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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Freedom of Information Act Annual Report FY 2018

I. BASIC INFORMATION REGARDING REPORT

For questions concerning this report please contact Alexis Graves, Departmental FOIA Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, 

1400 Independence Avenue, South Building, Room 4101, Washington DC 20250-0706, telephone number (202) 690-3318, email 

USDAFOIA@ocio.usda.gov.

This report is available at http://www.usda.gov/da/foia.htm. You may obtain a paper copy of this report by visiting the USDA website 

or by contacting the Departmental FOIA Officer using the information above.

II. MAKING A FOIA REQUEST 

Before submitting FOIA requests, we encourage you to review USDA’s website. USDA routinely posts information so you may find 

what you are looking for is already posted. 

You should also keep in mind that because we have a decentralized FOIA program, each FOIA agency or staff office is independently 

handling and processing its requests. Therefore, before emailing or mailing your request, you should try to determine whether it is likely 

that the agency or staff office will have the records you are seeking. The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all FOIA agencies 

or staff offices that receive FOIA requests are available at: http://www.dm.usda.gov/foia/poc.htm.

If you are unsure about which FOIA agency or staff office will have responsive records, submit your request to the USDA Departmental 

FOIA Officer using the above information. Requesters will be notified by the Departmental FOIA Office when their requests are 

routed. This notification will include the FOIA agency or staff office likely to have responsive records in addition to the point(s) of 

contact. 

A FOIA request can be made for any agency record. This does not mean however, that the USDA will disclose every record sought. 

There are statutory exemptions that authorize the withholding of agency records in part or full. For additional information regarding

USDA’s FOIA processing procedures and regulations, please visit: http://www.dm.usda.gov/foia/poc.htm.
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III. ACRONYMS, DEFINITIONS, AND EXEMPTIONS 

Acronyms

Component 

Abbreviation Component Name

AMS Agricultural Marketing Service

APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

ASCR Office of Civil Rights

DA/OSEC Departmental Administration / Office of the Secretary

FAS Foreign Agricultural Service

FNCS Food and Nutrition Consumer Services

FS Forest Service

FSA Farm Service Agency

FSIS Food Safety and Inspection Service

GIPSA Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

NAD National Appeals Division

NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service

OBPA Office of Budget and Program Analysis

OCFO Office of the Chief Financial Officer

OGC Office of General Counsel

OIG Office of the Inspector General

RD Rural Development

REE Research, Education, and Economics

RMA Risk Management Agency
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Definitions of Terms Used in this Report

a. Administrative Appeal - a request to a federal agency asking that it review at a higher administrative level a FOIA determination made 

by the agency at the initial request level.

b. Average Number - the number obtained by dividing the sum of a group of numbers by the quantity of numbers in the group. For 

example, of 3, 7, and 14, the average number is 8.

c. Backlog - the number of requests or administrative appeals that are pending at an agency at the end of the fiscal year that are beyond the 

statutory time period for a response.

d. Component - for agencies that process requests on a decentralized basis, a “component” is an entity, also sometimes referred to as an 

Office, Division, Bureau, Center, or Directorate, within the agency that processes FOIA requests. The FOIA now requires that agencies 

include in their Annual FOIA Report data for both the agency overall and for each principal component of the agency.

e. Consultation - the procedure whereby the agency responding to a FOIA request first forwards a record to another agency for its review 

because that other agency has an interest in the document. Once the agency in receipt of the consultation finishes its review of the record, 

it responds back to the agency that forwarded.

f. Exemption 3 Statute - a federal statute that exempts information from disclosure and which the agency relies on to withhold information 

under subsection (b)(3) of the FOIA.

g. FOIA Request - a FOIA request is generally a request to a federal agency for access to records concerning another person (i.e., a “thirdparty” request), or concerning an organization, or a particular topic of interest. FOIA requests also include requests made by requesters 

seeking records concerning themselves (i.e., “first-party” requests) when those requesters are not subject to the Privacy Act, such as nonU.S. citizens. Moreover, because all first-party requesters should be afforded the benefit of both the access provisions of the FOIA as 

well as those of the Privacy Act, FOIA requests also include any first-party requests where an agency determines that it must search 

beyond its Privacy Act “systems of records” or where a Privacy Act exemption applies, and the agency looks to FOIA to afford the 

greatest possible access. All requests which require the agency to utilize the FOIA in responding to the requester are included in this 

Report. Additionally, a FOIA request includes records referred to the agency for processing and direct response to the requester. It does 

not, however, include records for which the agency has received a consultation from another agency. (Consultations are reported 

separately in Section XII of this Report.)

h. Full Grant - an agency decision to disclose all records in full in response to a FOIA request.

i. Full Denial - an agency decision not to release any records in response to a FOIA request because the records are exempt in their 

entireties under one or more of the FOIA exemptions, or because of a procedural reason, such as when no records could be located.

j. Median Number - the middle, not average, number. For example, of 3, 7, and 14, the median number is 7.

k. Multi-Track Processing - a system in which simple requests requiring relatively minimal review are placed in one processing track and 

more voluminous and complex requests are placed in one or more other tracks. Requests granted expedited processing are placed in yet 

another track. Requests in each track are processed on a first in/first out basis.
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i. Expedited Processing - an agency will process a FOIA request on an expedited basis when a requester satisfies the requirements for 

expedited processing as set forth in the statute and in agency regulations.

ii. Simple Request - a FOIA request that an agency using multi-track processing places in its fastest (non-expedited) track based on the 

low volume and/or simplicity of the records requested.

iii. Complex Request - a FOIA request that an agency using multi- track processing places in a slower track based on the high volume 

and/or complexity of the records requested.

l. Partial Grant/Partial Denial - in response to a FOIA request, an agency decision to disclose portions of the records and to withhold 

other portions that are exempt under the FOIA, or to otherwise deny a portion of the request for a procedural reason.

m. Pending Request or Pending Administrative Appeal - a request or administrative appeal for which an agency has not taken final 

action in all respects.

n. Perfected Request - a request for records which reasonably describes such records and is made in accordance with published rules 

stating the time, place, fees (if any) and procedures to be followed.

o. Processed Request or Processed Administrative Appeal - a request or administrative appeal for which an agency has taken final action 

in all respects.

p. Range in Number of Days - the lowest and highest number of days to process requests or administrative appeals.

q. Time Limits - the time period in the statute for an agency to respond to a FOIA request (ordinarily twenty working days from receipt of 

a perfected FOIA request).

