[Agriculture Fact Book 98]
USDA is the third-largest civilian Department of the U.S. Government, overseeing a variety of agencies, Government corporations, and other entities that employ more than 100,000 people at over 15,000 locations in all 50 States and 80 countries.
The Department has undergone a historic reorganization to improve coordination among its broad range of programs and agencies. This reorganization, which affects headquarters and field structures, was authorized by the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-354), signed into law in October 1994.
The reorganization focused the Department’s work under the following seven mission areas, which are described in chapters 6-12 of this Agriculture Fact Book:
Some programs serve the entire Department of Agriculture, including all mission areas. Among these are the Assistant Secretary for Administration (Departmental Administration), Office of the Chief Economist, Office of Inspector General, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and Office of the Chief Information Officer, all of which report directly to the Secretary of Agriculture. The Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs serves as liaison between the Department and Members of Congress and their staffs, State and local governments, and Indian tribes and their members.
Departmental Administration (DA) provides leadership and guidance to ensure that USDA is managed effectively, efficiently, and fairly in its administrative programs and services. The Departmental Administration Staff Offices provide support to policy officials of the Department, and overall direction and coordination for the administrative programs and services of the Department. In addition, DA manages the Headquarters Complex and provides direct customer service to Washington, DC, employees.
The Office of Civil Rights provides overall leadership, oversight, direction, and coordination for USDA civil rights and equal employment opportunity programs. The goal of this office is to ensure equal opportunity for women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in the work force, and to ensure equal opportunity in the delivery of USDA programs and services to all customers without regard to race, sex, national origin, disability, and other protected bases for certain programs and activities.
This office is responsible for ensuring program delivery compliance, and for evaluating USDA agency programs and activities for civil rights concerns. The Office of Civil Rights has full responsibility for investigating and adjudicating complaints.
The Office of Civil Rights proactively promotes civil rights at USDA, provides guidance and oversight to USDA agencies, and conducts compliance reviews and audits to ensure enforcement of all applicable civil rights laws, rules, and regulations. USDA’s civil rights policy, developed in 1998, requires that all employees treat coworkers and customers fairly and equitably, with dignity and respect.
The Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM) provides overall direction, leadership, and oversight of USDA human resources management programs and initiatives. OHRM establishes departmental human resources management policy and represents USDA in governmentwide initiatives. It develops and administers guidelines, principles, and objectives supporting human resources management, safety and health management, and labor management partnership for USDA. In addition, OHRM provides operational human resources management services for the Office of the Secretary, USDA Staff Offices, and the Departmental Administration offices.
OHRM manages an employee career management program to assist USDA employees. The program was enhanced in 1997-98 by enabling field employees to access information available at two resource centers. Access by telephone, fax, and e-mail was provided to field employees, who can now use such services as individual career counseling via the telephone, review and critique of résumés and other application forms via the fax, and dissemination of information materials.
OHRM also provides leadership for the Program Manager of the USDA National Scholars Program, in cooperation with the USDA 1890 Task Force and the USDA’s National Scholars Program, in cooperation with the 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Institutions, to recruit students interested in careers in agriculture. In addition, OHRM administers the USDA Summer Intern Program and 10 other student internships, which employed a total of 4,201 students in 1998. Of those students employed, 16 percent were African American, 9.6 percent were Hispanic, 4.1 percent were Asian, and 4 percent were Native American or Alaskan Native. Also included in this group were 27 students with severe disabilities.
In addition, OHRM administers the Summer Intern Program and 10 other student internships, which employed a total of 4,201 students in 1998. This is an increase of more than 35 percent from the prior year. Of the students employed, 16 percent were African American, 9.6 percent were Hispanic, 4.1 percent were Asian, and 4 percent were American Indian or Alaskan Natives. Also included in this group were 27 students with disabilities.
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The Office of Procurement and Property Management (OPPM) provides leadership and policy guidance concerning procurement, property management, energy conservation, disaster management, and coordination of emergency programs. OPPM also promotes and establishes USDA policy for alternative fuel vehicles, and the purchase of biobased, environmentally preferable, and recycled products.
