Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services

The Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services is a position within the United States Department of Agriculture responsible for administrating the Department's fifteen nutrition and food security programs and for promoting the dietary guidelines.

The food assistance programs have a combined budget of $58 billion and include the Food Stamp Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, and the Commodity Distribution Programs. In addition, the Undersecretary oversees the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, which leads the development of the 2010 dietary guidelines and which promotes the guidelines through the Food Guide Pyramid (MyPyramid.gov). cite web | title="Bost, Eric M." | url=http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/.d/0/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=bios_bost.xml#7_2_5JM | accessdate= September 20 | accessyear= 2007 ]

Goals of the Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services include combatting obesity, promoting better eating and physical activity habits, and helping needy families obtain a nutritious diet. According to "The New York Times", the nutrition segment of the Department of Agriculture composed 53% of the Department's budget at the time of the creation of the position.cite news|first=Marian|last=Burros|title= Agriculture Dept. Is Putting More Emphasis on Nutrition|publisher="The New York Times"|date=September 8, 1993|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9F0CE0DA113EF93BA3575AC0A965958260]

The Under Secretary is appointed by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate. She manages the Food and Nutrition Services and the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. [cite web | title="US CODE: Title 7,6951. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services" | url=http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode07/usc_sec_07_00006951----000-.html | accessdate= September 21 | accessyear= 2007 ]

List of Under Secretaries

*Nancy Montanez Johner, Is the incumbent Under Secretary and was sworn in on August 21, 2006. [cite web | title="Nancy Montanez Johner Biographies" | url=http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=bios_johner.xml | accessdate= September 21 | accessyear= 2007 ]
*Eric M. Bost, who served from June 18, 2001 until July 20, 2006, [cite web | title="Bost, Eric M." | url=http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/69265.htm | accessdate= September 21 | accessyear= 2007 ]
*Shirley Robinson Watkins [cite web | title="PRESIDENT NAMES SHIRLEY ROBINSON WATKINS TO BE UNDER SECRETARY" | url=http://www.usda.gov/news/releases/1997/05/0171 | accessdate= September 21 | accessyear= 2007 ] , who served from 1997 to 2001, [cite web | title="USDA NEWSVOL 60 NO. 5RoundupE. Bost" | url=http://www.usda.gov/news/pubs/newslett/old/vol60no5/bost.htm | accessdate= September 21 | accessyear= 2007 ] and
*Ellen Haas, who served from 1993 to 1997. [cite web | title="Fast Weight Loss, Childhood Obesity & Low Fat Diets - Biographies | Foodfit" | url=http://www.foodfit.com/about/bios.asp | accessdate= September 21 | accessyear= 2007 ]
*Mary Ann Keeffe served as Acting Under Secretary between their administrations. [cite web | title="USDANEWS/Editor's Roundup/Shirley Watkins" | url=http://www.usda.gov/news/pubs/newslett/old/vol56no7/watkins.htm | accessdate= September 21 | accessyear= 2007 ] The position was created on September 7, 1993, when Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy announced that title of Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Food and Consumer Services would be elevated to the present Under Secretary of Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services title.