Nine FOIA Exemptions Referenced in this Report 

a. Exemption 1: classified national defense and foreign relations information

b. Exemption 2: internal agency rules and practices

c. Exemption 3: information that is prohibited from disclosure by another federal law

d. Exemption 4: trade secrets and other confidential business information

e. Exemption 5: inter-agency or intra-agency communications that are protected by legal privileges

f. Exemption 6: information involving matters of personal privacy

g. Exemption 7: records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, to the extent that the production of those records (A) could 

reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings,(B) would deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial 

adjudication, (C) could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, (D) could reasonably be 

expected to disclose the identity of a confidential source, (E) would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement 

investigations or prosecutions, or would disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions, or (F) could reasonably 

be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of any individual

h. Exemption 8: information relating to the supervision of financial institutions
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i. Exemption 9: geological information on wells 

IV. EXEMPTION 3 STATUTES

Statute Type of Information 

Withheld Case Citation Agency / Component 

Number of 

Times

Relied 

upon 

by Agency 

/ 

Component

Total 

Number of 

Times 

Relied upon

by Agency 

Overall

5 U.S.C. § 574(j) Dispute Resolution 

Communications

N/A AMS 3

3

7 U.S.C. § 1502(c) Personal information provided 

by agricultural producer (policy 

information, yield data, etc.)

N/A FSA 14

24

NRCS 2

RMA 8

7 U.S.C. § 2018(c) Information obtained

pursuant to chapter 51 of

title 7 of the United States

Code, which concerns the

handling of information

submitted by applicants to

the Supplemental Nutrition

Assistance Program

Argus Leader Media v. 

USDA,

740 F.3d 1172, 1175-76 

(8th

Cir. 2014).

FNCS 2

2

“[I]nformation furnished

under a provision of law

Strunk v. U.S. Dept. of 

Interior,

FSA 2 6
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7 U.S.C. § 2276(a)(2)

(Food Security Act of 1985)

referred to in subsection (d)

of this section . . . unless

such information has been

transformed into a

statistical or aggregate

form that does not allow

the identification of the

person who supplied

particular information”

752 F. Supp. 2d 39, 44-45

(D.D.C. 2010).

NRCS 1

REE 3

7 U.S.C. § 8791(b)(2)

(Food, Conservation, and

Energy Act of 2008)

“[I]nformation provided by

an agricultural producer or

owner of agricultural land

concerning the agricultural

operation, farming or

conservation practices, or

the land itself, in order to

participate in programs of

the Department” or

“geospatial information . . .

maintained by the

Secretary about agricultural

land or operations”

Cent. Platte Nat. Res. Dist. 

v.

U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 643 

F.3d

1142, 1147-48 (8th Cir. 

2011);

Ctr. for Biological 

Diversity v.

USDA, 626 F.3d 1113, 

1118

(9th Cir. 2010); Zanoni v.

USDA, 605 F. Supp. 2d 

230,

237-38 (D.D.C. 2009).

APHIS 14

550

FSA 459

NRCS 74

OBPA 1

RMA 2
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15 U.S.C. § 3710a(c)

(Federal Technology Transfer

Act)

“[T]rade secrets or

commercial or financial

information that is

privileged or confidential,

under the meaning of

section 552(b)(4) of Title 5,

which is obtained in the

conduct of research or as a

result of activities under

this chapter,” which

pertains to cooperative

research and development

agreements for the purpose

of technological and

industrial innovation

Pub. Citizen Health 

Research

Group v. NIH, 209 F. 

Supp. 2d

37, 43, 51 (D.D.C. 2002);

DeLorme Pub. Co., Inc. v.

NOAA, 917 F. Supp. 867, 

871-

72 (D. Me. 1996), appeal

dismissed per stipulation, 

No.

96-1601 (1st Cir. July 8, 

1996).

REE 3

3

16 U.S.C. § 470hh

(Archaeological Resources

Protection Act of 1979)

Information pertaining to

the nature and location of

certain archaeological

resources

Hornbostel v. U.S. Dep’t 

of the

Interior, 305 F. Supp. 2d 

21, 30

(D.D.C. 2003), summary

affirmance granted, No. 

03-

5257, 2004 WL 1900562 

(D.C.

Cir. Aug. 25, 2004); 

Starkey v.

U.S. Dep’t of the Interior, 

238

F. Supp. 2d 1188, 1193-94

(S.D. Cal. 2002). 

FS 21

23

NRCS 2
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41 U.S.C. § 4702 (formerly at

41 U.S.C. § 253b(m)(1))

Contractor proposals that

are in the possession or

control of an executive

agency and that have not

been set forth or

incorporated by reference

into contracts

Sinkfield v. HUD, No. 10-

885,

2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 

35233,

at *13-15 (S.D. Ohio Mar. 

15,

2012); Margolin v. NASA, 

No.

09-CV-00421, 2011 WL

1303221, at *6 (D. Nev. 

Mar.

31, 2011); Hornbostel v. 

U.S.

Dep’t of the Interior, 305 

F.

Supp. 2d 21, 30 (D.D.C. 

2003),

summary affirmance 

granted,

No. 03-5257, 2004 WL

1900562 (D.C. Cir. Aug. 

25,

2004).

FS 7

9

APHIS 1

FAS 1

5 U.S.C. app. 3 § 7(b) Names of employees who 

provide information or 

complaints to the Inspector 

General

N/A APHIS 2

2
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18 U.S.C. § 5038(c) Records of juvenile delinquency 

proceedings

N/A FS 1

3 FSA 1

GIPSA 1
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V.A. FOIA REQUESTS -- RECEIVED, PROCESSED AND PENDING FOIA REQUESTS

Agency / Component

Number of 

Requests

Pending as of 

Start

of Fiscal Year

Number of

Requests 

Received

in Fiscal Year

Number of

Requests 

Processed

in Fiscal Year

Number of 

Requests

Pending as of 

End

of Fiscal Year

AMS 43 272 223 92

APHIS 1,628 882 1,371 1,139

ASCR 1 32 29 4

DA/OSEC 122 403 340 185

FAS 15 44 38 21

FNCS 122 899 873 148

FS 461 1,828 1,767 522

FSA 2,797 30,591 29,393 3,995

FSIS 52 494 388 158

GIPSA 3 0 3 0

NAD 5 2 1 6

NRCS 49 288 300 37

OBPA 8 14 15 7

OCFO 23 16 26 13

OGC 65 41 67 39

OIG 83 100 80 103

RD 56 426 383 99

REE 8 130 99 39

RMA 18 85 86 17

AGENCY 

OVERALL 5,559 36,547 35,482 6,624

After reviewing their databases, AMS, APHIS, ASCR, FAS, FNCS, FS, FSA, GIPSA, NAD, OBPA, OCFO, 

OGC, and NRCS updated the number of requests pending as of the start of the Fiscal Year.
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V.B.(1). DISPOSITION OF FOIA REQUESTS -- ALL PROCESSED REQUESTS

