Seven months after saying he would put more emphasis on food safety, FDA commissioner Robert Califf announced the appointment of James Jones as the agency’s first deputy commissioner for human foods on Wednesday. Jones, a former EPA pesticide regulator, was a member of a task force calling for unified leadership on food safety duties that have been scattered among FDA offices.
“Our proposed reorganization is the largest undertaking of its kind in recent history for our agency,” said Califf. “I’m delighted to welcome Jim to the FDA. His impressive career, extensive leadership experience, and passionate vision for the future of the Human Foods Program make him an ideal selection for this pivotal position.”
Consumer and industry groups applauded the appointment of Jones, who will begin work on Sept. 24.
Although the FDA has jurisdiction over 78 percent of the U.S. food supply, including fruits, vegetables, and most prepared foods, its work on food and nutrition is often overshadowed by its role in overseeing drugs and medical devices. Critics, including a task force operating under the aegis of the Reagan-Udall Foundation, have criticized the FDA for its disjointed command structure. Food safety responsibilities are divided among FDA offices, and their reliance on reaching consensus before taking action resulted in “an aversion to risk that undercuts its public health mandate,” the task force said in a report last December. “The current organizational structure lacks a clear leader and decision-maker.”
Jones will get those powers, said Califf, who said early this year that he would reorganize the FDA to put food safety offices under the control of a powerful deputy commissioner. In his new job, Jones would have decision-making authority over all parts of the Human Foods Program, setting policy as well as being in charge of risk-prioritization strategy, the allocation of resources, and “major response activities involving human foods,” said the FDA. Jones’ portfolio will include the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and the Office of Food Policy and Response. He would also have authority when work done at the Center for Veterinary Medicine could have implications for human foods.
“I had the pleasure of serving on the expert panel that provided operational recommendations for the FDA’s foods-related activities, and I now look forward to helping the agency realize its vision for the proposed Human Foods Program, including carrying out important nutrition initiatives to improve the health of our country,” said Jones. “As a former pesticide regulator, I have a deep understanding of the unique needs of government programs involved in upholding safety of the U.S. food supply, as well as the important role that the agriculture community and state partners play in this paradigm.”
A trade group representing food makers called the appointment of Jones “a step toward modernizing the agency.” He will arrive as the FDA deals with “important and impactful issues under consideration that deserve attention and engagement — from front-of-pack labels to defining ‘healthy’ to chemicals management,” said the Consumer Brands Association.
The Environmental Working Group said Jones “has a deep understanding of the organizational and cultural challenges facing FDA’s foods program.”
An FDA organizational chart for the Human Foods Program is available here.