USDA
USDA is the U.S. federal executive department providing national leadership on food, agriculture, nutrition, natural resources, and rural development through 29 agencies, serving American farmers, low-income families, rural communities, and international food-security programs with appropriations-funded safety-net, inspection, research, and trade functions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1862
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What USDA does
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a federal executive department of the U.S. government, established in 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln and headquartered in Washington, D.C. It is composed of 29 agencies and staff offices providing leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues, and operates with 10,000+ employees across domestic programs and an international presence in more than 80 countries. Its operating portfolio spans food assistance programs (SNAP serving more than 41 million Americans, WIC, National School Lunch), agricultural support (farm loans, crop insurance, conservation programs through FSA/NRCS), food safety inspection (FSIS, the nation's largest meat and poultry inspection authority), agricultural research (ARS, NIFA-funded extramural research), international trade promotion (FAS), rural infrastructure development, and dietary guidance produced jointly with HHS.
USDA's technology infrastructure includes a multi-agency scientific stack built around the Agricultural Research Service, Economic Research Service, National Agricultural Statistics Service, and National Institute of Food and Agriculture, complemented by advanced remote-sensing and mapping tools (Vegetation indices in VegScape), AI initiatives under the Genesis project for germplasm-data translation, domain-specific software such as i-Tree for urban forest management, genome-sequencing capabilities across wheat, tomato, bean, barley, apple, pig, and turkey, and public databases including FoodData Central, AGRICOLA, and the National Nutrient Database.
USDA does not operate on a commercial revenue model. It is funded entirely through Congressional appropriations and operates nutrition assistance, agricultural support, conservation, rural development, inspection, and research programs at no direct cost to beneficiaries. Customer beneficiaries include farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers; low-income families and food-insecure Americans; WIC-eligible women, infants, and children; rural communities benefiting from infrastructure programs; and developing countries targeted under the Feed the Future initiative and international food aid programs. The department's distribution surface reaches more than 250,000 SNAP-authorized retailers, schools, food banks, Indian reservations, and emergency feeding organizations, and is delivered through hybrid direct-to-beneficiary and federal-state coordination channels.
USDA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- USDA
- Legal name
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Website
- https://usda.gov
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1862
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- USDA is the U.S. federal executive department providing national leadership on food, agriculture, nutrition, natural resources, and rural development through 29 agencies, serving American farmers, low-income families, rural communities, and international food-security programs with appropriations-funded safety-net, inspection, research, and trade functions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
USDA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Government Agricultural Services
- NAICS
- Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614), Community Food Services (62421)
- SIC
- Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111), Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration (BPAIAAAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned) (AFALADAH), Import/Export & Border Compliance Support (FSVP, Prior Notice, Health Certificates) (AFALADAE), Regulatory Submissions, Registrations & Facility Approvals (FDA/USDA/EU) (AFALADAD), Recall Readiness, Crisis Management & Regulatory Liaison (AFALADAG), Sanitation & Hygienic Design Compliance (SSOPs, GMPs) (AFALADAJ), Food Security, Agriculture & Nutrition Aid Programs (BPADABAD)
Keywords
Where USDA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
USDA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
USDA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
USDA is a federal executive department that administers nutrition assistance programs (SNAP, WIC, and National School Lunch Program) for low-income Americans, conducts food safety inspection of meat, poultry, and processed egg products through FSIS, delivers farmer safety-net programs (crop insurance, farm loans, conservation programs, and disaster assistance), provides rural development infrastructure funding, operates international food aid programs, and conducts intramural and extramural agricultural research through ARS and NIFA.
Product overview
USDA operates as a federal department with multiple interconnected agencies and programs providing a comprehensive suite of food, agricultural, and nutritional services. The portfolio includes food assistance programs (SNAP, WIC, school nutrition programs), agricultural support services (farm loans, crop insurance, conservation programs), food safety inspection (FSIS), agricultural research (ARS), international trade promotion (FAS), rural development, and nutrition guidance. Key marketing initiatives include the Product of USA voluntary labeling program. The department manages commodity programs through FSA (ARC/PLC, marketing assistance loans), environmental programs through NRCS (EQIP, CSP, CRP), and animal/plant health protection through APHIS. Agricultural Marketing Service provides grading standards and commodity purchasing for federal feeding programs. Food distribution is supported by web-based supply chain management technology.
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
- Product of USA Label
- Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
- Farm Service Agency (FSA) Programs
- Crop Insurance
- Conservation Programs
- Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
- Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)
- Rural Development Programs
- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans
- Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)
- Cooperative Extension
- Genesis AI Crop Innovation Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 41+ million Americans receive SNAP benefits monthly
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use USDA
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
USDA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature4 records
USDA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Mexico (Government of Mexico)coreUSDA announced phased reopening of southern cattle ports beginning August 24, 2026, contingent on Mexico's adherence to the Joint Action Plan for New World screwworm containment.
- Universities and Research StakeholderscoreUSDA called on universities and stakeholders to help build new AI tools through the Genesis project to translate germplasm data and accelerate crop innovation.
