United States Department of Agriculture facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
United States
Department of Agriculture

Seal of the USDA
Logo of the USDA
Flag of the USDA
Agency overview
Formed	May 15, 1862 Cabinet status: February 15, 1889
Preceding agency	Agricultural Division
Jurisdiction	Federal Government of the United States
Headquarters	Jamie L. Whitten Building 1301 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C.  38°53′17″N 77°1′48″W / 38.88806°N 77.03000°W / 38.88806; -77.03000
Employees	105,778
Annual budget	US$213 billion (2024)
Agency executives	Brooke Rollins, Secretary Vacant, Deputy Secretary

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a part of the U.S. government. Its main goal is to help with farming and food production. It also works to keep food safe and protect natural resources. The USDA helps rural communities and tries to end hunger in the U.S. and around the world.

The person in charge of the USDA is called the secretary of agriculture. This person reports directly to the president of the United States. The current secretary is Brooke Rollins.

The Jamie L. Whitten Building, where the USDA has its main offices.

A big part of the USDA's budget, about 71%, goes to programs that help people get enough to eat. The largest of these is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which used to be called 'Food Stamps'. The United States Forest Service is also a large part of the USDA. It manages national forests and grasslands, which make up about a quarter of all federal lands.

What the USDA Does

The USDA is split into eight main areas, each with agencies that focus on specific tasks.

• Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC): This area helps farmers with their crops and land. It includes agencies like the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA).
• Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services (FNCS): This part helps make sure people have healthy food. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) runs programs like SNAP.
• Food Safety (FS): This area makes sure the food you eat is safe. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) checks meat, poultry, and egg products.
• Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP): This group helps farmers sell their products. It also works to prevent plant and animal diseases.
• Natural Resources and the Environment (NRE): This area protects our natural world. The Forest Service is a big part of this.
• Research, Education, and Economics (REE): This section does research to improve farming and food. It also collects important information about agriculture.
• Rural Development (RD): This area helps build strong communities in rural areas. It supports things like housing, utilities, and businesses.
• Trade and Foreign Agriculture Affairs (TFAA): This group helps American farmers sell their products to other countries.

The Food and Nutrition Service runs many programs that give food and nutrition education to people in the U.S. This includes SNAP, which helps over 40 million people get healthy food each month. The USDA also helps farmers sell their crops and food both in the U.S. and around the world. It provides food aid to developing countries through programs like Food for Peace.

How the USDA Started

Harvey Washington Wiley, a chief chemist, with his team in 1883.

Long ago, the American economy was mostly about farming. Government officials wanted to find new and better seeds, plants, and animals for the U.S. In 1839, Congress created the Agricultural Division within the Patent Office. They set aside $1,000 to collect farm statistics and for other farming needs. Henry Leavitt Ellsworth, who worked there, is sometimes called the "Father of the Department of Agriculture." He helped share new seeds and plants.

In 1849, the Patent Office moved to the new Department of the Interior. People kept asking for a separate department just for agriculture.

The USDA is Created

The first USDA building in Washington, D.C., around 1895.

On May 15, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln created the independent Department of Agriculture. It was led by a commissioner. At first, it only had eight employees. Their job was to do research and development for farming, rural areas, and human nutrition. Isaac Newton was the first commissioner. Lincoln called it the "people's department" because most Americans were involved in farming back then.

In 1889, the Department of Agriculture became a Cabinet-level department. This meant its leader, the Secretary of Agriculture, became a direct advisor to the President.

Laws like the Hatch Act of 1887 and the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 helped the USDA reach farmers in every state. These laws provided money for agricultural experiment stations and cooperative extension services. These services taught farmers and the public about agriculture and home economics.

The New Deal Era

During the Great Depression in the 1930s, many Americans still worked on farms. The USDA helped make sure food was produced and given to those who needed it. It also gave loans to small landowners and offered technical advice. The Bureau of Home Economics, started in 1923, gave tips on shopping and recipes to help families save money on food.

Modern Times

In recent years, the USDA has continued to support farmers and rural communities. In 2018, it gave $4.7 billion to U.S. farmers. This helped them with losses from trade issues.

In 2022, the USDA started a $1 billion program called Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities. This program tests and checks farming methods that are good for the climate. In October 2022, the USDA also announced a $1.3 billion program to help farmers who were behind on loan payments. This was part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

How the USDA is Organized

The USDA has many offices and agencies. Here are some of the main ones and how many full-time staff they had in 2023:

A nutrition researcher looks at canned peas.

Addressing Discrimination

Black farmers protesting in Washington, D.C., in 1997.

Over the years, there have been claims that the USDA treated some farmers unfairly. This included denying loans or access to programs. These actions especially affected African American farmers. Women, Native Americans, and Hispanic farmers also faced similar issues. Most of these problems happened through the Farm Service Agency, which handles loans and aid for farmers.

In 1964, the Civil Rights Act led the USDA to end racial separation among its staff. Later, in 1999, a large lawsuit called Pigford v. Glickman was brought by African American farmers. The USDA agreed to a settlement of over a billion dollars. This was because of how it had discriminated in giving out loans and aid. In 2011, another payment round, called Pigford II, was approved by Congress.

Other groups also filed lawsuits:

• In 1999, Native American farmers filed the Keepseagle v. Vilsack lawsuit. They claimed they faced loan discrimination. A settlement of up to $760 million was reached.
• In 2000, Hispanic farmers filed the Garcia v. Vilsack lawsuit. They also claimed discrimination in loans and disaster aid. This led to a settlement of $1.33 billion for compensation.
• In 2001, a lawsuit called Love v. Vilsack was filed by women farmers. They claimed discrimination based on gender. This led to the Equality for Women Farmers Act. This law created a way for gender discrimination claims against the USDA to be heard.

Environmental Justice Efforts

The USDA works to make sure everyone has a fair chance to live in a healthy environment. This is called environmental justice. In 2012, the USDA shared a plan to include environmental justice in its main work. They want to help rural communities and Indigenous Tribes understand and get their environmental rights.

The USDA helps tribal communities in many ways:

• Rural housing: They offer loans and financing for homes in rural areas.
• Community facilities: They help fund things like child care centers, healthcare, and schools.
• Business and cooperative programs: They help create jobs and support businesses in tribal areas.
• Utilities: They work to improve access to internet, water, and electricity.

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) also works with tribal governments. They aim to respect tribal rights and beliefs when managing forests. They also share research and technology.

Meat and Poultry Hotline

The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline is a free phone service for people to call. You can ask questions about how to safely store, handle, and cook meat, poultry, and egg products. The number is 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854).

Food safety experts answer the calls. They can help you understand how to avoid getting sick from food. The hotline started in 1985 and has answered over 2 million calls. It also offers support in Spanish and has an online text chat called "Ask Karen."

COVID-19 Relief Efforts

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress gave money to the USDA. This helped the farming industry deal with problems caused by the pandemic. In April 2020, the USDA announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. This program gave $16 billion to farmers and ranchers. It also used $3 billion to buy extra food from farmers. This food was then given to food banks and charities to help people in need.

Images for kids

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  The Jamie L. Whitten Building in Washington D.C. is the current USDA headquarters.