Results Act: Observations on USDA's Draft Strategic Plan

摘要

With an operating budget of about $57 billion, USDA is one of the largestcivilian agencies in government. USDA administers over 200 programs that cover a wide range of issues related to food and agriculture. Among other things, USDA'S programs support farmers' incomes, stabilize domestic markets, promote U.S. exports, manage national forests, conserve agricultural lands, provide access to food for low-income households, improve the nutritional status of the American people, ensure a safe food supply, and support research for the development of new agricultural products and processes. The programs are administered by 18 agencies in seven mission areas. The diverse nature of USDA's programs raises several challenges in developing a comprehensive strategic plan that adequately addresses all the responsibilities falling under the Department's purview. To best address the wide range of program activities and functions that support its mission and respond to the Results Act, USDA chose to develop a strategic plan that consists of a departmentwide strategic overview accompanied by 30 plans for the mission areas, agencies, and staff offices that constitute the Department. While the departmentwide strategic overview lays out the overall mission and goals for USDA, the agency plans provide greater detail on the missions and the goals of the individual agencies that make up the Department.