Office of the Secretary 

Washington, DC 20250 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Plain Writing Act Compliance Report 

Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is committed to improving its service to our 

internal and external customers by writing in plain language. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 

requires USDA to develop publications, forms, and publicly distributed documents in a manner 

that is “clear, concise, well-organized, and follows other best practices appropriate to the subject 

or field and intended audience.” USDA pledges to provide clear, understandable, and useful 

information to our customers within every paper or electronic letter, publication, form, notice, or 

instruction produced by the Department. USDA’s commitments and plain language resources 

can be found on USDA’s Plain Writing Website. 

Plain writing is an essential method of ensuring that our customers understand our programs and 

services, can easily obtain information, and that information is in a format to ease language 

translation and accessibility. USDA will continue to raise awareness about requirements of plain 

writing at all levels of the Department. We will ensure processes are in place so that information 

is clear and concise and readily available for our customers. 

Adherence to plain writing principles has helped USDA communicate more clearly and 

effectively with the customers we serve. USDA has enjoyed consistent and positive reception for 

its thoroughness in conveying its programs, services, and public-facing communications in an 

organized, visually appealing, and understandable format. 

USDA maintains this standard of excellence by: 

• continuing improvements in technology; 

• staying on the cutting edge of web design to keep our presence “fresh” while using a 

variety of digital tools and channels to ensure a pleasant and informative online 

experience for our customers; 

• trading wordy, technical or legal jargon for simple, clear, and concise language; and most 

importantly 

• welcoming feedback from our internal employees and external customers. 

This report focuses on USDA’s activities from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023, but 

includes our agencies’ accomplishments that were not previously reported. 
 

I. Senior Agency Official for Plain Writing: 

a. Marcia Moore, Director of the Executive Secretariat 

b. Names of Plain Language Coordinators within the agency. 

ORGANIZATION PLAIN LANGUAGE COORDINATORS 

Immediate Office of the Secretary (OES) Erin Brando 

Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Wade Minami 

Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services (FNCS) 

and Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) 

Jairea McClamb 

Office of Food Safety (OFS) and Food Safety and 

Inspection Service (FSIS) 

Patricia Cuadros 

Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) and 

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) 

Carl Purvis (Acting) 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS) 

Christina Myers 

Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) and 

Forest Service (FS) 

Kathryn Sosbe 

Research, Education, and Economics (REE) and 

sub-agencies except ARS 

Tyler Tucker 

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Ann Perry 

Rural Development (RD) Shani Burley-Moore 

Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs (TFAA) 

and Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) 

Shannon Stroman 

Office of Budget and Program Analysis (OBPA) Norbert Snobeck 

Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) Renae Harris-Hill 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 

(OASCR) 

Jonathan Clark 

Office of the General Counsel (OGC) Kumar Jayasuriya 

2 
ORGANIZATION PLAIN LANGUAGE COORDINATORS 

Office of the Executive Secretariat (OES) Jamie Stroter and Charles Melton 

Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) Jeff Hunt 

Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement 

(OPPE) 

Joyce El Kouarti 

Departmental Administration (DA) Candace Glover 

Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP) Crandall Watson 

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Kellie Burdette 

Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) Rich Derksen 

3 
 

 

 

II. Specific Types of Agency Communications Released in FY19-23 

USDA has made the following communications available in a format that is consistent with the 

Plain Writing Guidelines. 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Intended user and approximate 

number of potential users 

What has changed 

by using Plain 

Writing? 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Equity Action Planning Across USDA: 

(Multiple Agencies) 

Equity Action Plan 

Details a subset of actions that 

USDA has chosen to highlight 

because of their potential high 

impact for underserved farmers 

and ranchers, farmworkers, Tribes, 

families and children, and rural 

communities. 

Well-designed for 

reading. Organizes 

the information well. 

Highlights important 

concepts with simple 

text formatting. Uses 

bold for emphasis. 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and 

Accessibility Strategic Plan 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and 

Accessibility Strategic Plan (usda.gov) 

It's intended for all 100,000 USDA 

employees and the American 

public. 

Well-designed and 

clearly written for 

easy understanding 

and comprehension. 

Foreign Language Translation Services 

and Preparing Content for Translation 

Software: 

Executive Order 14091 

The United States is a multilingual 

country. According to a 2019 U.S. 

Census Bureau survey, nearly 68 

million people in the U.S. speak a 

language other than English at 

home. Each year the U.S. 

welcomes more than 800,000 new 

citizens from all over the world. 

USDA pledges to 

provide websites and 

other written material 

in plain language to 

make the translation 

to other languages 

easier and cheaper for 

the Federal 

government and our 

customers. 

4 
Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (continued) 

The Freedom of Information Act, or 

FOIA, is a law that provides any person 

access to agency records, except to the 

extent that such agency records or 

portions of such agency records are 

protected from disclosure by one or more 

of the nine FOIA exemptions. 

