USDA Official on Way Out

Embattled Agriculture Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Ellen Haas will probably resign within the next few days, a key Agriculture Department source said today.

Potential replacements are Rob Fersh, president of the Food Research Action Coalition; Shirley Watkins, a USDA marketing official; Senate Agriculture aide Ed Barron, and House Agriculture aide Julia Paradis, but the source said there may be other candidates.