> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Consumer and industry representatives meeting with FSIS - URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2017/12/consumer-and-industry-representatives-meeting-with-fsis/ - Published: 2017-12-15T05:55:09.000Z - Updated: 2017-12-15T05:55:09.000Z - Author: Dan Flynn - Tags: Government Agencies, Carmen Rottenberg, consumer, FSIS, industry, Paul Kiecker, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2025-11-25 10:47 ![](http://foodsafetynewsfullservice.marlersites.com/files/2017/07/usdabuilding_406x250.jpg) The USDA’s top food safety officials are for the first time making public the names of consumer and industry representatives they meet with during separate monthly meetings. The meetings on Nov. 14 included Carmen Rottenberg, acting deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, and Paul Kiecker, acting administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection Service. Disclosure of the expected attendance lists came as an attachment to the just-released FSIS public calendar for November. During former FSIS Administrator Alfred “Al” Almanza’s decade-long tenure, names of individuals attending the consumer and industry meetings were not disclosed. Both meetings allowed attendees to participate in person at FSIS headquarters in Washington D.C., or via teleconference. The session with consumer representatives was the smaller of the two meetings, with six attending in person and four on the phone. Here’s who was signed up representing consumers’ interests: **In-person attendance** Thomas Gremillion, Consumer Federation of America Tony Corbo, Food and Water Watch Will Wallace, Consumers Union Jack Barnett, Consumers Union Jaydee Hanson, Center for Food Safety Elise Ackley, Pew Charitable Trusts **Teleconference Attendance** Pat Buck, Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention Deirdre Schlunegger, STOP Foodborne Illness Felicia Nestor, Food and Water Watch Tanya Roberts, Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention Later the same day, the room was more crowded for the industry meeting with 14 people signed up to attend in person and 25 via the teleconference: **In-person Attendance** John Dillard, OFW Law Betsy Booren, OFW Law Lia Biondo, Western Skies Strategies Tiffany Lee, North American Meat Institute Laurie Bryant, Meat Import Council of America Inc. Hilary Thesmar, Food Marketing Institute Bob Hibbert, Lewis & Bockius LLP Brett Schwemer, OFW Law Ferd Hoefner, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Juan Pio Hernandez, Allen F. Johnson & Associates Keith Day, Twin Rivers Foods Brian Eyink, Hogan Lovells U.S. LLP Will Crosby, National Turkey Federation Tori Ahlmeyer, National Turkey Federation **Teleconference Attendance** Ken Mastracchio, North American Meat Institute Brian Sylvester, Heckman LLP Jessica Wasserman, Wasserman & Associates Casey Wooton, Triumph Foods Kathy Simmons, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Charles Link, Cargill Norm Robertson, North American Meat Institute Randy Green, United Egg Association Michael Bradley, Smithfield Foods Kristin Lindahl, Cargill Charlotte Waller, Virginia Poultry Growers Co-op Stacey Grant, Keystone Foods Bryan Miller, Wayne Farms LLC Dan Kovich, National Pork Producers Council Suzanne Finstad, Tyson Foods Cheyenne McEndaffer, U.S. Meat Export Federation Lindsay Cammel, U.S. Meat Export Federation Travis Arp, U.S. Meat Export Federation Thad Lively, U.S. Meat Export Federation Paul Clayton, U.S. Meat Export Federation Katie Hanigan, Smithfield Foods Lisa Weddig, National Fisheries Institute Len Lang, USCBIA, AGRO, SAMPCO Lisa Wallenda Picard, National Turkey Federation Oscar Garrison, United Egg Producers **Also on the calendar** The FSIS public calendar for November shows Rottenberg had seven other meetings with people outside the federal government. Kiecker did two sessions with outsiders on his own. Kiecker on Nov. 1 gave a regulatory update to the National Chicken Council’s Board of Directors meeting. The next day, he met with Cargill’s Daniel Etzler about Canadian exports. Rottenberg and Kiecker jointly met with officials from Mexico’s National Service for Plant and Animal Health (SENASICA) on Nov. 13 for a “Meet and Greet.” On Nov. 14, the two interim leaders met with Brad Respess and Terry Bruce Sr., from Tip Top Poultry about “export concerns.” They also huddled with Johnsonville Sausage representatives about “Salmonella and establishment operations.” Rottenberg met with congressional staff about Netherlands egg products and with Randy Russell of the Russell Group about Codex issues, both on Nov. 16. Michael Gilsdorf from the National Association of Federal Veterinarians met with Rottenberg and Kiecker on Nov. 20 about recruitment and retention of the FSIS veterinary workforce. Finally, Rottenberg discussed Brazil with Agri-Pulse reporter Bill Tomson on Nov. 21. ***(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News,***[ ***click here***](http://www.foodsafetynews.com/subscribe/#.VtSWqcdln%5FR)***.)***