United States Department of Agriculture

Corporate brand

A cabinet-level U.S. federal department responsible for agriculture, food safety, nutrition assistance, rural development, forestry, conservation, agricultural research, and related public services.

Last updated October 14, 2026

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Overview

The United States Department of Agriculture, commonly known as the USDA, is a cabinet-level department of the federal government of the United States. Established in 1862 and elevated to cabinet status in 1889, it administers a broad portfolio spanning agriculture, food and nutrition, forestry, rural communities, agricultural research, farm support, conservation, animal and plant health, and international agricultural trade. Although it is a government department rather than a conventional consumer brand, the USDA name functions as a highly recognizable public-service and regulatory identity on food labels, inspection marks, program materials, research publications, and official agricultural statistics. The department operates through agencies with distinct responsibilities. The Agricultural Marketing Service develops grading, standards, market-news, and certification programs; the Food Safety and Inspection Service regulates the safety and labeling of most domestically produced meat, poultry, and processed egg products; and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service protects American agriculture from animal diseases, plant pests, and invasive species. The Food and Nutrition Service administers major nutrition-assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, school meal programs, and other child-nutrition initiatives. The Farm Service Agency delivers farm loans, disaster assistance, conservation-related support, and commodity programs, while the Natural Resources Conservation Service works with landowners on soil, water, and habitat conservation. USDA also supports agricultural science and innovation. The Agricultural Research Service conducts federal research in crop science, animal health, food safety, nutrition, and natural-resource management. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture funds research, education, and extension projects at universities and other institutions. The National Agricultural Statistics Service publishes widely used data on production, prices, inventories, farm income, and rural conditions. The department's Forest Service manages national forests and grasslands, supports wildfire and watershed programs, and provides technical assistance to state and private forest owners. For consumers, the most visible USDA functions include inspection of regulated animal products, the USDA organic certification and labeling system, nutrition assistance, dietary guidance, school meals, and food-grade or quality designations. The USDA Organic seal is used by certified operators that meet federal organic production, handling, and labeling requirements. USDA inspection marks on meat and poultry indicate that products have passed the department's inspection requirements, although inspection, grading, organic certification, and nutrition labeling are separate functions with different legal bases. The department is funded through congressional appropriations and statutory program authorities rather than commercial sales. Its work affects farmers, ranchers, food manufacturers, retailers, schools, nutrition-program participants, forest users, rural businesses, and consumers. USDA policy is often politically consequential because it influences farm income, commodity markets, food access, land management, trade, and the interpretation of agricultural and nutrition standards. Its secretary is a presidential appointee who serves in the presidential administration of the day.

History

The USDA traces its origins to the nineteenth-century expansion of the federal government's role in American agriculture. President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation creating the Department of Agriculture in 1862, during the Civil War. Lincoln referred to it as the people's department because agriculture was central to the livelihoods of a large share of the population. At its beginning, the department was smaller than the modern institution and concentrated on collecting agricultural information, distributing seeds, conducting experiments, and promoting improved farming practices. Congress broadened the department's responsibilities over the following decades. In 1889, USDA became a cabinet-level department. Its work increasingly included agricultural inspection, plant and animal disease control, research, statistics, market information, and the administration of policies affecting farmers and rural communities. The department developed scientific and educational functions that later supported the federal agricultural experiment-station and cooperative-extension systems. During the twentieth century, USDA became a major administrator of farm and food policy. New programs addressed commodity production, farm income, conservation, rural electrification, agricultural credit, and food marketing. The department also became involved in food assistance, particularly as federal policy responded to economic hardship and concerns about hunger. The school-lunch system began as a permanent federal program in 1946, while later nutrition initiatives created a larger public infrastructure for food access and child nutrition. The department's regulatory footprint expanded alongside the industrialization of food production and the growth of interstate commerce. USDA inspection became especially important for meat, poultry, and processed egg products. In 1967, the Wholesome Meat Act strengthened federal oversight of meat inspection, and the 1968 Wholesome Poultry Products Act expanded federal poultry-inspection requirements. These laws helped establish the modern relationship between USDA inspection, state inspection systems, slaughter and processing establishments, and consumer-facing product marks. USDA's research and conservation responsibilities also developed substantially. The Agricultural Research Service became a central federal research organization, while the Forest Service administered national forests and grasslands and worked with states and private landowners. Conservation programs shifted from a narrow emphasis on erosion control toward broader concerns involving soil health, water quality, wildlife habitat, climate resilience, and working lands. Rural-development programs added loans, grants, housing assistance, infrastructure support, and business-development tools for communities outside major metropolitan areas. The organic food system received a national framework through the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990. USDA subsequently created the National Organic Program, which establishes production, handling, labeling, and certification rules for products marketed as organic. The USDA Organic seal became one of the department's most recognizable consumer-facing symbols, although certification is carried out through an accredited-certifier system overseen by the department. In the twenty-first century, USDA has continued to combine traditional farm and food responsibilities with large-scale nutrition, conservation, research, and rural programs. The department has administered emergency farm and food assistance during economic disruptions and public-health emergencies, expanded data and digital services, and supported climate-related conservation and agricultural initiatives. Its history is therefore not simply the history of a regulator: USDA is simultaneously a scientific institution, a benefits administrator, a land-management organization, a trade and development agency, and a source of standards that shape how agricultural products are produced and sold.

