Mindy Brashears Confirmed as Head of USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service

The Senate confirmed Mindy Brashears, Ph.D., for a second term as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety in a 53-43 vote Dec. 18. In this role, which she previously held from 2020-2021 during the first Trump administration, Brashears will oversee the agency’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the U.S. Codex Policy Steering Committee, which guides U.S. strategy for the international Codex Alimentarius Commission food safety standards.

Brashears is a professor of food microbiology and food safety in the department of animal and food sciences at Texas Tech University and the director for the International Center for Food Industry Excellence. She was raised on a farm in west Texas, where her family has been involved in farming and ranching for three generations.

“Raised on a cotton farm in Wheeler, Texas, Dr. Brashears embodies the values of small-town USA: hard work, humility, and integrity,” said House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington at an Oct. 29 Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry hearing. “Dr. Brashears is no stranger to this committee — she was confirmed for this same role in the first Trump administration, where she led important reforms to modernize inspection systems, strengthen public health protections and ensure that America’s food supply remained the safest in the world — an achievement that will no doubt continue under her strong leadership.”

Brashears has more than 25 years of experience in food safety research. Her research focuses on interventions in pre-and post-harvest environments and on the emergence of antimicrobial drug resistance, and her work has resulted in the commercialization of pre-harvest feed additives that reduce E. coli and Salmonella in cattle. Brashears also leads international research teams to Mexico, Belize and Argentina to improve food safety and security in those sectors and set up sustainable agriculture systems in impoverished areas. She holds a bachelor’s degree in food technology from Texas Tech and a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in food science from Oklahoma State University.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association congratulated Brashears on her return to the helm of USDA FSIS.

“Dr. Brashears brings extensive knowledge of the cattle industry and the beef supply chain, as well as experience from President Trump’s first term,” said NCBA Senior Director of Government Affairs Sigrid Johannes. “We look forward to working with Under Secretary Brashears to help ensure a safe, wholesome food supply while protecting consumer’s trust in the work of America’s cattle producers.”