Privacy Office
About the Privacy Office
The United States Department of Agriculture Privacy Office is located within the Office of the Chief Information Officer. The mission of the USDA Privacy Office is to preserve and enhance privacy protections for all individuals, to promote transparency of USDA operations, and to serve as a leader in the federal privacy community. The Office accomplishes its mission by focusing on two key activities: (1) requiring compliance with the letter and spirit of federal laws promoting privacy and to provide policy and programmatic oversight and support operational implementation within the components; (2) providing education and outreach to build a culture of privacy and adherence to Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs) across the Department.
The USDA Privacy Office operates under the direction of the Chief Information Officer and the Chief Privacy Officer. The USDA Privacy Office works within the parameters of the Privacy Act of 1974, the e-Government Act of 2002 and the numerous laws, Executive Orders, Department policies that protect the use, and disclosure of personal and Departmental information.
Sam Berry, Chief Information Officer
Sam Berry serves as the U.S. Department of Agriculture Chief Information Officer (CIO).
Originally from Michigan, Sam has built a reputation as a visionary leader in the tech space. We are excited for his perspectives and entrepreneurial energy he brings to the role, and confident his leadership will help drive our technology strategy into the next chapter.
Sam brings a strong track record of driving digital transformation and technology excellence, with long-standing hands-on experience in both startup and enterprise environments. As founder and CEO of software companies, Sam led the automation of complex business processes, consolidated enterprise platforms, and priorities running infrastructure securely and efficiently in the cloud. His work as a founding engineer of several innovative service offerings demonstrates a sharp eye for building solutions from the ground up that deliver real world impact.
In addition, Sam has led large-scale transformation efforts and has deep experience in migrating legacy systems to modern architecture - a skill set that will be critical as we continue to modernize and scale our technology infrastructure to meet future demands.
Privacy Compliance Documentation
The availability of information, from personal information to public information, is made all the easier due to technological changes in computers, digitized networks, internet access, and the creation of new information products. The e-Government Act of 2002 recognized that these advances also have important ramifications for the protection of personal information contained in government records and systems. The Act mandates an assessment of the privacy impact of any substantially revised or new Information Technology System. The document that results from these mandated assessments is called a Privacy Impact Assessment, or "PIA."
Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs)
System of Records Notices (SORNs)
Privacy Act Requests
The Privacy Act grants individuals a right of access to their records and any information pertaining to them that are contained in the agency systems of records. While the Privacy Act increases an individual's right to access the individual's own record, it restricts an individual's ability to access a record pertaining to someone else. The Privacy Act prohibits disclosure of records in a system of records to any person or agency, unless disclosure is pursuant to the prior written request by, or with the prior written consent of, the individual to whom the record pertains.
To make an Electronic Privacy Act Request, please visit the following link: USDA Public Access Link.
Note: This link will allow you to electronically complete your request.
The USDA Public Access Link (PAL) is a web portal that allows requestors to create, submit, and track the status of their FOIA and Privacy Act request(s). To use the system, the requestor must register and create a username and password. This system also provides remote identity proofing and authentication through login.gov for Privacy Act requests.
USDA Privacy Policy Statement
USDA Privacy Policies
- DR3515-002: Privacy Policy and Compliance for Personally Identifiable Information
- DR3505-003: Access Control for Information and Information Systems
- DR3565-003 Plan of Action and Milestones Policy
- DR3545-001 Information Security Awareness (ISA) Program
- DR3450-001 Computer Matching Program Involving Personally Identifiable Information
- DR3505-005 Cyber Security Incident Management
- DM3505-005 Cybersecurity Incident Management Procedures
- DR3440-002 Control and Protection of “Sensitive Security Information
For a comprehensive list of USDA policies related to privacy, visit USDA’s online repository for all USDA Departmental Regulations, Notices, Manuals, Guidebooks.
Privacy Laws
- The Privacy Act of 1974
- The eGovernment Act of 2002
- Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014
- The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act 0f 1988
- The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
- Judicial Redress Act of 2015
- Trade Secrets Act
- Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995
- Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998
- Social Security Number Fraud Prevention Act of 2017
For a comprehensive list of Federal laws related to privacy, visit the Federal Privacy Council's Law Library page.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidance
- OMB Memorandum 17-26, Reducing Burden for Federal Agencies by Rescinding and Modifying OMB Memoranda
- OMB Memorandum 06-19, Reporting Incidents Involving Personally Identifiable Information Incorporating the Cost for Security in Agency Information Technology Investments
- OMB Memorandum 10-23, Guidance for Agency Use of Third-Party Websites and Applications
- OMB Memorandum 06-16, Protection of Sensitive Agency Information
- OMB Memorandum 10-22, Guidance for Online Use of Web Measurement and Customization Technologies
- OMB Memorandum 06-15, Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information
- OMB Memorandum 23-03, Guidance on Federal Information Security and Privacy Management Requirements for FY 2023
- OMB Memorandum 05-08, Designation of Senior Agency Officials for Privacy
- OMB Memorandum 03-22, Guidance for Implementing the Privacy Provisions of the E-Government Act of 2002
- OMB Memorandum 07-16, Safeguarding Against and Responding to the Breach of Personally Identifiable Information
- OMB Memorandum 99-18, Privacy Policies on Federal Web Sites
- OMB Memorandum M-01-05, Guidance on Inter-Agency Sharing of Personal Data - Protecting Personal Privacy
- OMB Memorandum M-11-02, Sharing Data While Protecting Privacy
- OMB Memorandum M-13-13, Open Data Policy - Managing Information as an Asset
- OMB Memorandum M-13-20, Protecting Privacy while Reducing Improper Payments with the Do Not Pay Initiative
- OMB Memorandum M-14-04, Reporting Instructions for the Federal Information Security Management Act and Agency Privacy Management
For a comprehensive list of OMB Guidelines related to privacy, visit OMB’s Information and Guidance webpage.
Computer Matching Agreements
| Name | Federal Register Citation and Link | 18-Month | 12-Month Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) - Electronic Disqualified Recipient System (eDRS) Computer Matching Agreement (CMA) (PDF, 253 KB) | 89 FR 68127 08/23/2024 | N/A | Active |
| U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) - National Accuracy Clearinghouse (NAC) Computer Matching Agreement (CMA) | 88 FR 3861 05/25/2023 | N/A | N/A |
Publicly Available Agency Reports on Privacy
2023 Annual Computer Matching Agreement Activity Report (PDF, 67.4 KB)
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
The FOIA is found in Title 5 of the United States Code, Section 552. FOIA was enacted in 1966 and gives any person the right to request access to almost any federal agency record, except those protected from disclosure by legal exemptions and exclusions (e.g., classified national security, business proprietary, personal privacy, and investigative documents.)
Report a Privacy Incident
Report Incidents Immediately: Promptly report any suspected or confirmed PII incidents.
Email: RA.ASOC.Cyber.Incident
Phone: 1-877-PII-2-YOU (1-877-744-2968)
Contact Information
The Privacy Office
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Washington, DC 20250
Senior Agency Official for Privacy: Sam Berry
Chief Privacy Officer: Scherida Lambert
Email: SM.OCIO.CIO.UsdaPrivacy@usda.gov