OPPM is working to simplify and reduce the cost of procurement, and to improve access to information about procurement and property management policy for businesses and other members of the public. The cost of procurement has been reduced by expanding the use of commercial credit cards to make small purchases. At the end of FY 1997, over 16,000 credit cards had been issued to qualified holders throughout USDA. OPPM posts USDA procurement and property management policy and procedures on the Departmental Administration web site (www.usda.gov/da.html). Businesses interested in selling to USDA can view “Doing Business with USDA” at the web site. OPPM also posts information about disaster relief at this web site.
Mail
Smokey Bear receives more mail than any other individual in the Department.
Each year, USDA receives over 180 million pieces of mail, and at the
Washington, DC, headquarters alone, over 21 million pieces of mail are handled
each year--for an average of about 84,000 pieces of mail processed each
workday.
The headquarters mail operation is an active employer of those with disabilities. Over one-third of its employees are people with disabilities. Working closely with private and public placement organizations, the division has succeeded in bringing these employees into the work force. In recognition of its success in hiring the disabled, the division has received numerous government and private-sector awards.
The mail center is one of USDA’s Reinvention Laboratories supporting Vice President Gore’s National Performance Review, in which the Department has taken an active role. One advance is the implementation of computer-assisted mail sorting systems, which will improve efficiency and reduce by five the number of employees needed for this staff. Also, USDA is taking the lead in developing Government-wide mail management initiatives that are projected to save over $2 million.
Washington Area Strategic Space Plan
The Washington Area Strategic Space Plan has been developed to address USDA
Washington metropolitan area work space needs well into the 21st century. It is
a strategy for moving employees from leased space (at 18 locations) into
Government-owned space in Beltsville, MD, and a modernized South Building
headquarters complex in Washington, DC. The first component of the plan, the
construction of the 350,000-square-foot Beltsville Office Facility (BOF), was
completed in December 1997. Approximately 600 employees occupied the complex as
of August 1998, and relocation to the BOF will continue until the four
buildings are fully occupied.
The four-building complex is equipped with a state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure designed into the base building construction. Other features include a full-service cafeteria, the National Agricultural Research Center Credit Union, and a health unit. A Child Development Center, fitness center, sundry store, nursing mothers room, and telecommuting center are planned.
The second component of the plan is to modernize the 1.3-million-square-foot, 60-year- old South Building, which is in need of renovation to make it a modern, safe office environment. The project will be completed in eight phases. The first-phase construction contract was awarded on July 30, 1998. Construction of Phase I should take approximately 1 year.
Public Law 95-507, enacted October 1978, required the establishment of Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) in every Federal agency. USDA established its OSDBU on June 26, 1979. OSDBU provides departmentwide leadership and oversight for implementing and executing Small Business Programs prescribed under Sections 8 and 15 of the Small Business Act of 1958 as amended. It also has implementation responsibilities for Executive Order (E.O.) 12432, Minority Business Enterprise Development, and E.O. 12138, Women-Owned Business Enterprise Development.
OSDBU develops policy to enhance the utilization of small, minority, and women-owned businesses in the contract and program opportunities of USDA. It analyzes procurement trends and develops initiatives to improve contract awards to small, minority, and women-owned businesses. It provides outreach to raise awareness and solicit small business interest in USDA programs, and it monitors and reports the percentage of contract awards by USDA to small, minority, and women-owned businesses.
OSDBU’s goal is to provide information, guidance, and technical assistance to ensure continuous growth in the rate of small business participation in USDA programs and procurements.
If you are interested in business opportunities with the Department of Agriculture, visit our web site at www.usda.gov/da/smallbus.html or call (202) 720-7117 for more details.
The Office of the Chief Economist advises the Secretary of Agriculture on policies and programs affecting U.S. agriculture and rural areas. This advice includes assessments of USDA program proposals, legislative proposals, and economic developments of importance to agriculture and rural areas. In addition, the Office of the Chief Economist is responsible for several programs, described below, that coordinate activities across USDA agencies.
