United States Department of Agriculture

SUMMARY OF

PERFORMANCE AND 

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Managing for Results in Performing Its 

Many Vital Public Functions

FISCAL YEAR

2015
MANAGING FOR RESULTS IN PERFORMING ITS MANY VITAL PUBLIC FUNCTIONS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 3 

About This Summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summary of Performance and Financial 

Information for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 includes the most relevant performance and financial

information in a brief, user-friendly format that is easily understood by a reader with little

technical background in these areas. The goal of this summary is to increase accountability of 

agency heads and program managers by making the financial and performance information 

more transparent and accessible to Congress, the public, and other key constituencies. USDA’s 

plans and reports are available at https://www.performance.gov and 

https://www.usda.gov/performance. 

Who We Are and What We Do

President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862 with the goal of providing effective 

leadership to the Nation on food, agriculture, natural resources, and related issues. As 

Americans, you are part of the USDA story, with an over 150-year tradition of excellence in

public service.

Since 1862, the dedicated public servants at USDA help hundreds of millions of Americans 

every day. As Agriculture Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack, using a phrase to describe USDA coined

by Abraham Lincoln, said, “We are the People’s Department.”

We would like you to learn more about USDA and the Agencies and Offices that touch every 

American, every day. More information about the Department, our history, and our leaders can

be found here at www.usda.gov. 
4 FISCAL YEAR 2015 SUM MARY OF PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL INFORM ATION

Strategic Plan and Program Performance

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) mission is to provide leadership on food, 

agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on sound 

public policy, the best available science, and efficient management. Through implementing our 

mission, the Department aspires to achieve five strategic goals as reflected in USDA’s 

2014–2018 Strategic Plan: 

• Assist rural communities to create prosperity so they are self-sustaining, re-populating, and

economically thriving;

• Ensure our national forests and private working lands are conserved, restored, and made

more resilient to climate change, while enhancing our water resources;

• Help America promote agricultural production and biotechnology exports as America

works to increase food security;

• Ensure that all of America’s children have access to safe, nutritious, and balanced meals;

and

• Create a USDA for the 21st century that is high-performing, efficient, and adaptable.

USDA has also established three Agency Priority Goals (APGs) for fiscal years (FY) 2014 and 

2015 that identify near-term goals to help USDA progress toward meeting our longer term 

strategic goals and objectives. USDA’s APGs are as follows: 

• Create new economic opportunities;

• Improve soil health; and

• Reduce foodborne illnesses.

More information and reports on the APGs and quarterly progress can be found at 

https://www.performance.gov/agency/department-agriculture?view=public#apg. 

In FY 2015, USDA had 40 key performance indicators, as reflected in the Department’s

FY 2017 Annual Performance Plan 

(https://www.obpa.usda.gov/perfrpt/2015usdaperfrpt2017plan.pdf ). 

The following tables and discussion provide a high-level description of key focus areas for the 

Department that are being tracked and managed through USDA’s performance management 

process, in alignment with the Department’s strategic goals and objectives. The tables provide 

key performance indicator historical results, and includes target and actual results for the year.

Performance information and a detailed discussion of results for the Department’s FY 2015 

performance goals, assessment methodologies, metrics, external reviews, and documentation of 

performance data is presented in the FY 2015 USDA Annual Performance Report 

(https://www.obpa.usda.gov/perfrpt/2015usdaperfrpt2017plan.pdf). 
MANAGING FOR RESULTS IN PERFORMING ITS MANY VITAL PUBLIC FUNCTIONS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 5 

Goal #1: Rural Prosperity

A vibrant American economy depends on a prosperous rural America. Our four primary pillars 

of economic opportunity in agriculture are: (1) exports, (2) local food systems, (3) conservation 

and outdoor recreation, and (4) enhancing the bio-based economy. USDA is making an impact 

on persistent poverty, out-migration, and rural income through increases in the number of 

homeownership opportunities provided in rural communities and the percentage of direct and 

guaranteed lending to beginning farmers. 

