Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety

The Under Secretary for Food Safety is a position within the United States Department of Agriculture responsible for oversight of the policies and programs of the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The Under Secretary chairs the U.S. Codex Steering Committee, which provides guidance to U.S. delegations to the Codex Alimentarius Commission. [cite web | title="Dr. Richard Raymond Bios" | 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_raymond.xml#7_2_5JM | accessdate= September 20 | accessyear= 2007 ] The Food Safety and Inspection Service is responsible for ensuring that the nation's supply of meat, egg, and poultry products is safe and correctly labeled and packaged. [cite web | title="Food and Safety Inspection Service" | 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=FSIS_Agency_Splash.xml#7_2_5JM | accessdate= September 20 | accessyear= 2007 ]

The Under Secretary of Food Safety is appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The Under Secretary is selected from among individuals with specialized training or significant experience in food safety or public health programs. [cite web | title="US CODE: Title 7,6981. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety" | url=http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode07/usc_sec_07_00006981----000-.html | accessdate= September 20 | accessyear= 2007 ] The position was created by the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act, signed into law in October 1994. [cite web | title="5a.pdf" | url=http://www.usda.gov/agency/oc/news/pubs/fbook99/sections/5a.pdf | accessdate= September 20 | accessyear= 2007 ]

The incumbent Under Secretary is Richard Allen Raymond, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 1, 2005 and appointed July 18. [cite web | title="Presidential Nomination: Richard Allen Raymond" | url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/nominations/1253.html | accessdate= September 20 | accessyear= 2007 ] Previous Under Secretaries include Elsa A. Murano, who served from October 2001 until December 2004 and Catherine Woteki, who served from July 1997 until January 2001. From December 1, 2004 until July 15, 2005, Merle D. Pierson was Acting Under Secretary. The then-incumbent Food Safety and Inspection Service Administrator, Mike Taylor, became the acting Under Secretary from October 1994 to November 1996. [cite web | title="USDANEWS/Editor's Roundup/Catherine Woteki" | url=http://www.usda.gov/news/pubs/newslett/old/vol56no7/woteki.htm | accessdate= September 20 | accessyear= 2007 ] [cite web | title="Pierson, Dr. Merle D." | url=http://www.usda.gov/news/pubs/newslett/old/vol60no6/murano.htm | accessdate= September 20 | accessyear= 2007 ] [cite web | title="USDA NEWSVOL 60 NO. 62001RoundupE Murano" | url=http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=bios_pierson.xml | accessdate= September 20 | accessyear= 2007 ]

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