DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

CHIEF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT OFFICER REPORT

March 2024 

We provide leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural 

development, nutrition, and related issues based on public policy, the best 

available science, and effective management.

We have a vision to provide economic opportunity through innovation, 

helping rural America to thrive; to promote agriculture production that 

better nourishes Americans while also helping feed others throughout the 

world; and to preserve our Nation's natural resources through conservation, 

restored forests, improved watersheds, and healthy private working lands.

Photo Courtesy of Brian Prechtel, USDA/ARS
 

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents........................................................... 2 

Executive Summary........................................................ 3 

Section I: ......................................................................... 7 

Section II: ........................................................................ 9

Section III: ..................................................................... 17 

Section IV:..................................................................... 29 

Section V:...................................................................... 31 
 

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was founded by 

President Abraham Lincoln in 1862 and was quickly coined “The People’s 

Department.” At the time, more than half of all American either lived or 

worked on farms, compared with the two percent today. Despite this

decrease, USDA is still fulfilling Lincoln’s vision of touching the lives of every 

American through its mission to provide leadership on food, agriculture, 

natural resources, and related issues based on sound public policy, the best 

available science, and efficient management. 

To successfully accomplish its mission, USDA operates more than 300 

programs through an extensive network of Federal, State, and local 

cooperators. These programs affect every American, every day, by providing 

a safe and stable food supply, nutrition assistance, renewable energy, rural 

economic development, care for forest and conservation lands, and global 

opportunities for farm and forest products. These programs also hold the 

answers to pressing global issues like the need for renewable energy, 

increasing crop yields to combat hunger, protecting the food supply, and 

optimizing internal trade. 

USDA’s success is dependent on several core values. Among them is 

transparency. Central to USDA’s effort to increase transparency is its 

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) program. The Department’s Acting 

General Counsel, Mary Beth Schultz provides program oversight for USDA’s 

FOIA offices at the agency and mission area. These offices interpret records

requests, seek clarification from requesters, make fee determinations, 

redact, and release records, perform referrals and consultations, prepare 

appeals, consider discretionary releases, contact business submitters, and 

assist the Office of General Counsel (OGC) with FOIA litigation. And 

collectively, they process tens of thousands of records requests annually. 

USDA’s FOIA program is led by the General Counsel’s, Office of Information 

Affairs (OIA). The OIA provides day-to-day coordination and ensures 

statutory compliance with the FOIA. The OIA also processes FOIA requests, 
 

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consultations, and appeals on behalf of all USDA staff offices except for the 

Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The OIA also handles the FOIA 

functions for the Research, Education and Economics (REE) and the Trade 

and Foreign Agricultural Affairs (TFAA) mission areas. The Farm Production 

and Conservation Service (FPAC), Food Nutrition and Conservation Services

(FNCS), Food Safety (FS), Rural Development (RD), and the Marketing and 

Regulatory Programs (MRP) mission areas all continue to process 

independently but do coordinate with the OIA to ensure standardization in 

the areas of processing, training, and management. 

In Fiscal Year 2023, USDA received a total of 16,605 FOIA requests. 

Approximately 68% of these incoming FOIA requests were directed to the 

USDA’s FPAC mission area. The NRE mission area received about 11%, the 

MRP mission area about 9%, OIA about 4%, RD about 3%. The remaining 

agencies all collectively received 5% of the incoming requests. As for 

processing, USDA closed 16,242 initial requests and realized a slight, 1% 

reduction in its overall backlog for initial requests. USDA also closed its ten 

oldest initial requests and consultations and significantly reduced its time to 

adjudicate expedited requests. 

The following report provides a comprehensive review of the steps taken 

throughout the Department of Agriculture to improve its FOIA 

administration since publication of the last Chief FOIA Officer Report in 

March 2023. 

This report encompasses the efforts of the following mission areas and staff 

offices: 

Mission Areas: 

Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC)1

Farm Service Agency (FSA)

1 On May 11, 2017, USDA announced the standing up of a newly named Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) mission area to have a 

customer focus and meet USDA constituents in the field.

 
 

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Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Risk Management Agency (RMA) 

Food and Nutrition & Consumer Services (FNCS)

Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) 

Food Safety

Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

 

Marketing Regulatory Programs

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)2

Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 

Natural Resources and Environment (NRE)

Forest Service (FS) 

Research, Education and Economics (REE)

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) 

Economic Research Service (ERS) 

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) 

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

Rural Development (RD)

Rural Business Service

Rural Utilities Service

Rural Housing Service

Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs (TFAA)3

Foreign Agricultural Service

2 On September 7, 2017, USDA announced the realignment of several offices within the USDA. The Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards 

Administration (GIPSA) and several program areas from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) joined the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to 

help us better meet the needs of farmers, ranchers, and producers, while providing improved customer service and maximize efficiency.

3 In keeping with Congress’ directive in the 2014 Farm Bill and to advance agricultural trade, the Department created an Under Secretary for 

Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs (TFAA). While reviewing options for improving coordination on trade and international activities, USDA 

determined that the Codex Alimentarius program (U.S. Codex Office), currently housed in the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), will be 

moved to the newly created TFAA mission area. The U.S. Codex Office is an interagency partnership which engages stakeholders in the 

development of international governmental and non-governmental food standards. The focus of the Codex Office aligns better with the mission 

of TFAA.
 

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Codex Alimentarius Commission

Staff Offices: 

Departmental Administration (DA) 

Office of Advocacy and Outreach (OAO)

Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) 

Office of the Executive Secretariat (OES)

Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Coordination (OHSEC)

Office of Human Resource Management (OHRM)

Office of Operations (OO)

Office of Procurement & Property Management (OPPM)

Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU)

Office of Budget & Program Analysis (OBPA) 

Office for the Assistant Secretary of Civil Rights (OASCR)

Office of Hearing and Appeals 

National Appeals Division (NAD)

Office of the Administrative Law Judge (OALJ)

Office of the Judicial Officer (OJO) 

Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO)

National Finance Center (NFC) 

Office of the General Counsel (OGC)

Office of Ethics (OE) 

Office of Information Affairs (OIA) 

Office of Inspector General (OIG)

Office of the Secretary (OSEC)
 

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Section I: FOIA Leadership and Applying the Presumption of Openness

A. Leadership Support for FOIA: 

1. The FOIA requires each agency to designate a Chief FOIA Officer who 

is a senior official at least at the Assistant Secretary or equivalent 

level. See 5 U.S.C. § 552(j)(1)(2018). Is your agency’s Chief FOIA 

Officer at this level?

Yes. USDA’s Chief FOIA Officer (CFO) is a senior official at least at the 

Assistant Secretary or equivalent level in accordance with 5 U.S.C. §552(j)(1). 

2. Please provide the name and title of your agency’s Chief FOIA 

Officer. 

USDA’s Acting General Counsel, Mary Beth Schultz, was designated as the 

Department’s CFO. Ms. Schultz is a senior official and directly reports to the 

Secretary of Agriculture.

3. What steps has your agency taken to incorporate FOIA into its core 

mission? For example, has your agency incorporated FOIA milestones 

into its strategic plan. 

USDA has not yet incorporated FOIA in its overall strategic plan. 

