About the Team

Garret Ashabranner, Ph.D.

Garret Ashabranner, Ph.D., is the program manager for SRIS. He leads the scientific review process for animal food ingredient definition submissions. 

In this role, Ashabranner will serve as the primary liaison between K-State Olathe and AAFCO, manage a collective of subject matter experts and facilitate the effective conduct of scientific evaluations of newly submitted ingredients used for pet food and livestock feed.  

Ashabranner is an adjunct instructor at Athens Technical College in Georgia, where he develops and teaches courses related to animal science. He previously served as an animal scientist for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, reviewing feed ingredient submissions and advising on nutritional and environmental claims. His work contributed to national policy development and interagency collaboration on feed safety. 

His prior experience includes leading more than 40 commercial poultry trials as a graduate research assistant at the University of Georgia and managing a broiler research farm and teaching agricultural science courses at Stephen F. Austin State University. His expertise spans regulatory science, poultry production, manure management and agricultural education. 

Ashabranner earned a doctorate in poultry science from the University of Georgia, and both a master’s and bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Stephen F. Austin State University.