Difabachew Belay

Difabachew Belay is a seasoned professional in the agricultural and entomological fields, currently serving as a Consumer Safety Quality Assurance specialist at USDA-FSIS since May 2025 and as a Quality Assurance and Regulatory Manager at InnerPlant since March 2024. With a robust background as a Research Scientist at Syngenta and Dow AgroSciences, Difabachew has led significant projects in seed production optimization and trait evaluation. Previous roles include a Field Crops Entomologist at Monsanto Company and a Researcher/Project Coordinator at the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, focusing on pest damage mitigation and technology transfer for food security. Academic qualifications include a PhD in Entomology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and multiple degrees in Plant Sciences and Horticulture from Alemaya University, Leibniz Universität Hannover, and Jimma University.