Government Documents Librarian
About
The U.S. Department of Agriculture was established in 1862 as a commission and later became a cabinet-level agency. It administers programs related to agriculture, nutrition, rural development, forestry, rural utilities, and research. This guide lists the major divisions, offices, and programs within USDA, but it does not include all of the agencies and offices that have been part of USDA throughout its history.
National Agriculture Library (NAL)
Government Documents & the Dept of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is made up of numerous individual agencies and publishes thousands of resources per year.
Use this LibGuide to find resources from the various agencies that make up the United States Department of Agriculture.
Government Resources
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Our job is finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. Here are a few numbers to illustrate the scope of our organization:
- 690 research projects within 15 National Programs
- 2,000 scientists and post docs
- 6,000 other employees
- 90+ research locations, including overseas laboratories
- $1.1 billion fiscal year budget
Search for ARS publications here.
ARS research is organized into National Programs. These programs serve to bring coordination, communication, and empowerment to approximately 690 research projects carried out by ARS. The National Programs focus on the relevance, impact, and quality of ARS research.
Nutrition, Food Safety/Quality
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The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (est. 1972) is a multi-faceted Agency with a broad mission area that includes protecting and promoting U.S. agricultural health, regulating genetically engineered organisms, administering the Animal Welfare Act and carrying out wildlife damage management activities. These efforts support the overall mission of USDA, which is to protect and promote food, agriculture, natural resources and related issues.
The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) was created within the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1994. Together with the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), CNPP reports to the Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services. CNPP’s mission is to improve the health of Americans by developing and promoting dietary guidance that links scientific research to the nutrition needs of consumers.
The staff at CNPP is composed primarily of nutritionists who specialize in nutrition science, analytics, nutrition evaluation, education and communication – many of whom are Registered Dietitians. We also have economists, public health experts, policy advisors, graphic designers and librarians.
CNPP carries out its mission to improve the health of Americans by (1) serving as the Federal authority on evidence-based food, nutrition and economic analyses to inform policy and programs; (2) translating science into actionable food and nutrition guidance for all Americans; and (3) leading national communication initiatives that apply science-based messages to advance consumers’ dietary and economic knowledge and behaviors.
Sample Resources Include:
The EPA has a vast web presence but offers various means of navigating it. For basic information check out their "Learn the Issues" tab. More detailed scientific information on a variety of subjects is under "Science and Technology." There's also an interactive map for finding information by geographic area. Some major subsidiary sites of EPA are:
National Estuary Program (EPA)
- AIRNow
Information and links to publications on EPA's Air Quality Index system
- ECHO (Enforcement & Compliance History Online)
find information about specific sites
- Envirofacts
Provides a sampling of environmental information for specific areas, which can be designated by zip code, city, county, or place name.
- Enviromapper
companion tool with Envirofacts
- Environmental Justice
resources from the EPA's working group on environmental equity; they aim to insure that all groups enjoy the same degree of protection from environmental hazards
- EPA: Water
portal to water-related information from the EPA
- The EPA Blog
articles about the agency's work by staffers
- EPA for Students & Educators
Links to basic information about environmental topics.
- EPA Publications
Provides links to publications pages throughout the EPA website, as well as a search capability by report number or keywords.
- Exposure Research
Reports on research into the extent and nature of exposure of humans and ecosystems to environmental pollutants and other stressors. Includes links to databases of research publications as well as data on exposure itself.
- Future Climate Change
information about potential effects of climate change, and how the models work that make these predictions
- Learn about Air
Data on air pollution for the U.S.
- MyEnvironment
another interface to search for and map local data
- Superfund
Information on individual hazardous waste sites as well as the problem of hazardous waste in general.
- Toxic Release Inventory
Reporting system for information on hazardous substances; data can be searched by various geographical areas or by substance.
- Wastes
Covers conservation and management of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes
- Wetlands
Educational website for the general public dealing with wetlands and their protection.
About FNS
The Food & Nutrition Service (FNS), established in 1969, administers food and nutrition programs in the U.S. It is best known for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps), the National School Lunch Program, and Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
Research
Evidence-based analysis and rigorous evaluation are critical tools to promote effective policies and strong management in the Federal nutrition assistance programs. The Office of Policy Support (OPS) leads the development and execution of FNS's study and evaluation agenda. This web page is intended to provide access to OPS's work to program partners, other stakeholders, and the general public.
