WASHINGTON, May 26, 2005-Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today named 17 members to the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection. The membership of this advisory committee is drawn from a broad range of groups interested in food safety including producers, processors, marketers of meat, poultry and egg products, as well as those in academia, state government officials and consumers.

Members of the committee are selected for two year terms and no member may serve for more than three consecutive terms.

The National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection was established in 1971 to provide advice and recommendations to the secretary of agriculture about meat and poultry inspection programs. The committee, which generally meets at least twice a year, addresses food safety and policy issues affecting USDA.

A complete list of appointees to the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection is attached.

APPOINTEES TO NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON MEAT AND POULTRY INSPECTION

Dr. Gladys Bayse

Spelman College

Stone Mountain, Ga.

Dr. David Carpenter

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine

Springfield, Ill.

Mr. Darin Detwiler

Lake Washington School District

Camano Island, Wash.

Dr. James Denton

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, Ark.

Mr. Kevin Elfering

Minnesota Department of Agriculture

St. Paul, Minn.

Ms. Sandra Eskin

Public Policy Consultant

Bethesda, Md.

Mr. Mike Finnegan

State of Montana Meat Inspection

Helena, Mont.

Mr. Michael Govro

Oregon Department of Agriculture

Lake Oswego, Ore.

Dr. Andrea Grondahl

North Dakota Department of Agriculture

Bismarck, N.D.

Dr. Joseph J. Harris

Southwest Meat Association

College Station, Texas

Dr. Jill Hollingsworth

Food Marketing Institute

Washington, D.C.

Mr. Michael Kowalcyk

Safe Tables Our Priority

Mount Horeb, Wisc.

Dr. Elizabeth Krushinskie

U.S. Poultry & Egg Association

Tucker, Ga.

Dr. Irene Leech

Virginia Citizens Consumer Council

Elliston, Va.

Mr. Charles Link

Cargill Value Added Meats

Wichita, Kan.

Dr. Catherine Logue

North Dakota State University

Fargo, N.D.

Mr. Mark Schad

Schad Meats, Inc.

Cincinnati, Ohio