Electronic FOIA Request Public Access 

Portal 

There are certain requirements for 

making a USDA FOIA request, 

and in some cases, the records you 

are requesting may already be 

posted online. Prior to submitting 

a request, navigate to the USDA's 

FOIA Website for information 

about the following topics: 

1. Requirements and tips for 

making a USDA FOIA request 

2. USDA FOIA component 

reading rooms 

3. USDA FOIA points of contact 

4. Prior published USDA FOIA 

reports 

5. FOIA resources 

Simplification of 

complex content; 

removal of 

unnecessary details; 

providing clear 

information and 

online access. 

5 
 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

DEPARTMENTAL STAFF OFFICES 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 

USDA Equal Employment Opportunity 

Policy Statement 

Departmental Regulation (DR) 4200-003, 

Anti-Harassment Program 

Departmental Regulation (DR) 4330-003, 

Nondiscrimination in USDA-Conducted 

Programs and Activities 

1. USDA’s mission to actively 

advance racial justice and equity 

for one another by rooting out 

systemic discrimination and 

inequities and strengthening civil 

rights programs while building 

trust within and outside the 

Department. 

2. To establish the AntiHarassment Program at USDA, 

and to fostering a model 

workplace free of conduct that 

negatively affects employee, 

morale, engagement and 

productivity. 

3. To establish policy and provide 

guidance to agencies and 

employees of USDA, to ensure 

compliance with enforcement of 

the USDA’s prohibitions against 

discrimination in its conducted 

programs and activities 

Starts by stating the 

purpose. The 

information provided 

is clear, concise, and 

easy to understand. 

6 
 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

Office of Communications 

Administrative Documents 

Agency Series Publications 

Annual Reports Required by Law 

Annual Reports Not Required by Law 

Department Series Publications 

Directories 

Federal statistical products 

Internal Reports 

Non-administrative Documents 

Periodicals 

Presentations 

Reports to the Public 

Audiences range from the public 

in the United States and foreign 

countries to internal audiences of 

USDA employees. In 2023, the 

two editors in the Office of 

Communications reviewed more 

than 400 manuscripts in lengths 

ranging from 1 to 1,500 pages to 

ensure plain language and other 

requirements. 

The Office of 

Communications acts 

as a final arbiter for 

reconciling many of 

these publications and 

ensures adherence to 

plain language 

requirements, USDA 

brand compliance, 

and GPO standards 

through the 

simplification of 

complex content; 

removal of 

unnecessary details; 

providing clear 

information and 

ensuring online 

access. 

7 
 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

Office of Communications In accordance with public laws, 

executive orders, policies, and 

Congressional directives 

authorizing USDA to publish 

information on agriculture and 

related subjects, USDA 

publications span a broad range of 

topics including research, statistics 

and economics, consumer 

information, food and nutrition, 

improved farming practices, 

natural resources management, 

agricultural marketing, 

conservation and environmental 

protection, homeland security, 

regulatory activities, and credit 

and rural development programs. 

1) Department Series Publications: 

Many publications--ranging from 

popular to technical--are organized 

in a USDA series to ensure better 

recognition and to facilitate a more 

orderly distribution and storage. 

Simplification of 

complex content; 

removal of 

unnecessary details; 

providing clear 

information and 

online access. 

Office of Communications (2) Agency Series Publications: 

USDA agencies often need special 

publications of limited, short-term 

use which do not fully meet the 

criteria for inclusion in any USDA 

series. 

Simplification of 

complex content; 

removal of 

unnecessary details; 

providing clear 

information and 

online access. 

8 
 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

Office of Communications (3) Periodicals: Periodicals 

exclude information materials 

published as administrative letters, 

circular letters, memorandums, 

press and radio releases, 

intermittent notices, regulations, 

opinions, decisions, and various 

management bulletins on safety, 

incentive awards, and similar 

subjects. 

(4) Annual Reports: Annual 

reports are developed to document 

and summarize a program, 

research, or the organization’s 

activities conducted in the current 

or previous year. 

Simplification of 

complex content; 

removal of 

unnecessary details; 

providing clear 

information and 

online access. 

Office of Communications (a) Annual Reports Required by 

Law. The purpose of legally 

required annual reports varies 

widely. Several are necessary for 

compliance by specific agencies; 

several are required by specific 

programs about which the 

Secretary of Agriculture or the 

USDA as a whole must report. 

Also, the Secretary of Agriculture 

must make an annual written 

report to the President that 

contains purely business and 

executive matter necessary for the 

Secretary to submit to the 

President and Congress 

Simplification of 

complex content; 

removal of 

unnecessary details; 

providing clear 

information and 

online access. 

9 
 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

Office of Communications (b) Annual Reports Not Required 

by Law. While not required by 

law, an agency or Under or 

Assistant Secretary has determined 

the report necessary. These reports 

may be for internal use only or for 

reporting the results of an agency 

program, research, activity that 

may be in the public interest. 