The World Wide Web address for the Office of the Chief Economist is http://www.usda.gov/oce/
The World Agricultural Outlook Board is USDA’s focal point for forecasts and projections of global commodity markets. Each month the Board brings together interagency committees of experts to forecast the supply, use, and prices of major commodities in the United States and abroad. The committees also clear agricultural forecasts published by other USDA agencies. This teamwork ensures that USDA forecasts are objective and consistent.
Because the weather is vital to crop forecasts, specialists from the Board work side-by- side with weather forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to monitor the weather and assess its effect on crops. Their work provides timely information on potential changes in global production. In related work, the Board also coordinates department- wide activity on long-term economic projections, remote sensing, and climate.
The World Wide Web address for the World Agricultural Outlook Board is http://www.usda.gov/oce/waob/waob.htm
This office is responsible for coordinating, reviewing, and approving all risk assessments and cost-benefit analyses of mitigation measures associated with major regulations of the Department. Major regulations are economically significant (with an impact of at least $100 million each year) and have a primary effect on human health, human safety, or the environment. The office provides direction to USDA agencies on appropriate methods for these analyses and serves as a focal point on matters relating to risk assessment in interagency reviews.
The World Wide Web address for the Office of Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analysis is http://www.usda.gov/oce/oracba/oracba.htm
The coordinator of agricultural labor affairs is a focal point for agricultural labor policy in USDA. Areas of concern include immigration, the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program, worker protection standards for pesticide use, farm labor supply, and agricultural employment issues.
The World Wide Web address for this office is http://www.usda.gov/oce/oce/labor- affairs/affairs.htm
The director of sustainable development coordinates USDA policies and programs in sustainable development, including sustainable agriculture, forestry, and rural communities. The director chairs a sustainable development council within USDA and serves as a liaison for Federal sustainable development activities.
The World Wide Web address for this office is http://www.usda.gov/oce/oce/sustainable-development/sustain.htm
Global climate change, whether from natural causes or human activity, could have important consequences for farming, forestry, and rural areas. The Global Change Program Office functions as the USDA-wide coordinator of global change program and policy issues facing the Department. The Office coordinates activities with other agencies, interacts with the legislative branch on climate change issues, and represents USDA in international climate change discussions. It also is a source of objective assessment of the economic effects of climate change and proposed mitigation strategies on agriculture and forestry.
The World Wide Web address for this office is http://www.usda.gov/oce/oce/global-change/global.htm
USDA's Office of Inspector General (OIG), the first civilian OIG in the Federal Government, was established in 1962 and became fully operational in 1963. OIG conducts and supervises audits and investigations relating to USDA's programs and operations. It provides leadership and coordination and recommends policies for activities that will prevent and detect fraud and abuse and promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in USDA programs and operations. Furthermore, OIG keeps the Secretary and Congress fully informed of problems and deficiencies related to administration of USDA programs and operations, and of the actions designed to correct such problems and deficiencies.
During the period April 1, 1997, through March 31, 1998, audit and investigative efforts resulted in approximately $107.6 million in recoveries, collections, fines, restitutions, claims established, administrative penalties, and costs avoided. Management agreed to put an additional $102.7 million to better use. OIG also identified $913.2 million in questioned costs that cannot be recovered. Investigative efforts resulted in 624 indictments and 604 convictions.
OIG began work on Presidential initiatives to improve the efficiency of three USDA programs. The first initiative, Operation Talon, is already resulting in the large-scale arrest of fugitive felons who are illegally receiving food stamps. Operation Talon was designed to locate and apprehend fugitives who were receiving food stamps, and was made possible by legislative changes in welfare reform. As of June 12, 1998, a total of 2,884 fugitive felons had been arrested, most of whom were current or former food stamp recipients. The fugitives arrested during Operation Talon have included dangerous felons wanted for murder, child molestation, rape, and kidnapping, and over one-third of those arrested were sought in connection with violent crimes or illegal drug activity. At a White House press announcement in December 1997, Vice President Al Gore announced the results of the first phase of Operation Talon. Following the announcement, OIG and the Food and Nutrition Service informed all States of the benefits of conducting similar matches.