Agency / 

Component

Number 

of Full 

Grants

Number 

of 

Partial 

Grants / 

Partial 

Denials

Number of 

Full 

Denials 

Based on 

Exemptions

Number of Full Denials Based on Reasons Other than Exemptions

No 

Records

All 

Records 

Referred to 

Another 

Component 

or Agency

Request 

Withdrawn

FeeRelated 

Reason

Records 

not 

Reasonably 

Described

Improper 

FOIA 

Request 

for Other 

Reason

Not 

Agency 

Record

Duplicate 

Request

Other 

*Explain 

in Chart 

Below

TOTAL

AMS 36 101 12 46 8 9 0 0 1 4 1 5 223

APHIS 139 931 26 140 20 42 0 2 6 6 26 33 1,371

ASCR 6 12 1 3 1 2 0 1 0 3 0 0 29

DA/OSEC 53 131 3 71 13 32 0 2 3 2 12 18 340

FAS 13 8 1 9 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 4 38

FNCS 104 648 10 45 0 18 17 1 8 10 5 7 873

FS 716 563 75 202 34 56 4 3 5 3 46 60 1,767

FSA 27,868 628 217 247 164 82 49 15 36 22 35 30 29,393

FSIS 87 160 3 99 14 23 0 0 0 0 2 0 388

GIPSA 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

NAD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

NRCS 92 125 14 35 1 9 0 0 5 5 3 11 300

OBPA 5 1 1 2 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 15

OCFO 10 0 0 1 5 3 0 0 0 0 2 5 26

OGC 6 18 1 16 8 2 0 0 0 5 0 11 67

OIG 0 23 8 34 0 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 80

RD 173 88 14 31 5 11 5 3 1 0 39 13 383
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REE 25 23 3 19 3 14 0 0 1 2 0 9 99

RMA 17 31 0 10 3 6 0 0 2 2 0 15 86

AGENCY 

OVERALL 29,350 3,494 389 1,010 283 327 75 27 68 65 172 222 35,482
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V.B.(2). DISPOSITION OF FOIA REQUESTS – “OTHER” REASONS FOR “FULL DENIALS 

BASED ON REASONS OTHER THAN EXEMPTIONS”

Agency / 

Component Description of “Other” Reasons for Denials from Chart B(1)

Number of 

Times “Other”

Reason Was 

Relied Upon

TOTAL

AMS Directed Requester to Publically Available Information 5

5

APHIS Directed Requester to Publically Available Information 33

33

ASCR N/A 0

0

DA/OSEC Directed Requester to Publically Available Information 18

18

FAS Directed Requester to Publically Available Information 4

4

FNCS Directed Requester to Publically Available Information 7

7

FS Directed Requester to Publically Available Information 20

60

Unable to Locate or Contact Requester 40

FSA Directed Requester to Publically Available Information 30

30

FSIS N/A 0

0

GIPSA N/A 0

0

NAD N/A 0

0

NRCS Directed Requester to Publically Available Information 11

11

OBPA Directed Requester to Publically Available Information 1 1
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OCFO Unable to Locate or Contact Requester 5

5

OGC Unable to Locate or Contact Requester 11

11

OIG N/A 0

0

RD Directed Requester to Publically Available Information 13

13

REE Directed Requester to Publically Available Information 9

9

RMA Directed Requester to Publically Available Information 10

15

Unable to Locate or Contact Requester 5

AGENCY 

OVERALL 222
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V.B.(3). DISPOSITION OF FOIA REQUESTS -- NUMBER OF TIMES EXEMPTIONS APPLIED

Agency / 

Component Ex. 1 Ex. 2 Ex. 3 Ex. 4 Ex. 5 Ex. 6 Ex. 7(A)

Ex. 

7(B)

Ex. 

7(C)

Ex. 

7(D)

Ex. 

7(E) Ex. 7(F) Ex. 8 Ex. 9

AMS 0 0 3 56 29 98 12 0 31 1 2 0 0 0

APHIS 0 0 17 25 30 921 22 1 788 28 5 6 0 0

ASCR 0 0 0 0 6 12 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 0

DA/OSEC 0 0 0 7 35 121 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0

FAS 0 0 1 2 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FNCS 0 11 2 13 487 638 4 5 608 62 489 2 0 0

FS 0 5 29 127 151 454 45 5 127 4 52 59 0 7

FSA 0 42 476 8 36 401 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 0

FSIS 0 0 0 122 22 145 3 0 12 0 2 0 0 0

GIPSA 0 0 1 2 2 3 1 0 3 0 3 0 0 0

NAD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NRCS 0 5 79 27 27 97 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 2

OBPA 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OCFO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OGC 0 0 0 0 13 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OIG 0 0 0 0 4 25 6 0 24 1 1 0 0 0

RD 0 1 0 54 19 69 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

REE 0 1 6 3 3 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RMA 0 3 10 11 6 22 1 0 7 2 0 0 0 0

AGENCY 

OVERALL 0 68 625 457 872 3,042 102 11 1,621 98 554 68 2 9
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VI.A. ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS OF INITIAL DETERMINATIONS OF FOIA REQUESTS 

-- RECEIVED, PROCESSED, AND PENDING ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

Agency / Component

Number of Appeals

Pending as of Start

of Fiscal Year

Number of

Appeals Received

in Fiscal Year

Number of

Appeals Processed

in Fiscal Year

Number of Appeals

Pending as of End

of Fiscal Year

AMS 12 28 9 31

APHIS 85 54 54 85

ASCR 0 3 1 2

DA/OSEC 6 6 2 10

FAS 1 0 1 0

FNCS 418 342 89 671

FS 37 47 43 41

FSA 9 1 0 10

FSIS 1 16 10 7

GIPSA 0 0 0 0

NAD 0 0 0 0

NRCS 2 7 6 3

OBPA 0 0 0 0

OCFO 1 0 0 1

OGC 1 3 3 1

OIG 0 3 3 0

RD 7 3 6 4

REE 3 3 6 0

RMA 25 2 17 10

AGENCY 

OVERALL 608 518 250 876

After reviewing their databases, AMS, APHIS, GIPSA, FNS, and OGC updated the number of appeals pending 

as of the start of the Fiscal Year.
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VI.B. DISPOSITION OF ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS -- ALL PROCESSED APPEALS

Agency / Component Number Affirmed on 

Appeal

Number Partially 

Affirmed & Partially 

Reversed/Remanded 

on Appeal

Number Completely 

Reversed/Remanded 

on Appeal

Number of Appeals 

Closed for Other 

Reasons

TOTAL

AMS 2 1 0 6 9

APHIS 10 6 1 37 54

ASCR 1 0 0 0 1

DA/OSEC 2 0 0 0 2

FAS 0 0 0 1 1

FNCS 8 55 0 26 89

FS 7 20 6 10 43

FSA 0 0 0 0 0

FSIS 4 1 0 5 10

GIPSA 0 0 0 0 0

NAD 0 0 0 0 0

NRCS 2 2 2 0 6

OBPA 0 0 0 0 0

OCFO 0 0 0 0 0

OGC 0 1 0 2 3

OIG 2 0 0 1 3

RD 0 2 2 2 6

REE 1 4 0 1 6

RMA 1 7 2 7 17
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AGENCY 

OVERALL 40 99 13 98 250
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VI.C.(1). REASONS FOR DENIAL ON APPEAL -- NUMBER OF TIMES EXEMPTIONS APPLIED

Agency / 

Component Ex. 1 Ex. 2 Ex. 3 Ex. 4 Ex. 5 Ex. 6 Ex. 7(A)

Ex. 

7(B)

Ex. 

7(C)

Ex. 

7(D)

Ex. 