Exhibit 1: USDA Strategic Plan Goal #1: Rural Prosperity Key Performance Indicators 

Fiscal Year

2011 

Actual

2012 

Actual

2013 

Actual

2014 

Actual

2015 

Target

2015 

Actual

Number of jobs 

created or saved 

through USDA 

financing of 

businesses

64,935 52,468 44,419 41,202 39,624 52,697

Homeownership 

opportunities 

provided

140,100 153,027 170,055 146,388 177,366 141,314

Health Facilities: 

Percentage of 

customers who are 

provided access to 

new and/or improved 

essential community 

facilities 

5.2% 7.3% 5.4% 6.8% 4.5% 12% 

Safety Facilities: 

Percentage of 

customers who are 

provided access to 

new and/or improved 

essential community 

facilities 

4.3% 3.7% 3.4% 3.7% 3.7% 7.2% 
6 FISCAL YEAR 2015 SUM MARY OF PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL INFORM ATION

Fiscal Year

2011 

Actual

2012 

Actual

2013 

Actual

2014 

Actual

2015 

Target

2015 

Actual

Educational Facilities: 

Percentage of 

customers who are 

provided access to 

new and/or improved 

essential community 

facilities 

3.8% 6.4% 9.3% 6.2% 4.5% 7.9% 

Number of 

borrowers/subscribers 

receiving new and/or 

improved electric 

facilities (millions)

7.1 8.3 8.7 4.6 4.6 5.5

Number of 

borrowers/subscribers 

receiving new or 

improved 

telecommunications 

services (millions)

0.181 0.064 0.119 0.084 0.145 0.095 

Number of population 

receiving new or 

improved service from 

agency-funded water 

facilities (millions)

2.9 2.5 1.8 2.2 2.2 2.4 

Value of agricultural 

exports resulting from 

participation in 

foreign food and 

agricultural trade 

shows ($ billion) 

$ 1.26 $ 1.46 $ 1.48 $ 1.50 $ 1.46 $ 1.55 

Percentage of Direct 

and Guaranteed 

lending to Socially 

Disadvantaged 

Farmers (SDA)

13.10% 13.30% 13.60% 14.20% 13.90% 15%

Percentage of Direct 

and Guaranteed 

lending to Beginning 

Farmers (BF)

64.90% 68.80% 70% 79.20% 75.50% 85.6% 
MANAGING FOR RESULTS IN PERFORMING ITS MANY VITAL PUBLIC FUNCTIONS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 7 

Fiscal Year

2011 

Actual

2012 

Actual

2013 

Actual

2014 

Actual

2015 

Target

2015 

Actual

Normalized value of 

risk protection 

provided to 

agricultural producers 

through the Federal 

Crop Insurance 

Program 

($ billion) 

$56.30 $ 62.10 $ 66.00 $ 67.90 $ 63.00 $ 68.70

Value of trade 

preserved annually 

through USDA staff 

intervention leading to 

resolution of foreign 

market access issues 

such as U.S. export 

detainment, 

restrictive Sanitary/ 

Phytosanitary or 

Technical Barrier to 

Trade issues and trade 

regulations 

( $ billion) 

$ 4.10 $ 3.70 $ 3.80 $ 6.40 $ 3.90 $ 3.60 
8 FISCAL YEAR 2015 SUM MARY OF PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL INFORM ATION

Goal #2: Resource Conservation, Restoration, and Resiliency

A healthy and prosperous America relies on the health of our natural resources, and particularly 

our forests and agricultural working lands. Forests and other lands absorb approximately 

14 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions. To help improve the health of our natural 

resources, USDA has worked to increase the annual acres of public and private forest lands 

restored or enhanced and to increase the percentage of national forests and grasslands in 

compliance with a climate change adaption and mitigation strategy.

Exhibit 2: USDA Strategic Plan Goal #2: Resource Conservations, Restoration, and Resiliency Key 

Performance Indicators 

Fiscal Year

2011 

Actual

2012 

Actual

2013 

Actual

2014 

Actual

2015 

Target

2015 

Actual

Conservation Reserve 

Program (CRP) 

restored wetland 

acreage (millions of 

acres)

2.23 2.29 2.09 2.00 1.90 1.93 

Conservation 

Technical Assistance 

(CTA) land with 

conservation applied 

to improve water 

quality (millions of 

acres)

N/A N/A N/A 18.2 17.2 18.1 

CTA cropland with 

conservation applied 

to improve soil 

quality (millions of 

acres)

N/A N/A N/A 6.2 6.8 6.0 

CTA grazing and 

forest land with 

conservation applied 

to protect and 

improve the resource 

base (millions of 

acres)

N/A N/A N/A 13.1 12.8 13.1 
MANAGING FOR RESULTS IN PERFORMING ITS MANY VITAL PUBLIC FUNCTIONS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 9 