B. Presumption of Openness: 

4. The Attorney General’s 2022 FOIA Guidelines provides that “agencies 

should confirm in response letters to FOIA requesters that they have 

considered the foreseeable harm standard when reviewing records 

and applying FOIA exemptions. Does your agency provide such 

confirmation in its response letters?
 

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Yes. In compliance with the Attorney General’s FOIA Guidelines, USDA’s 

FOIA components now confirm they have considered the foreseeable harm 

standard in response letters.

5. In some circumstances, agencies may respond to a requester that it 

can neither confirm nor deny the existence of requested records if 

acknowledging the existence of records would harm an interest 

protected by a FOIA exemption. This is commonly referred to as a 

Glomar response. If your agency tracks Glomar responses, please 

provide:

a. The number of times your agency issued a full or partial 

Glomar response (separate full and partial if possible).

b. The number of times a Glomar response was issued by 

exemption. 

While not a frequent occurrence, USDA does on occasion invoke Glomar 

with FOIA Exemptions 6 and/or 7(c). Since these Glomar responses are not 

currently tracked in USDA’s enterprise wide FOIA tracking system, any 

immediate requests for statistical data, would require a manual review of 

each component’s interim and final determinations.

6. If your agency does not track the use of Glomar responses, are you 

planning to track this information in the future?

Beginning in Quarter 3 of Fiscal Year 2024, the Office of Information Affairs

(OIA) will include Glomar counts as a requirement for its quarterly data call

to all USDA FOIA components.
 

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Section II: Ensuring Fair and Effective FOIA Administration

A. FOIA Training

1. The FOIA directs agency Chief FOIA Officers to ensure that FOIA 

training is offered to agency personnel. See 5 U.S.C. § 

552(a)(j)(2)(F). Please describe the efforts your agency has 

undertaken to ensure proper FOIA training is made available and 

used by agency personnel.

All performance plans in the CFO’s OIA continue to have a FOIA training 

provision requiring each Government Information Specialists (GIS) to 

participate in a minimum of two substantive training courses annually to 

strengthen employees’ knowledgebase and ensure skills continue to match 

the changes in the evolving caselaw. The OIA’s professionals also meet 

monthly to discuss select cases on the Department of Justice, Office of 

Information Policy’s (DOJ-OIP) Court Decision Overview and their relevance 

to records routinely reviewed. 

The CFO also continues to require onboarding attorneys and legal 

professionals in the Office of General Counsel (OGC) to participate in a 60-

minute substantive OIA primer on FOIA, that includes instruction on 

procedural requirements, how to perform a reasonable search, and 

exemption application for the Department’s commonly invoked exemptions. 

The OIA also met with offboarding OGC employees weeks before departure 

to ensure satisfaction of any outstanding FOIA searches and consultations. 

The OIA also continues to circulate training opportunities across USDA.

These include opportunities offered via USDA’s internal online training 

repository, AgLean as well as instruction offered by the DOJ-OIP, the 

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), and the American 

Society of Access Professionals (ASAP).

2. Did your FOIA professionals or the personnel at your agency who 

have FOIA responsibilities attend substantive FOIA training during 
 

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the reporting period such as that provided by the Department of 

Justice? 

Yes. USDA’s FOIA professionals continued to participate in substantive FOIA 

training during the reporting period. 

3. If yes, please provide a brief description of the type of training 

attended or conducted and the topics covered. 

DOJ-OIP: USDA’s FOIA professionals also attended the following training 

programs provided by the DOJ-OIP:

• FOIA Processing from Start to Finish Workshop

• Advanced Freedom of Information Act

• Exemptions 1 and 7

• Exemptions 4 and 5 

• Privacy Considerations Workshop

• Administrative Appeals, FOIA Compliance and Customer Service

• FOIA Litigation 

Other External Training Courses and Conferences: USDA’s FOIA 

professionals also participated in the following external training courses 

and conferences:

• ASAP National Conference 

• ASAP FOIA/Privacy Act Training Workshop

• ASAP Recent Significant FOIA Decisions

Many USDA components also continued to provide substantive FOIA 

training for their Government Information Specialists. 

 

4. Provide an estimate of the percentage of your FOIA professionals 

and staff with FOIA responsibilities who attended substantive FOIA 

training during this reporting period.
 

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Approximately 92% of USDA’s FOIA professionals participated in either one 

or more substantive FOIA training courses.

5. OIP has directed agencies to “take steps to ensure that all of their 

FOIA professionals attend substantive FOIA training at least once 

throughout the year.” If your response to the previous question is 

that less than 80% of your FOIA professionals attended training, 

please explain your agency’s plan to ensure that all FOIA 

professionals receive or attend substantive FOIA training during the 

next reporting year. 

Not applicable. More than 80% of USDA’s FOIA professionals participated in 

substantive FOIA training courses.

6. Describe any efforts your agency has undertaken to inform non-FOIA 

professionals of their obligations under the FOIA. In particular, 

please describe how often and in what formats your agency provides 

FOIA training or briefings to non-FOIA staff; and if senior leaders at 

your agency received a briefing on your agency’s FOIA resources, 

obligations, and expectations during the FOIA process.

The OIA continues to provide virtual and in-person FOIA training to all new 

onboarding political appointees. This 30-minute FOIA training provides an 

overview of USDA’s FOIA program, the importance of conducting timely 

searches and promptly returning records, the importance of senior 

leadership support in USDA’s administration of FOIA, and overall best 

practices. The OIA also routinely participates in USDA’s subcabinet and other 

appointee meetings to provide a short “FOIA moment,” that emphasizes one 

or two FOIA best practices.

The OIA also continues to provide virtual training to all new onboarding 

attorney advisors, legal professionals, and interns in the OGC. This training is 

coupled with Records Management and emphasizes the role of OGC in the 

FOIA process, specifically, legal sufficiency reviews for USDA FOIA 

administrative appeals and requirements for FOIA litigation.
 

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The OIA also continues to provide training upon request to various offices 

across USDA. As an example, the OIA in partnership with the Forest Service 

FOIA Office provided a 90-minute FOIA overview for Forest Service’s Peer 

Partnership Coordinators on the substantive issues that may affect USDA

partners. Another example includes the Office of Congressional Relations, 

for which the OIA advised on topics like agency versus congressional records

and the requirements for conducting adequate searches.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) FOIA office 

developed and delivered three training courses for 100+ APHIS employees 

that emphasized the timely return of records and best practices for 

conducting search. APHIS also collaborated with its Veterinary Services 

program on how to best review Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza records. 

The Forest Service’s (FS) FOIA office continued to provide multiple formal 

and informal training seminars throughout the reporting period for its nonFOIA agency colleagues in senior level positions, environmental 

coordinators, the Procurement and Property Services Office, Lands and 

Realty Management Office, Human Resources Management Strategic 

Operations Office, Fire and Aviation Management/Operations Risk 

Management Office. In addition to these training sessions, FS also issued an 

advisory to its regional employees on their FOIA obligations. 

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) FOIA office provided virtual 

FOIA training to its Office of Public Health Science’s Applied Epidemiological 

Staff. The FSIS training detailed the FOIA process in FSIS, search 

requirements, and frequently cited exemptions.

