Mindy Brashears, a professor in food microbiology and food safety in Texas Tech's Department of Animal and Food Sciences, testified before the House Committee on Agriculture on Tuesday (Sept. 29) in Washington, D.C.

Brashears, who also is the director of the International Center for Food Industry Excellence, testified before the Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research. The purpose of the testimony was to highlight achievement in research innovations by agricultural colleges and universities throughout the United States.

She is a faculty member in the Center for Biodefense, Law and Public Policy in the Texas Tech School of Law. Her research focuses on food safety issues both before and after harvest. Brashears is the third faculty member from the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources to give testimony before Congress in the last four months.

VIDEO: A link to Brashears' testimony can be found here.

Earlier this month, David Weindorf, an associate dean for research and the chairman of pedology in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, testified before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs oversight committee regarding the release of toxic waste by the Environmental Protection Agency into the Gold King Mine in Colorado.

In June, Darren Hudson, a professor and chairman of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, testified before the House Committee on Agriculture regarding a review of agricultural subsidies in foreign countries.

"Certainly we are very proud of these three faculty members and the work they are doing," said Michael Galyean, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. "Their testimonies before Congress reflect well on their own expertise and reputations, but also on the national and international stature of so many of our programs in the college."

CONTACT: Michael Galyean, Dean, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or michael.galyean@ttu.edu

0928NM15 / Editor's Note: For more information about Mindy Brashears' video testimony by TTU Communications and Marketing (Her testimony can be found at time stamp 39:03), click http://today.ttu.edu/posts/2015/09/brashears-testimony-before-house-committee-on-agriculture