Nebraska Department of Agriculture

What Nebraska Department of Agriculture does

Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) is a state government agency headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, operating with approximately 62 employees to regulate and promote agriculture across all 93 counties of the state. The agency is organized around five functional divisions: Ag Promotion & Development (market access, beginning farmer support, international trade, livestock development, specialty crops); Animal & Plant Health Protection (disease traceability, livestock emergency response, pesticide/fertilizer regulation, noxious weed control, hemp oversight); Food Safety & Consumer Protection (dairy, food establishment inspections, produce safety, weights and measures); Laboratories (feed, fertilizer, agricultural lime, food and dairy testing); and Online Payments (digital licensing, permits, and checkoff transactions).

The agency's core technology consists of state-operated laboratories for chemical and microbiological testing, online permitting and licensing systems, electronic payment platforms, and regulatory databases covering Nebraska statutes including the Agricultural Products Marketing Act, Animal Health and Disease Control Act, Commercial Feed Act, Pesticide Act, Weights and Measures Act, and Nebraska Pure Food Act. NDA adopts NCWM-based uniform regulations for the method of sale of commodities and packaging/labeling standards, aligned with NIST-backed norms.

NDA's business model is primarily that of a publicly funded state agency. It is funded through legislative appropriations and generates supplementary revenue via licensing and permit fees, tonnage fees on feed/fertilizer/ag lime products, and checkoff transaction fees administered on behalf of the Nebraska Corn, Wheat, and Grain Sorghum Boards. Core regulatory and inspection services are provided at no direct cost to producers. Its customers — distributed across Nebraska's farmers and ranchers, food establishments, agricultural input suppliers, retail/wholesale businesses, and agricultural youth — interact with the agency through field inspectors, digital platforms, and direct office engagement.

Name

Nebraska Department of Agriculture

Legal name

Nebraska Department of Agriculture

Website

https://nda.nebraska.gov

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Nebraska Department of Agriculture is a state regulatory agency headquartered in Lincoln that oversees animal and plant health, food safety, weights and measures, and agricultural promotion across all 93 Nebraska counties, serving farmers, ranchers, food businesses, and ag input suppliers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Agricultural Regulatory Services

NAICS

Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614), Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (926140), Support Activities for Animal Production (115210), Support Activities for Animal Production (11521)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned) (AFALADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fertilizer Compliance, Testing & Certification (Nutrient Analysis, Regulatory/Stewardship Programs) (AFABABAL), Animal Health Policy, Standards & International Coordination (e.g., WOAH/FAO) (HLAMAJAO), Labeling & Claims Compliance Review (Nutrition, Allergen, Country-of-Origin) (AFALADAF), Recall Readiness, Crisis Management & Regulatory Liaison (AFALADAG), Animal Feed Safety & Feed Additives Regulation (HLAJAEAK)

Keywords

• Agricultural regulatory services
• Food safety inspections
• Animal health programs
• Plant health protection
• Agricultural licensing permits

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Licensing and Permit Fees: NDA collects fees for various licenses, permits, and registrations including aerial pesticide business licenses, commercial dog and cat licenses, dairy permits, food establishment fees, nursery stock distributor licenses, pesticide applicator licenses, and weights and measures device registrations.
2. Agricultural Checkoff Programs: The Fee Collection Program administers joint fee collection for all agriculture checkoff programs authorized by statute, including corn checkoff (1/2 cent per bushel), wheat checkoff (5/10 of 1% of value), and grain sorghum checkoff (1 cent per cwt).
3. Tonnage Fee Collection: Collection of tonnage fees for feed, fertilizer, and agricultural lime products distributed in Nebraska.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) regulates and promotes Nebraska's agricultural industry through animal health and plant protection programs, food safety inspections, weights and measures verification, licensing and permitting, laboratory testing of feed, fertilizer, agricultural lime, food, and dairy products, and agricultural development initiatives supporting farmers, ranchers, food businesses, and agricultural input suppliers across all 93 Nebraska counties.