And finally, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) FOIA Office continued 

to offer many of its non-FOIA colleagues FOIA instruction. There was a total 

of four virtual training sessions for the FNS FOIA liaisons from all its program 

offices, recurring virtual training sessions for onboarding FNS employees, 

annual virtual training instruction for FNS’s leadership team, and general 
 

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virtual instruction on FOIA best practices to FNS’ Mountain Plains, 

Southeast, and Midwest Regional Offices. 

 

B. Outreach 

7. As part of the standard request process, do your FOIA professionals 

proactively contact requesters concerning complex or voluminous 

requests to clarify or narrow the scope of the request so requesters 

can receive responses more quickly.

Yes. USDA’s FOIA components continue to reach out to requesters for 

clarification regarding complex requests to see if we can effectively narrow 

the scope so that we can get the records of greatest interest to the 

requester in a timely manner. The substance of the communication varies 

based on the request and whether it is unmanageable as written or just 

requires clarification to avoid a voluminous number of records. In many 

cases, we continue to advise requesters after consulting with our subjectmatter experts so that we can provide specific suggestions for narrowing a 

complex request and set realistic expectations with response times. 

8. Outside of the standard request process or routine FOIA liaison or 

FOIA Requester Service Center interactions, did your FOIA 

professionals engage in any outreach or dialogue, with the requester 

community or open government groups regarding your 

administration of the FOIA? For example, did you proactively contact 

frequent requesters, host FOIA related conference calls with open 

government groups, or provide FOIA training to members of the 

public? Please describe any such outreach or dialogue and, if 

applicable, any specific examples of how this dialogue has led to 

improvements in your agency’s FOIA administration. 

The APHIS FOIA office provided proactive negotiations with its stakeholders 

regarding its agency records, ensuring FOIA requests were clear, meeting 

their needs, and consolidated where possible. APHIS reported negotiating

approximately 16% of the 1,100 incoming requests, closing 28 duplicate 
 

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requests, redirecting 20 requests to more appropriate offices, clarifying and 

narrowing more than 100 requests, and negotiating the withdrawal of 21 

requests for its community of requesters.

The FS Region 9 FOIA office contacted on of its frequent requesters 

regarding a new project at the Daniel Boone National Forest and explained 

the anticipated timeline for a high visibility project to dramatically reduce 

the response time from FS. For another unrelated records request, Region 9 

also initiated a meeting with a frequent requester’s attorney and its subject 

matter experts regarding records for a catastrophic ski area accident; 

because of the meeting, the request was refined, and the estimated 

response time was reduced to 30 days from the originally anticipated nine 

months.

9. The FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 requires additional notification 

to requesters about the services provided by the agency’s FOIA 

Public Liaison. Please provide an estimate of the number of times 

requesters sought assistance from your agency’s FOIA Public Liaison 

during Fiscal Year 2022. 

USDA estimates that it received less than 30 requests for service by our FOIA 

Public Liaisons. 

C. Other Initiatives

10. Has your agency evaluated the allocation of agency personnel 

resources needed to respond to current and anticipated FOIA 

demands? If so, please describe what changes your agency has or 

will implement.

Yes. USDA’s FOIA components routinely evaluate the allocation of agency 

personnel resources needed to respond to both current and anticipated 

FOIA demands. USDA’s OIA is pleased to report that it finally received 

appropriated funds and therefore could eliminate some of its Interagency 

Agreements (IAAs) with other USDA FOIA components. Having this direct 
 

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funding source in lieu of exchanging funds via IAAs ensures the continuity of 

services for many of the OIA’s contractual agreements to include FOIA 

contractor support. The OIA continues to advocate for additional funding as 

the number of incoming FOIAs continues to outpace the current resources. 

APHIS continues to devote significant contract resources to the processing 

of Animal Care (AC) records requests as those requests generally account for 

50% of APHIS’s FOIA queue annually. The APHIS’ AC FOIA contract team 

provided 494 responses amounting to the review of +120k pages of records. 

This amount is more than any previous contract term for the AC FOIA 

contract team by 200 responses. Given the success of the AC FOIA contract 

team and the contract’s conclusion, AC has committed to permanently fund 

four full-time GISs to process its requests.

 

The Farm Production and Conservation Business Center’s (FPAC-BC) FOIA 

office implemented a Service Area plan to help them better manage the 

national level FOIA Program and the agency FOIA POCs (specifically for 

Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Farm Service Agency). FPAC 

divided the country up into four service areas, each managed by an FPAC-BC 

FOIA specialist. Ideally the FPAC-BC FOIA specialists will: (1) consult, 

collaborate with and assist agency State FOIA Coordinators to determine 

how to best respond to complex FOIA/PA requests received at the county or 

State level; (2) maintain lists of agency State FOIA Coordinators; (3) monitor 

the FOIA tracking systems to identify open or overdue requests and assist 

with processing when necessary; (4) assist agency State FOIA Coordinators 

in completing their reporting obligations; (5) provide training to agency 

State FOIA Coordinators and agency employees; and (6) improve processes 

and provide guidance when necessary. 

The FS Region 8 and Region 9 FOIA offices found that their existing 

resources do not meet their current demands. During a recent internal 

assessment evaluating their processing procedures, document review was 

identified as an area requiring immediate attention. Accordingly, two 

additional employees’ position descriptions were modified to include this 

task as a supplemental duty. Although only in place less than 90 days, this 
 

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resource allocation has already positively impacted processing times. Some 

of the oldest requests have already closed and backlogs have reduced. 

These two Regional FOIA offices have also built a cadre of skilled FOIA 

support staff to assist in times of heavy demand. Those in the cadre have 

already been called to action to assist with the review of records in litigation 

and other high-volume requests.

Rural Development (RD) has levered the background experience and 

specialties of its GIS to build resident experts for more efficient and effective 

processing of requests for its business, housing, and utility program records. 

RD also designated its senior GISs to serve as team leaders and issued new 

position descriptions, accordingly. In these roles, the team leaders conduct 

second-line reviews of all determinations and responsive records, most of 

which are extremely complex prior to disclosure. The team leaders also 

ensure that all responsive records received from the RD’s programs and 

state offices, especially for multi-faceted requests, are accurate and 

complete. RD also hired an additional GIS and selected an individual from 

the organization for an extended detail to manage incoming requests in RD’s 

FOIA Intake Section. 

11. How does your agency use data or processing metrics to ensure 

efficient management of your FOIA workload? For example, case 

management reports, staff processing statistics, etc. In addition, 

please specifically highlight any data analysis methods or 

technologies used. 

All our FOIA components use data or processing metrics to ensure efficient 

management. For example, APHIS FOIA office continues to provide quarterly 

search reports to the APHIS mission programs to document and reconcile 

outstanding record searches. APHIS also continues to compute monthly 

reports detailing the number of cases received, closed, and backlogged, the 

number of pages reviewed and delivered to show backlog and pending 

reduction goals. Using projections, APHIS develops annual production goals 

and employee metrics. For example, in Fiscal Year 2023, APHIS federal FOIA 

team reviewed about 300k+ pages for its final responses alone which totaled 
 

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about 20k pages per GIS. APHIS also tracked and prioritized the closing of 

the cases by year as part of employe performance. As a result, APHIS closed 

326 of the 526 oldest requests existing at the beginning of the Fiscal Year. 