(5) Internal Reports: An annual 

report of an agency, an Under or 

Assistant Secretary, or a group 

director that is intended primarily 

for internal. 

(6) Reports to the Public: These 

reports are considered reports of 

research progress or of special 

program results that are in the 

public interest, rather than of an 

agency's complete activities 

throughout a given year. 

(7) Directories: A USDA agency 

may publish and issue a directory 

of its personnel for administrative 

purposes. Agencies must avoid 

including. 

Simplification of 

complex content; 

removal of 

unnecessary details; 

providing clear 

information and 

online access. 

10 
 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

Office of Communications 8) Federal statistical products: 

These products published by 

Federal statistical agencies or units 

are regulated under the Information 

Quality Act, Public Law (P.L.) No. 

106-554, § 515, the Foundations for 

Evidence-Based Policymaking Act 

of 2018, P.L. No. 115-435, and 

Federal Statistical Directives. 

Federal statistical products are 

defined as information products that 

describe, estimate, forecast, or 

analyze the characteristics of 

groups, customarily without 

identifying the persons, 

organizations, or individual data 

observations that comprise such 

groups. Statistical products include 

general-purpose tabulations, 

analyses, projections, forecasts, or 

other statistical reports. This 

includes products and information 

that support a statistical product and 

are released with the statistical 

products, such as social media text, 

graphics, maps, posters and charts 

with links to federal statistical 

product that it describes. 

Simplification of 

complex content; 

removal of 

unnecessary details; 

providing clear 

information and 

online access. 

11 
 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

Office of Communications (9) Presentations 

(10) Administrative Documents: In 

addition to miscellaneous 

periodicals and directories, 

agencies may publish documents 

that are administrative: (a) 

Administrative documents are 

defined as: 1. Documents with an 

audience limited to USDA 

personnel and official cooperators 

who need the information to carry 

out their program responsibilities, 

and there is no planned 

distribution to an outside group. 2 

Documents that fall into one of the 

following categories: Instruction 

manuals, regulations or directives 

governing USDA employees; 

preliminary reports and drafts 

distributed for internal review 

purposes. (b) Examples of official 

cooperators include other Federal 

agencies, associations, community 

groups, and organizations, as well 

as state, county, and municipal 

government units, foreign 

embassies and consulate offices 

within the United States. 

Simplification of 

complex content; 

removal of 

unnecessary details; 

providing clear 

information and 

online access. 

12 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

Office of Communications (11) Other Information Materials: 

USDA also issues information 

materials not considered 

publications. These include 

materials intended exclusively as: 

(a) Press, radio, photographic, and 

video releases when reproduced in 

finished form; (b) Background 

statements for use by the media; 

(c) Speeches and proclamations that 

receive limited distribution at time 

of presentation; (d) Forms; (e) 

Individual letters and memorandums 

used as correspondence; (f) 

Administrative letters, circulars, 

records, and memorandums 

intended solely for internal use; (g) 

Department directives; (h) Maps, 

posters, and charts without 

accompanying text matter; (i) 

Visual instructions and lecture notes 

for presentations and slides; (j) 

Letterheads; (k) Social media text 

and graphics; (l) Signs, symbols, 

tags, blotters and similar, items; 

(m) Podcasts; and (n) Video for 

social media, training, or filmfestival distribution. 

(12) Non-administrative 

Documents: Agencies publish 

documents for other audiences, e.g., 

brochures, fact sheets, flyers, pest 

alerts, agricultural calendars, 

outlook conference programs, 

infographics, stickers, labels, safety 

guidelines for school meals, summer 

notices for school meals. 

Simplification of 

complex content; 

removal of 

unnecessary details; 

providing clear 

information and 

online access. 

13 
 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

Office of Contracting and Procurement 

Improved the USDA Contracting Desk 

Book in order to better support plain 

language. 

Information targeted for all those 

within USDA who perform 

contracting and procurement 

functions. 

The changes to the 

desk book created a 

more user-friendly 

document that 

facilitates improved 

efficiency and 

increased 

understanding for all 

USDA contracting 

and procurement 

personnel. 

Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement 

Shares information about USDA 

resources, grants and programs. Provides 

equitable access to USDA resources at all 

our agencies. 

Partnerships Monthly Newsletters 

Information is targeted to the 

communities we serve, including 

veterans, underrepresented 

farmers, new farmers, students, 

community nonprofit 

organizations, and higher 

education institutions. 

Concise and uses 

short paragraphs to 

provide complex 

information. 

14 
 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

Office of Customer Experience 

USDA Collaborate. Act. Rebuild. 

Empower. Strengthen. (CARES) Partner 

Portal: 

Partner Portal about CARES 

It is designed specifically for, and 

by, those that work with farmers, 

ranchers and landowners that have 

been considered historically 

underserved. 

