U.S. Department of Agriculture

What U.S. Department of Agriculture does

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a U.S. federal executive department established in 1862 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., that provides leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, and rural development. USDA serves four primary constituencies: American farmers and ranchers (via Farm Service Agency loans, disaster assistance, crop insurance, and Commodity Credit Corporation price support), low-income Americans (via the Food and Nutrition Service's SNAP, WIC, and child nutrition programs serving more than 41 million people monthly), rural communities (via Rural Development infrastructure and broadband programs), and academic/research institutions (via NIFA, ARS, and ERS extramural research funding). The agency also runs food safety inspection through FSIS, agricultural statistics through NASS, foreign trade promotion through FAS, and forestry management through the Forest Service.

USDA's core technology portfolio spans multiple scientific research agencies, including the Agricultural Research Service, Economic Research Service, NASS, and NIFA, with capabilities ranging from the proprietary Sterile Insect Technique used to eradicate the New World Screwworm (now being scaled to 300 million sterile flies per week by late 2027) to computer vision for meat marbling inspection deployed with GSA, AI-assisted surveillance for pest detection, and aerial imagery acquisition covering approximately 12 million acres annually. USDA manages approximately 1.2 million active customer files across more than 130 legacy loan and grant systems that are now undergoing a major modernization initiative.

USDA's business model is non-commercial: it is funded through annual congressional appropriations and is authorized to deploy the Commodity Credit Corporation to borrow up to $30 billion for farm income support, conservation, and disaster response. The agency manages over $200 billion annually in farm and food programs. Service delivery occurs through Farm Service Agency offices in every U.S. county, partnerships with state welfare agencies for SNAP, and international channels such as the World Food Programme for food aid. Following a 20% workforce reduction between January 2025 and January 2026 (down to roughly 80,000 employees), USDA is pursuing technology-led modernization, including a $300 million Palantir agreement and expansion of AI capabilities to offset reduced administrative capacity.

Name

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Legal name

United States Department of Agriculture

Website

https://usda.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1862

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is a federal executive department that administers nutrition assistance (SNAP, WIC), farm income support, food safety inspection, agricultural research, and rural development programs for American farmers, low-income families, and rural communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Federal Agricultural Services

NAICS

Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture & Food Security Development (BPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned) (AFALADAH), Food Security, Agriculture & Nutrition Aid Programs (BPADABAD)

Keywords

• Agricultural policy
• Food assistance programs
• Food safety inspection
• Farm support services
• Rural development

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Others, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Congressional Appropriations: USDA is primarily funded through annual congressional appropriations. The agency manages over $200 billion annually in farm and food programs, including farm subsidies, nutrition assistance, and agricultural research.
2. Commodity Credit Corporation: CCC has authorized capital stock of $100 million with authority to borrow up to $30 billion. It funds domestic farm income, price support, conservation programs, foreign market development, and international food aid activities.
3. Program Fees and Service Charges: USDA collects various fees for services including food safety inspection, grading services, and agricultural marketing services. AMS grading services cover over 90% of cattle graded annually, equating to 21 billion pounds of beef graded per year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a federal executive department that administers agricultural, food, nutrition, and rural development programs across the United States and internationally. It provides nutrition assistance (SNAP, WIC, school meals), farm income support and conservation programs (via the Commodity Credit Corporation), farm loans and disaster assistance (Farm Service Agency), food safety inspection (FSIS), agricultural research (ARS, NIFA), economic and statistical research (ERS, NASS), rural development loans and grants, and international food aid programs.

Product overview

The U.S. Department of Agriculture operates as a broad federal agency providing multiple interconnected programs and services rather than a single unified product. The core portfolio includes food assistance programs (SNAP, WIC, National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program), food safety inspection services (FSIS), agricultural research (through ARS and NIFA), economic research (ERS), agricultural statistics (NASS), farm income support and conservation programs (via Commodity Credit Corporation including ARC, PLC, DMC), farm loans and disaster assistance (FSA), rural development, and nutrition guidance (Dietary Guidelines, MyPlate). USDA also operates digital platforms including Farmers.gov for producer services, and is deploying AI systems for surveillance, quality assessment, and operational automation. The department's programs are administered through multiple agencies including the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Food and Nutrition Service, Agricultural Marketing Service, and Foreign Agricultural Service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
• National School Lunch Program and Child Nutrition Programs
• McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program
• Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
• Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
• National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
• Economic Research Service (ERS)
• National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)
• Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Farm Support Programs
• Farm Service Agency (FSA) Loan Programs
• Farmers.gov Producer Portal
• Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• MyPlate
• USDA Rural Development Programs
• Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program and Feedstock Rule
• Research Facilities Act Program (FY2026 funding opportunity)
• Small Processors Action Plan and Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program
• USDA Loan and Grant Systems Modernization
• Great American Cotton Plan

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% of cattle graded annually (21 billion pounds)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and regional.