Like APHIS, FSIS and the OIA utilize metrics from the enterprise wide FOIA 

tracking system. While there are multiple reports and metrics that can be 

generated, FSIS and the OIA rely heavily on the up to the minute graphs that 

measure the number of assigned requests to a given GIS. Those graphs are 

used to assign incoming requests and ensure an even distribution of work. 

This consistent monitoring was one of several contributing factors to FSIS’ 

54% and the OIA’s 33.7% decreases in backlog. 

The FPAC continues to use a variety of FOIA Trackers for those programs of 

interest to FPAC’s requesters like Inflation Reduction Act initiatives. These 

FPAC trackers continue to be delivered both weekly and daily to staff, 

agency leadership, and member of the FPAC FOIA Team. These trackers 

provide up-to-date information on incoming requests, pending, and closed 

requests and administrative appeals. 

Section III: Proactive Disclosure 

1. Please describe what steps your agency takes to identify, track, and 

post (a)(2) proactive disclosures.

Steps continue to vary from component to component, but generally 

program offices will notify and seek the input of public affairs and 

communications staff about records involving significant policy decisions 

that they believe should be proactively disclosed to the public. 

2. How long after identifying a record for proactive disclosure does it 

take your agency to post it?

The timeline varies but is driven in large part by the length of time required 

for the review under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. 
 

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3. Does your agency post logs of its FOIA requests?

Yes. Many USDA FOIA components post PDF versions of their request logs.

They generally contain the FOIA tracking number associated with the 

request, the requester’s name and organization if known, the date the 

request was received, and a brief description of the records sought.

4. Provide examples of any material that your agency has proactively 

disclosed during the past reporting year, including records that have 

been requested and released three or more times in accordance with 

5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2)(D). Please include links to these materials as well.

Component Examples

AMS More and Better Choices for Farmers: Promoting Fair Competition and Innovation 

in Seeds and Other Agricultural Inputs 

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/SeedsReport.pdf

This report was directed by President Biden’s Executive Order Number 14036: 

“Promoting Competition in America’s Economy.” This report represents USDA’s 

best efforts, to date, to grapple with certain longstanding challenges associated 

with promoting competition and protecting intellectual property in relation to 

agriculture.

AMS Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) Exceptions and Waivers Quarterly Reports 

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/WaiversUSGSAReportTableFY

23.pdf

This report lists the number of waivers requested and approved each quarter by the 

FGIS.

AMS Monthly Meat Grading Tonnage Reports 

https://www.ams.usda.gov/reports/meat-grading

This report provides information about the quantity and quality of red meat graded 

by AMS each month.
 

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Component Examples

AMS The National Weekly Hemp Report is issued by AMS Specialty Crops Market News. 

https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/fvhemp.pdf

This report contains the weekly retail advertised prices for selected hemp 

commodities as well as total import volumes and values of all hemp commodities 

entering the U.S. for both the current week and for the year to date.

ARS The ARS Annual Report on Science 

https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/00000000/NPS/OAA/Annual%20Report%2

0on%20Science/FY%202022/ARS%20Annual%20Report%20on%20Science%202022.

pdf

This is a compendium of ARS research accomplishments that demonstrates ARS’s 

impact on the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe.

ARS Food Safety Annual Report 

https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/np108/Annual%20Report/Final%20NP%20

108%20FY22%20Annual%20Report.pdf

This report captures work of ARS’s Food Safety program, whose mission is to 

enhance and protect public health and agriculture through the development of 

technologies, strategies, and data that safeguard food from pathogens, toxins, and 

chemical contaminants during production, processing, and preparation, thus 

increasing the safety of the food supply.

ARS Food Animal Production Annual Report 

https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/np101/AnnualReports/NP101%20FY2022%

20Annual%20Report_FINAL.pdf

This report captures work of ARS’s Food Animal Production program, which 

conducts research to improve food animal production efficiency, industry 

sustainability, animal welfare, product quality, and nutritional value while 

safeguarding animal genetic resources.

ARS Animal Health Annual Report 

https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/np103/AnnualReports/NP103%20FY2022%

20Annual%20Report_FINAL.pdf

This report captures work of ARS’s Animal Health program, which conducts basic 

and applied research on selected diseases of economic importance to the United 

States livestock and poultry industries.
 

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Component Examples

ARS Crop Production Annual Report 

https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/np305/PDFsofAnnualReports/FY%202022

%20Annual%20Report.pdf

This report captures work of ARS’s Crop Production National Program, which 

supports research to develop knowledge, strategies, systems, and technologies that 

contribute to greater cropping efficiency, productivity, quality, marketability, and 

protection of annual, perennial, and nursery crops, and greenhouse and indoor 

farms, while increasing environmental quality and worker safety.

APHIS Wildlife Damage Program Data Report 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/wildlifedamage/sa_reports/sa_pdrs/p

dr-reports-2022

This is an annual report of the Wildlife Services program, which includes data 

regarding Funding and Cooperative Funding, Threatened & Endangered Species 

Conservation Expenditures, Threats to Resources by Wildlife & Occurrence of 

Damage Reported By Wildlife Services, Technical Assistance Projects Conducted by 

Wildlife Services, Wildlife Hazard Management at Airports, Wildlife 

Disease/Conditions Sampled by Wildlife Services, and Animals Dispersed / Killed or 

Euthanized / Removed or Destroyed / Freed or Relocated.

APHIS Federal Domestic Soil Quarantine Map 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/organism/soil/downloads/FedSoilRegs.pdf

This map is to assist laboratories receiving domestic origin soil samples for 

chemical/physical analysis from areas where soil is regulated by USDA.

APHIS Annual report of the Federal Select Agent Program 

https://www.selectagents.gov/resources/publications/docs/FSAP_Annual_Report_

2022_508.pdf

This program is run by APHIS in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control 

(CDC). The report summarizes aggregate program data in areas such as: Numbers 

and types of registered entities, as well as amendments to registrations; Top 

registered select agents or toxins; Security risk assessments performed; Number of 

inspections conducted; Key observations related to inspection findings and 

compliance with the select agent regulations; Reported thefts, losses, and releases 

of select agents or toxins; Identifications and transfers of select agents or toxins; 

and Publications and outreach activities.
 

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Component Examples

APHIS 2022 Impact Report 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/aphis_general/2022-impact-report.pdf

This report captures work on APHIS overall progress in “Keeping U.S. Agriculture 

Healthy for America and the World”

APHIS Innovative Solutions to Human-Wildlife Conflicts Accomplishment Report 2022 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/wildlife_damage/report-nwrc2022.508.pdf

This report captures research, accomplishments, and publications.

FAS South Korea Exporter Guide Report 

https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/Report/DownloadReportByFileName?file

Name=Exporter%20Guide_Seoul%20ATO_Korea%20-%20Republic%20of_KS2023-

0025.pdf

This report captures agricultural imports and exports in South Korea.

