New Homeland Security Leader to Oversee Food Supply Security

At a January 20 ceremony in Arlington, Va., The Honorable George Foresman was sworn in as the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Under Secretary for Preparedness by DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff. In the newly created post, Foresman will manage the nation's preparations for a range of emergencies including terrorist attacks and natural disasters, as well as oversee efforts to protect such critical infrastructures as the food supply.

"We look forward to working closely with Under Secretary Foresman in our ongoing efforts to ensure the security of the U.S. dairy industry," said IDFA Vice President and Counsel Clay Detlefsen, who attended the swearing-in ceremony at the invitation of Foresman. "His experience as an emergency manager will be crucial as DHS moves forward in its reorganization."

Chertoff revamped the Preparedness Directorate within DHS as part of a general agency reorganization announced last July. The directorate began operations under the new plan earlier this month.

Foresman has more than 20 years of emergency preparedness experience at various levels of government, including his most recent role as an assistant to the governor of Virginia for that state's preparedness plans. In that post, he was responsible for Virginia's emergency and disaster preparedness activities, including coordination with the private sector. President Bush nominated him for DHS under secretary in October, and the Senate confirmed his nomination on December 20.

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Posted January 23, 2006