• Department of Homeland SecuritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026USDA partnering with DHS through a new memorandum of understanding for screwworm response, combining federal resources for biosecurity threat response.
• Department of Homeland SecuritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Expanded cooperation for New World Screwworm monitoring and response efforts, exploring detection technologies including dogs, drones, and AI.
• USDA Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2026Supported Texas A&M Forest Service launch of Wood Flow South website tracking forest product trade flows, providing funding and technical support.
• Texas Animal Health CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Lead animal health agency coordinating with USDA for screwworm containment, establishing quarantine zones across 14 Texas counties.
• Texas A&M University SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced President Trump appointed John Bellinger (Texas A&M Regent) as Senior Advisor for New World Screwworm Preparedness. Texas A&M's land-grant system is mobilizing research, diagnostics, and extension resources to support federal and state response efforts, deploying diagnostic equipment to Uvalde and training agents.
• World Food ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026$452 million agreement for Food for Peace program sending approximately 211,000 tons of American-grown commodities to seven countries, with all food required to be U.S.-grown.
• Apiary Inspectors of AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026Collaborative relationship for bee colony health monitoring, documenting the highest annual bee colony loss on record.
• Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Historic partnership to boost domestic agricultural production and exports through the Financial Assurance to Revitalize Markets (FARM) Initiative, expanding global banking participation with 100% coverage for payment guarantees.
• Elanco Animal HealthcoreTechnology or Integration · 27 April 2026USDA cooperation in Emergency Use Authorization for Elanco's Negasunt Powder and Tanidil to prevent and treat New World Screwworm infestations in livestock. Products distributed through APHIS and National Veterinary Stockpile.
• Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and MarketsregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2025$31.7 million in disaster aid block grant funding deployed through Vermont state agency to assist communities impacted by catastrophic flooding in July 2023 and 2024.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Canadian federal department with mandate closely mirroring USDA's—regulating agriculture, supporting farm income, administering food inspection, and managing trade. Comparable in providing agricultural services, research, and rural development programming across a major North American agricultural economy.
• DEFRA (UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs): UK ministerial department responsible for food and farming, animal and plant health, and rural communities—directly comparable to USDA's FSA, APHIS, and Rural Development functions. Operates with similar policy levers including farm subsidies, food safety regulation, and conservation programs.
• European Commission DG AGRI: EU's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, administering the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) with farm income support, market measures, and rural development. Comparable in scale of farm program management, multi-country coordination, and food system oversight.
• World Food Programme (WFP): UN agency partnering with USDA on $452M Food for Peace program, distributing American-grown commodities globally. Comparable as an international food assistance operation with similar scale of school feeding (McGovern-Dole reaches 98,000 students in Lao PDR alone) and emergency food response mandate.
• IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development): UN specialized agency and international financial institution focused on rural poverty reduction and agricultural development in developing countries. Directly comparable to USDA's international food security and Feed the Future initiatives—similar model of grant/loan financing for agricultural development.

Broad incumbents

• FAO (UN Food and Agriculture Organization): UN specialized agency leading international efforts to defeat hunger through agricultural research, statistical data, and policy advice. While USDA is a national agency, FAO's global mandate on food security, agricultural statistics (paralleling NASS), and rural development directly mirrors USDA's international work.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Sister U.S. federal agency sharing food safety regulatory authority with USDA—FDA oversees most food products while USDA's FSIS handles meat, poultry, and processed eggs. Comparable as a major federal regulator with public health mandate, scientific research arm, and broad inspection/recalls authority.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Sister federal agency whose regulatory authority frequently overlaps with USDA's conservation, water quality, and pesticide programs. Comparable as a federal executive agency with science-driven regulation, state partnership delivery models, and substantial rulemaking authority affecting agriculture.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): Joint partner with USDA on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the 2025-2030 guidelines release. Operates federal nutrition programs (CDC) and health research that complement USDA's nutrition assistance portfolio—functionally comparable in administering major benefit programs serving tens of millions of Americans.

Others

• Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM): U.S. federal agency that signed the FARM Initiative partnership with USDA to boost domestic agricultural exports through expanded payment guarantees. Operates as a federal credit agency with comparable scale ($30B CCC borrowing authority vs. EXIM's own exposure limits) supporting U.S. commercial interests abroad.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/usda
• YouTubeyoutube.com/usda
• Facebookfacebook.com/USDA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/usda
• Instagraminstagram.com/usdagov

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments834 records

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Frequently asked questions about U.S. Department of Agriculture