FAS Canada Wood Pellets Annual Report 

https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/Report/DownloadReportByFileName?file

Name=Wood%20Pellets%20Annual_Ottawa_Canada_CA2023-0055.pdf

This report captures wood pellet production in Canada.

FAS Israel biotechnology annual report 

https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/Report/DownloadReportByFileName?file

Name=Agricultural%20Biotechnology%20Annual_Tel%20Aviv_Israel_IS2023-

0015.pdf

This report captures biotechnology use and policy in Israel.

FAS South Korea Citrus Annual Report 

https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/Report/DownloadReportByFileName?file

Name=Citrus%20Annual_Seoul_Korea%20-%20Republic%20of_KS2023-0024.pdf

This report captures the citrus industry in South Korea
 

22 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

Component Examples

FAS Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) Annual Report 

Argentina 

https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/Report/DownloadReportByFileName?file

Name=FAIRS%20Annual%20Country%20Report%20Annual_Buenos%20Aires_Argen

tina_AR2023-0019.pdf

This report provides an overview and update on regulations and standards for 

importing U.S. food and beverage products to Argentina.

FPAC Crop Acreage Data 

https://www.fsa.usda.gov/news-room/efoia/electronic-reading-room/frequentlyrequested-information/crop-acreage-data/index

Farm Service Agency policy requires that producers participating in several 

programs submit an annual report regarding all cropland use on their farms. Data is

reported in the following categories: planted; prevented planted; and failed.

FPAC Monthly Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) reports 

https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/conservation-programs/reportsand-statistics/index

This report provides statistics about land enrolled in the CRP.

FPAC The Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) program County Benchmark Yields and 

Revenues as of February 16, 2023

https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/arcplc_program/arcplc-programdata/index

This information provides adjusted yields, benchmark yields and guarantee 

revenues for program year 2023.

FPAC The Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, 2023 

Enrolled Base Acres by Program by Commodity 

https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/arcplc/2023/pdfs/2023_enrolled_base_web.pdf

This provides information about acres enrolled in ARC and PLC programs.

FPAC Market Year Average Prices Report 

https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/arcplc/2023/pdfs/2023_mya.pdf

This provides data about average commodity prices by year.
 

23 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

Component Examples

FSIS The Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection (MPI) Directory 

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/establishments/meat-poultry-and-eggproduct-inspection-directory

This is a listing of establishments that produce meat, poultry, and/or egg products 

regulated by FSIS. The Establishment Demographic Data includes additional 

establishment information about FSIS regulated establishments, including size, 

species slaughtered and aggregate categorical production information.

FSIS Quarterly Enforcement Reports 

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/regulatory-enforcement/quarterlyenforcement-reports

This report provides a summary of the enforcement actions FSIS has taken to 

ensure that meat, poultry, and egg products reaching consumers are safe, 

wholesome, and properly labeled.

FSIS Quarterly Sampling Reports on Salmonella and Campylobacter 

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/science-data/data-setsvisualizations/microbiology/microbiological-testing-program-rte-meat-and-7

This report provides data from salmonella and campylobacter testing.

FSIS Salmonella Verification Testing: November 27, 2022, through November 25, 2023 

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/publications/salmonella-verificationtesting-november-27-2022-through-november-25-2023

This provides information on salmonella verification testing for individual 

establishments and the aggregated data for young chicken and turkey carcasses, 

raw chicken parts, and NRTE comminuted poultry establishments.

FSIS France Foreign Audit Report 

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/France_FARFY23.pdf

This report provides a comprehensive audit of France’s inspection systems to 

ensure compliance with the regulatory requirements of the: Federal Meat 

Inspection Act; Poultry Products Inspection Act; Egg Products Inspection Act; 

Humane Methods of Livestock Slaughter Act.
 

24 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

Component Examples

FS Forest Products Cut and Sold Reports 

https://www.fs.usda.gov/forestmanagement/products/cut-sold/index.shtml

These cut and sold reports show total volumes and values of all convertible forest 

products sold and harvested from the National Forest System lands and National 

Grasslands agency-wide, and by organizational unit. In addition, these reports show 

the amounts and values of species and products sold and harvested, including all 

other forest products that cannot be converted into volume measure (nonconvertible).

FS Periodic Timber Sale Accomplishment Reports (PTSAR) 

https://www.fs.usda.gov/forestmanagement/products/ptsar/index.shtml

The PTSAR tracks forest product volume in various categories, including the regular 

program funded with appropriations, the Salvage Sale Fund, personal use permits 

and small commercial sales. In addition, PTSAR reports progress at Gates 4 

(advertisement), Gate 5 (bid opening) and Gate 6 (award) including identification of 

status such as ongoing, delays, no-bids and re-offered volume. Fiscal year timber 

sale volume targets are also shown so that progress could be monitored.

FS Forest Health Monitoring: National Status, Trends and Analysis, 2022 

https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/gtr/gtr_srs273/gtr_srs273.pdf

This provides forest health status and trends from a national or multistate regional 

perspective using a variety of sources, introduces new techniques for analyzing 

forest health data, and summarizes results of recently completed Evaluation 

Monitoring projects funded through the FHM national program.

FS Forest Inventory and Analysis Fiscal Year 2022 Business Report

https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/fs_media/fs_document/FIA-2022-

Business-Report.pdf

This report summarizes program activities and progress towards implementing the 

2018 Farm Bill direction. This annual business report, the program’s 25th, describes 

program resources, accomplishments, and plans for the coming year.

FS Major Forest Insect and Disease Conditions in the United States: 2022 

https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/fs_media/fs_document/Major-ForestConditions-2022.pdf

The report focuses on major insects and diseases that annually impact our Nation’s 

forests. This 2022 update provides a national summary of the major changes and 

status of major forest pests with updated charts, tables, and maps.
 

25 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

Component Examples

NASS Cost of Pollination reports 

https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/d504rk335

These reports contain current and previous year data on cost of pollination for tree 

fruit, melons, blueberries, vegetables, citrus, and other crops. Data is presented in a 

price per acre, colonies used, price per colony, and total value of pollination by class 

and type of fruit.

NASS Cotton System Production and Stocks reports 

https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/ng451h506

A monthly report that is part of the Current Agricultural Industrial Reports (CAIR) 

program. The report provides monthly and annual totals for extra-long staple 

cotton and manmade fibers consumption, as well as ending stocks and monthly 

spindle activity on the U.S. cotton system.

NASS Dairy Products reports 

https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/m326m1757

A monthly report containing production data for butter, cheese, frozen products, 

evaporated, condensed, and dry milk and whey products, and shipments and stocks 

of dry milk and whey products, grouped by major states and the U.S.

NASS North American Potatoes Annual report 

https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/4m90dv511

This publication is the result of a joint effort by NASS and Statistics Canada to 

provide producers with additional information about potato production in North 

America. The release includes area planted and harvested, yield, production, 

utilized production, market year average price, and value of sales for both 

countries.

NASS Livestock Slaughter monthly reports 

https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/rx913p88g

This monthly full-text file contains the number of head, live weight, dressed weight 

of cattle, calves, sheep, lambs, hogs, and pigs slaughtered in commercial plants and 

number by class in federally inspected plants by regions as well as red meat 

production by species by states and U.S..
 

