Mindy Brashears, a professor of food safety and food microbiology at Texas Tech, is President Trump’s choice for agriculture undersecretary, announced the White House. “Food safety is at the core of USDA’s mission because it directly affects the health and well-being of millions of Americans every day,” said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in describing Brashears as an excellent choice.
Since taking office in January 2017, the administration has filled six of the 13 senior-level jobs at USDA that need Senate approval. Perdue will administer the oath of office Monday to the newest member of the executive team, Ken Barbic, assistant secretary for congressional relations. Three nominees are awaiting a Senate hearing or a confirmation vote.
If confirmed, Brashears main task would be oversight of meat safety. The USDA regulates slaughterhouses and meat processsing plants.
The White House said Brashears “focuses much of her research on improving food safety standards…Brashears’s work evaluates interventions in pre- and post-harvest environments and on the emergence of antimicrobial drug resistance in animal feeding systems and has resulted in the commercialization of a pre-harvest feed additive that can reduce E. coli and Salmonella in cattle. Additionally, she leads international research teams to Mexico, Central America, and South America to set up sustainable agriculture systems in impoverished areas.”