The second Presidential initiative is detecting significant fraud committed by a number of Child and Adult Care Food Program sponsors around the country. For example, an official of a California sponsoring organization was sentenced to 3 years in prison, and her husband, the second sponsor official, was sentenced to 2 years. The couple was ordered to pay $2.2 million in restitution. Two additional sponsor officials were sentenced to 7 months each in prison and ordered to pay a total of $60,000 in restitution.
The third Presidential initiative, which is being conducted jointly with the Rural Housing Service, is aimed at uncovering misuse of funds and hazardous living conditions in the Rural Rental Housing Program. Recent passage of amendments to the Housing Act of 1949 enabled the Inspector General and the Under Secretary for Rural Development to take aggressive action to identify and refer for prosecution those owners/managers and management companies who fraudulently charge expenses to their projects while allowing their projects to physically deteriorate.
The USDA Secretary’s Memorandum 1030-30 established the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). The CIO is independent of any other office or agency of the Department and reports directly to the Secretary. Its mission is to strategically acquire and use information and technology resources to improve the quality, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness of USDA service delivery to customers.
The OCIO has primary responsibility, under the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996, to supervise and coordinate the design, acquisition, maintenance, use, and disposal of information technology by USDA agencies; to monitor the performance of USDA information technology programs and activities; and to ensure that USDA information management is consistent with the principles of the Paperwork Reduction Act and information security and privacy requirements. The CIO consults with the Department’s Chief Financial Officer to ensure that USDA’s information technology programs and activities are carried out in a cost-effective manner, and that financial and related program information is reliable, consistent, and timely. The CIO also deals with top- level officials in the Office of Management and Budget and other Federal agencies, and testifies before Congressional committees.
The OCIO is composed of an information resources management policy staff and an operations staff, known as the National Information Technology Center (NITC). NITC provides information management services and technology to support the missions of USDA and its agencies, the Federal Aviation Administration, and other Government clients. The NITC centralized computing facility of mainframe and client/server platforms, software, and support represents “leading edge” capability, consistency, and reliability. The applications that run in the NITC environment are national in scope and importance, directly serving approximately 70,000 end users.
The Chief Financial Officer has responsibility for oversight of all financial management activities relating to USDA programs and operations. The Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) directs, manages, provides policy guidance, and coordinates financial management activities and operations. It ensures compliance throughout the Department with applicable accounting standards and principles, and ensures adequate controls over asset management, including cash management operations, real property, equipment, and inventories. Through partnerships, it provides financial management leadership and service to support quality program delivery in the Department.
OCFO is responsible for developing and maintaining an integrated departmental accounting and financial management system which provides complete, reliable, consistent, and timely financial information that is responsive to the needs of program managers. OCFO is also responsible for ensuring auditable financial statements.
OCFO operates the largest automated administrative servicing operation in the Federal Government--the National Finance Center (NFC) in New Orleans, LA. The NFC processes salary and benefit payments for more than 450,000 Federal employees, performs administrative services for more than 100 Federal departments and agencies, and acts as recordkeeper for the Federal Government’s Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). The TSP currently services a $65 billion account for 2.3 million Federal employees and retiree members.
USDA’s Office of Congressional Relations serves as the Department’s primary liaison with Members of Congress and their staffs, providing information on the Department’s legislative agenda, budget proposals, programs, and policies.
The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (OIA) works closely with the Nation’s governors and State Commissioners of Agriculture, and other State and local elected officials, on various issues relating to their States. OIA is responsible for disseminating information on programs involving the implementation of USDA policies and procedures applicable to the Department’s intergovernmental relations.
