Canadian Food Inspection Agency Names New President
Harpreet S. Kochhar, Ph.D., M.S.V. has been appointed the new President of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), replacing Paul MacKinnon, who is moving into the role of Canadian Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
Dr. Kochhar previously served as the President of CFIA in 2023–2024. His career includes several Canadian public sector positions, including Associate Deputy Minister of Health, Chief Veterinary Officer for Canada, Canadian Delegate to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), and various CFIA Executive Director roles.
Dr. Kochhar’s past responsibilities with CFIA included overseeing thousands of employees and delivering food inspection services nationwide. Notably, he managed several high-profile cases to protect the safety of Canada's food supply, including the official response to Canada's largest-ever beef recall involving XL Foods.
Prior to his time in government, Dr. Kochhar practiced veterinary medicine. He also has an academic background in biotechnology.
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