we are committed to working with the agricultural sector and food manufacturers to do a better job of providing necessary and desired information to our customers. Moreover, since most consumers are several generations far removed from farms and how food is produced, we believe the food sector has a responsibility to educate future generations about how food is produced and the importance of the global food system.