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.[1] 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.[2]
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.[3] The position was created by the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act, signed into law in October 1994.[4]