Developed in 

response to the 

American Rescue 

Plan 1006; centered 

on improving equity 

at Federal agencies; 

designed to help 

USDA partners 

access the 

information and tools 

that are most relevant 

to their work. 

Find Your Local USDA Service Center: Information for USDA customers 

on how to find USDA Service 

Complies with the 

official guidelines for Partner Portal (Find-USDA) Centers, local offices and helpful 

points of contact across the 

country. 

the Plain Writing Act 

of 2010 so users can 

find what they need, 

understand what they 

find, use what they 

find to meet their 

needs. 

15 
Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

Office of Inspector General 

You can make a FOIA Request either 

online through the FOIA Request Form, 

by e-mail, by fax, or by mail. 

Submit a FOIA request 

OIG Oversight Resources FOIA-Requests 

There are certain requirements for 

making a FOIA request, please 

include the following information: 

1. Today's date 

2. Name (first and last name) 

3. Address (street, city, state and 

zip) 

4. Phone number 

5.Fax number (if available) 

6. Electronic mail address (if 

available) 

7. Finally, describe in detail the 

records requested. Please provide 

as much information as you have 

available to you such as, audit 

report number, investigation report 

number, program area, etc. 

Simplification of 

complex content; 

removal of 

unnecessary details; 

providing clear 

information and 

online access. 

Office of Tribal Relations 

USDA Launches Pilot Programs to 

Increase Affordable Homeownership 

Opportunities for People on Tribal Lands 

Homeownership Opportunities Tribal 

Lands 

Provides loans and grants to help 

expand economic opportunities, 

create jobs and improve the quality 

of life for millions of Americans in 

rural areas. This assistance 

supports infrastructure 

improvements; business 

development; housing; community 

facilities such as schools, public 

safety and health care; and highspeed internet access in rural, 

Tribal and high-poverty areas. 

USDA pledges to 

provide websites and 

other written material 

in plain language to 

provide a better 

experience for the 

customers. 

16 
 

 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

Office of Budget and Program Analysis 

Departmental directive training materials 

and training sessions for developers and 

editors include a plain language 

component. 

Provide review feedback for draft 

directive and form submissions, 

addressing plain language concerns as 

needed. 

2018 – Introduced readability objective 

ranges for three audience tiers: a 

specialized audience; all employees; and 

all employees and members of the public. 

2018 – Measured readability scores for 

each directive and form version to assess 

relative improvement progress. 

2019 – For greater visibility, included 

readability scores for each directive in the 

Policy Status Dashboard. 

Users include 50+ Departmental 

directive and form owners. 

typically including 200+ 

developers and editors. 

Improved readability 

of Departmental 

directives and forms 

for members of the 

public and 95,000+ 

users across the 

Department. 

2022 – Introduced a Readability 

Scorecard to provide feedback with 

context to directive developers and 

editors. 

Users include 50+ Departmental 

directive and form owners. 

typically including 200+ 

developers and editors. 

Improved readability 

of Departmental 

directives and forms 

for members of the 

public and 95,000+ 

users across the 

Department. 

17 
 

 

 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

DEPARTMENTAL MISSION AREAS 

FOOD, NUTRITION, AND CONSUMER SERVICES 

Farm to School Fact Sheets: More than 20 different fact sheets 

on a variety of topics, ranging 

Starts by stating the 

purpose and the Farm and Nutrition Service Fact-Sheets from school gardening to local 

meat. 

bottom line. Lays 

things out in a logical 

order. Puts the most 

important information 

at the beginning. 

FARM PRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION 

Service Center Agencies eForms 

eForms Home 

eForms allows you to search for 

and complete forms requesting 

services from Farm Service 

Agency (FSA), Natural 

Conservation Service (NRCS), and 

Rural Development (RD). 

USDA pledges to 

provide websites and 

other written material 

in plain language to 

provide a better 

experience for the 

customers. 

Farm Production and Conservation – Business Center 

Beginning in November 2022, the 

Business Center began development on its 

new OneFPAC intranet site under the 

umbrella of the OneUSDA initiative to 

replace its legacy myFPAC system. This 

system is cleaner, easier to navigate, and 

has content written with the target 

audience in mind. 

The site will be used by more than 

20,000 USDA employees. 

Content has been 

restructured and in 

many cases 

completely rewritten 

to be clearer, more 

concise, and easier to 

navigate. 

18 
Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

FARM PRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION (continued) 

Natural Resource Conservation Service 

NRCS has launched its new public facing Nearly 16.5 million unique Content was rewritten 

website. The new site is a top-to-bottom pageviews in 2022, and more than to focus on the 

rebuild, with content revised and 13 million unique page views to intended audience 

reorganized to be easier to navigate and date in 2023. (the public). 

use, and to focus on the needs of the Extraneous content 

intended audience, the public. was removed, and 

remaining content 

was restructured to be 

easier to understand, 

use, and navigate. 

