Poultry, antibiotics, Ionophores and activities with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency were among the subjects of April meetings between Al Almanza, administrator of USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and people outside the federal government.

Almanza’s public calendar for April included five meetings, four before Secretary of Agriculture Sonny
Continue Reading New leadership at USDA, FDA might increase outside meetings

Al Almanza and Carmen Rottenberg are keeping the coffee hot at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) but they are not getting many takers during this transition in government period.

officecoffeestation_406x250Almanza, the acting deputy undersecretary for USDA’s food safety office who also doubles as FSIS
Continue Reading Not a lot of outsider demand for meetings with “acting” agency heads

2017calendar_406x250The federal government’s transition month of January saw only a handful of meetings involving top food safety officials and members of the public.

Both the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration report on meetings between their top officials and people outside the government.
Continue Reading January saw few outside meetings for top food safety officials

The federal government’s top food safety officials made up in the second quarter for any lapses in their first quarter in reporting of their meetings with people outside the U.S. government. The so-called public calendars disclose after-the-fact who has gained valuable face time with top decision makers. markedcalendar_406x250At USDA’s Food
Continue Reading Foreign officials, states and businesses want Almanza’s time