What Is the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal agency that proposes programs and implements policies and regulations related to American farming, forestry, ranching, food quality, and nutrition.
President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms. The department now has 29 agencies with wide-ranging responsibilities, from food safety inspections to economic development for rural communities.
Key Takeaways
- USDA stands for U.S. Department of Agriculture and is a federal agency that Abraham Lincoln founded in 1862.
- 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.
What Does the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Do?
The USDA is made up of 29 agencies and offices, which include valuable resources like the Forest Service, the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, and the National Agricultural Library. Its programs help provide the following services, among others: broadband access in rural areas; disaster assistance to farmers, ranchers, and rural residents; soil, water, and other natural resource conservation to landowners; wildfire prevention; and agricultural research and statistics.
The USDAalso is responsible for several social welfare programs, including: school meal nutrition; nutrition education; food assistance for women, infants, and children (WIC); and the food stamp program (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP).
The USDA is vital in helping to keep America's farmers and ranchers in business andmakingsure that the nation's commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome,and properly labeled. It also helps to support and ensure the health and care of animals and plants andthe health of the land through sustainable management.
The head of the USDA is the secretary of agriculture. Second in charge is the deputy secretary of agriculture, who oversees the department’s daily operations and budget. Undersecretaries oversee the divisions for rural development, food safety, and other areas,with nearly 100,000 employees who serve at more than 4,500 locations across the country and abroad.
The USDAalso works toimprove the economy and quality of life in all of rural America.
USDA in Rural Development
One of the USDA's main tasks is in the area of rural development, especiallyrural housing.The USDAgives financial assistance for purchasing and refinancing rural homes through USDA Rural Development. It provides direct loans to very-low-income borrowers who want to purchase a rural home, guaranteed loans to moderate-income homebuyers, and loans and grants for rural home improvements and repairs.
USDA Rural Development includes three agencies that provide assistance to rural families and communities. In addition to its housing program, it has a utilities program and a business program.
What Is the Role of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a federal agency that plays a major role in rural development, particularly housing.It also oversees and implements programs related to the farming, ranching, and forestry industries and regulates food quality and safety, and nutrition labeling. In addition, the USDA runs several social welfare programs including free school lunches, food stamps, and food assistance for women and children.
How Does the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Operate?
The USDA employs 100,000 people at 29 agencies, in more than 4,500 locations across the United States and abroad.
What Is the USDA Office of Rural Development?
The USDA Office of Rural Development includes three agencies that provide economic assistance to rural families and communities—a housing program, a utilities program, and a business program. The housing program provides guaranteed and direct home loans to help low- and moderate-income borrowers in rural areas purchase modest homes with no down payment.
FAQs
The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) mission is to provide leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, and related issues based on sound public policy, the best available science, and efficient management.
What is the US Department of Agriculture definition in agriculture? ›
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal agency that proposes programs and implements policies and regulations related to American farming, forestry, ranching, food quality, and nutrition. President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms.
What was the original purpose of the Department of Agriculture? ›
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a United States executive department established in 1862 in order to "provide leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on sound public policy, the best available science, and efficient management."
What's the role of the USDA in agricultural research? ›
USDA develops and delivers science-based knowledge that empowers farmers, foresters, ranchers, landowners, resource managers, policymakers, and Federal agencies to manage the risks, challenges, and opportunities of climate variability, and that informs decision-making and improves practices in environmental ...
Why was there a need for the USDA? ›
USDA grew out of the United States Patent Office's Agricultural Division, which had been established in 1839 with the mission to acquire, propagate, evaluate, and distribute seeds and plants, and to collect agricultural statistics and production information.
What is the function of the USDA? ›
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.
Why is the US Department of Agriculture important? ›
Our agencies help to keep America's farmers and ranchers in business and ensure that the nation's commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and properly labeled.
What does the USDA regulate? ›
USDA regulations provide official marketing standards for grains and oilseeds, and require that exported grains and oilseeds be officially weighed and inspected. The Department's laws also regulate the slaughter and manufacture of meat products.
What does USDA mean? ›
USDA: United States Department of Agriculture.
What is the primary mission of the Department of Agriculture? ›
The primary mission of the Department of Agriculture is to ensure a "safe, sufficient and nutritious food supply for the American people."
USDA loans offer a range of benefits, from a $0 down payment to relaxed credit requirements, that can make homeownership more accessible and affordable for individuals and families in designated rural areas.
What is the purpose of the USDA Census of Agriculture? ›
According to a USDA news release, “the ag census is the nation's only comprehensive and impartial agriculture data for every state, county, and territory.” The census collects detailed information on land use and ownership, producer characteristics, production practices, income, expenditures, labor, and other topics.
What is the role of the USDA Department of Agriculture safety? ›
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) ensures that our nation's meat, poultry and processed egg supply is wholesome, safe and properly labeled.
What are the four priorities of the USDA? ›
USDA Priorities
Advancing Racial Justice, Equity, Opportunity and Rural Prosperity.
What does the USDA do for farmers? ›
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.
How does the USDA affect the economy? ›
What is agriculture's share of the overall U.S. economy? Agriculture, food, and related industries contributed roughly $1.530 trillion to U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, a 5.6-percent share. The output of America's farms contributed $203.5 billion of this sum—about 0.7 percent of U.S. GDP.
What is the US Department of Agriculture a part of? ›
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an executive department of the United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commercial farming and livestock food production, promotes agricultural trade and production, works to assure food safety, protects natural resources, fosters rural ...
Who is the current US Department of Agriculture? ›
Thomas J. Vilsack was confirmed as the 32nd United States Secretary of Agriculture on Feb. 23, 2021 by the U.S. Senate.
How does the US Department of Agriculture define food insecurity? ›
Food insecurity is the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.