- HHS and EPAcoreUSDA, HHS, and EPA announced an updated MOU to bolster consumer protections from heavy metals and other contaminants in food, reaffirming shared commitment to food safety.
- FDA (Food and Drug Administration)coreUSDA and FDA collaborate on the BRIDGE Project for risk-based food industry oversight and have partnered to establish a federal definition for ultra-processed foods.
- Department of Justice (DOJ)coreUSDA and DOJ signed a Memorandum of Understanding in September 2025 to protect American farmers from high and volatile input costs and ensure competitive supply chains.
- Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP)coreUSDA participates in this multilateral trust fund that has awarded $658 million to finance country development plans in 18 low-income countries with 8.2 million beneficiaries. The U.S. helped launch GAFSP in 2010.
- Norman Borlaug Commemorative Research InitiativecorePartnership between USDA and USAID launched in 2010 for collaborative research on wheat rust, aflatoxin, East Coast fever vaccine, and enhanced animal, grain and legumes production.
- Feed the Future Initiative PartnersflagshipUSDA coordinates with USAID, other federal agencies, and international partners under the Feed the Future initiative launched in 2009. Target countries include Ghana, Kenya, East Africa, Bangladesh, Haiti, Guatemala and Central America. The initiative addresses global food security through agricultural development and nutrition programs.
- EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)coreUSDA is a member of the Federal Interagency Collaboration to Reduce Food Loss and Waste (FIFLAW) along with EPA, FDA, and USAID.
- USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development)flagshipUSAID partners with USDA on Feed the Future and international food aid programs, benefiting 34 million individuals globally with assistance valued at nearly $1.6 billion.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
USDA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations: UN specialized agency leading international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO and USDA collaborate on global food security, agricultural statistics, and international standards, with USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service operating as the U.S. counterpart to FAO's international scope.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Federal agency responsible for food safety oversight (non-meat/poultry), pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. USDA and FDA jointly administer U.S. food safety through the BRIDGE Project, making FDA the most directly comparable federal peer with overlapping food safety and ultra-processed food authority.
- U.S. Department of Labor (DOL): Federal department governing workforce policy. USDA depends on DOL's H-2A agricultural worker program (new 2025 rule saving $2B+) for farm labor, making DOL a critical partner whose policy actions directly affect USDA's agricultural producer base.
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS): Federal department overseeing border security and immigration. DHS's 2025 H-2A streamlining rule and border inspection activities directly affect USDA's agricultural trade and labor programs, with overlapping authority on agricultural imports.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Federal agency regulating environmental and agricultural contaminants. USDA and EPA share jurisdiction over pesticide approval, food contaminants (heavy metals MOU), and conservation programs, making EPA a closely adjacent federal peer with overlapping agricultural regulatory scope.
- U.S. Department of the Interior: Federal department managing public lands, natural resources, and tribal affairs. USDA's Forest Service and NRCS share natural resource management scope with Interior, and both departments administer programs affecting rural and tribal communities.
Direct peers
- USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development): Federal agency administering international development and food aid programs. USDA and USAID jointly implement Feed the Future, McGovern-Dole, and Norman Borlaug Research Initiative, with bilateral collaboration on international food security and agricultural development.
Regional players
- UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA): UK government department responsible for environmental protection, food production, and rural affairs. DEFRA combines food safety, agricultural support, and rural development functions similar to USDA, making it a regional peer operating comparable programs in a different geography.
- European Commission - DG Agriculture and Rural Development: European Union's executive agency implementing the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), managing farm subsidies, rural development, and agricultural market regulation. DG AGRI is the most directly comparable international counterpart to USDA's domestic farm support and rural development mandate.
Others
- NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration): Federal agency providing weather, climate, and ocean data. NOAA's forecasting capabilities directly support USDA's crop insurance, disaster assistance, and agricultural intelligence programs, with VegScape and crop monitoring data dependent on NOAA-affiliated climate information.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
USDA social profiles
Digital presenceUSDA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
USDA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
USDA subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries13 records
USDA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
USDA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about USDA
What does USDA do?
USDA is a federal executive department that administers nutrition assistance programs (SNAP, WIC, and National School Lunch Program) for low-income Americans, conducts food safety inspection of meat, poultry, and processed egg products through FSIS, delivers farmer safety-net programs (crop insurance, farm loans, conservation programs, and disaster assistance), provides rural development infrastructure funding, operates international food aid programs, and conducts intramural and extramural agricultural research through ARS and NIFA.
Is USDA a public or private company?
USDA is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was USDA founded?
USDA was founded in 1862. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is USDA based?
USDA is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
Who are USDA's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of the Interior. USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development) is listed as a direct peer. Regional players are UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and European Commission - DG Agriculture and Rural Development. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is listed as an others.
Does USDA have an API?
No public API is recorded for USDA.
What industry is USDA in?
USDA's product category is Government Agricultural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAAAO, Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration, with a secondary code of AFALADAH, Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned). Its NAICS code is 92614 and its SIC code is 6111.