26 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

Component Examples

OCE The World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) reports 

https://www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde

This report provides annual forecasts for supply and use of U.S. and world wheat, 

rice, coarse grains, oilseeds, and cotton. The report also covers U.S. supply and use 

of sugar, meat, poultry eggs and milk, as well as Mexico’s supply and use of sugar.

OCE U.S. Agriculture in Drought weekly reports 

https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/AgInDrought.pdf

This publication utilizes the U.S. Drought Monitor, provided by the National 

Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC), to highlight agricultural areas impacted by 

drought, and quantifies these impacts in terms of the percent of an agricultural 

commodity located within varying magnitudes of dryness.

OCE Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin 

https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/wwcb.pdf

The Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin (WWCB) is jointly prepared by the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture and Commerce. The WWCB, published in various forms 

since 1872, provides a vital source of information on U.S. and global weather, 

climate, and agricultural developments, along with seasonally appropriate 

agrometeorological charts and tables.

OCE Weekly International Weather and Crop Highlights 

https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/FCW.pdf

These highlights feature significant weather and crop impacts in international 

regions.

OCE Commodity Outlook Reports 

https://www.usda.gov/oce/ag-outlook-forum/commodity-outlooks

These are annual reports on the outlook for cotton, dairy, grains and oilseeds, 

livestock and poultry, and sugar.

RD Multi-Family Housing Income Limits Report 

https://www.rd.usda.gov/media/file/download/rd-mfhlimitmap.pdf

These reports provide FY23 income limits by location for the MFH program.
 

27 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

Component Examples

RD Rural Utilities Loan Interest Rates 

https://www.rd.usda.gov/page/rural-utilities-loan-interest-rates

This is a listing of current interest rates for RUS loans.

RD Rural Data Gateway 

https://www.rd.usda.gov/rural-data-gateway

This link features rural investments dashboards that significantly expand access to 

RD financial data through an easy-to-use interface that allows data from more than 

65 RD programs to be viewed and downloaded.

RD USDA Rural Development 2022 Accomplishments in Virginia 

https://www.rd.usda.gov/media/file/download/va-fy22-progress-report.pdf

This is a report on RD activities in Virginia.

RD Procedure Notices and Special Procedure Notices 

https://www.rd.usda.gov/resources/directives/procedures-notices

This lists changes made to RD forms and instructions

FNS Best Practices in Disaster SNAP Administration and Planning

https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/dsnapBestPractices-operations-planning-FinalReport.pdf

Through an examination of 5 disasters in 4 states, this study develops 

recommendations for best practices in planning for, implementing, and operating 

D-SNAP.

FNS Summer Food Service Program Integrity Study. 

https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/sfsp-integritystudy-report.pdf

The Summer Food Service Program Integrity Study was designed to improve 

understanding of how state agencies provide oversight of the SFSP. To address the 

research objectives, the study examined such areas as sponsor and site selection, 

training and technical assistance, meal counting and claiming, and reviews. The 

findings, based on data collected in 2021, also offered some preliminary responses 

about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on SFSP operations.
 

28 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

Component Examples

FNS Child Nutrition Program Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic, March Through 

September 2020.

https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/smo-year1marchsept2020-finalreport.pdf

This data collection fulfills states’ reporting requirements and describes trends in 

program participation during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is part 

of an ongoing study series examining CN program operations, repurposed to collect 

waiver reports from all states.

FNS Reaching Those in Need: Estimates of State SNAP Participation Rates in 2020.

https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/snap-participation2020-final-report.pdf

This report—part of an annual series—presents estimates of the percentage of 

eligible persons, by state, who participated in USDA's SNAP during an average 

month in fiscal year 2020 and in the two previous fiscal years. Because the 

Coronavirus COVID-19 public health emergency affected data collection starting in 

March 2020, this summary covers only the pre-pandemic period of October 2019 

through February 2020. Thus, this report presents rates only for all eligible persons 

during the pre-pandemic months of FY 2020.

REE Household Food Security in the United States in 2022. 

https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/107703/err-325.pdf?v=2135.6

This report provides statistics on food security in U.S. households throughout 2022 

based on the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement data collected in 

December 2022.

REE Sugar and Sweeteners Outlook: December 2023 

https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/outlooks/108158/sss-m-424.pdf?v=7363.8

The December 2023 Sugar and Sweeteners Outlook explains USDA’s changes in the 

official 2022/23 and 2023/24 projections for the U.S. and Mexico sugar and 

sweetener supply and use that were released in the December 8 World Agricultural 

Supply and Demand Estimates report.
 

29 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

Component Examples

REE The Food and Nutrition Assistance Landscape: Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report

https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/106763/eib-255.pdf?v=8383.6

This report uses preliminary data from USDA, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to 

examine program trends and policy changes in USDA’s largest U.S. food and 

nutrition assistance programs through FY 2022. It also summarizes a recent USDA, 

Economic Research Service (ERS) report examining the prevalence of household 

food insecurity in the United States in 2021 and another USDA, ERS report 

examining changes in food choices in the USDA Foods program.

REE Household Food Security in the United States in 2022

https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/107703/err-325.pdf?v=2773.8

This report presents statistics from the survey that cover household food security, 

food expenditures, and use of Federal food and nutrition assistance programs in 

2022.

5. Beyond posting new material, is your agency taking steps to make 

the posted information more useful to the public, especially to the 

community of individuals who regularly access your agency’s 

website?

Yes. USDA is taking steps to make the posted information more useful to the 

public.

6. If yes, please provide examples of such improvements. In particular, 

please describe steps your agency is taking to post information in 

open, machine-actionable formats, to the extent feasible. If not 

posting in open formats, please explain why and note any 

challenges. 

USDA recognizes that data products have their most value when they are 

made available to the widest range of users for the widest range of purposes 

and impose no barriers to any person or group of persons. As such many 

USDA components like our Economic Research Service (ERS) have standards 

and policies in place requiring data products to be released in common 

machine-readable formats that facilitate ease of use by a range of audiences 
 

30 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

and minimize the obstacles to using information contained in data files. In 

ERS, new data products must conform to this standard, and existing data 

products will be migrated over time. 

7. Does your proactive disclosure process or system involve any 

collaboration with agency staff outside the FOIA office, such as IT or 

data personnel? If so, describe this interaction. 

Yes. Online postings continue to require coordination between program 

offices, Government Information Specialists, USDA’s IT service provider, 

Section 508 Coordinators, the Office of Communications, and in some 

instance the Office of Congressional Relations. 

IV: Steps Taken to Greater Utilize Technology

1. Has your agency reviewed its FOIA-related technological capabilities 

to identify resources needed to respond to current and anticipated 

FOIA demands. 

Yes. USDA has reviewed its FOIA-related technological capabilities to 

identify resources needed to respond to current and anticipated FOIA 

demands. 

2. Please briefly describe any new types of technology your agency uses

to support your FOIA program.

The OIA continues its work to deploy its recently procured electronic records 

management system, AgRecords in compliance with the M-23-07 mandate. 

