Agriculture

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

(A) Topics: Animal Health, Biotechnology, Employee Services, Energy,

Emergency Preparedness & Response, Farm Bill, Food and Nutrition,

Food Safety, Forestry, Homeland Security, Laws and Regulations,

Marketing and Trade, Natural Resources & Environment, Outreach,

Plant Health, Research and Science, Rural & Community Development,

Travel and Recreation, USDA for Kids. (B) Programs and Services:

(1) Assisting Rural Communities: (Broadband, Grants and Loans,

Disaster Assistance, Insurance Programs). (2) Conservation:

(Restoration and Conservation, Environmental Markets, Water Resources,

Wildfire Prevention). (3) Food And Nutrition: (SNAP, WIC, Food Security,

Child Nutrition Programs, National Organic Program). (4) Marketing And Trade:

(Importing Goods, Exporting Goods). (5) Education And Research:

(Economic Research, Agricultural Research, Agricultural Statistics).

(6) A-Z Index | USDA (7) About USDA Secretary of Agriculture:

(Secretary's Page, Secretary's Photo Gallery, Secretary's Weekly

Radio Address). Structure and Organization: (Agencies and Offices,

Budget, USDA Organization Chart, USDA Biographies).

History and Mission: (USDA 150 Years, Former Secretaries,

Mission Statement, American Agriculture Timeline).

USDA Agencies and Offices (A) USDA Agencies:

(1)Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS): AMS Facilitates

The Strategic Marketing of Agricultural Products in Domestic

And International Markets While Ensuring Fair Trading Practices

And Promoting a Competitive and Efficient Marketplace. AMS Constantly

Works to Develop New Marketing Services to Increase Customer Satisfaction.

(2) Agricultural Research Service (ARS): ARS is USDA's Principal In-House

Research Agency. ARS Leads America Towards a Better Future Through

Agricultural Research and Information. the Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

Works to Ensure That Americans Have Reliable, Adequate Supplies

Of High-Quality Food and Other Agricultural Products. ARS Accomplishes

Its Goals Through Scientific Discoveries That Help Solve Problems in Crop

And Livestock Production and Protection, Human Nutrition,

And the Interaction of Agriculture and The Environment.

(3) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS):

APHIS Provides Leadership in Ensuring the Health and Care Of Animals

and Plants. The Agency Improves Agricultural Productivity and Competitiveness

And Contributes To the National Economy and the Public Health.

(4)Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) :

CNPP Works to Improve the Health and Well-Being of Americans

by Developing and Promoting Dietary Guidance That Links Scientific

Research to the Nutrition Needs of Consumers.

(5)Economic Research Service (ERS):

ERS is USDA's Principal Social Science Research Agency.

Each Year, ERS Communicates Research Results And Socioeconomic

Indicators Via Briefings, Analysis for Policymakers and Their Staffs,

Market Analysis Updates, And Major Reports. The Economic Research

Service (ERS) Provides Economic Research and Information to Inform

Public and Private Decision Making on Economic and Policy Issues

Related to Agriculture, Food, Natural Resources, and Rural America.

Through a Broad Range of Products, ERS Research Provides Not Only Facts,

But Also Expert Economic Analysis of Many Critical Issues Facing Farmers,

Agribusiness, Consumers, and Policymakers. ERS Expertise Helps These

Stakeholders Conduct Business, Formulate Policy, Or Just Learn

About Agriculture, Food, Natural Resources, and Rural America.

(6)Farm Service Agency (FSA): The Farm Service Agency

(FSA) Implements Agricultural Policy, Administers Credit

And Loan Programs, and Manages Conservation, Commodity,

Disaster and Farm Marketing Programs Through a National Network

of Offices. The FSA Administers Farm Commodity, Crop Insurance,

Credit, Environmental, Conservation, and Emergency Assistance

Programs For Farmers and Ranchers.

(7) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS):

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Administers the Food

And Nutrition Assistance Programs in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

FNS Provides Children and Needy Families With Better Access

to Food and a More Healthful Diet Through

Its Programs and Nutrition Education Efforts.

