After stepping down this month from her post as Under Secretary for Food Safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Dr. Elisabeth Hagen will join Deloitte as a food safety senior advisor for the consulting firm. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, commonly referred to as Deloitte, is one of the “Big Four” professional services firms, along with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, and KPMG. It is based in New York City. Hagen will advise Deloitte’s clients on increased regulatory requirements, food and product safety challenges, supply chain, traceback, prevention-based policies, strategy and communications. “Elisabeth will bring to Deloitte an impressive blend of regulatory level oversight and hands-on experience, stemming from her role as the highest ranking food safety official in the U.S.,” said Pat Conroy, vice chairman of Deloitte, in a statement. “Her understanding of the policies and programs of the Food Safety and Inspection Service and FDA, and her recognized status as a thought leader in national food safety policy, will further strengthen our practice’s capabilities and enhance the industry insights we offer our clients.” Hagen took office as Under Secretary for Food Safety in August 2010. She announced her upcoming resignation in November after what she called “an ambitious three years.” “Food safety is an issue of extreme and increasing importance, not only for the end consumer but also for the manufacturers whose businesses rely on the public’s trust,” Hagen said. “I am excited to be joining the team at Deloitte as we help manufacturers and producers that focus on safety as a top priority, and guide them as they comply with increasingly complex regulation.”