Virtual meetings help keep FDA’s Frank Yiannas in touch with all interested in food safety

By Dan Flynn on August 26, 2020

Like the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration keeps “public calendars” to document when its top officials meet with people outside the federal government.

The FDA’s top official for food is Frank Yiannas, Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response. FDA calendars are not as complete as FSIS’s in that they frequently do not list the actual names of those outside the federal government who are in the meetings, but rather who they represent.

What follows is a summary of meetings Yiannas has had from the time the pandemic was declared to just after the 4th of July.

Event Date: 03/18/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety Issues in Response to COVID-19 Outbreak
FDA Participant/Group: Several Senior FDA Officials and Staff
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several representatives from the food industry, government, and academia

Event Date: 03/19/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety Issues in Response to COVID-19 Outbreak
FDA Participant/Group: LEEANNE JACKSON; NINA ZIMDAHL; CAITLIN BOON;
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several executives from the food and beverage industry

Event Date: 04/07/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: Several HHS and FDA officials and staff members
Non FDA Participant/Group: Several representatives from the food and beverage industry

Event Date: 04/08/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Salmonella Testing in Foods
FDA Participant/Group: N/A
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several representatives from industry, academia, trade associations, and government

Event Date: 04/09/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA officials and staff members
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several representatives from consumer groups

Event Date: 04/10/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA officials and staff members
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several representatives from federal, state, and local governments

Event Date: 04/10/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA officials and staff members
Non FDA Participant/Group: Several representatives from the food and beverage industry

Event Date: 04/14/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: NINA ZIMDAHL; CAITLIN BOON;
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several representatives from the food and beverage industry

Event Date: 04/15/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA staff members
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several members from the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Event Date: 04/15/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: MARK MOORMAN;
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several representatives from the National Restaurant Association

Event Date: 04/17/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: KATHERINE SERRANO; MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ; DONALD PRATER;
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Amada Velez Mendez, Javier Trujillo Arriaga, Jose Luis Lara (National Service for Animal and Plant Health, Food Safety and Quality, Government of Mexico)

Event Date: 04/20/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: CAITLIN BOON; NINA ZIMDAHL; ANDREW KENNEDY;
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Claudia Davidson, Conner Jager, Julie Bush, Liz Stone (Palantir Technologies)

Event Date: 04/20/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: Several officials from FDA, CDC, and HHS
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several representatives from the food and beverage industry

Event Date: 04/24/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: Several officials from FDA, CDC, and HHS
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several representatives from the produce industry

Event Date: 04/24/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: DAVID GOLDMAN; ROSEMARY EARLEY; DANIEL HATTIS; LEEANNE JACKSON;
Non FDA Participant/Group: Christian Lovell (Rep. Rosa DeLauro [D-CT])

Event Date: 04/28/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA staff members
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several staff members from the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Event Date: 04/29/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA staff members
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several staff members from the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce

Event Date: 05/05/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Data Issues of Mutual Interest
FDA Participant/Group: CAITLIN BOON; CHARLES PASTEL; ANDREW KENNEDY; SARA MARRIE; KASEY HEINTZ; SUZANNE ROOSEN; NINA ZIMDAHL;
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Don Lowery, Jay Dennis, Jeff Ritchie, Kristie Stegen (The Nielsen Company)

Event Date: 05/08/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Budget Issues of Mutual Interest
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA officials and staff
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several Senate Agriculture Appropriations Sub-Committee staff members

Event Date: 05/14/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Safe Food Coalition Meeting
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA leaders and staff
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Representatives from consumer, trade union, and foodborne illness victim organizations

Event Date: 05/14/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: N/A
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several executives from the food and beverage industry

Event Date: 05/20/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues in Response to COVID-19
FDA Participant/Group: KARI BARRETT; SUSAN MAYNE; MARK MOORMAN;
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several executives from the food industry

Event Date: 05/20/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Leafy Greens Investigation Report
FDA Participant/Group: N/A
Non FDA Participant/Group: Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA)

Event Date: 05/21/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: United States-Canada Joint Committee on Food Safety
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA staff members
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several executives and staff from Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Event Date: 05/29/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Produce Safety Issues of Mutual Interest
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA staff
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several executives from the produce industry and trade associations

Event Date: 06/04/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Leafy Green Investigation Report
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA staff
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several staff members of the House Agriculture Committee

Event Date: 06/04/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: COVID-19 Update and Impacts to Dietary Supplement Industry
FDA Participant/Group: MICHAEL ROGERS; STEVEN TAVE;
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several members of the Council for Responsible Nutrition Board of Directors

Event Date: 06/05/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Association of Food and Drug Officials World Food Safety Day Webinar
FDA Participant/Group: N/A
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Members from across the food and beverage industry, trade associations, consumer groups, and academia

Event Date: 06/08/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety and Supply Chain Issues of Mutual Interest
FDA Participant/Group: NINA ZIMDAHL;
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several executives from the food and beverage industry
Event Date: 06/09/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Produce Safety Issues of Mutual Interest
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA officials and staff
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several members from the produce industry, academia, and government

Event Date: 06/11/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Safe Food Coalition Meeting
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA officials and staff
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Representatives from consumer, trade union, and foodborne illness victim organizations

Event Date: 06/11/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety Issues of Mutual Interest
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA officials and staff
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several members and executives from the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture

Event Date: 06/17/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: United Fresh Live Webinar on Food Safety
FDA Participant/Group: N/A
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Members from across the produce industry

Event Date: 06/17/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Supply Chain Continuity and Food Worker/Migrant Worker Safety
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA officials and staff
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several members from Indiana State Departments of Health and Agriculture

Event Date: 06/18/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Supply Chain Continuity and Food Worker/Migrant Worker Safety
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA officials and staff
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several members from Wisconsin’s State Departments of Health and Agriculture

Event Date: 06/18/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Supply Chain Continuity and Food Worker/Migrant Worker Safety
FDA Participant/Group: Several FDA officials and staff
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several members from Minnesota’s State Departments of Health and Agriculture

Event Date: 06/19/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety Issues of Mutual Interest
FDA Participant/Group: N/A
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Hilary Thesmar, Leslie Sarasin (Food Marketing Institute)

Event Date: 06/19/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety Issues of Mutual Interest
FDA Participant/Group: N/A
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Alison Bodor ( American Frozen Food Institute ); Robb MacKie (American Bakers Association )

Event Date: 06/29/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety Issues of Mutual Interest
FDA Participant/Group: N/A
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Several executives from across the food and beverage industry

Event Date: 07/01/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety Issues of Mutual Interest
FDA Participant/Group: JEFFREY FARRAR;
Non-FDA Participant/Group: Mark Killian (Arizona Department of Agriculture)

Event Date: 07/02/2020 Location: Virtual
Subject: Food Safety Issues of Mutual Interest
FDA Participant/Group: REBECCA BUCKNER; KARI IRVIN; NINA ZIMDAHL; ANDREW KENNEDY; CAITLIN BOON;
Non-FDA Participant/Group: George Atkinson, Nicole Bice (Institute on Science for Global Policy).

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