Mande Named USDA Deputy Under Sec. For Food Safety

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the appointment of Jerold R. Mande, M.P.H., as Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety at USDA, AgriMarketing reports. In this position, Mande will have responsibility for the Food Safety and Inspection Service, the USDA agency which protects public health through food safety and defense by ensuring that the nation’s supply of meat, poultry and processed egg products are safe and wholesome.

Prior to this, Mande served on the White House staff as a health policy adviser where he helped lead key food safety, tobacco control and cancer initiatives, including expansion of FoodNet and PulseNet. He was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Occupational Health at the U.S, Department of Labor. He also served as Senior Advisor and Executive Assistant to the Commissioner of the Food and Drug and Administration. Mande began his distinguished career in the U.S. Congress where he was first hired to work on food safety legislation.