Eighty-four members of Congress have written to President Trump expressing concerns about his actions regarding the CDC and USDA that will negatively impact the nation’s ability to ensure that bird flu does not become widespread among people.
United States Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-CT, leads the 83 other lawmakers in the
Continue Reading Lawmakers ask President Trump to restore interagency communications
— OPINION —
For nearly a decade and a half, food safety advocates like me have recited CDC’s 2011 foodborne illness estimates: 3,000 deaths. 128,000 hospitalizations. 48 million illnesses (1 in every 6 Americans).
At long last, CDC has provided us with an update to these estimates, or they
Continue Reading A new foodborne illness benchmark, just in time for ‘shock and awe’
They are not the last cowboy song but they are likely the final full pardons from the 45th President of the United States.
And they are being forgiven for breaking some of the most basic food safety laws after having gotten off pretty light to begin with.
A posthumous pardon
Continue Reading South Dakota ranch family got pardon; likely got off light at time of crimes
By Brendan Fischer and Maggie Christ
Despite what you might think, America’s broken campaign finance system is about more than expensive ads flooding your screen and glossy mailers clogging your mailbox. The outsized role of money in politics has a real-world impact, with elected officials too often prioritizing
Continue Reading Senator’s Call for Meat Industry’s Answers Exposes Reach of Money in Politics
President Trump’s executive order keeping meat plants open during the COVID-19 pandemic is a further threat to the health of the women and men who produce our food. The order would gut any incentive that companies do the right thing to protect the workforce, and instead push risks onto
Continue Reading Trump’s order to keep meat plants open gives big business a loophole
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is getting a new top administrative officer. Paul Kiecker, who joined the agency in 1988 as a food inspector, is succeeding Carmen Rottenberg as FSIS Administrator.
Kiecker, who’s been deputy administrator since 2018, is the rare civil servant who moves from an
Continue Reading Letter From The Editor: Brashears confirmation vote long overdue
Consumer Reports Monday announced the appointment of former USDA deputy undersecretary Brian Ronholm as director of food policy for the 80-year old non-profit organization.
“Mr. Ronholm will lead Consumer Reports’ advocacy efforts to advance a safe and healthy food system. He will be based in CR’s Washington D.C. office,” according
Continue Reading Consumer Reports taps former USDA food safety official to direct food policy
American Agriculture is letting the U.S. Senate know that 68 months is long enough to go without a USDA under secretary for food safety.
Ten of the nation’s largest and most influential agricultural organizations have written the Senate’s leadership, calling for an immediate vote to confirm Mindy Brashears as USDA’s
Continue Reading Ag groups tell Senate it is time to confirm Mindy Brashears as Under Secretary for Food Safety
Tomorrow some of the fuzzy math related to the government’s operational status will come into clear focus for many so called non-essential federal employees when they don’t get paid.
Nuances of federal funding mean some administrators and employees have been and will continue to work and will continue to
Continue Reading Beach Beat: Is food safety essential to public safety? Good question
The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry will finally conduct a public nomination hearing on Nov. 28 for Mindy Brashears to become USDA’s under secretary for food safety.
Six months and 24 days after President Donald J. Trump nominated Brashears for the post, the Senate committee will hear public
Continue Reading Senate finally moves to fill USDA’s long-vacate top food safety post
