Jim Gorny, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s senior adviser on produce safety at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, has been named vice president of food safety and technology at the Produce Marketing Association, the group announced on Tuesday. Gorny, who begins his new role at PMA on May 1, has been key in the development of the produce safety rule, mandated as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act. “Dr. Gorny will strengthen PMA’s initiatives to build member value in the areas of science and technology, including food-safety research, biotechnology, agricultural innovations, process and packaging technology and environmental sustainability,” said PMA. “In addition, Dr. Gorny will continue his long-standing role with the Center for Produce Safety at the University of California-Davis.” “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to get back to my roots, working directly with the produce industry again, in a field that I’m so passionate about,” said Dr. Gorny, in the press release, which noted that he will move back to California. “From my perspective, developing science and technology-related educational programs and advancing industry research by working with the Center for Produce Safety are two areas that are going to be critical to advancing the produce industry. It’s an honor to join a team that’s already accomplished so much and has the foresight to lay the groundwork for the future.” Prior to his role at FDA, according to the release, Dr. Gorny was the executive director of the Postharvest Technology Research and Information Center at the University of California-Davis. He also served as senior vice president of food safety and technology for the United Fresh Produce Association/International Fresh-Cut Produce Association, which merged in 2006, from 2000 to 2007. He received his doctorate in plant biology from the University of California-Davis and his bachelor’s and master degrees in food science from Louisiana State University.