As relayed in the last Chief FOIA Officer Report, AgRecords will serve as the 

Department’s document and digital information asset management 

repository and enable USDA’s FOIA community to timely locate electronic 

records in response to FOIA requests. The OIA is currently working to 
 

31 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

onboard Departmental Administration and Staff Offices’ emails, OneDrive, 

Teams, and SharePoint records by the end of the calendar year. 

The OIA, like a few other USDA FOIA components, also began utilizing 

contract services to leverage an eDiscovery and legal search software 

solution to assist with the review of complex requests involving the review 

of tens of thousands of records. These services although limited due to 

budget restraints, ensured the OIA was able to close its oldest requests and 

administrative appeals.

Other USDA components reported purchasing licenses for an add-on tool for 

USDA current enterprise wide FOIA tracking system which allows users to 

filter, deduplicate, rank, and sort records. Then when ready, users can 

export the relevant records into the document management system for 

further review, redaction, and processing. For a few components without 

the add-on, Adobe Acrobat Professional was utilized which includes some 

limited predictive coding features.

3. Does your agency currently use any technology to automate record 

processing? For example, does your agency use machine learning, 

predictive coding, technology assisted review or similar tools to 

conduct searches or make redactions? If so, please describe and, if 

possible, estimate how much time and financial resources are saved 

since implementing the technology. 

Yes. As relayed above, USDA does currently use technology to automate 

record processing. No assessments have been initiated to determine cost 

savings however a few USDA components advised that the tools were 

contributors to their backlog reductions.

4. OIP issued guidance in 2017 encouraging agencies to regularly review 

their FOIA websites to ensure that they contain essential resources 

and are informative and user-friendly. Has your agency reviewed its 

FOIA website(s) during the reporting period to ensure it addresses 

the elements noted in the guidance. 
 

32 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

USDA’s FOIA components are advised to monitor their individual FOIA 

landing pages to ensure contact information is current, links are accessible, 

logs are up-to-date, and other essential resources are available and to the 

extent permitted, in a machine-readable format.

Some USDA components reported working with their IT professionals to 

revamp their FOIA landing pages. Items like search functionality and naming 

conventions are being evaluated to allow users to filter potentially hundreds 

of records with various search parameters. 

5. Did all four of your agency’s quarterly reports for Fiscal Year 2023 

appear on your agency’s website and on FOIA.gov?

Yes. All four quarterly reports for Fiscal Year 2023 appear on USDA’s website 

and FOIA.gov.

6. If your agency did not successfully post all quarterly reports, with 

information appearing on FOIA.gov, please explain why and provide 

your agency’s plan for ensuring that such reporting is successful in 

Fiscal Year 2024. 

Not applicable. All four quarterly reports were posted. 

7. The FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 requires all agencies to post the 

raw statistical data used to compile their Annual FOIA Reports. 

Please provide the link to this posting for your agency’s Fiscal Year 

2020 and if available, your agency’s Fiscal Year 2021 Annual FOIA 

Report. 

Please see https://www.usda.gov/ogc/office-information-affairs/foiadivision. 
 

33 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

8. In February 2019, DOJ and OMB issued joint Guidance establishing 

interoperability standards to receive requests from the National 

FOIA Portal on FOIA.gov. Are all components of your agency in 

compliance with the guidance?

All USDA components are interoperable.

Section V: Steps Taken to Remove Barriers to Access, Improve Timeliness 

in Responding to Requests, and Reduce Backlogs

A. Remove Barriers to Access 

1. Has your agency established alternative means of access to firstparty requested records outside of the FOIA process.

Yes. USDA has established alternative means of access to first-party 

requested records outside of the FOIA process.

2. If yes, please provide examples.

The FSIS continues to grant access to a web-based system that collects 

information generated from inspections, compliance verification, 

notification, and monitoring activities regarding the slaughter, processing, 

import and export of meat, and poultry products.

The FS continues to route first-party requests for employment verification 

and security clearance screening to its Human Resources Management 

Contact Center. FS’ Region 2 also continued coordination with its Law 

Enforcement and Investigations team on a more efficient and direct method 

for first-party requesters to access accident reports. 

Additionally, RD FOIA Office continued its redirection of mortgage-related 

requests to the Agency’s Customer Service Center (CSC) in St. Louis, 

Missouri. CSC is the servicer for borrowers with loans under the Agency’s 

Single-Family Housing Program. Requesters now have a direct contact in CSC 
 

34 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

to address mortgage-related requests concerning loan payoffs, payment 

history, defaults, foreclosure, or any other inquiries concerning the serving 

of their loan. The implementation of this effort continues to be vital in the 

reduction of RD’s inventory of backlog requests. 

3. Please describe any other steps your agency has taken to remove 

barriers to accessing government information. 

The OIA continues to encourage USDA’s FOIA professionals to identify 

record categories that are readily accessible for private use without filing a 

FOIA or Privacy Act request.

B. Timeliness 

4. For Fiscal Year 2023, what was the average number of days your 

agency reported for adjudicating requests for expedited processing?

USDA’s average number of days to adjudicate requests for expedited 

processing is 10.27 days.

5. If your agency’s average number of days to adjudicate requests for 

expedited processing was above ten calendar days on your agency’s 

Fiscal Year 2023 Annual FOIA Report, please describe the steps your 

agency will take to ensure that requests for expedited processing are 

adjudicated within ten calendar days or less. 

USDA is pleased to report that it reduced its average by 19.64 days. Since

the number is slightly above ten calendar days, the OIA will continue to 

provide notices to those Government Information Specialist with requests 

that are either close to or going beyond the statutory timeframe for 

adjudication with the aim of seeing further reductions in 2024. 
 

35 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

6. Does your agency utilize a separate track for simple requests. 

Yes. USDA utilizes a separate track for simple requests.

7. If your agency uses a separate track for simple requests, was the 

agency overall average number of days to process simple requests 

twenty working days or fewer in Fiscal Year 2023?

No. USDA is still slightly above twenty working days at 22.76.

8. If not, did the simple track average processing time decrease 

compared to the previous Fiscal Year?

Yes. USDA reduced its average processing time by 1.1 working days in 2023.

9. Please provide the percentage of requests processed by your agency 

in Fiscal Year 2023 that were placed in the simple track.

The percentage of requests processed by USDA that were placed in the 

simple track is 89.21 %.

10. If your agency does not track simple requests separately, was 

the average number of days to process all non-expedited requests 

twenty working days or fewer?

Not applicable. USDA tracks its simple requests separately.

C. Backlogs

Backlogged Requests

11. If your agency had a backlog of requests at the close of the 

Fiscal Year 2023, did that backlog decrease as compared with the 

backlog reported at the end of Fiscal Year 2022?
 

36 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

Yes. USDA’s backlog decreased by approximately 1% in Fiscal Year 2023. 

Number of Backlogged 

Requests

as of End of the Fiscal Year 

from Previous Annual 

Report

Number of Backlogged 

Requests as of End of the Fiscal 

Year from Current Annual 

Report

USDA

OVERALL 1,991 1,972

12. If not, did your agency process more requests during Fiscal 

Year 2023 than it did during Fiscal Year 2022? 

Not applicable. USDA’s backlog decreased in Fiscal Year 2023. 

