(NAFB) – Nominee for USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jennifer Moffitt stressed during her confirmation hearing that animal disease surveillance and phytosanitary data work are both keys for protecting U.S. farm exports.

Producers and exporters know well the export toll of BSE, foot-and-mouth, swine flu, and other animal diseases that have in the past cost billions of dollars in losses.

And so does California Undersecretary for Food and Agriculture Jennifer Moffit, who would supervise USDA’s APHIS and AMS if the Senate Confirms her as Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs.

Also critical for farm and ranch exports is data work to highlight the science behind sanitary and phytosanitary claims, both here and abroad.

Moffitt says her California walnut farm was able to sell the organic nuts into South Korea after APHIS used science and data to address that country’s phytosanitary concerns. Moffitt would also oversee USDA efforts to reform GIPSA rules on livestock market competition and those dealing with the marketing of products from genetically engineered crops and animals.