2026
Glen R. Smith becomes Under Secretary for Rural Development
[17]Glen R. Smith becomes Under Secretary for Rural Developmentrd.usda.gov
Glen R. Smith is sworn in to lead USDA Rural Development on August 21, 2026.
2025
Brooke Rollins becomes Secretary of Agriculture
[16]Brooke Rollins becomes Secretary of Agricultureusda.gov
The department begins a new administration emphasizing farmers, agricultural trade, rural communities, nutrition-program integrity, and domestic production.
2021
American Rescue Plan agricultural-equity provisions
[15]American Rescue Plan agricultural-equity provisionsfsa.usda.gov
USDA receives new tools and funding to address longstanding inequities affecting socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
2015
MyPlate replaces the food-pyramid model
[14]MyPlate replaces the food-pyramid modelmyplate.gov
USDA’s MyPlate graphic becomes a central public nutrition-education tool for communicating balanced eating patterns.
2010
Pigford II settlement legislation enacted
[7]USDA Farm Service Agency Pigford II noticefsa.usda.gov
The Claims Resolution Act provides additional funding for the settlement of claims by Black farmers who alleged discrimination by USDA.
1997
Pigford litigation filed
[13]Pigford litigation filedusda.gov
African American farmers bring a class-action case alleging discriminatory treatment in USDA farm programs.
1990
Organic Foods Production Act
[6]USDA Organic programams.usda.gov
Federal legislation establishes the basis for national organic standards and the USDA National Organic Program.
1972
WIC pilot authorized
[5]USDA Food and Nutrition Administrationfna.usda.gov
Congress authorizes a pilot program for supplemental food and nutrition assistance for women, infants, and children, later becoming WIC.
1969
Food and nutrition administration expanded
[5]USDA Food and Nutrition Administrationfna.usda.gov
The federal nutrition agency is established in its modern organizational form and later oversees major expansions of food stamps, school meals, and WIC.
1953
Agricultural Research Service established
[3]USDA Agricultural Research Service history of innovationscientificdiscoveries.ars.usda.gov
The Agricultural Research Service is designated as USDA’s principal in-house agricultural research agency.
1946
National School Lunch Act
[12]National School Lunch Actfns.usda.gov
The National School Lunch Program receives permanent federal authorization and becomes a major USDA child-nutrition program.
1906
Pure Food and Drug Act enacted
[4]Food Safety and Inspection Service historyfsis.usda.gov
USDA food-chemistry work and public advocacy contribute to the political environment surrounding the federal Pure Food and Drug Act.
1889
USDA receives cabinet status
[3]USDA Agricultural Research Service history of innovationscientificdiscoveries.ars.usda.gov
The Department of Agriculture becomes a cabinet-level department of the federal government.
1887
Hatch Act creates federal support for agricultural experiment stations
[3]USDA Agricultural Research Service history of innovationscientificdiscoveries.ars.usda.gov
The Hatch Act provides federal funding for agricultural experiment stations at land-grant colleges, strengthening the national research and extension system.
1867
First Agriculture building constructed
[11]First Agriculture building constructedars.usda.gov
USDA moves into a dedicated building on the National Mall as its scientific and administrative activities expand.
1862
USDA established by Congress
[2]USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service founding-period timelinenass.usda.gov
President Abraham Lincoln signs legislation establishing the Department of Agriculture on May 15, 1862.
1862
Isaac Newton becomes the first Commissioner of Agriculture
[3]USDA Agricultural Research Service history of innovationscientificdiscoveries.ars.usda.gov
Isaac Newton, previously associated with the Patent Office agricultural division, becomes the department’s first commissioner.
1839
Agricultural Division established within the Patent Office
[3]USDA Agricultural Research Service history of innovationscientificdiscoveries.ars.usda.gov
The Patent Office creates an Agricultural Division to collect statistics, distribute seeds and plants, and disseminate agricultural information.