Data and Statistics
Nutrition Assistance Programs Performance Reports
FNS Programs
Programs offered by Food and Nutrition Services Include:
Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
Food Distribution Program on Indian reservations (FDPIR)
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)
National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
School Breakfast Program (SBP)
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP)
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)
Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)
Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS)
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Mission Statement: Protecting the public’s health by ensuring the safety of meat, poultry, and processed egg products.
One Team, One Purpose—Protecting Public Health and Preventing Foodborne Illness
FSIS' agency mission book, One Team, One Purpose—Protecting Public Health and Preventing Foodborne Illness (January 2014) provides a brief overview of how the agency works to lower the incidence of pathogens that cause foodborne illness and limit the occurrence of outbreaks in our regulated products.
Data Collection & Reports
FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting
Learn what type of data FSIS collects, what type of analyses are performed using the data, and how these analyses are used in performance management and strategic planning. Includes annual sampling plans and Public Health Regulations (PHR).
FSIS Datasets
Data files; establishment-specific data; sample datasets and corresponding data dictionaries.
FoodNet
FoodNet is a collaborative project among FSIS, CDC, and FDA to identify, control, and prevent foodborne disease hazards. FoodNet uses sentinel sites in various states to provide more stable and accurate national estimates of the burden and sources of specific foodborne diseases. See Also: OutbreakNet, CDC's Foodborne Outbreak Online Database
Additional Information
Access Fact Sheets on topics such as safe food handling, foodborne illness and disease, at-risk populations, and many more.
Learn about Food Safety Education.
The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts hundreds of surveys every year and prepares reports covering virtually every aspect of U.S. agriculture. Production and supplies of food and fiber, prices paid and received by farmers, farm labor and wages, farm finances, chemical use, and changes in the demographics of U.S. producers are only a few examples.
NASS is committed to providing timely, accurate, and useful statistics in service to U.S. agriculture. To uphold our continuing commitment, NASS will:
- Report the facts on American agriculture, facts needed by people working in and depending upon U.S. agriculture.
- Provide objective and unbiased statistics on a preannounced schedule that is fair and impartial to all market participants.
- Conduct the Census of Agriculture every five years, providing the only source of consistent, comparable, and detailed agricultural data for every county in America.
- Serve the needs of our data users and customers at a local level through our network of State field offices and our cooperative relationship with universities and State Departments of Agriculture.
- Safeguard the privacy of farmers, ranchers, and other data providers, with a guarantee that confidentiality and data security continue to be our top priorities.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides America's farmers and ranchers with financial and technical assistance to voluntarily put conservation on the ground, not only helping the environment but agricultural operations, too.
Louisiana Office of Natural Resources Conservation Service
Soil Surveys and Soil Health
Soil Health Resources and Publications
Topics
Topics Covered Include:
The mission of USDA's Economic Research Service is to anticipate trends and emerging issues in agriculture, food, the environment, and rural America and to conduct high-quality, objective economic research to inform and enhance public and private decision making.
ERS research and analysis covers a broad range of economic and policy topics:
- Agricultural Economy – farm sector performance and farm households’ well-being; farm size and concentration; market analysis, data, and projections on commodity supply, demand, and prices; and Federal farm policies
- Food and Nutrition – food security, food and nutrition assistance programs, food choices and health outcomes, food access and store proximity, food retailing and marketing, and food prices
- Food Safety – societal benefits associated with reducing food safety risks, global trade implications and economic impacts of food hazards, and potential results of regulation versus industry decisions
- Global Markets and Trade – domestic and international markets, trade, and the U.S. food and agriculture sector’s performance in increasingly globalized markets
- Resources and Environment – economic impacts of alternative conservation programs, efficacy of policies designed to protect the environment, challenges of climate change and water scarcity, and enhancing agricultural competitiveness through technology
- Rural Economy – investments in rural communities and the capacity of rural economies to prosper in a changing global marketplace, demographic change and its impact on rural communities, and drivers of rural economic performance