Agriculture
Contents
National Agricultural Statistics Service
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a massive and diverse organization with programs that affect almost every aspect of American life, from farm production to food assistance and rural development. The programs are too numerous to list individually, but they can be broken down into several major categories.
Here is a list of the main program areas and some examples of the programs within them:
Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services
These programs are dedicated to increasing food security and improving the health and well-being of Americans.
| • | Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, this provides low-income individuals and families with funds to buy groceries. |
| • | National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP): These programs provide nutritionally balanced, low-cost, or free meals to children in public and nonprofit private schools. |
| • | Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Provides food, healthcare referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five. |
| • | Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP): Works to improve the health of low-income elderly people by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA foods. |
| • | Summer Food Service Program (SFSP): Provides meals to children in low-income areas during the summer months when school is not in session. |
Farm Production and Conservation
These programs are focused on supporting farmers and ranchers and promoting sustainable agriculture.
| • | Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC): These are key farm safety-net programs that provide financial support to producers when commodity prices or revenues fall below certain levels. |
| • | Farm Loan Programs: The Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides direct and guaranteed loans to family-size farmers and ranchers who cannot obtain commercial credit, with special emphasis on beginning, minority, and female farmers. |
| • | Disaster Assistance Programs: A suite of programs to help agricultural producers recover from natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, and wildfires. |
| • | Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): Pays farmers to take environmentally sensitive land out of agricultural production and plant species that improve environmental health and quality. |
| • | Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP): Provides financial and technical assistance to producers to address natural resource concerns on their land. |
Rural Development
This mission area focuses on improving the economy and quality of life in rural America by providing loans, grants, and technical assistance.
| • | Rural Housing Programs: Offers loans, grants, and loan guarantees to help low- and moderate-income individuals and families buy, build, or repair homes in rural areas. |
| • | Community Facilities Programs: Provides direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants to build or improve essential community facilities in rural areas, such as hospitals, schools, and public safety facilities. |
| • | Rural Utilities Service (RUS): Finances infrastructure projects, including high-speed internet, water and wastewater systems, and rural electric systems. |
| • | Business Programs: Supports rural businesses and cooperatives with loans and grants to create quality jobs and stimulate economic development. |
Forestry and Natural Resources
This mission area is primarily led by the U.S. Forest Service.
| • | Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP): Provides technical assistance to private landowners to promote sustainable forest management. |
| • | Healthy Forests Initiative: Aims to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires and restore forest and rangeland health. |
Marketing and Regulatory Programs
These programs promote the efficiency of the U.S. agricultural marketing system and ensure the health and safety of agricultural products.
| • | National Organic Program (NOP): Develops and enforces the standards for organic products in the U.S. |
| • | Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP): Provides matching funds to state departments of agriculture to explore new market opportunities for food and agricultural products. |
| • | Specialty Crop Block Grant Program: Funds state projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, such as fruits, vegetables, and tree nuts. |