7(E) Ex. 7(F) Ex. 8 Ex. 9

AMS 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

APHIS 0 0 0 0 3 12 0 0 11 0 0 0 0 0

ASCR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

DA/OSEC 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FAS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FNCS 0 0 2 0 46 54 0 0 54 8 50 0 0 0

FS 0 0 0 5 9 17 2 0 6 0 5 3 0 1

FSA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FSIS 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

GIPSA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NAD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NRCS 0 0 3 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OBPA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OCFO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OGC 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OIG 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

RD 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

REE 0 0 1 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RMA 0 0 6 7 1 6 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0

AGENCY 

OVERALL 0 0 12 15 62 102 2 0 73 8 62 3 0 1
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VI.C.(2). REASONS FOR DENIAL ON APPEAL -- REASONS OTHER THAN EXEMPTIONS

Agency / 

Component

No 

Records

Records 

Referred 

at Initial 

Request 

Level

Request 

Withdrawn

FeeRelated 

Reason

Records 

not 

Reasonably 

Described

Improper 

Request 

for Other 

Reasons

Not 

Agency 

Record

Duplicate 

Request 

or Appeal

Request 

in 

Litigation

Appeal 

Based 

Solely on 

Denial of 

Request 

for 

Expedited 

Processing

Other 

*Explain 

in chart 

below

AMS 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0

APHIS 2 0 17 0 0 1 0 4 7 0 6

ASCR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

DA/OSEC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FAS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FNCS 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 21

FS 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 2

FSA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FSIS 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

GIPSA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NAD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NRCS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OBPA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OCFO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OGC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

OIG 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
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RD 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0

REE 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RMA 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

AGENCY 

OVERALL 10 0 33 2 0 2 1 6 9 0 35
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VI.C.(3). REASONS FOR DENIAL ON APPEAL – “OTHER” REASONS

Agency / 

Component

Description of “Other” Reasons for Denial on Appeal from Chart 

C(2)

Number of 

Times “Other”

Reason Was 

Relied Upon

TOTAL

APHIS Moot 4

6

Unable to Locate or Contact the Requester 2

FNCS Unable to Locate or Contact the Requester 18

21

Untimely 3

FS Moot 1

2

Unable to Locate or Contact the Requester 1

FSIS Moot 1

1

OGC Moot 1

2

Unable to Locate or Contact the Requester 1

RMA Unable to Locate or Contact the Requester 3

3

AMS N/A 0

0

ASCR N/A 0

0

DA/OSEC N/A 0

0

FAS N/A 0

0

FSA N/A 0

0

GIPSA N/A 0

0

NAD N/A 0

0
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NRCS N/A0

0

OBPA N/A0

0

OCFO N/A0

0

OIG N/A0

0

RD N/A0

0

REE N/A0

0

AGENCY 

OVERALL 35
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VI.C.(4). RESPONSE TIME FOR ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

Agency / Component Median Number of 

Days

Average Number of 

Days

Lowest Number of 

Days

Highest Number of 

Days

AMS 551.00 528.67 22.00 1,263.00

APHIS 107.00 457.43 1.00 2,742.00

ASCR 74.00 74.00 74.00 74.00

DA/OSEC 145.50 145.50 125.00 166.00

FAS 177.00 177.00 177.00 177.00

FNCS 665.00 630.98 23.00 1,217.00

FS 104.50 152.34 2.00 879.00

FSIS 117.50 102.60 6.00 148.00

NRCS 32.50 37.33 1.00 93.00

OGC 38.00 40.33 2.00 81.00

RD 237.00 281.83 9.00 664.00

REE 36.50 38.13 23.00 69.00

RMA 1,135.75 955.22 2.00 1,747.00

OIG 17.00 17.33 17.00 18.00

AGENCY 

OVERALL 234.50 352.00 1.00 2,742.00
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VI.C.(5). TEN OLDEST PENDING ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

Agency / 

Component

10th Oldest 

Appeal 9th 8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd Oldest Appeal

AMS

Date of 

Appeal 2018-01-112018-01-052017-12-282017-12-112017-10-262017-04-142016-08-252016-08-252014-05-282012-12-10

Number of 

Days 

Pending 181 185 190 202 232 367 524 524 1089 1454

APHIS

Date of 

Appeal 2012-06-192012-05-212012-04-172012-04-022012-04-022011-10-202011-10-062011-08-242011-07-082011-05-16

Number of 

Days 

Pending 1573 1593 1617 1628 1628 1739 1748 1778 1811 1848

ASCR

Date of 

Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A2018-01-232017-12-19

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 174 196

DA/OSEC

Date of 

Appeal 2018-08-272018-08-092018-08-062018-07-242018-01-292017-11-292015-01-302014-05-092014-04-142012-04-02

Number of 

Days 

Pending 23 35 38 47 170 210 920 1101 1120 1628

FAS

Date of 

Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
26 | Page

FNCS

Date of 

Appeal 2014-11-082014-11-042014-11-032014-10-012014-09-302014-08-182013-12-182013-08-142012-12-052012-10-22

Number of 

Days 

Pending 974 978 979 1001 1002 1032 1199 1285 1457 1487

FS

Date of 

Appeal 2017-06-072017-05-302017-04-272017-04-192017-03-282016-07-132015-09-142014-08-292014-03-172014-01-24

Number of 

Days 

Pending 330 336 358 364 380 555 763 1023 1140 1175

FSA

Date of 

Appeal 2017-11-152017-09-052017-08-152017-08-142017-08-102017-08-092017-06-232017-06-022017-04-072016-07-14

Number of 

Days 

Pending 219 268 282 283 285 286 318 333 372 554

FSIS

Date of 

Appeal N/A N/A N/A2018-08-242018-08-092018-08-082018-04-232018-04-192018-04-192017-10-18

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 24 35 36 111 113 113 238

GIPSA

Date of 

Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NAD

Date of 

Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
27 | Page

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NRCS

Date of 

Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A2018-08-142018-06-222018-02-07

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 32 68 163

OBPA

Date of 

Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OCFO

Date of 

Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A2012-07-19

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1552

OGC

Date of 

Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A2018-08-27

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 23

OIG

Date of 

Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
28 | Page

RD

Date of 

Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A2018-08-222017-04-242017-04-062017-01-07

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 361 373 433

REE

Date of 

Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RMA

Date of 

Appeal 2017-01-252015-05-112014-09-082014-04-302013-06-252013-05-222013-05-222013-03-282011-09-202011-08-18

Number of 

Days 

Pending 423 850 1018 1108 1320 1343 1343 1382 1760 1782

AGENCY 

OVERALL

Date of 

Appeal 2012-04-022012-04-022012-04-022011-10-202011-10-062011-09-202011-08-242011-08-182011-07-082011-05-16