Fiscal Year

2011 

Actual

2012 

Actual

2013 

Actual

2014 

Actual

2015 

Target

2015 

Actual

Environmental 

Quality Incentives 

Program (EQIP) land 

with conservation 

applied to improve 

water quality 

(millions of acres)

N/A N/A N/A 12.3 12.0 12.7 

EQIP cropland with 

conservation applied 

to improve soil 

quality (millions of 

acres)

N/A N/A N/A 3.1 3.4 3.0 

EQIP grazing land and 

forest land with 

conservation applied 

to protect and 

improve the resource 

base (millions of 

acres)

N/A N/A N/A 14.8 13.7 13.9 

EQIP non-Federal 

land with 

conservation applied 

to improve fish and 

wildlife habitat 

quality (millions of 

acres)

N/A N/A N/A 1.4 1.4 1.4 

Annual acres of 

public and private 

forest lands restored 

or enhanced (millions 

of acres)

2.624 2.570 2.533 2.906 2.900 3.100

Volume of timber 

sold (billion board 

feet)

2.533 2.644 2.610 2.831 2.900 2.867
1 0 FISCAL YEAR 2015 SUM MARY OF PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL INFORM ATION

Fiscal Year

2011 

Actual

2012 

Actual

2013 

Actual

2014 

Actual

2015 

Target

2015 

Actual

Percentage of 

National Forests and 

Grasslands in 

compliance with a 

climate change 

adaptation and 

mitigation strategy

16% 36% 49% 64% 100% 89% 

Percentage of 

National Forests and 

Grassland 

watersheds in 

properly (class 1 

watersheds) 

functioning condition

52% 52% 52% 52% 52% 52% 

Acres of Wildland 

Urban Interface 

hazardous fuels 

treated to reduce the 

risk of catastrophic 

wildfire (millions of 

acres)

1.611 1.867 1.737 1.725 1.725 1.577
MANAGING FOR RESULTS IN PERFORMING ITS MANY VITAL PUBLIC FUNCTIONS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 1 1

Goal #3: Increased Exports and Global Food Security

Working with other Federal partners, USDA is working toward reducing global food insecurity 

and increasing agriculture-led economic growth in developing countries. The Department 

continues to seek new trade opportunities for American agricultural producers and is also 

striving to bring products with new and emerging technologies to the worldwide marketplace. In 

addition, USDA is focused on improving efforts to reduce food insecurity across the world by 

providing technical assistance to people in food-insecure countries. 

Exhibit 3: USDA Strategic Plan Goal #3: Increased Exports and Global Food Security 

Fiscal Year

2011 

Actual

2012 

Actual

2013 

Actual

2014 

Actual

2015 

Target

2015 

Actual

Cumulative number 

of biotechnology 

products 

deregulated by 

USDA based on 

scientific 

determinations that 

they do not pose a 

plant pest risk to 

agriculture

87 93 102 109 114 117 

Number of 

individuals in food 

insecure countries 

assisted by USDA 

technical assistance

NA 5,909,421 7,417,454 6,606,763 4,961,503 5,034,591
1 2 FISCAL YEAR 2015 SUM MARY OF PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL INFORM ATION

Goal #4: Safe and Nutritious Food

A plentiful supply of safe and nutritious food is essential to the healthy development of every 

child in America and to the well-being and productivity of every family. In FY 2014, USDA saw

improvements in the reduction of foodborne Salmonella illnesses that are associated with 

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service-regulated products—meat, poultry, and processed 

egg products. Over the past 3 years, USDA’s food assistance programs have contributed to a 

steady decrease in the prevalence of food insecurity in households with children. 

Exhibit 4: USDA Strategic Plan Goal #4: Safe and Nutritious Food 

Fiscal Year

2011 

Actual

2012 

Actual

2013 

Actual

2014 

Actual

2015 

Target

2015 

Actual

Prevalence of food 

insecurity in 

households with 

children 

20.6% 20% 19.5% 19.2% 19.1% TBD

Annual percentage of 

eligible people 

participating in SNAP

78% 83% 85% 85% 85% TBD

SNAP payment 

accuracy rate

96.2% 96.6% 96.8% 96.3% 96.3% NA

SNAP benefits 

redeemed at farmers 

markets and direct 

marketing farmers 

annually (millions)

