The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) has named Daniel Kovich as assistant director of science and technology, focusing on food and feed safety and animal handling issues. Kovich, who begins his duties Nov. 17, will be located in NPPC’s Washington, D.C., office, reporting to NPPC Chief Veterinarian Liz Wagstrom.

Kovich comes to the NPPC from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, where he managed state animal welfare and control programs, including animal control officer training and technical support, animal care inspection services, emergency animal sheltering and regulatory enforcement activity. He previously was staff veterinarian for animal health and welfare in the department’s Office of Veterinary Services and served as a foreign animal disease diagnostician.

Prior to working for the state of Virginia, Kovich served in the U.S. Public Health Service – attaining the rank of lieutenant – where he was detailed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service as a supervisory public health veterinarian. He also worked as a research assistant for the University of Minnesota’s Center for Animal Health and Food Safety and for Iowa State University’s Department of Animal Science.

Kovich received a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Iowa State University and earned a master’s degree in public health and a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Minnesota.