Jason Kong profile page

ason Kong serves as the Director for the Consumer Protection Laboratory (CPL) with the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA). Jason has worked in CPL since 2013 as a Chemical Laboratory Supervisor. He was appointed to the Director position in 2021. Jason oversees all chemical and microbiological testing of agricultural products conducted in CPL for many regulatory divisions in the agency, including Plant Health, Food Safety, Dairy, Meat Inspection, Animal Health and others. The laboratory also serves the public. He works extensively with federal partners (e.g., US EPA, USDA, FDA) to fulfill laboratory responsibilities related to maintaining the national food supply. Jason obtained a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 2005 and an M.S. in Chemistry from Cornell University in 2008. He recently obtained a certificate in Public and Nonprofit Leadership from The Ohio State University in 2021. Prior to his time at ODA, he worked diligently as a chemist at the Office of Indiana State Chemist where he addressed local and national issues related to pesticide use and misuse.