The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an executive department of the United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commercial farming and livestock food production, promotes agricultural trade and production, works to assure food safety, protects natural resources, fosters rural communities and works to end hunger in the United States and internationally. It is headed by the secretary of agriculture, who reports directly to the president of the United States and is a member of the president's Cabinet. The current secretary is Tom Vilsack, who has served since February 24, 2021.
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), more informally called the American Farm Bureau (AFB) or simply the Farm Bureau, is a United States-based 501(c)(5) tax-exempt agricultural organization and lobbying group. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Farm Bureau has affiliates in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Each affiliate is a (state or county) Farm Bureau, and the parent organization is also often called simply the Farm Bureau.
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is the United States Department of Agriculture agency that was formed by merging the farm loan portfolio and staff of the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) and the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS). The Farm Service Agency implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster, and farm marketing programs through a national network of offices. The Administrator of FSA reports to the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm Production and Conservation. The current administrator is Zach Ducheneaux. The FSA of each state is led by a politically appointed State Executive Director (SED).
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture; it maintains programs in five commodity areas: cotton and tobacco; dairy; fruit and vegetable; livestock and seed; and poultry. These programs provide testing, standardization, grading and market news services for those commodities, and oversee marketing agreements and orders, administer research and promotion programs, and purchase commodities for federal food programs. The AMS enforces certain federal laws such as the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act and the Federal Seed Act. The AMS budget is $1.2 billion. It is headquartered in the Jamie L. Whitten Building in Washington, D.C.
The Michigan Farm Bureau was founded on the campus of Michigan State University in 1919. The organization's primary goal is to promote and represent the interests of its agricultural members within the state of Michigan.
The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is a wholly owned United States government corporation that was created in 1933 to "stabilize, support, and protect farm income and prices". The CCC is authorized to buy, sell, lend, make payments, and engage in other activities for the purpose of increasing production, stabilizing prices, assuring adequate supplies, and facilitating the efficient marketing of agricultural commodities.
Thomas William Ewing is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives and the Illinois State House of Representatives. Ewing was a state representative from 1974 to 1991, and a U.S. Congressman representing the 15th district of Illinois from July 2, 1991 until his retirement on January 3, 2001. In January 1995 he was named a Deputy Republican House Whip. While a U.S. Congressman, Thomas Ewing was considered to be a Conservative, favoring a smaller, less intrusive government, but more on economic issues than on social ones.
National Farmers Union is a national federation of state Farmers Union organizations in the United States. The organization was founded in 1902 in Point, Texas, and is headquartered in Washington, D.C.. The organization was created to protect and enhance the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers, ranchers, and their rural communities by promoting legislation and education beneficial to farmers, and developing cooperative buying and selling methods and businesses. NFU advocates for the sustainable production of food, fiber, feed, and fuel. The current president is Rob Larew, and the vice president is Jeff Kippley. Former NFU Presidents have included Roger Johnson, Tom Buis, and David Frederickson.
Jim Wood, an American politician, is a former State Auditor of the U.S. state of Arkansas, and is a former State Legislator. He served from 2003 to 2011.
Marsha Arzberger is a Democratic politician. She served as Arizona State Senator for District 25 from 2003 to 2008, and before that for District 8 from 2000 to 2001.
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture is a state governmental agency that is responsible for the promotion and protection of agriculture and agribusiness in the state of New Jersey. The department oversees school meal programs, distributes surplus food from federal programs, oversees soil and water resources, maintains farmland for agricultural uses, assists in development of overseas markets for New Jersey products from its farms and fisheries, and administers agricultural education programs.
Dennis C. "Denny" Wolff is an American farmer, non-profit founder, and former public official who was the 2018 Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania's (new) 9th Congressional District.
The Oklahoma Farm Bureau (OKFB) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting, protecting, and representing the interests of farmers and ranchers in Oklahoma and is the largest farm organization in the State. OKFB is the Oklahoma level partner of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).
Tennessee Farmers Cooperative (TFC) is a federated agricultural supply cooperative established in 1945 and headquartered in La Vergne, Tennessee. TFC has 54 member co-ops that are owned by some 64,000 farmers across the state. The cooperative's production and distribution centers are located at Tenco near Maryville in East Tennessee and Jackson in West Tennessee. TFC serves more than half a million customers through 164 retail outlets located in 84 of Tennessee's 95 counties as well as several locations in neighboring states of Kentucky, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri, and Mississippi. In 2014, TFC had consolidated sales of nearly $770 million.
James Lee Reese is a farmer, businessman and politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Appointed by Republican Governor Mary Fallin as Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture, Reese was sworn into office on January 10, 2011. He also acted as Fallin's chief advisor on policy development and implementation related to agriculture, food, and forestry. Reese serves concurrently in Oklahoma City as the commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture.
Texas Farm Bureau, Texas's largest farm organization, represents the interests of agricultural producers and rural communities across Texas as the "Voice of Texas Agriculture." Texas Farm Bureau's grassroots structure begins in local communities across the state of Texas. The non-profit organization's direction and decision making are dictated by its members.
The Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation (LFB) is a state chapter of the United States's largest general farm organization representing farmers, ranchers, and rural residents. The organization provides assistance toward the development and prosperity of Louisiana agriculture. It is a private, non-profit, non-governmental agency established in 1922 to bring a voice to Louisiana farmers and their families. It is based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Bruce Maloch is an attorney and politician in South Arkansas.
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is an alliance of over 130 member groups working to promote and enhance sustainable food and farm policy at the federal level. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NSAC aims to equally prioritize supporting, building, developing and engaging the grassroots of sustainable agriculture by researching, developing and advocating federal policies.
Janie Simms Hipp is an agriculture and food lawyer, policy expert, and the founder of the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative at the University of Arkansas, founder of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of Tribal Relations in the Office of the Secretary, founding Executive Director of the Native American Agriculture Fund,. Hipp's work focuses on the intersection of Indian law and agriculture and food law. She is currently the CEO/President of Native Agriculture Financial Services since August 2023.