Number of 

Days 

Pending 1628 1628 1628 1739 1748 1760 1778 1782 1811 1848
29 | Page

VII.A. FOIA REQUESTS -- RESPONSE TIME FOR ALL PROCESSED PERFECTED REQUESTS

Agency / 

Component

SIMPLE COMPLEX EXPEDITED PROCESSING

Median 

Number 

of Days

Average 

Number 

of Days

Lowest 

Number 

of Days

Highest 

Number 

of Days

Median 

Number 

of Days

Average 

Number 

of Days

Lowest 

Number 

of Days

Highest 

Number 

of Days

Median 

Number 

of Days

Average 

Number 

of Days

Lowest 

Number 

of Days

Highest 

Number 

of Days

AMS 24 40.65 1 410 45 81.53 2 210 N/A N/A N/A N/A

APHIS 146 172.72 1 1318 238 305.5 2 1364 80 80 80 80

ASCR 7 11.09 1 44 16 31.4 12 62 N/A N/A N/A N/A

DA/OSEC 33 49.5 3 135 150 156.42 1 425 N/A N/A N/A N/A

FAS 24 46.21 1 361 157 168.5 43 492 N/A N/A N/A N/A

FNCS 17 24.41 1 850 79.5 79.5 56 103 N/A N/A N/A N/A

FS 17 46.01 1 1262 37 93.63 1 932 N/A N/A N/A N/A

FSA 1 1.58 1 1024 6 20.16 1 1195 1 1 1 0

FSIS 39 55.96 1 354 106 143.96 5 366 N/A N/A N/A N/A

GIPSA N/A N/A N/A N/A 86 86 86 86 N/A N/A N/A N/A

NAD N/A N/A N/A N/A 20 20 20 20 N/A N/A N/A N/A

NRCS 13 24.79 1 345 33 95 9 862 1 12 1 35

OBPA 3.5 5.83 1 23 177 135.67 44 186 N/A N/A N/A N/A

OCFO 168.5 179.81 1 805 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

OGC 42.5 192.1 1 1507 82.5 179.69 1 968 92 92 92 92

OIG 31 37.73 5 175 115 338.12 37 1531 N/A N/A N/A N/A

RD 12 28.78 1 497 71.5 115.2 1 655 6 6 2 10

REE 14 19.85 1 80 50 73.8 14 179 N/A N/A N/A N/A

RMA 6 23.91 1 378 31 100.84 1 1151 N/A N/A N/A N/A
30 | Page

AGENCY 

OVERALL 1 12.05 1 1507 22 84.24 1 1364 0.5 18.83 1 92
31 | Page

VII.B. PROCESSED REQUESTS -- RESPONSE TIME FOR PERFECTED REQUESTS IN WHICH INFORMATION WAS 

GRANTED

Agency / 

Component

SIMPLE COMPLEX EXPEDITED PROCESSING

Median 

Number 

of Days

Average 

Number 

of Days

Lowest 

Number 

of Days

Highest 

Number 

of Days

Median 

Number 

of Days

Average 

Number 

of Days

Lowest 

Number 

of Days

Highest 

Number 

of Days

Median 

Number 

of Days

Average 

Number 

of Days

Lowest 

Number 

of Days

Highest 

Number 

of Days

AMS 27 48.82 1 410 69.5 87.21 17 210 N/A N/A N/A N/A

APHIS 154.5 180.85 1 1318 238 301.99 4 1364 80 80 80 80

ASCR 19 18.31 2 44 16 31.4 12 62 N/A N/A N/A N/A

DA/OSEC 24 48 15 105 141 134.67 1 292 N/A N/A N/A N/A

FAS 52 86 20 361 157 143.75 48 216 N/A N/A N/A N/A

FNCS 17 23.34 1 850 79.5 79.5 56 103 N/A N/A N/A N/A

FS 18 41.07 1 1058 45 96.4 1 932 N/A N/A N/A N/A

FSA 1 1.54 1 1024 7 14.68 1 235 1 1 1 0

FSIS 57 69.42 3 354 156 161.31 5 366 N/A N/A N/A N/A

GIPSA N/A N/A N/A N/A 86 86 86 86 N/A N/A N/A N/A

NAD N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

NRCS 13 24.17 1 222 33 103.15 14 862 1 12 1 35

OBPA 6 6.2 1 10 186 186 186 186 N/A N/A N/A N/A

OCFO 17.5 79.6 1 360 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

OGC 46 308.09 10 1507 140 182.77 21 521 N/A N/A N/A N/A

OIG 57 58.5 20 122 68 171.6 37 1415 N/A N/A N/A N/A

RD 15 28.8 1 497 71.5 99.05 12 655 10 10 10 10

REE 17 20.76 1 80 56 69.5 14 154 N/A N/A N/A N/A
32 | Page

RMA 8.5 33.22 1 378 34 148.33 7 1151 N/A N/A N/A N/A

AGENCY 

OVERALL 1 10.01 1 1507 25.5 84.26 1 1364 1 13.2 1 80
33 | Page

VII.C. PROCESSED SIMPLE REQUESTS -- RESPONSE TIME IN DAY INCREMENTS

Agency / 

Component

<1-20

Days

21-40

Days

41-60

Days

61-80

Days

81-100 

Days

101-120 

Days

121-140 

Days

141-160 

Days

161-180 

Days

181-200 

Days

201-300 

Days

301-400 

Days

401+

Days TOTAL

AMS 87 56 30 9 6 3 2 3 6 2 1 1 1 207

APHIS 153 91 60 38 67 91 95 92 96 65 198 107 80 1,233

ASCR 18 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 23

DA/OSEC 108 44 23 13 8 1 4 1 3 0 0 0 0 205

FAS 14 5 4 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 28

FNCS 570 208 34 13 9 8 4 4 0 3 6 1 2 862

FS 761 226 94 40 22 17 11 6 5 1 13 20 30 1,246

FSA 28,504 79 17 11 4 2 1 2 1 3 5 1 4 28,634

FSIS 101 86 53 38 29 20 8 11 7 5 6 1 0 365

GIPSA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NAD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NRCS 180 53 19 5 5 5 1 2 2 0 3 1 0 276

OBPA 11 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12

OCFO 9 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 1 5 2 3 26

OGC 13 6 4 1 0 2 2 1 1 0 2 1 7 40

OIG 16 17 7 5 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 48

RD 235 46 22 12 8 7 5 7 0 0 1 3 1 347

REE 53 24 8 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 88

RMA 47 9 6 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 65

AGENCY 

OVERALL 30,880 956 383 189 159 160 135 129 125 80 241 140 128 33,705
34 | Page

VII.C. PROCESSED COMPLEX REQUESTS -- RESPONSE TIME IN DAY INCREMENTS

Agency / 

Component

<1-20

Days

21-40

Days

41-60

Days

61-80

Days

81-100 

Days

101-120 

Days

121-140 

Days

141-160 

Days

161-180 

Days

181-200 

Days

201-300 

Days

301-400 

Days

401+

Days TOTAL

AMS 4 3 1 0 1 2 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 15

APHIS 8 2 5 7 2 3 1 8 4 20 17 15 37 129

ASCR 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5

DA/OSEC 21 22 12 9 7 3 4 7 4 2 30 5 4 130

FAS 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 3 0 0 2 0 1 10

FNCS 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

FS 158 110 67 22 16 22 20 6 9 7 32 13 31 513

FSA 567 80 20 9 4 6 2 5 1 0 4 1 4 703

FSIS 2 2 3 1 1 3 1 0 1 0 7 2 0 23

GIPSA 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

NAD 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

NRCS 5 5 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 16

OBPA 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 3

OCFO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OGC 3 4 3 3 1 0 2 1 1 0 2 2 4 26