$ 11.70 $ 16.60 $ 17.40 $ 18.80 $ 19.70 $ 19.40 

Annual percentage of 

eligible people 

participating in the 

National School 

Lunch Program

58% 57.6% 55.7% 54.8% 57.2% 55.4% 

Annual percentage of 

children participating 

in the free/reduced 

price school lunch 

program that 

participate in 

summer feeding 

programs 

15.5% 15.5% 16.3% 17.5% 18.5% 17.1% 
MANAGING FOR RESULTS IN PERFORMING ITS MANY VITAL PUBLIC FUNCTIONS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 1 3

Fiscal Year

2011 

Actual

2012 

Actual

2013 

Actual

2014 

Actual

2015 

Target

2015 

Actual

Increase percentage 

of broiler plants 

passing the carcass 

Salmonella

Verification Testing 

Standard 

89% 90% 90% 92% 94% 95.6% 

Percentage of 

establishments with 

a functional food 

defense plan (annual 

measure)

75% 77% 83% 84% 90% 85% 

Total illnesses from 

all FSIS products 491,353 479,621 427,171 386,265 373,955 382,123

Percent of 

Establishments with 

a Systematic Humane 

Handling Approach

NA 42% 56% 64% NA 69%
1 4 FISCAL YEAR 2015 SUM MARY OF PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL INFORM ATION

Goal #5: Departmental Modernization

Through its Blueprint for Stronger Service, USDA is building and implementing a modern 

workforce, and exercising good stewardship of the resources entrusted to the Department. During 

FY 2014, USDA implemented policies to achieve a more efficient use of funds through 

decreases in the amount of leased office and warehouse space controlled by USDA and to build a 

more effective workforce through process improvements and increased use of telework. 

Exhibit 5: USDA Strategic Plan Goal #5: Departmental Modernization 

Fiscal Year

2011 

Actual

2012 

Actual

2013 

Actual

2014 

Actual

2015 

Target

2015 

Actual

Number of 

employees 

participating in core 

telework

8,756 7,926 9,723 10,455 12,000 11,798

Amount of leased 

office and warehouse 

space controlled by 

USDA (millions of 

square feet) 

26.3 26 25.6 24.9 24.0 23.9 
MANAGING FOR RESULTS IN PERFORMING ITS MANY VITAL PUBLIC FUNCTIONS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 1 5

Financial Information

The FY 2015 Agency Financial Report (AFR) includes USDA’s audited financial statements

and the Independent Auditor’s Report. In addition to the basic financial statements, the AFR 

includes management’s discussion and analysis, required supplementary information, and other 

information, such as the Schedule of Spending. 

The following table presents a snapshot of USDA’s results of operations and financial position. 

This information is based on the same underlying data as the financial statements presented in 

the AFR. 

Exhibit 6: A Snapshot of USDA’s Results of Operations and Financial Position (In Millions)

Item Description FY 2015 FY 2014 

Gross Costs $152,838 $155,456

 

 

 

 

 

Less: Earned Revenue 10,331 10,563

Net Cost of Operations $142,507 $144,893

Assets:

Fund Balance with Treasury $113,316 $101,717

Direct Loan and Loan Guarantees, Net 98,894 101,243

5,045 4,881

Total Assets $217,255 $207,841

Liabilities:

Debt $114,232 $114,102

Other 46,626 45,233 

Total Liabilities $160,858 $159,335

Net Position (Assets Minus Liabilities) $56,397 $48,506

Budgetary Resources $241,704 $234,595

Outlays, Net $137,697 $144,163

Other
1 6 FISCAL YEAR 2015 SUM MARY OF PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL INFORM ATION

Significant Management Challenges

The Reports Consolidation Act of 2000 requires the USDA Office of Inspector General (OIG) 

to report annually on the most serious management challenges facing the Department.

On August 25, 2015, the OIG reported the following major management challenges. A detailed 

description of the challenges and assessment of the Department’s progress in addressing these 

challenges may be found in the FY 2015 AFR. 

• USDA Needs to Improve Oversight and Accountability for its Programs. 

• Information Technology Security Needs Continuing Improvement. 

• USDA Needs to Strengthen Program Performance and Performance Measures. 

• USDA Needs to Strengthen Controls over Improper Payments and Financial Management. 

• USDA Needs to Improve Outreach Efforts. 

• Food Safety Inspections Need Improved Controls. 

• Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Needs to Strengthen Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program (SNAP) Management Controls.