About the U.S. Department of Agriculture (2024)

FAQs

What is the US Department of Agriculture do? ›

The USDA is responsible for overseeing farming, ranching, and forestry industries, as well as regulating aspects of food quality and safety and nutrition labeling. The USDA is further tasked with administering several social welfare programs including free school lunches and food stamps.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

BACKGROUND: USDA programs are funded through the annual Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (Ag-FDA) appropriations bill.

We maintain a strong and appropriate safety net for America's farmers, ranchers and growers which includes assistance to struggling industries, disaster assistance, and crop insurance, and provide technical assistance, access to credit, and help producers implement conservation practices.

Founded in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law an act of Congress establishing the United States Department of Agriculture.

From the inspection of domestic product, imports, and exports; conducting risk assessments; and educating the public about the importance of food safety, USDA is there.

Virtually all cropland is privately owned, as is over half of grassland pasture and range and forestland (cropland and other terms are defined in the Glossary). Federal, State, and local government holdings consist primarily of forestland, rangeland, and other land.

USDA is made up of 29 agencies and offices with nearly 100,000 employees who serve the American people at more than 4,500 locations across the country and abroad.

Is FSA a loan or grant? ›

The office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) provides approximately $114.1 billion in grant, work-study, and loan funds each year to help students and their families pay for college or career school.

We provide leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on public policy, the best available science, and effective management.

Tom Vilsack serves as the Nation's 30th Secretary of Agriculture.

Farming is a part of agriculture. Both of them have similarities as well as differences. Agriculture is covering a vast area, including production, research and development, and farming is implementing agricultural activities.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, and related issues.

It is headed by the secretary of agriculture, who reports directly to the president of the United States and is a member of the president's Cabinet. The current secretary is Tom Vilsack, who has served since February 24, 2021.

People own most farmland. Some 2.6 million owners are individuals or families, and they own more than two thirds of all farm acreage. Fewer than 32,500 non family held corpor ations own farmland, and they own less than 5 percent of all U.S. farmland. Farmland owners hold an aver age of about 280 acres each.

USDA regulations protect and promote U.S. agricultural health, administer the Animal Welfare Act, carry out wildlife damage management activities, and ensure that America's agricultural exports are protected from unjustified trade restrictions.

“As public servants, our greater understanding of these important rules will help serve USDA's mission and our motto to 'Do right and feed everyone' so that we enhance the American public's confidence in the integrity and important work of the Department of Agriculture.”

Safety Through Inspection

FSIS protects the public's health by ensuring that meat, poultry and egg products are safe, wholesome and properly labeled.

What does the U.S. Department of Agriculture inspect? ›

Safety Through Inspection

FSIS protects the public's health by ensuring that meat, poultry and egg products are safe, wholesome and properly labeled.

These scammers try to pressure customers into giving them money or personal information. Scam callers can fake or “spoof” the caller identification (ID) on your phone, making it seem the call is legitimate. A USDA caller ID number appearing on your phone does NOT mean the person calling you is actually a USDA employee.

USDA offers voluntary programs and services to help agricultural producers and land managers build soil health, sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance productivity and commodity marketability, and mitigate the impacts of climate change while building resilience to strengthen your operation.

U.S. House Committee on Agriculture

The committee establishes federal agricultural policy and provides funding to support agricultural research and development, from the Pure Food & Drug Act for food safety standards to the creation and maintenance of Agricultural Experiment Stations.