Mr. Ronnie Dunn
Ronnie Dunn was appointed the Director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS) International Liaison Office in Beijing, China, in June 2019. In this role and when requested by the host country, Dunn will provide technical guidance related to the country’s food safety system and represent FSIS on technical issues pertaining to the import and export of meat, poultry and egg products to promote the safe international trade of these products.
Additionally, Dunn will provide leadership to achieve FSIS’ mission and vision by integrating the new regulatory, inspection and enforcement programs and procedures with current activities. He will interact with foreign counterparts to explain changes or new methods, offering suggestions for effectively implementing programs and systems, and improving existing systems. These functions directly contribute to FSIS’ Strategic Goals 1: Prevent Foodborne Illness and Protect Public Health; 2: Prevent Foodborne Illness and Protect Public Health and Modernize Inspection Systems, Policies, and the Use of Scientific Approaches; and 3: Achieve Operational Excellence.
Previously, Dunn served as the Director of Internal Affairs for FSIS. In this role, Dunn was responsible for conducting investigations and assessments throughout the United States, some of which led to criminal convictions and resulted in major public health-related food recalls. Dunn was also instrumental in creating the office, which is located organizationally in the Office of the Administrator. Additionally, under Dunn’s direction, the office conducted investigations for other USDA agencies.
Earlier in his career, Dunn served as a Supervisory Compliance Investigator in the FSIS Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit. In that capacity, he led investigators in commerce surveillance reviews to ensure amenable product was wholesome, unadulterated and properly labeled. He also led criminal, civil and illness outbreak investigation efforts related to violations under FSIS’ regulatory jurisdiction.
Dunn began his career with FSIS in 1984 as a poultry and red meat slaughter inspector. Over the past 35 years, he has served as a Food Technologist, Processing Inspector, Compliance Investigator, Supervisory Investigator and a Frontline Supervisor.
From his roles in the field, Dunn has extensive experience in slaughter, and processing inspection of meat and poultry products, as well as import and exports.
Dunn is a graduate of Northwestern Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture Business and minors in Meat Inspection Technology and Livestock Technology.