In mid-December, the U.S. Senate presided over the confirmation hearing of Dr. Robert Califf, President Biden’s nominee to serve as commissioner of FDA. Califf held the same position at the end of the Obama administration, making him familiar with FDA’s inner workings.
While USDA is often more prominent as the federal food agency, FDA is one of the most important regulatory agencies within the federal government because it helps ensure the safety, nutritional quality, and security of nearly 75% of our nation’s food supply. The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) is pleased to see President Biden nominate a highly qualified public health expert in Califf to lead FDA, but we and other organizations representing food producers and processors have serious concerns with FDA’s overall processes and accountability to the food sector.