OIG 0 3 6 4 1 3 0 2 0 0 2 0 11 32

RD 6 4 2 7 2 2 1 0 0 0 4 0 2 30

REE 2 1 3 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 10

RMA 8 5 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 19

AGENCY 

OVERALL 788 241 130 66 40 46 36 33 22 33 101 38 96 1,670
35 | Page

VII.C. PROCESSED REQUESTS GRANTED EXPEDITED PROCESSING -- RESPONSE TIME IN DAY INCREMENTS

Agency / 

Component

<1-20

Days

21-40

Days

41-60

Days

61-80

Days

81-100 

Days

101-120 

Days

121-140 

Days

141-160 

Days

161-180 

Days

181-200 

Days

201-300 

Days

301-400 

Days

401+

Days TOTAL

AMS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

APHIS 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

ASCR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

DA/OSEC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FAS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FNCS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FSA 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5

FSIS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

GIPSA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NAD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NRCS 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

OBPA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OCFO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OGC 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

OIG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RD 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

REE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RMA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGENCY 

OVERALL 9 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12
36 | Page

VII.D. PENDING REQUESTS -- ALL PENDING PERFECTED REQUESTS

Agency / Component

SIMPLE COMPLEX EXPEDITED PROCESSING

Number 

Pending

Median 

Number of 

Days

Average 

Number of 

Days

Number 

Pending

Median 

Number of 

Days

Average 

Number of 

Days

Number 

Pending

Median 

Number of 

Days

Average 

Number of 

Days

AMS 89 20 23 2 192.5 192 0 N/A N/A

APHIS 1079 20 21 57 20 20 2 25.5 25

ASCR 1 20 20 1 20 20 0 N/A N/A

DA/OSEC 7 360 265.14 24 247 243.08 0 N/A N/A

FAS 14 20 20 2 20 20 5 20 20

FNCS 141 20 20 1 20 20 0 N/A N/A

FS 339 20 21 143 20 26 1 20 20

FSA 179 151 163.13 44 19 79.95 0 N/A N/A

FSIS 141 20 20 11 20 20 1 20 20

GIPSA 0 N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A

NAD 6 20 20 0 N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A

NRCS 25 20 20 10 20 27 0 N/A N/A

OBPA 2 20 20 3 20 20 0 N/A N/A

OCFO 11 20 20 0 N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A

OGC 27 20 40 11 20 22 0 N/A N/A

OIG 1 11 11 102 382 480 0 N/A N/A

RD 88 20 20 6 20 23 0 N/A N/A

REE 36 20 20 2 20 20 0 N/A N/A

RMA 4 30 32 7 30 32 0 N/A N/A
37 | Page

AGENCY 

OVERALL 2190 166 242.39 426 141.5 234.28 9 358 320.22
38 | Page

VII.E. PENDING REQUESTS -- TEN OLDEST PENDING PERFECTED REQUESTS

Agency / 

Component

10th Oldest 

Request 9th 8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd Oldest Request

AMS

Date of 

Receipt 2017-09-182017-06-202017-06-062017-04-272017-03-102017-01-312016-07-182016-05-022015-12-092015-11-19

Number of 

Days 

Pending 259 321 331 358 392 419 552 605 704 717

APHIS

Date of 

Receipt 2013-07-102013-06-062013-05-162013-04-302013-04-232013-04-082013-04-012013-03-142012-09-262011-12-01

Number of 

Days 

Pending 1310 1333 1347 1359 1364 1375 1380 1392 1504 1711

ASCR

Date of 

Receipt N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A2018-08-012018-02-08

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 41 162

DA/OSEC

Date of 

Receipt 2017-04-242017-04-132017-04-102017-03-302017-03-282017-03-222017-03-222017-03-142017-02-022016-12-09

Number of 

Days 

Pending 361 368 371 378 380 384 384 390 417 452

FAS

Date of 

Receipt 2017-11-032017-10-312017-10-202017-09-212017-06-232017-04-272017-04-122017-02-032017-01-232016-11-01

Number of 

Days 

Pending 226 229 236 256 318 358 369 416 425 478
39 | Page

FNCS

Date of 

Receipt 2016-12-142016-11-302016-11-302016-10-212016-01-202016-01-202015-11-172015-11-022014-11-142014-07-17

Number of 

Days 

Pending 449 459 459 485 677 677 719 729 971 1054

FS

Date of 

Receipt 2016-03-012016-02-152016-01-252015-12-022015-11-192015-11-052015-08-182014-07-092014-07-082013-10-28

Number of 

Days 

Pending 649 659 674 709 717 726 781 1060 1061 1234

FSA

Date of 

Receipt 2017-02-082017-02-082017-02-082017-02-082017-01-202016-12-122016-06-132015-10-132015-09-302015-06-10

Number of 

Days 

Pending 414 414 414 414 425 451 576 743 751 829

FSIS

Date of 

Receipt 2017-10-122017-10-112017-10-052017-10-042017-09-252017-09-192017-09-112017-08-162017-07-192017-07-03

Number of 

Days 

Pending 242 243 246 247 254 258 264 281 301 312

GIPSA

Date of 

Receipt N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NAD

Date of 

Receipt N/A N/A N/A N/A2018-06-192014-12-112014-07-152014-04-162013-07-092012-10-01
40 | Page

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 71 953 1056 1118 1311 1501

NRCS

Date of 

Receipt 2018-03-142018-03-142018-03-132018-03-132018-03-132018-03-092018-02-122018-01-302017-12-072017-10-24

Number of 

Days 

Pending 139 139 140 140 140 142 160 169 204 234

OBPA

Date of 

Receipt N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A2018-06-292018-06-192018-02-162017-09-262017-02-06

Number of 

Days 

Pending 0 0 0 0 0 63 71 156 253 415

OCFO

Date of 

Receipt 2018-07-312018-06-192017-10-262017-04-242017-04-122017-03-082015-08-182014-10-072013-11-052013-09-23

Number of 

Days 

Pending 42 71 232 361 369 394 781 997 1228 1258

OGC

Date of 

Receipt 2017-02-162017-02-142017-02-142017-02-142017-02-142016-01-142016-01-142015-06-252015-06-182015-01-26

Number of 

Days 

Pending 407 409 409 409 409 680 680 818 823 924

OIG

Date of 

Receipt 2014-07-092014-05-162013-08-222013-04-202013-01-222012-12-102012-10-082012-08-222012-06-192012-06-12

Number of 

Days 

Pending 1062 1098 1281 1367 1430 1458 1500 1532 1577 1582
41 | Page

RD

Date of 

Receipt 2017-07-172017-06-232017-05-262017-04-202017-04-042017-02-102016-11-292016-10-212015-06-022015-03-13

