Dr. Mindy M. Brashears is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety. Dr. Brashears comes to USDA from Texas Tech University where she was a Professor of Food Safety and Public Health and the Director of the International Center for Food Industry Excellence.

Dr. Brashears’ research program focused on improving food safety standards to make an impact on public health. Her work evaluated interventions in pre- and post-harvest environments and on the emergence of antimicrobial drug resistance in animal feeding systems. Dr. Brashears also led international research teams of students and faculty to Mexico, Central and South America to improve food safety and security in these sectors and to set up sustainable agriculture systems in impoverished areas. She taught courses in food microbiology and food safety and offered industry training opportunities in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), food sanitation, recalls and food security.

Dr. Brashears has been nominated to be USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety. She is a past-Chair of the National Alliance for Food Safety and Security and of the USDA multi-state research group. She is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors and has received numerous awards including the International Association for Food Protection Laboratorian Award, the American Meat Science Association (AMSA) Distinguished Research Award, the AMSA Distinguished Industry Service Award and was listed in the National Provisioner’s Top 25 Future Icons in the Beef Industry. She has an extensive publication record in peer-reviewed journals and has been invited to speak at national and international events on the topics of her research to give keynote addresses. Her research has resulted in more than 20 patents/patents pending for her innovative approach to improving food safety in the food supply.

Under Dr. Brashears’ leadership, the Food Safety and Inspection Service will continue its mission of protecting the public’s health through the implementation of its three strategic goals: Prevent Foodborne Illness and Protect Public Health; Modernize Inspection Systems, Policies, and the Use of Scientific Approaches; and Achieve Operational Excellence.