(8)Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS): FSIS Enhances Public Health

and Well-Being By Protecting the Public From Foodborne Illness and Ensuring

That the Nation's Meat, Poultry And Egg Products are Safe, Wholesome,

and Correctly Packaged. (9)Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS): The Foreign

Agricultural Service (FAS) is Responsible for Collecting, Analyzing,

and Disseminating Information About Global Supply and Demand,

Trade Trends, and Market Opportunities. FAS Seeks Improved Market

Access for U.S. Products; Administers Export Financing and Market

Development Programs; Provides Export Services; Carries Out Food

Aid and Market-Related Technical Assistance Programs; And Provides

Linkages To World Resources and International Organizations.

(10)Forest Service (FS) The Forest Service (FS) Administers Programs

for Applying Sound Conservation and Utilization Practices to Natural Resources

of the National Forests and National Grasslands, for Promoting these

Practices on all Forest Lands Through Cooperation With States and Private

Landowners, and for Carrying Out Extensive Forest and Range Research.

(11)Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA):

GIPSA Facilitates the Marketing Of Livestock, Poultry, Meat, Cereals,

Oilseeds, and Related Agricultural Products. It Also Promotes Fair

and Competitive Trading Practices for the Overall Benefit of Consumers

And American Agriculture. GIPSA Ensures Open And Competitive

Markets for Livestock, Poultry, and Meat By Investigating and Monitoring

Industry Trade Practices. (12)National Agricultural Library (NAL):

The National Agricultural Library (NAL) Ensures and Enhances Access

to Agricultural Information for a Better Quality of Life. The NAL Provides

Technical Information on Agricultural Research and Related Subjects to Scientists, Educators And Farmers Using Computer Databases; Coordinates And is

Primary Resource for National Network of State Land Grant University

and Field Libraries; and Serves as the U.S. Center for the International

Agriculture Information System. (13)National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS):

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Is Responsible for Conducting

Monthly and Annual Surveys And Preparing Official USDA Data and Estimates

of Production, Supply, Prices, and Other Information Necessary to Maintain

Orderly Agricultural Operations. NASS Also Conducts The Census

of Agriculture Which is Currently Conducted Every 5 Years.

(14)National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA):

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Is An Agency

Within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Part of the Executive

Branch of the Federal Government. Congress Created NIFA Through the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. NIFA Replaced the Former Cooperative

State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), Which had been

in Existence Since 1994. NIFA's Unique Mission Is to Advance Knowledge

for Agriculture, The Environment, Human Health and Well-Being,

and Communities by Supporting Research, Education, and Extension

Programs In the Land-Grant University System and Other Partner Organizations.

NIFA Doesn't Perform Actual Research, Education, and Extension But Rather

Helps Fund it at the State And Local Level and Provides Program Leadership

in These Areas. (15)Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS):

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Is The Primary Federal

Agency That Works With Private Landowners to Help them Conserve,

Maintain and Improve their Natural Resources. The Agency Emphasizes

Voluntary, Science-Based Conservation; Technical Assistance; Partnerships;

Incentive-Based Programs; and Cooperative Problem Solving

at the Community Level. (16)Risk Management Agency (RMA): The Risk

Management Agency (RMA) Promotes, Supports, And Regulates

Sound Risk Management Solutions to Preserve And Strengthen

the Economic Stability of America's Agricultural Producers by Providing

Crop Insurance to American Producers, Developing and the Premium Rate, Administering Premium And Expense Subsidy, Approving and Supporting

Products, and Reinsuring Companies. (17)Rural Development (RD): USDA

Rural Development is Committed to the Future of Rural Communities.

RD Helps Rural Areas to Develop and Grow by Offering Federal Assistance

That Improves Quality of Life. RD Targets Communities in Need

and Then Empowers Them With Financial and Technical Resources.

(B) USDA Offices: (1)Departmental Management (DM): Departmental

Management is USDA's Central Administrative Management Organization.

Departmental Management Provides Budget and Fiscal Management,

Human Resource, Procurement and Information Technology Support to

Mission Areas So That They Can Serve Customers More Effectively

and Efficiently. (2)National Appeals Division (NAD): The National Appeals

Division (NAD) Is Responsible for All Administrative Appeals Arising

From Program Activities of the Farm Service Agency, Risk Management

Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Development Service, Rural Housing Service, and the Rural Utilities Service.

(3)Office of Advocacy and Outreach (OAO): The Office of Advocacy

and Outreach (OAO) Was Established By the 2008 Farm Bill to Improve

Access to USDA Programs And to Improve the Viability and Profitability

of Small Farms And Ranches; Beginning Farmers and Ranchers and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers or Ranchers. OAO Develops And Implements Plans

to Coordinate Outreach Activities And Services Provided by The Department

Through Working Collaboratively With the Field Base Agencies, and Continually Assessing the Effectiveness of its Outreach Programs.