Number of 

Days 

Pending 303 318 337 363 375 411 460 485 835 891

REE

Date of 

Receipt 2018-05-212018-05-022018-04-172018-03-272018-03-232018-03-142018-02-142018-02-052018-01-032017-12-27

Number of 

Days 

Pending 91 104 115 130 132 139 158 165 187 191

RMA

Date of 

Receipt 2018-08-292018-08-292018-08-282018-07-302018-07-242018-07-232018-07-232018-07-232018-05-222018-05-21

Number of 

Days 

Pending 21 21 22 43 47 48 48 48 90 91

AGENCY 

OVERALL

Date of 

Receipt 2013-03-142013-01-222012-12-102012-10-082012-10-012012-09-262012-08-222012-06-192012-01-122011-12-01

Number of 

Days 

Pending 1392 1430 1458 1500 1501 1504 1532 1577 1582 1711
42 | Page

VIII.A. REQUESTS FOR EXPEDITED PROCESSING

Agency / 

Component Number Granted Number Denied

Median Number 

of Days to 

Adjudicate

Average 

Number of Days 

to Adjudicate

Number 

Adjudicated 

Within Ten 

Calendar Days

AMS 0 4 52 143 0

APHIS 1 25 15 65.46 11

ASCR 1 0 1 1 1

DA/OSEC 0 3 3 6 2

FAS 2 0 3.5 3.5 2

FNCS 0 2 67.5 67.5 0

FS 0 13 4 7.85 10

FSA 5 452 1 1.84 452

FSIS 0 10 1 2.7 9

GIPSA 0 0 N/A N/A 0

NAD 0 0 N/A N/A 0

NRCS 3 3 7 12.83 3

OBPA 0 2 3.5 3.5 2

OCFO 0 0 N/A N/A 0

OGC 0 3 1 2.33 3

OIG 0 2 36.5 36.5 1

RD 1 0 15 15 0

REE 0 1 8 8 1

RMA 0 2 1 1 2

AGENCY 

OVERALL 13 522 1 6.69 499
43 | Page

VIII.B. REQUESTS FOR FEE WAIVER

Agency / 

Component Number Granted Number Denied

Median Number 

of Days to 

Adjudicate

Average 

Number of Days 

to Adjudicate

AMS 13 1 31 75.79

APHIS 64 9 134 168.27

ASCR 0 0 N/A N/A

DA/OSEC 1 0 1 1

FAS 7 0 10 12.57

FNCS 1 0 75 75

FS 129 14 7 65.9

FSA 811 41 1 2.41

FSIS 165 16 1 2.04

GIPSA 0 0 N/A N/A

NAD 0 0 N/A N/A

NRCS 13 1 13 14.5

OBPA 2 0 2 2

OCFO 11 0 172 151.64

OGC 8 0 4.5 11.5

OIG 0 0 N/A N/A

RD 14 0 19 21.43

REE 1 0 1 1

RMA 4 0 1 1.75

AGENCY 

OVERALL 1,263 86 1 20.59
44 | Page

IX. FOIA PERSONNEL AND COSTS

Agency / 

Component

PERSONNEL COSTS

Number of 

“Full-Time 

FOIA 

Employees”

Number of 

“Equivalent 

Full-Time FOIA 

Employees”

Total Number of 

“Full-Time 

FOIA Staff”

Processing Costs LitigationRelated Costs Total Costs

AMS 8 2 10 $1,652,533.47 $173,140.00 $1,825,673.47

APHIS 27 0.5 27.5 $360,483.48 $0.00 $360,483.48

ASCR 1 0 1 $123,784.67 $0.00 $123,784.67

DA/OSEC 4 0 4 $726,829.00 $157,253.00 $884,082.00

FAS 2 0 2 $166,651.00 $0.00 $166,651.00

FNCS 4 6 10 $207,530.07 $0.00 $207,530.07

FS 13 42.34 55.34 $2,547,026.00 $157,958.00 $2,704,984.00

FSA 11 90 101 $2,810,430.17 $0.00 $2,810,430.17

FSIS 9 0 9 $1,224,142.00 $5,266.00 $1,229,408.00

GIPSA 0 0.1 0.1 $529.68 $0.00 $529.68

NAD 1 0 1 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

NRCS 4 14.25 18.25 $824,255.00 $166,006.00 $990,261.00

OBPA 0 0.21 0.21 $29,079.35 $0.00 $29,079.35

OCFO 3 1.36 4.36 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

OGC 2 2 4 $206,356.00 $19,640.00 $225,996.00

OIG 2 3.2 5.2 $359,791.61 $483,563.43 $843,355.04

RD 3 13 16 $1,475,049.00 $0.00 $1,475,049.00
45 | Page

REE 1 0.25 1.25 $105,112.60 $0.00 $105,112.60

RMA 1 0.9 1.9 $211,545.97 $0.00 $211,545.97

AGENCY 

OVERALL 96 176.11 272.11 $13,031,129.07 $1,162,826.43 $14,193,955.50
46 | Page

X. FEES COLLECTED FOR PROCESSING REQUESTS

Agency / Component Total Amount of Fees 

Collected

Percentage of Total 

Costs

AMS $797.99 0.05%

APHIS $0.00 0.00%

ASCR $0.00 0.00%

DA/OSEC $1,920.90 0.26%

FAS $0.00 0.00%

FNCS $65,289.08 31.46%

FS $3,452.73 0.14%

FSA $33,809.18 1.20%

FSIS $0.00 0.00%

GIPSA $0.00 0.00%

NAD $0.00 0.00%

NRCS $463.35 0.06%

OBPA $0.00 0.00%

OCFO $0.00 0.00%

OGC $0.00 0.00%

OIG $0.00 0.00%

RD $4,043.07 0.27%

REE $139.25 0.13%

RMA $674.11 0.32%

AGENCY 

OVERALL $110,589.66 0.85%
47 | Page

XI.A. NUMBER OF TIMES SUBSECTION (C) USED

Agency / Component Number of Times Subsection Used

AMS 0

APHIS 0

ASCR 0

DA/OSEC 0

FAS 0

FNCS 0

FS 0

FSA 0

FSIS 0

GIPSA 0

NAD 0

NRCS 0

OBPA 0

OCFO 0

OGC 0

OIG 0

RD 0

REE 0

RMA 0

AGENCY OVERALL 0
48 | Page

XI.B. NUMBER OF SUBSECTION (A)(2) POSTINGS

Agency / Component

Number of Records 

Posted by the FOIA 

Office

Number of Records 

Posted by Program 

Offices

AMS 1 3,940

APHIS 88 30

ASCR 0 0

DA/OSEC 4 1,313

FAS 0 0

FNCS 0 2,445

FS 0 86,821

FSA 0 0

FSIS 0 564

GIPSA 0 0

NAD 0 0

NRCS 429 429

OBPA 2 12

OCFO 0 0

OGC 0 0

OIG 2 86

RD 5 1,246

REE 0 12

RMA 188 330

AGENCY 

OVERALL 719 97,228
49 | Page

XII.A. BACKLOGS OF FOIA REQUESTS AND ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