OIA participates with the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations in the overall planning, formulation, and direction of the activities of the office relating to intergovernmental affairs. OIA serves as the USDA liaison with the White House and other executive branch agencies and Departments with respect to intergovernmental affairs
American Indian and Alaska Native Programs
The Director of Native American Programs, located in the Office of
Intergovernmental Affairs, is USDA’s primary contact with tribal
governments and their members. The director serves as the principal adviser and
representative on all matters related to USDA policy and programs which affect
and are available to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The director also
chairs USDA’s Native American Working Group, which reports to the
Secretary and provides advice, support, and other assistance to the director.
In 1992, USDA adopted an American Indian and Alaska Native policy which guides
USDA’s interactions with Indian tribes.
USDA provides a wide range of programs and services in all mission areas to American Indian and Alaska Native communities. In recent years, the Department has reached out to inform American Indians and Alaska Natives about USDA programs and services available to them, to deliver programs more effectively to Indian tribes, and to initiate new programs in response to the needs of Indian tribes. In October 1997, USDA published Guide to USDA Programs for American Indians and Alaska Natives to improve tribal communities’ access to USDA programs. The guide is also available on the USDA home page at the following address: www.usda.gov/news/pubs/indians/open.htm
| FOIA Officer Evelyn Davis |
202-720-7765 Rm 347-W evelyn.davis@usda.gov |
Washington, DC 20250 FAX 202-690-4728 |
| Civil Rights Freedom of Infor. Farook Sait |
202-720-5212 Rm 334-W | Washington, DC 20250 FAX 202-205-2891 |
| FOIA Officer Larry Shrum |
703-305-1164 Rm 1113 lshrum@usda.gov |
Park Office Center Alexandria, VA 22303 FAX 703-305-1496 |
| FOIA Officer Jacquelyn Patterson |
202-720-1272 Rm 118-E jcp@obpa.usda.gov |
Washington, DC 20250 FAX 202-690-3673 |
| Public Infomation Officer Raymond L. Bridge |
202-720-5447 Rm 5143-S rbridge@oce.usda.gov |
Washington, DC 20250-3812 FAX 202-690-1805 |
| Office of the Chief Economist | 202-720-4164 Rm 112-A ginny.taylor@usda.gov |
Washington, DC 20250-3810 FAX 202-690-4915 |
| Agricultural Labor Affairs Al French |
202-720-4737 Rm 112-A al.french@usda.gov |
Washington, DC 20250-3810 FAX 202-690-4915 |
| Sustainable Development Adela Backiel |
202-720-2455 Rm 112-A adela.backiel@usda.gov |
Washington, DC 20250-3810 FAX 202-690-4915 |
| World Agricultural Outlook Board |
202-720-5447 Rm 5143-S rbridge@oce.usda.gov |
Washington, DC 20250-3812 FAX 202-690-1805 |
| Chief Meteorologist Albert Peterlin |
202-720-5447 Rm 5143 apeterlin@oce.usda.gov |
Washington, DC 20250-3812 FAX 202-720-4043 |
| Office of Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analysis Alwynelle (Nell) Ahl |
202-720-8022 Rm 5248-S aahl@oce.usda.gov |
Washington, D.C. 20250-3811 FAX 202-720-1815 |
| Global Change Program Office Margot Anderson |
202-720-6168 Rm 112-A manderson@oce.usda.gov |
Washington, DC 20250-3810 FAX 202-690-4915 |
| Office of Energy Policy and New Uses James Duffield |
202-694-5017 Rm N-4059 duffield@econ.ag.gov |
1800 M St., NW Washington, DC 20036-5831 FAX 202-694-5665 |
| FOIA Officer Gary Barber |
202-720-1221 Rm 4088-S gbarber@usda.cfo.gov |
Washington, DC 20250 FAX 202-690-2568 |
| FOIA Officer Howard Baker |
202-720-8657 Rm 423-W howard.baker@usda.gov |
Washington, DC 20250 FAX 202-205-2831 |
| OGC Officer Kenneth Cohen |
202-720-5565 Rm 2321-S |
Washington, DC 20250 FAX 202-720-5837 |
| OIG Officer Dianne Smith |
202-720-6915 Rm 8-E diannes@oig.usda.gov |
Washington, DC 20250 FAX 202-690-6305 |
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