WASHINGTON, DC & IRVINE, CA - The United States Food and Drug Administration has taken a major step in support of the nation’s food supply chain as it has announced the appointment of James “Jim” Jones as the first-ever Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods. In this new executive position, he will help set and advance priorities for a proposed unified Human Foods Program (HFP), which has been applauded by organizations from across the produce industry.

“On behalf of our members, IFPA is thrilled with the appointment of Jim Jones as Deputy Commissioner, Human Foods Program. The industry needs a Deputy Commissioner who has the experience to address transformational change and ability to lead this culture shift within the agency,” commented International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) Chief Food Safety and Regulatory Officer Natalie Dyenson in a statement. “We have long advocated for the importance of having a unified Human Foods Program with a single point of accountability for food safety and program leader who can and will elevate the importance of foods within FDA. We look forward to collaborating with the new Deputy Commissioner in a meaningful way as he works toward focusing on risk-based prevention strategies as part of a consistent and coordinated agenda for the agency.”

The HFP would focus on areas including food safety, chemical safety, and innovative food products, a release stated. That would include new agricultural technologies that will help boost the resilience of the food supply chain in the face of climate change and globalization. The program will also focus on nutrition to help reduce diet-related diseases and improve health equity.

Jones has held various positions in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), stakeholder community, and private industry for more than three decades, where he managed teams and provided strategic planning and thought leadership around issues related to chemical safety and sustainability in the environment. He is scheduled to take on this new role with the FDA on September 24, 2023.

“Western Growers is pleased to learn that Jim Jones has been appointed as the first Deputy Commissioner for the Human Foods Program by the Food and Drug Administration. Jim has a proven record of government leadership, as evidenced by his work on the critical Reagan-Udall Foundation Expert panel resulting in the December 2022 report on Operational Evaluation of the FDA's Human Foods Program,” said De Ann Davis, Western Growers’ Senior Vice President of Science. “In 2011, with the passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the intent of the U.S. Congress was clear: The FDA is to prioritize preventative actions over reaction. We look forward to engaging with Jim as we collaborate on the critical need for the agency to deliver on its promises to aid consumers by setting a prevention agenda.”

To read more about this appointment, click here.

What impact will this new role have on the food supply chain as it relates to fresh produce? Keep reading ANUK for updates.

International Fresh Produce Association Western Growers