USDA Agencies Flashcards
USDA Agencies
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)
Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
Economic Research Service (ERS)
Farm Service Agency (FSA)
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)
Forest Service (FS)
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Risk Management Agency (RMA)
Rural Development (RD)
What does the The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) do? (mission)
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) administers programs that create domestic and international marketing opportunities for U.S. producers of food, fiber, and specialty crops.
AMS also provides the agriculture industry with valuable services to ensure the quality and availability of wholesome food for consumers across the country and around the world.
What does the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) do? (https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/00000000/Plans/2018-2020%20ARS%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf)
ARS is USDA’s principal in-house research agency.
ARS leads America towards a better future through agricultural research and information.
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.
The Mission, Vision, and Core Values of ARS
- MISSION: ARS delivers scientific solutions to national and global agricultural challenges.
- VISION Global leadership in agricultural discoveries through scientific excellence
- CORE VALUES Scientific excellence, creativity, innovation, integrity, leadership, collaboration, accountability, transparency, diversity, respect, inclusiveness, and public service
What are ARS Research Priorities? (Research goals)
ARS outlines 15 research goals in Chapter Two of this strategic plan that span four major goal areas:
- Nutrition, Food Safety, and Quality
- Natural Resources and Sustainable Agricultural Systems
- Crop Production and Protection
- Animal Production and Protection
AMS Strategic Goals (2020-2024) (6 goals) (https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/ AMS_Strategic_Plan_2020_2024.pdf)
AMS Goal 1: Provide Market Information, Intelligence, and Assistance Supporting the Development of New Markets
AMS Goal 2: Provide Quality Claims and Analyses to Facilitate Agricultural Marketing
AMS Goal 3: Provide Effective Oversight of Markets and Entities
AMS Goal 4: Provide Premier Procurement and Technical Solutions to Identify and Fulfill the Needs for Agricultural, Food Assistance and Other Programs
AMS Goal 5: Facilitate Fair Trade in the Handling and Marketing of Agricultural Commodities and Products
AMS Goal 6: Sustain and Enrich a Progressive and Dynamic Organization and Workforce
APHIS Operational Program Units
Animal Care
Biotechnology Regulatory Services
International Services and Trade Support Team
Plant Protection and Quarantine
Veterinary Services
Wildlife Services
Animal Care’s Purpose
Animal Care is a program under the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
Our purpose is to:
- Ensure the humane treatment of animals covered by the Animal Welfare Act,
- Eliminate soring and promote fair competition at events covered by the Horse Protection Act, and
- Provide national leadership on the safety and well-being of pets and other animals during disasters.
What is the Animal Welfare Act (AWA)? https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/downloads/ AC_BlueBook_AWA_508_comp_version.pdf
Passed by Congress in 1966, the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) sets general standards for humane care and treatment that must be provided for certain animals that are bred for commercial sale, sold sight unseen (Internet sales), exhibited to the public, used in biomedical research, or transported commercially.
Facilities using regulated animals for regulated purposes must provide their animals with adequate housing, sanitation, nutrition, water and veterinary care, and they must protect their animals from extreme weather and temperatures.
The regulations also establish specific requirements that must be met prior to the importation of dogs for resale purposes.
Inspectors checking AWA:
Highly-trained USDA inspectors located throughout the United States conduct routine, unannounced inspections of all facilities licensed or registered under the AWA to assess these facilities compliance with AWA.
Inspectors are classified as veterinary medical officers (VMOs) or Animal Care inspectors (ACIs). All VMOs have graduated from a veterinary medical college, and many have been private-practice veterinarians prior to joining USDA Animal Care. ACIs have education in the biological sciences and/or extensive experience in the care and handling of animals. USDA Animal Care also employs veterinarians who specialize in the care of particular animal species as well as those with a specific area of animal expertise such as research or transportation.
Animal Care (AC) personnel perform two major types of inspections: pre-licensing inspections and unannounced compliance inspections. In addition to routine inspections, AC inspectors follow up on complaints from the public regarding regulated facilities, including reports that facilities are conducting regulated activity without an Animal Welfare Act license or registration.
Animals and activities not covered under the AWA
The AWA, which became law in 1966, does not cover every type of animal used in every type of activity.
The following animals are not covered:
- farm animals used for food or fiber (fur, hide, etc.);
- coldblooded species (amphibians and reptiles);
- horses not used for research purposes;
- fish; invertebrates (crustaceans, insects, etc.);
- birds, rats of the genus Rattus, and mice of the genus Mus that are bred for use in research.
Birds (other than those bred for research) are covered under the AWA but the regulatory standards have not yet been established.
What is the Horse Protection Act?
The Horse Protection Act is administered by APHIS (Animal Care).
The Horse Protection Act is a federal law that prohibits sored horses from participating in shows, exhibitions, sales or auctions.
The Horse Protection Act also prohibits the transportation of sored horses to or from any of these events.
Soring is a cruel and inhumane practice used to accentuate a horse’s gait. It is accomplished by irritating or blistering a horse’s forelegs with chemical irritants (such as mustard oil) or mechanical devices. Walking horses are known for possessing a naturally smooth gait, but in order to be more successful in competitions their gait will often be exaggerated.
Programs and Functions of the Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS)?
BRS is an operational program unit within APHIS.
The work of BRS is coordinated across two programs,:
- Biotechnology Risk Analysis Programs and
- Regulatory Operations Programs,
with four support service groups in the Office of the Deputy Administrator. These programs are located at APHIS Headquarters in Riverdale, MD. There are also offices within the Regulatory Operations Program at Ft. Collins, CO and Raleigh, NC.
What do Biotechnology Risk Analysis Programs include? (BRS in APHIS)
The Biotechnology Risk Analysis Programs (BRAP) include the Plants Branch and the Plant Pests and Protectants Branch. Together, these branches address potential plant pest risk and environmental impacts of certain genetically engineered organisms on the human environment by conducting risk assessments and environmental assessments of these products.
BRAP has experts in scientific fields (e.g., plant pathology, botany, animal science, entomology, virology, ecology, environmental science, molecular biology, plant breeding, weed ecology, and biochemistry) who review permit and notifications applications, petitions for deregulation, Am I Regulated (AIR) inquiries, potential permit infractions, and proposed regulatory changes. BRAP experts also answer stakeholder queries regarding the USDA biotechnology regulations.
What do Regulatory Operations Programs include? (BRS in APHIS)
The Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) Regulatory Operations Programs includes three branches:
- the Eastern Compliance Assurance Branch,
- the Western Compliance Assurance Branch, and
- the Compliance Evaluation and Enforcement Branch.
Collectively, these branches ensure compliance with APHIS regulations (7 CFR part 340) by directing compliance inspections, evaluating and responding to noncompliance incidents, and overseeing reports submitted in connection with notifications and permits, which can include planting reports and field test reports, among others.