Farm Service Agency 

On October 26, 2022, FSA launched a 

new online tool to help producers better 

navigate the farm loan application 

process. This uniform application process 

will help to ensure all farm loan 

applicants receive equal support and have 

a consistent customer experience with 

USDA. 

Loan Assistance Tool 

The Loan Assistance Tool 

provides applicants needing 

agricultural financing, with an 

online, interactive, plain language, 

step-by-step guide to: 

1. Help assess their eligibility for 

farm loans. 

2. Direct them to the appropriate 

loan types for their situation and a 

comprehensive documentation 

checklist noting what should be 

gathered. 

3. Assist them with the completion 

of all appropriate loan application 

forms while minimizing duplicate 

information requests. 

Simplification of 

complex content; 

removal of 

unnecessary details; 

providing clear 

information and 

online access. 

19 
 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

MARKETING AND REGULATORY PROGRAMS 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

As of August, APHIS had published 42 

unique publications (not including 

multiple language versions) using plain 

language best practices in FY23. 

Examples include: 

Outreach materials for the AgDiscovery 

summer student program, 

Several posters for use in Puerto Rico to 

prevent to discourage travelers from 

taking or mailing prohibited items 

(including pork) to the U.S. mainland, 

A fact sheet to help underserved 

populations better understand the process 

for applying for APHIS funding 

opportunities, 

APHIS Protecting Animal Health 

Publication that explains APHIS’ Farm 

Bill-funded animal health programs, 

The APHIS strategic plan and strategic 

foresight documents, 

An infographic (attached) summarizing 

APHIS’ response to highly pathogenic 

avian influenza, and 

Numerous tech notes to help people meet 

minimum standards of animal care, 

among others. 

Audiences include a wide variety 

of stakeholders, including 

agricultural industries, State 

governments, universities, Tribes 

and other underserved 

communities, regulated entities, 

travelers, and others. Potential 

volume of users varies by 

publication. 

APHIS has 

incorporated plain 

language principles 

into its publications 

writing and editing 

for many years. Over 

time, we have made 

our publications 

library much more 

accessible to both the 

general public and 

targeted stakeholders. 

20 
Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

MARKETING AND REGULATORY PROGRAMS (continued) 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

Web Content. APHIS has worked with 

subject matter experts (SMEs) to rewrite 

267 web pages in plain language in FY23. 

These pages will be published in early 

2024 with the launch of the updated 

APHIS website. 

The web content redevelopment 

effort focused on pages identified 

as priority user needs based on 

analytics and stakeholder 

interviews. APHIS’ website 

received more than 18 million 

visitors in FY23. 

Simplification of 

complex content; 

removal of 

unnecessary details; 

providing clear 

information and calls 

to action for site 

visitors. 

Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) 

FY22 Annual Report. 

Streamlined a previously 40+ page, textheavy report into more user-friendly 

content. 

All PPQ stakeholders, including 

agricultural industries, State and 

foreign governments, and 

Congress. 

Turned a dense 

document into web 

content broken into 

five easily digestible 

components, 

including “PPQ by 

the Numbers” and a 

one-pager describing 

the U.S. agricultural 

safeguarding system. 

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT 

Forest Service 

Nearly 400 Projects to Expand Access to 

Trees and Green Spaces in Communities 

and Neighborhoods Nationwide. 

Forestry Program 

Forest Service is awarding more 

than $1 billion in competitive 

grants to plant and maintain trees, 

combat extreme heat and climate 

change, and improve access to 

nature in cities, towns, and suburbs 

where more than 84% of 

Americans live, work, and play. 

USDA pledges to 

provide websites and 

other written material 

in plain language to 

provide a better 

experience for the 

customers. 

21 
 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (continued) 

Forest Service 

For the third season, the USDA Forest 

Service is selling Christmas Tree permits 

through Recreation.gov, which makes it 

more convenient for visitors to find and 

purchase permits to cut holiday trees from 

their favorite national forest. Permits are 

currently available and may vary by 

national forest. 

News Release: Tree Permits 

Recreation.gov: Tree PermitsConfronting 

the Wildfire Crisis website 

Confronting the Wildfire Crisis 2022 

publication 

Progress Summary 2022 publication 

Implementation Plan 2022 publication 

A Chronicle 2022 publication 

Initial Landscapes 2022 publication 

Second Landscapes 2023 publication 

As an alternative to visiting a 

Forest Service office in person, 

visitors can go to Recreation.gov 

and search for their local national 

forest. Once on Recreation.gov, 

national forests provide important 

details, like cutting area maps, 

types of trees to cut, and important 

planning tips on their respective 

permit pages. “It is important to 

remember that visitors will need to 

print the permit and display it on 

the dash of their vehicle on the day 

of their visit to cut their trees,” 

said DeLappe. Also keep in mind 

that many national forests may 

continue to sell permits in person 

or through local vendors. 