(4)Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OASCR): Office of

the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Ensures Compliance With Applicable

Laws, Regulations, and Policies for USDA Customers and Employees Regardless

of Race, Color, National Origin, Sex (Including Gender Identity And Expression),

Religion, Age, Disability, Sexual Orientation, Marital or Familial Status, Political

Beliefs, Parental Status, Protected Genetic Information, or Because all or

Part of an Individual's Income is Derived From any Public Assistance Program.

(Not All Bases Apply to All Programs.).

(5)Office of Budget and Program Analysis (OBPA): The Office of Budget

and Program Analysis (OBPA) Is Responsible for Coordinating the Preparation

Of the Department's Budget Estimates and Legislative Reports and Regulations.

It Also Provides Analysis and Evaluation To Support the Implementation of Critical Policies. OBPA Administers the Department's Budgetary Functions

And Develops and Presents Budget-Related Matters To Congress,

the News Media, and the Public. (6)Office of the Chief Economist (OCE):

The Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) Advises the Secretary

On the Economic Implications of Policies and Programs Affecting

The U.S. Food and Fiber System and Rural Areas As Well As Coordinates,

Reviews, and Approves the Department's Commodity and Farm Sector Forecasts.

(7)Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO): OCFO Shapes

an Environment for USDA Officials Eliciting The High-Quality Financial

Performance Needed to Make And Implement Effective Policy, Management, Stewardship, And Program Decisions. OCFO Provides Financial Leadership

For USDA, Which Administers $100 Billion of Loans as well as Significant

Guarantees and Insurance in Support of America's Farmers and Ranchers.

(8)Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO): The Office of

the Chief Information Officer Has Primary Responsibility to Supervise

and Coordinate Within USDA The Design, Acquisition, Maintenance,

Use and Disposal of Information Technology (IT) by USDA Agencies,

As Well As Monitoring the Performance of USDA's IT Programs And Activities.

(9)Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS): USDA's Office Of The Chief Scientist

Provides Scientific Leadership To the Department by Ensuring That

Research Supported By and Scientific Advice Provided to

the Department And its Stakeholders is Held to the Highest Standards

Of Intellectual Rigor and Scientific Integrity. It Also Identifies

And Prioritizes Department-Wide Agricultural Research, Education,

and Extension Needs. The role of Chief Scientist Is Held by the Under

Secretary for Research, Education, And Economics (REE), As Established

by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, Which Also Created

An Office Within theREE Mission Area To Support That Role. The Research,

Education, and Economics (REE) Mission Area is Dedicated to the Creation

of a Safe, Sustainable, Competitive U.S. Food and Fiber System and Strong,

Healthy Communities, Families, and Youth Through Integrated Research,

Analysis And Education. (10)Office of Communications (OC):

The Office of Communications (OC) Provides Leadership, Expertise,

Counsel, and Coordination for the Development Of Communications

Strategies Which are Vital to the Overall Formulation, Awareness

and Acceptance of USDA Programs And Policies, and Serves as

the Principal USDA Contact Point For the Dissemination of Consistent,

Timely Information. (11)Office of Congressional Relations (OCR):

Office of Congressional Relations (OCR) Serves As the Department's Liaison

With Members of Congress And Their Staffs. OCR Works Closely With Members

and Staffs of Various House and Senate Committees Including the House

Agriculture Committee and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition,

and Forestry to Communicate USDA's Legislative Agenda and Budget Proposals. (12)Office of Environmental Markets (OEM): The Office of Environmental Markets

(OEM) Provides Leadership in the Development of Emerging Markets

for Carbon, Water Quality, Wetlands, and Biodiversity. OEM is Building

National Environmental Market Infrastructure, Supporting Regional Market

Innovation, and Fostering Collaboration Around Market-Based Conservation

Within USDA and Across the Federal Government.

(13)Office of the Executive Secretariat (OES)

Or Office of the Executive Secretariat (OES):

Office of the Executive Secretariat (OES) Ensures That All Department

Officials are Included in the Correspondence Drafting and Policy Making

Process Through a Managed Clearance and Control System.

Keeping Policy Officials Informed of Executive Documents Enhances

the Secretary's Ability to Review Sound and Thought Out Policy