Product overview

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture operates as a state regulatory agency administering a multi-faceted portfolio of agricultural programs rather than a unified commercial product. The core structure comprises five major divisions: Ag Promotion & Development providing market access and farmer support services; Animal & Plant Health Protection overseeing livestock and crop health programs; Food Safety & Consumer Protection regulating food establishments and weights/measures; Laboratories providing feed, fertilizer, and food testing; and Online Payments enabling digital transactions. Supporting these divisions are specialized service programs including the Hay and Forage Hotline, Drought Central resource hub, Commodity Checkoff Refund program, and comprehensive Directories and Publications repository. The department also maintains extensive regulatory guidance documents covering food safety requirements (TCS Foods Temperature Guide, Temporary Food Establishment Requirements, Safe Food Handler Practices), and publishes technical standards including the Uniform Regulation for the Method of Sale of Commodities and Uniform Packaging and Labeling Regulation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ag Promotion & Development Division
• Animal & Plant Health Protection Division
• Food Safety & Consumer Protection Division
• NDA Laboratories
• Online Payments Platform
• Hay and Forage Hotline
• Drought Central
• Commodity Checkoff Program Administration
• Licensing, Permits & Registrations Portal

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nebraska Corn BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Nebraska Corn Board partners with NDA for corn checkoff program administration. The checkoff is assessed at 1/2 cent per bushel on all corn sold through commercial channels. The board utilizes NDA's Fee Collection Program for collection and administration of checkoff dollars.
• Nebraska Wheat BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Nebraska Wheat Board partners with NDA for wheat checkoff administration. The checkoff is assessed at 5/10 of 1% of value on all wheat sold. NDA's Fee Collection Program administers the collection, with detailed budget and fund utilization information provided by the board at nebraskawheat.com.
• Nebraska Grain Sorghum BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board partners with NDA for grain sorghum checkoff administration at 1 cent per cwt. The board oversees fund utilization and budgets, with NDA collecting fees through its Fee Collection Program.
• USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNDA collaborates with USDA on multiple programs including USDA Market News for agricultural price information, Farm Service Agency programs for disaster assistance and emergency loans, National Poultry Improvement Plan, National Scrapie Eradication Program, and livestock import/export certification.
• Nebraska Alfalfa Marketing AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered through the Hay and Forage Hotline program, providing additional resources for hay and forage producers seeking market connections and drought-related assistance.
• Nebraska Emergency Management AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNDA collaborates with NEMA for agricultural disaster response coordination, including wildland fire support through the Nebraska Forest Service and drought monitoring resources.
• University of Nebraska-LincolncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNDA partners with UNL for agricultural research, drought resources, climate data (Nebraska State Climate Office, Nebraska Mesonet), and educational programs. Includes collaboration with the National Drought Mitigation Center and Water Optimizer Tool development.
• National Conference on Weights and MeasurescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNDA adopts the Uniform Regulation for the Method of Sale of Commodities and Uniform Packaging and Labeling Regulation developed by NCWM, supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology for weights and measures standardization.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Texas Department of Agriculture: State agriculture department administering comparable divisions covering food safety, pesticide/feed regulation, weights/measures, commodity promotion, and consumer protection with substantially overlapping functional scope to NDA.
• Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection: Dairy-heavy state agency overseeing food safety, animal/plant health, weights/measures, and agricultural development with a similar mix of regulatory and promotional functions as NDA.
• Kansas Department of Agriculture: Adjacent Plains-state agency regulating food safety, animal health, plant protection, weights/measures, and agricultural commodity programs with a similar livestock/grain mix and statutory structure to NDA.
• California Department of Food and Agriculture: State agency with equivalent animal/plant health, food safety, weights/measures, and marketing program authorities; though its crop mix and pest pressures differ, the statutory and organizational structure directly parallels NDA's.
• Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship: Neighboring state department with parallel mandate over animal/plant health, food safety, weights/measures, commodity promotion, and agricultural inputs regulation across a comparable Corn Belt economy — the closest functional peer to NDA.
• Colorado Department of Agriculture: Plains/Rockies state agency with animal/plant health, food safety, weights/measures, and inspection programs functionally equivalent to NDA's, including an in-house laboratory and conservation services.
• Missouri Department of Agriculture: Neighboring state department with overlapping regulatory portfolio over food safety, animal health, weights/measures, and grain/livestock commodity programs comparable to NDA's scope.

Broad incumbents

• USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS): Federal food-safety regulator that NDA's Food Safety & Consumer Protection division interfaces with on retail food, dairy, and inspection matters — a broader incumbent in overlapping regulatory territory.
• USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS): Federal-level counterpart that NDA partners with on disease traceability, NPIP, and Scrapie Eradication; broader jurisdiction but the same functional area of animal and plant health regulation.

Others

• National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA): Umbrella association representing state agriculture departments including NDA; not a competitor but the coordinating body through which federal policy, cooperative programs, and best-practice exchanges flow.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NeDeptAg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NeDeptAg
• Facebookfacebook.com/Nebraska.Department.Agriculture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nebraska-department-of-agriculture
• Instagraminstagram.com/nedeptag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Nebraska Department of Agriculture