Department of Agriculture

At a glance

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for developing and executing Federal Government policy on farming, agriculture, forestry, and nutrition. Although the latter, nutrition (food stamps, welfare), makes up over 80% of the USDA’s budget.

The USDA is made up of 29 agencies and offices with nearly 100,000 employees at more than 4,500 locations across the country and abroad.

“We subsidize large agribusiness and the wealthy at the expense of the family farmer and the taxpayer. It’s an egregious example of cronyism. Both parties are to blame, but I’m hopeful both sides can come together to set this right.” - Paul Ryan

TELL YOUR FRIENDS. LIKE, NOW

A Path Forward

America’s farmers are an essential part to feeding our country and those around the world. The federal government can play an important role in helping small farms and entrepreneurs access the tools and capital needed to succeed in such an efficient industry. However, the Department of Agriculture itself does not share the same efficiency. There is one USDA employee for every eight farmers and one for every 18 farms, and the USDA would be the sixth largest corporation if it were a private company. In addition, money meant to be a safety net for farmers often goes to million and billion dollar farm operations.

Further, providing benefits for Americans who have fallen on hard times should be done effectively and efficiently. The USDA administers over 70 programs that address hunger in the U.S. at a cost of over $100 billion. Although money for these programs increases, Americans who use them cannot climb out of food insecurity. With thousands of Americans added to hunger programs annually, working to address how we take care of of our most vulnerable, while ensuring the integrity of taxpayer dollars will be key to the success and sustainability of the USDA.

 

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138.16 Billion Annual Budget

Sonny Perdue Secretary

100,000 Government Employees

Budget Growth 2012 - 2016

$3.53 Trillion

Annual budget for the federal government

$138.16 Billion

Percentage of Federal Budget


Media Coverage


Oversight Reports