USDA's Food Safety Chief Steps Down
Dr. Elisabeth Hagen announced she will be stepping down in mid-December.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Nov. 15 that Dr. Elisabeth Hagen, its food safety chief, will leave that post soon. She will be leaving in mid-December for a position in the private sector.
Her statement was published on USDA's website: "Today I am announcing that I will be embarking in mid-December on a new challenge in the private sector. I am grateful to Secretary Vilsack for the opportunity to serve as Under Secretary for Food Safety and be part of his leadership team. I also want to thank the dedicated public servants of FSIS for their tireless work in protecting the public health; it has been an honor to serve with them. I've had the pleasure of serving FSIS in a career capacity as well as Under Secretary, so I know full well their commitment to protecting public health.
"It has been an ambitious three years. USDA and FSIS have successfully made preventing foodborne illness a real priority. The steps we have taken, from modernizing the agency, strengthening oversight of industry and increasing outreach to consumers, has led to safer food and fewer foodborne illnesses."