Senate Panel Confirms Hagen as USDA Food Safety Chief

WASHINGTONThe Senate Agriculture Committee on July 1 confirmed Dr. Elisabeth Hagen as the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) Undersecretary for Food Safety. Hagen's nomination now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

Hagen, nominated by President Obama in January 2010, currently is USDA's Chief Medical Officer serving as an adviser to USDA mission areas on a wide range of human health issues. Prior to her current post, she was a senior executive at FSIS where she played a key role in developing and executing the agency's scientific and public health agendas. She has been instrumental in building relationships and fostering coordination with food safety and public health partners at the federal, state and local level.

Commenting on Hagens confirmation, Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, said: Maintaining the safety of our commercial food supply is one of the most important missions of USDA. Keeping the publics faith in the integrity of our food systems will require increased coordination with all relevant agencies and I am pleased to know Dr. Hagen shares my commitment to keeping our nations food supply safe.

The committee also confirmed Dr. Catherine Woteki as the Undersecretary of Agriculture for Research, Education and Economics; and Dr. Sara L. Faivre-Davis, Mr. Lowell Junkins and Dr. Myles Watts to the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Board of Directors.