WASHINGTON — The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) recently welcomed a new director of food policy, Ashley Johnson DVM. Johnson will develop and implement programs for post-harvest food safety and human nutrition, as well as address animal welfare issues.

Most recently, Johnson is worked at Zoetis, an animal health company, where she served as a technical service veterinarian for over five years. Johnson has also held positions with Pigs for Farmer John; Murphy-Brown, the swine production subsidiary of Smithfield Foods; and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in animal and veterinarian science from Clemson University and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. For her postdoctoral work, Johnson served as regional control coordinator through the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. There, she addressed porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome.

“We are excited to have someone like Dr. Johnson join the NPPC team,” said Bryan Humphreys, NPPC chief executive officer. “Her wealth of knowledge is a tremendous asset as we help set the direction of the country’s food policies and weigh in on issues that could affect producers’ ability to produce safe, nutritious pork for consumers worldwide.”