The missing information on Elisabeth Hagen’s “public calendar” at USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) was filled in Wednesday, adding details on another 28 public meetings she has taken since the Senate confirmed her appointment as under secretary for food safety.
The new information, which was missing from a July 15 update of the FSIS’s public calendar, shows Dr. Hagen has met with at least 115 groups and individuals from outside the federal government since she took over FSIS.
The initially missing information was said to be “a lapse caused by an administrative oversight,” according to the agency.
FSIS is charged with regulating the safety of the nation’s meat and poultry, including eggs, and has nearly 10,000 employees, a majority of whom are in-plant inspectors. Dr. Hagen, formerly USDA’s chief medical officer, became the Senate-confirmed under secretary for food safety 10 months ago.
Her tenure has been marked by a willingness to meet with all comers — and FSIS has many constituents. She’s also been trying to step beyond USDA’s traditional ag-based media coverage by reaching out to the likes of Redbook magazine and the Dr. Oz television show.
Also in second quarter meetings, according to information released on July 20, Dr. Hagen has held substantive meetings with the industry on Salmonella in poultry, on N60 sampling, and beef harvest standards. She also took on the House Agriculture Committee on Shiga-toxin producing E. coli and discussed BSE risk-assessment with other under secretaries.
Dr. Hagen’s calendar through June 30, as updated on July 20, can be found here.