USDA

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a Cabinet-level federal executive department charged with developing and executing policy on farming, agriculture, forestry, rural development, nutrition, and food safety. Established in 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln, it began as a bureau for disseminating agricultural information and expanded to oversee a broad range of programs affecting food production, natural resources, and rural communities.

The USDA comprises agencies including the Agricultural Research Service (ARS); National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA); National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS); Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS); Food and Nutrition Service (FNS); Rural Development (RD); Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); Farm Service Agency (FSA); Forest Service (USFS); Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); Economic Research Service (ERS); Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP); and the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). It coordinates with state and tribal partners to deliver programs.

Its responsibilities include scientific research, technical and financial assistance to farmers and ranchers, and the oversight of food safety for meat, poultry, and egg products. It administers nutrition programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast, and WIC, and supports rural development, conservation, forestry, and international trade through FAS, along with data collection and economic analysis through NASS and ERS.

USDA operates under the Secretary of Agriculture and is funded through federal appropriations. It collaborates with state, tribal, and local governments, producers, and consumers, and is subject to congressional oversight and presidential policy guidance. The department also publishes agricultural statistics and research findings to inform policy and public understanding.