# Agricultural Marketing Service: Quality, Efficiency, and Fairness Through Service 

The Agricultural Marketing Service was established by the Secretary of Agriculture onApril 2, 1972, under the authority of Reorganization Plan Number 2 of 1953 (5 U.S.C. app.)And other authorities. AMS' mission is to facilitate the strategic marketing ofagricultural products in domestic and international markets while ensuring fair tradingpractices and promoting a competitive and efficient marketplace to the benefit ofproducers and consumers of U.S. food and fiber products. 

**Market News**

AMS provides current, unbiased price and sales information to producers, distributors,and others to assist them in the orderly marketing and distribution of farm commodities.Reports include information on prices, volume, quality, condition, and other market dataon farm products in specific markets and marketing areas. Reports cover both domestic andinternational markets. The data is disseminated within hours of collection via a satellitesystem and made available through electronic means, in printed reports, by telephonerecordings, and through the news media. 

**Standardization, Grading, and Classing**

Working with industry and consumers, AMS has developed and issued more than 600nationally uniform standards for over 235 agricultural commodities. U.S. standardsfacilitate the sale of agricultural products by providing a common language of trade andforming the basis for Federal-State market news reports, a tool that helps traders inagricultural products make sound buying and selling decisions. 

Grading and classing services are provided to certify the grade and quality ofproducts. Grading services are provided to buyers and sellers of live cattle, swine,sheep, meat, poultry, eggs, rabbits, fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, peanuts, dairyproducts, tobacco, wool, and mohair. Classing services are provided to buyers and sellersof cotton and cotton products. AMS also is responsible for the certification of turpentineand other naval stores products and the standardization and testing of seed. Theseservices are mainly voluntary and provided upon request for a fee. 

The agency's new voluntary certification and acceptance programs provide producers andprocessors with a range of services designed to enhance the marketability of theirproducts. These services include auditing and registration programs, which providethird-party verification to assure potential customers that a supplier is capable ofproviding a consistent quality product. Also, buyers can rely on sanitation verificationservices to be sure that potential suppliers meet established sanitation requirements. 

**National Organic Program**

Products labeled a organic are currently produced under a wide variety of standards,causing confusion in the marketplace.  A new national program will establish nationalstandards governing the marketing of certain agricultural products as organicallyproduced. It will assure consumers that organically produced products meet thesestandards. It will also aid organic farmers by facilitating interstate and internationalcommerce in organically produced fresh and processed agricultural items. 

**Laboratory Testing**

AMS laboratories perform microbiological and chemical tests of food products in supportof the agency's grading, certification,k acceptance, and regulatory programs; processingand finishing tests for cotton fiber and yarn; testing of peanuts for aflatoxin; andtesting of imported flue-cured and burley tobacco for pesticide residues. Laboratoriesalso carry out quality assurance and safety oversight activities with respect to State andprivate laboratory programs. 

**Food Quality Assurance**

Under a Government-wide quality assurance program, AMS develops and revisesspecifications used by Federal agencies in food procurement for military and civilianuses. AMS also inspects and certifies products to the contract specifications ofinstitutions, States, governmental agencies, and other financially interested parties whouse the service. 

**Commodity Procurement**

AMS purchases a variety of food products in support of the National School LunchProgram and other Federal food assistance programs. These purchases also help to stabilizeprices in agricultural commodity markets by balancing supply and demand. Fresh andprocessed food customarily purchased under these programs include fruits and vegetables,beef and pork, poultry and egg products, and fish. 

**Regulatory Programs**

AMS administers several regulatory programs designed collectively to protect producers,handlers, and consumers of agricultural commodities from financial loss resulting fromcareless, deceptive, or fraudulent marketing practices. Such regulatory programs encouragefair trading practices in the marketing of fruits and vegetables, require truth in seedlabeling and advertising, and protect farmer's rights to organize cooperatives. 

**Shell Egg Surveillance**

AMS is responsible for shell egg surveillance inspections mandated by the Egg ProductsInspection Act. The inspections enhance fair competition and facilitate marketing ofconsumer grade eggs by assuring the proper disposition of "restricted eggs,"(i.e., checked and dirty eggs, leaking eggs, incubator rejects, loss, and inedible eggs).The inspections, performed by USDA and cooperating State agencies, are conducted at leastone each calendar quarter. 

**Marketing Agreements and Orders**

The programs, under authority of the agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 (7U.S.C. 601 et seq.), help to establish and maintain orderly marketing conditions forcertain commodities. Milk marketing orders establish minimum prices that handlers ordistributors are require4d to pay producers. Programs for fruits, vegetables, and relatedspecialty props such as nuts and spearmint oil emphasize commodity quality control and mayalso be used to help stabilize supplies and market prices. In some cases, they alsoauthorize research and market development activities, including advertising programs. 

Federal marketing orders originate with a request from a producer group to theSecretary of Agriculture. The Secretary can conduct hearings and referenda based on theproducer group's proposal for a marketing order. Once established, marketing orderactivities are funded by assessments on producers and handlers. 

In carrying out the Federal government's role, AMS ensures that persons interested inthe development and operation of the programs have a fair hearing and that each marketingorder works according to Federal law and established rules and guidelines. 

**Research and Promotion programs**

AMS monitors service industry-sponsored research, promotion, and information programsprovide farmers with a means to finance and operate research, promotion, and informationactivities for cotton, potatoes, eggs, fluid milk, dairy products, beef, pork, soybeans,honey, watermelon, mushrooms, and popcorn.

**Pesticide Data Program**

The U.S. food supply is one of the safest in the world, but the public is stillconcerned about the effects of agricultural pesticides on human health and environmentalquality. The Pesticide Data Program (PDP) provides statistically reliable information onchemical residues found on selected agricultural commodities. These data help form thebasis for conducting realistic dietary risk assessments and evaluating pesticidetolerances. The Environmental Protection Agency uses PD. data to address the registrationof pesticides. Other governmental agencies use the data to respond more quickly aneffectively to food safety issues. 

**Pesticide Recordkeeping Program**

The Pesticide Recordkeeping Program, which became effective in 1993, requires thatcertified private pesticide applicators maintain records of federally restricted-usepesticide applications. Such records can help producers identify and apply the correctamount of pesticide based on past growing experiences, improve crop rotation decisions,and meet buyer requirements for pesticide application records. The information can also beused by licensed health care professionals for medical treatment of individuals who mayhave been exposed to a federally restricted-use pesticide. 

**Plant Variety Protection Program**

Under authority of the Plant Variety Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 2321 et seq.), AMSadministers a program that provides for the issuance of "certificates of plantvariety protection." These certificates afford developers of novel varieties ofsexually and tuber-reproduced plants exclusive rights to sell, reproduce, import, orexport such varieties or use them in the production of hybrids or different varieties fora period of 18 years. 

**Transportation Programs**

Other marketing service activities include financial grants to States for marketingimprovement projects. AMS also assists in the planning and design of marketing facilities,processes, and methods in cooperation with the State and local governments, universities,farmer groups, and other segments of the U.S. food industry. This program enhances theoverall effectiveness of the food marketing system, provides better quality products tothe consumer at reasonable cost, improves market access for growers with small- tomedium-sized farms, and promotes regional economic development. 

**For More Information**

If you wish to learn more about the services available from AMS, contact the PublicAffairs Staff, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box96456, Washington, DC 20250. Phone 202-720-8998. 

Information about AMS programs also is available on the Internet. You may access theAMS Home Page on the World Wide Web at the following: http://www.ams.usda.gov.

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