Simplification of 

complex content; 

removal of 

unnecessary details; 

providing clear 

information and 

online access. 

22 
 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (continued) 

Forest Service 

Website: Forest Service Feature Stories 

Highlighted features: 

Article: Traveling trees: Assisted 

migration for climate resilience 

Article: Many hands tippin’ torches 

Article: Protecting water from fire 

Article: And just like that, I found myself 

in fire school 

Article: Finding relief in the shade 

Wide audience of external users. 

Analytics show that in 2023, web 

features had between 1,200 to 

nearly 160,000 views each. This 

does not include features 

published on region, forest and 

grassland websites. 

The agency has 

worked for several 

years to expand and 

improve our 

storytelling 

capabilities through 

training that includes 

communication 

through words and 

visuals. The result is 

increasingly honed 

feature stories that 

take highly complex 

information and 

brings them to a level 

where the story 

speaks to the reader. 

The result of more 

focused writing led to 

the expanded capacity 

throughout the 

agency for skilled 

storytellers who work 

with equally skilled 

photographers or 

videographers. 

23 
 

 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (continued) 

Forest Service 

2023 Publication: 

Strengthening Tribal Consultation and 

Nation-to-Nation Relationships: A USDA 

Forest Service Action Plan 

Internal guidance shared externally 

for transparency on actions the 

agency is taking to improve our 

nation-to-nation and personal 

relationships with Tribes. The 

agency took it a step further to 

ensure this crucial work reached 

the intended audiences by securing 

an interview with Indian Country 

Today. 

There is a clearer 

understanding of 

leader intent for 

employees and a 

more focused 

understanding of their 

responsibilities 

associated with 

nation-to-nation 

relations. The same is 

true for external 

readers, especially for 

American Indians and 

Alaska Natives. 

Northern Region Web Page: 

Confronting the Wildfire Crisis in the 

Northern Region 

Public, partners, Congress, State 

legislators, interest groups. 

Number of users: 500+ per year. 

Reformulating often 

bureaucratic language 

into plainer language 

has made what is a 

complex and often 

jargon-filled messages 

more accessible. The 

Wildfire Crisis 

Strategy is complex 

and can be confusing 

to many on how we 

are approaching the 

huge task of wildfire 

risk reduction. Plain 

language is critical to 

helping people 

understand and engage 

with the strategy in a 

meaningful way. 

24 
 

 

 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (continued) 

Forest Service 

Northern Region Newsletter: Public and others. Number of 

users: up to 5,000 per year. 

Providing clear 

information to the 

Wildfire Season 2023 public and online 

access. 

Northern Region Web Page: Public, partners, internal 

audiences. Number of users: 200 

Telling our story in 

active voice and 

Northern Region Contact Us and FAQs per month (web); over 1,000 

receive the PDF version. 

limiting unusual 

jargon and 

bureaucratic language 

helps engage the 

readers with our 

content. Liberal use 

of bulleted lists and 

visuals helps focus 

attention on critical 

elements. 

Pacific Southwest Region: Spotlights 

articles and social media: 

Spotlight Articles 

All website Spotlight articles are 

edited for plain language, to 

appeal to a general audience of 

readers interested in forest 

happenings. 

Along with the 

accompanying social 

media posts, these 

Spotlights on various 

forest topics remove 

acronyms and replace 

technical terms. This 

approach invites 

readers from all 

backgrounds to join in 

understanding modern 

forestry, recreation and 

technologies in the 

region. 

25 
 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (continued) 

Forest Service 

Pacific Southwest Region: USDA Forest 

Service, Pacific Southwest Region: Every 

Kid Outdoors web page 

Updated web page for kids and 

their parents for outdoor recreation 

on Region 5’s 18 national forests. 

“Every Kid Outdoors: 

Kid-Friendly 

Locations” web page 

relies largely on 

images and plain 

language to be 

appealing and useful 

for kids and parents 

from various 

backgrounds 

exploring recreation 

in the region’s 

national forests. 

Pacific Southwest Region: Storytelling 

Guidance for Public Affairs Officers 

(PAOs) and Region and includes link to: 

plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/words/usesimple-words-phrases/ 

For use by all PAOs and Region 5 

employees to offer guidance in 

submitting storytelling articles and 

images to regional storytelling 

team. 

This newly developed 

storytelling guidance 

includes references 

and resource link to 

PlainLanguage.gov 

use of simple words 

and phrases as 

replacement options. 

All editing of articles 

in Region 5 includes 

a plain language 

component to expand 

the reach and 

readability of articles. 

26 
 

 

 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

OFFICE OF FOOD SAFETY 

Improved its library of eForms at: Internal and external stakeholders, 

including USDA-regulated 

Not only are the FSIS 

forms more 

FSIS Inspection Forms industry and the thousands of FSIS 

employees who use forms 

routinely as part of regulatory 

oversight and as government 

employees. 

accessible and 

searchable, the library 

also now includes 

links to related 

resources, making it 

easy to find 

instructions and 

context for each of 

the available forms. 