Products and positioning

Government agency and public-service authority whose identity combines agricultural administration, food regulation, nutrition assistance, scientific research, rural development, conservation, and agricultural trade.

Certification and labeling · 1990
USDA Organic
USDA Organic is the department’s national certification and labeling system for organically produced agricultural products. The National Organic Program establishes production, handling, processing, labeling, and certification requirements. Certified operations may use the USDA Organic seal when they meet the applicable regulatory category and certification conditions. The system is administered through accredited certifiers and applies across farms, processors, handlers, and certain imported products.
Food safety and inspection · 1906
USDA meat and poultry inspection
Through the Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA inspects meat, poultry, and processed egg products for safety, wholesomeness, and accurate labeling. The program operates under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, Poultry Products Inspection Act, and Egg Products Inspection Act, and also includes humane-handling requirements under the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. Inspection marks and establishment oversight make this one of USDA’s most visible consumer-facing functions.
Nutrition assistance · 1964
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
SNAP provides nutrition benefits to eligible low-income households through state and local administration under federal USDA rules. Benefits are intended to supplement household food budgets and support access to food. USDA establishes program policies, funds and oversees administration, monitors payment accuracy, and works with states on eligibility, employment, fraud prevention, and benefit delivery.
Nutrition assistance · 1972
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
WIC provides supplemental foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and health-care referrals to eligible pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children younger than five who meet program requirements. USDA funds and oversees the program while state and local agencies deliver services. WIC combines targeted nutrition support with preventive health and early-childhood policy.
Child nutrition · 1946
National School Lunch Program
The National School Lunch Program provides federally supported lunches to participating schools and residential child-care institutions. USDA sets nutrition and reimbursement rules and provides cash and commodity support, while schools and local sponsors operate meal services. The program is one of the department’s most significant connections to children, household food security, agricultural commodities, and public health.
Nutrition guidance · 2011
MyPlate
MyPlate is USDA’s consumer nutrition-education framework built around food groups and proportional meal planning. It replaced the older food-pyramid presentation and provides digital tools, recipes, educational materials, and guidance for balancing fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified alternatives. It is used in public nutrition education and supports USDA’s broader dietary-guidance role.
Farm assistance and credit · 1935
Farm Service Agency programs
Farm Service Agency programs support farmers and ranchers through farm ownership and operating loans, conservation and commodity programs, disaster assistance, emergency relief, and targeted support for beginning, underserved, and socially disadvantaged producers. FSA delivers many programs through local county offices, making it one of USDA’s most direct points of contact with agricultural producers.
Forestry and natural resources · 1905
USDA Forest Service
The Forest Service manages national forests and grasslands and conducts research and technical assistance related to forests, fire, watersheds, wildlife, recreation, and rural economies. Its work extends beyond federal lands through cooperative programs with states, tribes, municipalities, private landowners, and communities. The agency is one of USDA’s largest natural-resource and public-land components.
Agricultural science and research · 1953
Agricultural Research Service
The Agricultural Research Service is USDA’s principal in-house scientific research agency. Its work covers crop and livestock production, food safety, nutrition, natural resources, pests and diseases, agricultural technology, and resilience. ARS operates laboratories and research programs across the United States and supports solutions intended for farmers, producers, consumers, industry, and public agencies.
Rural finance and infrastructure · 1969
Rural Development programs
USDA Rural Development provides loans, grants, guarantees, and technical assistance for rural housing, utilities, broadband, business development, community facilities, water systems, energy, and infrastructure. The portfolio is designed to improve access to capital and essential services in rural communities and to support local economic development.

