The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) has announced new leadership. On July 3, 2025, Secetary Brooke Rollins appointed Justin Ransom, Ph.D. as FSIS Administrator, taking over for Denise Eblen, Ph.D., who will continue to serve in the FSIS Office of the Administrator as Deputy Administrator.

Dr. Ransom has more than two decades of experience holding strategic leadership responsibilities in food safety, quality systems, animal welfare, and sustainability. He previously worked at major food system organizations, including Tyson Foods, McDonald’s, and OSI Group. Dr. Ransom began his career at USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, where he played a key role in developing technical standards for the National School Lunch Program, instrument grading systems, and trade facilitation. Dr. Ransom has a B.S. in Agriculture Communications from Texas Tech University, and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Science from Michigan State and Colorado State University.

Prior to Dr. Ransom’s assumption of the role, Dr. Eblen had served as FSIS Administrator from December 2024 until July 2025. As Administrator, she advanced FSIS’ science-based decision-making to modernize the agency’s inspection strategies, policies, and approaches to improve public health.

Dr. Eblen will continue to serve in the Office of the Administrator as Deputy Administrator. Together, Drs. Ransom and Eblen will work to modernize the agency and advance its efforts to ensure a safe and abundant food supply.