The

Under Secretary Undersecretary (or under secretary) is a title for a person who works for and has a lower rank than a secretary (person in charge). It is used in the executive branch of government, with different meanings in different political systems, and is al ...

for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services is a position created within the

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the United States federal executive departments, federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, ...

in 1993, and is responsible for administrating the department's fifteen nutrition and

food security Food security speaks to the availability of food in a country (or geography) and the ability of individuals within that country (geography) to access, afford, and source adequate foodstuffs. According to the United Nations' Committee on World F ...

programs and for promoting the dietary guidelines. The food assistance programs have a combined budget of $170.5 billion and include the

Food Stamp Program In the United States, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a federal program that provides food-purchasing assistance for low- and no-income people. It is a federal aid program, ad ...

, the

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is an American federal assistance program of the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for healthcare and nutrition ...

, the National School Lunch and

School Breakfast Program The School Breakfast Program is a federally funded meal program that provides free and reduced cost breakfasts to children at public and private schools, and child care facilities in the United States. All children in participating schools and ...

s, and the Commodity Distribution Programs. In addition, the Undersecretary oversees the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, which leads the development of dietary guidelines and which promotes the guidelines through the

Food Guide Pyramid A food pyramid is a representation of the optimal number of servings to be eaten each day from each of the basic food groups. The first pyramid was published in Sweden in 1974. The 1992 pyramid introduced by the United States Department of Agri ...

(MyPyramid.gov). Goals of the Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services include combatting

obesity Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's we ...

, promoting better eating and physical activity habits, and helping needy families obtain a nutritious diet. According to ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', the nutrition segment of the Department of Agriculture received 53% of the department's budget at the time of the creation of the position. The Under Secretary is appointed by the

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

and confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

. The Under Secretary manages the Food and Nutrition Services and the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. President Trump did not nominate anyone for that position for the first three years of his presidency. He announced his intent to nominate Brandon Lipps on December, 2019, and forwarded his nomination to the Senate on January 6, 2020. His nomination was never confirmed.

List of Under Secretaries

File:Haas Moore 2009.jpg, Former Under Secretary Ellen Haas File:Nancy Johner.jpg, Former Under Secretary Nancy Montanez Johner File:Eric Bost.jpg, Former Under Secretary Eric M. Bost *Brandon Lipps is the current Acting Deputy Under Secretary, announced on July 19, 2017. * Kevin Concannon who was confirmed in July 2009. * Nancy Montanez Johner who served from August 21, 2006, to 2009 * Eric M. Bost, who served from June 18, 2001, until July 20, 2006, * Shirley Robinson Watkins, who served from 1997 to 2001, and * Ellen Haas, who served from 1993 to 1997. * Mary Ann Keeffe served as Acting Under Secretary between administrations. The position was created on September 7, 1993, when Secretary of Agriculture

Mike Espy Alphonso Michael Espy (born November 30, 1953) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 25th United States Secretary of Agriculture from 1993 to 1994. He was both the first African American and first person from the Deep South to ...

announced that the title of Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Food and Consumer Services would be elevated to the present Under Secretary of Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services title.

References

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