Controversies

2013
USDA review of discrimination settlement administration
USDA’s Office of Inspector General reviewed the administration of claims under the Black Farmers Discrimination Litigation settlement and reported on the timeliness and support for adjudication decisions.
Source
2010
Pigford II settlement
Congress authorized additional funds and a claims process for Black farmers whose discrimination claims had not been resolved through the original Pigford process. The settlement became one of the largest civil-rights-related agricultural settlements involving the federal government.
Source
2000
Keepseagle, Garcia, and Love discrimination cases
Separate cases alleged discriminatory treatment of Native American, Hispanic, and women farmers in USDA lending and program administration. The cases contributed to broader federal scrutiny of the department’s civil-rights systems.
Source
1997
Pigford discrimination litigation
African American farmers alleged that USDA denied or mishandled farm loans and other assistance because of racial discrimination. The litigation produced a consent decree and later additional settlement processes for late claimants.
Source

2022Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities
United States
USDA funded partnerships intended to develop markets and production systems for agricultural commodities associated with quantifiable climate, conservation, and greenhouse-gas benefits.
Outcome. The initiative was later canceled by Secretary Rollins in 2025 following a departmental review, with USDA stating that existing resources would be reprioritized.
Source
2011MyPlate
United States
USDA introduced MyPlate as a simplified public nutrition framework showing the relative roles of major food groups in a balanced meal.
Outcome. MyPlate became the department’s principal consumer-facing nutrition-education identity and remains integrated into online guidance and educational materials.
Source
2010Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food
United States
USDA used the initiative to coordinate programs supporting local and regional food systems, beginning farmers, food hubs, farm-to-school activity, and improved connections between producers and consumers.
Outcome. The initiative helped organize USDA resources around local food and regional economic-development objectives.
Source
1990USDA Organic
United States · International markets for products certified under USDA standards
The National Organic Program created a national framework for organic production and labeling, allowing certified products to carry the USDA Organic seal.
Outcome. The seal became one of the most recognizable government certification marks on food and agricultural products.
Source

Brand decisions

2025
Cancellation of Partnerships for Climate-Smart CommoditiesStrategy
Background
The new USDA leadership reviewed climate-oriented commodity partnerships created during the previous administration.
Action taken
Secretary Rollins announced that USDA would cancel the initiative and redirect existing funding toward priorities defined by the new administration.
Aftermath
The decision represented a major shift away from the previous administration’s climate-smart agriculture strategy and toward a more production- and farmer-focused policy agenda.
Source
2025
SNAP work and nutrition-program enforcementStrategy
Background
The Trump administration emphasized work participation, benefit integrity, restrictions on ineligible recipients, and the nutritional composition of foods purchased through SNAP.
Action taken
USDA issued guidance to states concerning work expectations, eligibility enforcement, fraud prevention, and state flexibility to seek nutrition-related SNAP waivers.
Aftermath
The policy direction increased state-level experimentation and intensified debate over federal nutrition assistance, eligibility, administrative burden, and household food access.
Source
2025
New World screwworm response and Mexico coordinationOther
Background
The spread or re-emergence of New World screwworm created a livestock and agricultural trade risk requiring cross-border disease-control coordination.
Action taken
USDA pursued joint reviews, aircraft access, equipment movement, trade engagement, and eradication measures with Mexico.
Aftermath
The response reinforced USDA’s role in animal-health protection, agricultural diplomacy, and biosecurity.
Source
2025
Avian-influenza and egg-market interventionOther
Background
Highly pathogenic avian influenza affected poultry production and contributed to pressure in the egg market.
Action taken
USDA announced a comprehensive strategy involving disease-control measures, producer support, and actions intended to increase supply and reduce consumer price pressure.
Aftermath
The intervention placed animal-health policy, poultry economics, and consumer prices at the center of USDA’s public agenda.
Announced investment. $1 billion announced strategy (2025)
Source
2021
Agricultural-equity and debt-relief initiativesStrategy
Background
USDA faced longstanding criticism and litigation concerning unequal access to farm credit and assistance for socially disadvantaged producers.
Action taken
USDA implemented provisions associated with the American Rescue Plan, including borrower assistance, equity work, heirs-property support, and an Equity Commission.
Aftermath
The initiatives expanded the department’s formal focus on racial equity and barriers to USDA programs, while also generating political and legal opposition.
Source
2011
Launch of MyPlateProduct launch
Background
USDA sought a simpler and more accessible public nutrition graphic than the earlier food-pyramid model.
Action taken
The department introduced MyPlate and related digital nutrition-education resources.
Aftermath
MyPlate became the department’s principal consumer nutrition framework and remains widely used in federal education materials.
Source
1990
Establishment of national organic standardsStrategy
Background
Congress directed the federal government to establish consistent standards for organic production and labeling after organic agriculture had developed through varied private and state certification systems.
Action taken
USDA created the National Organic Program framework and later implemented certification, accreditation, labeling, and enforcement rules.
Aftermath
USDA Organic became a nationally recognized certification system used by producers, processors, retailers, and importers.
Source

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