FSIS’ Food Safety and Education Staff 

developed and presented a poster at the 

poster session for the Partnership for Food 

Safety Education’s Consumer Food 

Safety Education Conference in March of 

2023. 

The poster session was shared with 

13,000 health and food safety 

educators federal and state 

government, industry, university, 

extension, health department, 

students, and other food safety 

educators. The poster’s goal was 

to communicate the successes of 

our 2021 Thanksgiving 

Communications Campaign and 

overall campaign considerations 

that others could consider fora 

successful food safety outreach 

campaign. 

The poster was 

presented in clear and 

concise language that 

was easy to follow 

and understand. The 

poster provided a 

clear focus with 

actionable 

information. 

27 
 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

RURAL DEVELOPMENT 

How to Make Your Documents Plain 

Language and Section 508 Compliant 

Toolkit. 

Additionally, the Office of External 

Affairs Field Operations and Multimedia 

Branch, edited an abridged version of the 

full toolkit. It’s meant for use by RD 

employees (such as our field-based public 

affairs officers and national and statebased program staff) who create publicfacing promotional materials such as 

brochures, flyers, and application guides. 

This version uses a hybrid Associated 

Press Stylebook, The Chicago Manual of 

Style approach with Federal plain 

language and 508 regulations 

incorporated. 

It’s available at RD Plain Language 508 

Toolkit 

Our internal audience is roughly 

4,650 Rural Development 

employees in Washington, DC, St. 

Louis, MO and our 47 state 

offices. 

The total number of documents 

processed by RD’s Internal 

Communications Branch in FY23 

was 623. 

Also, in FY23, the Field 

Operations and Multimedia 

Branch Publications team edited 

more than a hundred public-facing 

brochures, flyers, guides, and other 

materials for plain language and 

Section 508 accessibility. 

Beyond that, the Multimedia 

branch also has transcribed more 

than 200 videos and webinars, 

ensuring Section 508 accessibility 

for our viewers. 

The information we 

provide to our 

external and internal 

customers is clear, 

concise, and easy to 

understand the first 

time our customers 

read it. 

Our plain language 

activities also help 

our customers 

understand and 

comply with Federal 

laws, fill out 

government forms, 

and get Federal 

benefits and services. 

For the web, we post 

plain language fact 

sheets and content 

written in plain 

language. 

28 
 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND ECONOMICS 

Economic Research Service 

ERS public-facing website External content designed to 

inform a wide variety of audiences 

(general audience, stakeholders, 

partners, industry, influencers, 

public officials) of the research 

programs and accomplishments of 

ERS 

ERS collects 

information online 

from its visitors via 

survey, and the 

survey queries if the 

information on our 

website is easy to 

understand. Our 

FY23-to-date CSAT 

for the response to 

that question was 

76.1. 

Agricultural Research Service 

Scientific Discoveries: 

Scientific Discoveries 2023 

ARS Office of Communications (OC): 

Office of Communications: USDA ARS 

Tellus 

External content designed to 

inform a wide variety of audiences 

(general audience, stakeholders, 

partners, industry, influencers, 

public officials) of the research 

programs and accomplishments of 

ARS. 

ARS OC collects 

information online 

from its visitors via 

survey, and the 

survey includes 

questions related to 

plain language, such 

as “clarity of the 

writing” and “quality 

of the information 

provided.” Both of 

these questions 

typically score in the 

80th percentile. 

29 
 

 

 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

National Institute of Food and Agriculture 

New improved articles on AskUSDA. Stakeholders, grant seekers, Landgrant Universities, small Plain, concise 

language helps users New improved fact sheets, pamphlets, businesses, farmers and ranchers, quickly find what forms, website, etc. Steps taken to make veterans, NIFA employees, public, they need, USDA processes for loans and grants etc. comprehend it and easier to understand. A new policy written use it to meet their 

in plain language. needs. 

National Agricultural Statistics Service 

New improved articles on AskUSDA. All NASS articles are written in 

plain language. We have articles 

written as question and answer 

(Q&A) talking points and 

frequently asked questions (FAQs) 

that are easy for USDA staff to 

reference and explain to the 

public. We provide new or 

updated articles for every new, 

sizeable, popular or sensitive 

survey, or report released. 

Plain, concise 

language helps users 

quickly find what 

they need, 

comprehend it and 

use it to meet their 

needs. 