13. If your agency’s request backlog increased during Fiscal Year 

2023, please explain why, and describe the causes that contributed 

to your agency not being able to reduce its backlog. 

Not applicable. USDA’s backlog decreased in Fiscal Year 2023. 

14. If you had a request backlog, please report the percentage of 

requests that make up the backlog out of the total number of 

requests received by your agency in Fiscal Year 2023. 

The percentage of requests that make up the backlog out of the total 

number of requests received by USDA is 11.88%. 

15. If your agency had a backlog of appeals at the close of Fiscal Year 

2023, did that backlog decrease as compared with the backlog 

reported at the end of Fiscal Year 2022? 

No. USDA’s backlogged appeals increased by approximately 3.5%. 
 

37 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

Number of Backlogged 

Appeals as of End of the 

Fiscal Year from Previous 

Annual Report

Number of Backlogged 

Appeals as of End of the Fiscal 

Year from Current Annual 

Report

USDA

OVERALL 143 148 

16. If not, did your agency process more appeals during Fiscal Year 2023 

than it did during Fiscal Year 2022? 

No. USDA processed 30% less administrative appeals in Fiscal Year 2023.

 

17. If your agency’s appeal backlog increased during Fiscal Year 2023, 

please explain why and describe the causes that contributed to your 

agency not being able to reduce its backlog. 

The few USDA components with administrative appeal backlogs advised that 

they have been significantly affected by attrition as many of their FOIA 

professionals process records requests as a collateral duty. 

18. If you had an appeal backlog, please report the percentage of 

appeals that make up the backlog out of the total number of appeals 

received by your agency in Fiscal Year 2023. 

The percentage of appeals that make up the backlog out of the total number 

of appeals received by USDA in Fiscal Year 2023 is 134.55%. 

D. Backlog Reduction Plans

19. In the 2023 guidelines for Chief FOIA Officer Reports, any agency 

with a backlog of over 1000 requests in Fiscal Year 2022 was asked to 

provide a plan for achieving backlog reduction in the year ahead. Did 

your agency implement a backlog reduction plan last year? If so, 

describe your agency’s efforts in implementing this plan and note if 
 

38 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

your agency was able to achieve backlog reduction in Fiscal Year 

2023?

Yes. USDA did implement a backlog reduction plan. While USDA, did not 

meet every goal, it was able to reduce the initial request backlog by about 

1%, close out the ten oldest initial requests and consultations, and close 60% 

of its ten oldest administrative appeals. Accordingly, the OIA will continue to 

require each FOIA component to set quarterly backlog goals, share and 

reinforce request management tools, perform routine check-ins with FOIA 

leadership, and advocate for additional resources to support processing.

20. If your agency had a backlog of more than 1,000 requests in Fiscal 

Year 2023, please explain your agency’s plan to reduce this backlog 

during Fiscal Year 2024.

Given its success, USDA will implement the prior year’s plan in FY24.

E. Reducing the Age of Requests, Appeals, and Consultations

Ten Oldest Requests

21. In Fiscal Year 2023, did your agency close the ten oldest pending 

perfected requests that were reported in Section VII.E. of your Fiscal 

Year 2022 Annual FOIA Report?

USDA closed its ten oldest pending perfected requests.

22. If no, please provide the number of these requests your agency was 

able to close by the end of the fiscal year, as listed in Section VII.E of 

your Fiscal Year 2022 Annual FOIA Report. If you had less than ten 

total oldest requests to close, please indicate that.

Not applicable. USDA closed its ten oldest pending perfected requests. 

23. Beyond work on the ten oldest requests, please describe any 
 

39 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

steps your agency took to reduce the overall age of your pending 

requests. 

The OIA continued to meet with the FOIA components throughout Fiscal 

Year 2023 to assist them with developing individual plans aimed at the 

search, collection, and review of older complex requests.

TEN OLDEST APPEALS

24. In Fiscal Year 2023, did your agency close the ten oldest appeals that 

were reported pending in Section VI.C.5 of your Fiscal Year 2022

Annual FOIA Report?

USDA did not close its ten oldest appeals. 

25. If no, please provide the number of these appeals your agency was 

able to close by the end of the fiscal year, as listed in Section VII.C.(5) 

of your Fiscal Year 2022 Annual FOIA Report. If you had less than ten 

total oldest appeals to close, please indicate that.

USDA closed a total of six of its ten oldest appeals.

26. Beyond work on the ten oldest appeals, please describe any steps 

your agency took to reduce the overall age of your pending appeals.

Some USDA FOIA components utilized the OIA’s Blanket Purchase 

Agreement to procure FOIA contract support to process some of the older 

more complex administrative appeals.

Ten Oldest Consultations 

27. In Fiscal Year 2023, did your agency close the ten oldest 

consultations that were reported pending in Section XII.C. of your 

Fiscal Year 2022 Annual FOIA Report?

Yes. USDA closed its ten oldest consultations.
 

40 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

28. If no, please provide the number of these consultations your agency 

was able to close by the end of the fiscal year, as listed in Section 

XII.C. of your Fiscal Year 2022 Annual FOIA Report. If you had less 

than ten total oldest consultations to close, please indicate that. 

Not applicable. USDA closed its ten oldest consultations. 

Additional Information Regarding Ten Oldest 

29. If your agency did not close its ten oldest pending requests, appeals, 

or consultations, please explain why, and provide a plan describing 

how your agency intends to close those “ten oldest” requests, 

appeals, and consultations during Fiscal Year 2024. 

USDA closed its ten oldest pending requests and consultations but was 

unable to close its ten oldest appeals. The OIA is already meeting with FOIA 

Officers to discuss the status of their requests on the Department’s ten 

oldest initial requests, consultations, and administrative appeals. The OIA 

will monitor progress via USDA’s enterprise wide FOIA tracking system and 

provide support if needed. 

F. Additional Information about FOIA Processing

30. Were any requests at your agency the subject of FOIA litigation 

during the reporting period? If so, please describe the impact on 

your agency’s overall FOIA requests processing and backlog. If 

possible, please indicate: 

a. The number and nature of requests subject to litigation

b. Common causes leading to litigation

c. Any other information to illustrate the impact of litigation on 

your overall FOIA administration. 

Yes. USDA received approximately twenty complaints this reporting period 

alleging either constructive denial or improper application of FOIA 

exemptions 4 and/or 5. Most of these complaints were directed to APHIS, 
 

41 | USDA 202 4 Chief FOIA Officer Report

OIA, and FS. The subject of these complaints included wildland fire 

emergencies, land exchanges, applications to initiate mineral withdrawal of 

federal land, climate adaption plans, lethal removal of livestock, 

international health certificates for livestock, the Supply Chain Disruption 

Task force, and communication involving political appointees.

The requests identified in the complaints were generally complex in nature, 

involving internal and external coordination in addition to the review of 

thousands of potentially responsive records. The FOIA professionals tasked 

with processing the records will typically work solely on the litigation for a 

period that can easily exceed 3-6 months. Accordingly, they are unable to 

work on other incoming initial requests or administrative appeals in their 

queue. As those requests become backlogged, the components they service, 

run the risk of additional litigation.