Dr. Mindy Brashears has been selected to be USDA’s Under Secretary for Food Safety. 

Brashears is a professor of Food Safety and Public Health and the director of the International Center for Food Industry Excellence at Texas Tech University. Brashears’ research program focuses on improving food safety standards to make an impact on public health. She also leads international research teams to Mexico, Central and South America to improve food safety and security and to set up sustainable agriculture systems in impoverished areas. 

“Food safety is at the core of USDA’s mission, because it directly affects the health and well-being of millions of Americans every day. President Trump has made an excellent choice in Dr. Mindy Brashears, and I am excited to have her join the team,” said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. “Dr. Brashears has spent decades finding ways to improve food safety standards through innovation, invention, and leadership on research missions across the globe. I look forward to her bringing that wealth of expertise and track record of results here to USDA. 

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall praised Trump's selection.

“Consumers deserve to have confidence that their food is safe and that sound science is used to ensure they have access to the most wholesome products. That is why President Trump’s selection of Dr. Mindy Brashears as Under Secretary for Food Safety is welcome news to America’s farmers and ranchers," Duvall said. "Her extensive and innovative track record of improving food safety standards is an excellent fit at USDA, where food safety remains a core part of the agency’s mission, and always a priority for farmers and ranchers.”

Source: USDA

What others are saying:

Brashears is an accomplished food safety expert, but she also has a financial stake in the industry. – Texas Observer 

Brashears was an expert witness in the BPI v. ABC trial last summer. – Food Safety News