New improved fact sheets, pamphlets, NASS’s Public Affairs Office uses Plain, concise 

forms, website, etc. designed to improve plain language in everything public- language helps users 

the public’s understanding of a program facing, from FAQs, brochures and quickly find what 

using plain language or ease in language. other informational materials 

produced in multiple languages to 

NASS web pages. PAO also 

publishes products called Highlights 

that supplement NASS’s most 

they need, 

comprehend it and 

use it to meet their 

needs. 

popular data reports that are briefer 

and more plain language for reaching 

every audience. The plain language 

AgCounts Survey Respondent Portal 

makes it easier and convenient for 

producers to fill out NASS 

questionnaires. 

30 
 

 

 

Type of communications of document 

or posting 

Type of communications of 

document or posting 

Type of 

communications of 

document or posting 

National Agricultural Statistics Service 

Plain Language training sponsored by 

your organization and the number of 

attendees. 

NASS PAO promotes and 

provides regular (typically annual) 

plain language training to agency 

employees. Attendance at each 

training has been 100-150. The 

trainings are recorded with the 

recording and presentation 

accessible to all staff at all times 

for easy reference. 

Our plain language 

activities and 

trainings help 

employees understand 

and comply with the 

Plain Writing Act. 

III. Inform Agency Staff of Plain Writing Act’s Requirements: 

a. 

b. 

Information on the Act is posted on the USDA internet site: 

https://www.usda.gov/plain-writing 

Published an article FY23 Plain Writing Compliance Report and its 

requirements on OneUSDA, and internal agency news intranet site. 

IV. Training 

a. Agencies provided the following training: 

Type of Training Number of Employees 

Trained Date 

FROM USDA 

OES: Best Writing Practices I (Instructor-led) 136 

46 

July 13, 2023 

September 14, 2023 

OES: Introduction to Government Writing 51 July 13, 2023 

APHIS: “Writing Up” class 130 3 times in FY23 

APHIS: Excellence in Science Communication 

Program 

50 September 2023-

early 2024 

31 
 

Type of Training Number of Employees 

Trained Date 

PLAIN PROVIDED TRAINING 

FS: Virtual: Developing a Communication 

Strategy 

200 June 20, 2019 

FS: Virtual: Enterprise Program Plain Language 

Training 

25+ February 10, 2022 

FS: Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscapes Workshop, 

Albuquerque, N.M. - Module 9: Communications 

150+ February 7-9, 2022 

FS: Virtual: Plain Language and You 30+ March 29, 2022 

FS: Engineering and Storytelling 15 April 18, 2023 

FS: Plain Language: Writing to be clear, concise for 

your internal external audiences 

25+ May 12, 2022 

FS: Plain Language for Managers – USDA OBPA 20 June 15, 2022 

FS: Wildfire Crisis and Strategic Communication 300+ March 7, 2023 

FS: Forest Service Style Guide 300+ April 4, 2023 

FS: Think Like a Writer: How to capture 

compelling stories visually 

300+ May 2, 2023 

FS: Wildfire and the Art of Storytelling 300+ June 6, 2023 

FS: Tribal Communications 300+ September 5, 2023 

FS: Plain Language Class 350+ October 4, 2023 

NIFA: AgLearn Plain Language Training 343 April 5, 2023 

32 
 

Type of Training Number of Employees 

Trained Date 

EXTERNAL WEBINARS 

FS: Federal Plain Language Summit 2022 1 August 24, 2022 

FS: Associated Press Style Guide 20 April 26, 2023 

RD: Plain Language Trainings 39 March 22, 2023 

RD: Plain Language Trainings 39 May 17, 2023 

RD: Plain Language Trainings 39 July 12, 2023 

RD: Plain Language Trainings 41 September 7, 2023 

APHIS: Plain Language Training by Bold Type 

Writing Training 

65 Fall 2022 

August 2023 

EXTERNAL ONLINE TRAINING 

English Essentials: GPO Style Manual Review 30 3 sessions in Fall 

2022 

Writing in Plain Language (LinkedIn Learning) 264 

317 

FY22 

FY23 

V. Ongoing Compliance/ Sustaining Change 

a. 

b. 

c. 

Marcia Moore, Director of the Executive Secretariat is the USDA contact for 

compliance issues. 

USDA has a Plain Language Forum for discussions on plain language 

compliance, training, and collecting accomplishments. 

The clearance process for each annual Plain Writing Act Compliance Report 

offers each organization and opportunity to review and edit their contribution to 

the report. 

VI. Agency’s Plain Writing Website 

a. 

b. 

c. 

Website address: https://www.usda.gov/plain-writing 

Contact us page: https://www.usda.gov/plain-writing 

Implementation of the Act: https://www.usda.gov/plain-writing 

i. Documents covered by the Act 

ii. Resources 

d. Links to Compliance reports: https://www.usda.gov/plain-writing 

33 
e. Links to OMB and PLAIN: https://www.usda.gov/plain-writing 

VII. Customer Satisfaction Evaluation after Experiencing Plain Writing 

Communications 

USDA will include components of plain language training in a FY24 employee 

survey on training and use of automated systems for document processing. 

34 
USDA Civil Rights Statement 

35