Agency / Component

Number of 

Backlogged Requests 

as of End of Fiscal 

Year

Number of 

Backlogged Appeals 

as of End of Fiscal 

Year

AMS 80 30

APHIS 1,081 85

ASCR 2 2

DA/OSEC 157 10

FAS 20 0

FNCS 89 646

FS 366 34

FSA 194 9

FSIS 128 7

GIPSA 0 0

NAD 6 0

NRCS 25 3

OBPA 5 0

OCFO 10 0

OGC 35 1

OIG 98 0

RD 73 1

REE 31 0

RMA 7 10

AGENCY 

OVERALL 2,407 838
50 | Page

XII.B. CONSULTATIONS ON FOIA REQUESTS -- RECEIVED, PROCESSED, AND 

PENDING CONSULTATIONS

Agency / Component

Number of 

Consultations 

Received from Other 

Agencies that were 

Pending at the 

Agency as of Start

of the Fiscal Year

Number of

Consultations 

Received from Other 

Agencies During the 

Fiscal Year

Number of 

Consultations 

Received from Other 

Agencies that were 

Processed by the 

Agency During the 

Fiscal Year

Number of 

Consultations 

Received from Other 

Agencies that were 

Pending at the 

Agency as of End

of the Fiscal Year

AMS 0 6 5 1

APHIS 1 24 21 4

ASCR 0 0 0 0

DA/OSEC 0 43 41 2

FAS 0 14 14 0

FNCS 0 4 3 1

FS 1 29 28 2

FSA 2 45 43 4

FSIS 0 1 1 0

GIPSA 0 0 0 0

NAD 0 0 0 0

NRCS 0 0 0 0

OBPA 1 0 1 0

OCFO 0 0 0 0

OGC 5 106 74 37

OIG 0 2 0 2

RD 1 0 0 1

REE 0 13 13 0

RMA 0 1 1 0

AGENCY 

OVERALL 11 288 245 54
51 | Page

XII.C. CONSULTATIONS ON FOIA REQUESTS -- TEN OLDEST CONSULTATIONS RECEIVED FROM OTHER AGENCIES 

AND PENDING AT THE AGENCY

Agency / 

Component

10th Oldest 

Consultation 9th 8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd Oldest Consultation

AMS

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2018-06-26

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 66

APHIS

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A2018-09-142018-08-302018-05-02 2017-10-23

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 20 104 235

ASCR

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

DA/OSEC

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A2018-08-31 2018-08-30

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 20

FAS

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FNCS

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2018-09-20

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6

FS

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A2018-09-27 2018-04-11

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 119

FSA Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A2013-01-252013-01-252012-08-30 2012-08-30
52 | Page

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 1427 1427 1526 1526

FSIS

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

GIPSA

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NAD

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NRCS

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OBPA

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OCFO

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OGC

Date 2018-05-172018-05-162018-05-142018-05-112018-05-092018-04-052018-04-042018-03-282017-08-11 2017-07-13

Number of 

Days 93 94 96 97 99 123 124 129 284 305

OIG

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A2017-09-08 2015-01-07

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 266 938
53 | Page

RD

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2012-04-11

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1621

REE

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RMA

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of 

Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGENCY 

OVERALL

Date 2017-10-232017-09-082017-08-112017-07-132015-01-072013-01-252013-01-252012-08-302012-08-30 2012-04-11

Number of 

Days 235 266 284 305 938 1427 1427 1526 1526 1621
54 | Page

XII.D.(1). COMPARISON OF NUMBERS OF REQUESTS FROM PREVIOUS AND CURRENT ANNUAL REPORT --

REQUESTS RECEIVED AND PROCESSED

Agency / Component

NUMBER OF REQUESTS RECEIVED NUMBER OF REQUESTS PROCESSED

Number Received 

During Fiscal Year 

from Last Year's 

Annual Report

Number Received 

During Fiscal Year 

from Current Annual 

Report

Number Processed 

During Fiscal Year 

from Last Year's 

Annual Report

Number Processed 

During Fiscal Year 

from Current Annual 

Report

AMS 181 272 193 223

APHIS 1,762 882 794 1,371

ASCR 32 32 31 29

DA/OSEC 379 403 275 340

FAS 41 44 31 38

FNCS 690 899 641 873

FS 1,832 1,828 1,836 1,767

FSA 19,066 30,591 18,737 29,393

FSIS 350 494 382 388

GIPSA 24 0 19 3

NAD 1 2 0 1

NRCS 278 288 272 300

OBPA 22 14 16 15

OCFO 17 16 2 26

OGC 70 41 39 67

OIG 97 100 110 80

RD 393 426 402 383
55 | Page

REE 138 130 142 99

RMA 88 85 84 86

AGENCY 

OVERALL 25,461 36,547 24,006 35,482
56 | Page

XII.D.(2). COMPARISON OF NUMBERS OF REQUESTS FROM PREVIOUS AND CURRENT 

ANNUAL REPORT -- BACKLOGGED REQUESTS

Agency / Component

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

AMS 28 80

APHIS 1,534 1,081

ASCR 2 2

DA/OSEC 89 157

FAS 10 20

FNCS 70 89

FS 324 366

FSA 33 194

FSIS 29 128

GIPSA 7 0

NAD 10 6

NRCS 22 25

OBPA 3 5

OCFO 28 10

OGC 53 35

OIG 78 98

RD 41 73

REE 3 31

RMA 7 7

AGENCY 

OVERALL 2,371 2,407
57 | Page

XII.E.(1). COMPARISON OF NUMBERS OF ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS FROM PREVIOUS AND CURRENT ANNUAL 

REPORT -- APPEALS RECEIVED AND PROCESSED

Agency / Component

NUMBER OF APPEALS RECEIVED NUMBER OF APPEALS PROCESSED

Number Received 

During Fiscal Year 

from Last Year's 

Annual Report

Number Received 

During Fiscal Year 

from Current Annual 

Report

Number Processed 

During Fiscal Year 

from Last Year's 

Annual Report

Number Processed 

During Fiscal Year 

from Current Annual 

Report

AMS 7 28 12 9

APHIS 24 54 22 54

ASCR 0 3 0 1

DA/OSEC 3 6 2 2

FAS 1 0 0 1

FNCS 186 342 97 89

FS 56 47 74 43

FSA 21 1 22 0

FSIS 5 16 5 10

GIPSA 0 0 0 0

NAD 0 0 0 0

NRCS 16 7 15 6

OBPA 0 0 0 0

OCFO 0 0 0 0

OGC 6 3 5 3

OIG 8 3 10 3

RD 6 3 6 6
58 | Page

REE 7 3 5 6

RMA 3 2 8 17

AGENCY 

OVERALL 349 518 283 250
59 | Page

XII.E.(2). COMPARISON OF NUMBERS OF ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS FROM 

PREVIOUS AND CURRENT ANNUAL REPORT -- BACKLOGGED APPEALS

Agency / Component

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

AMS 11 30

APHIS 85 85

ASCR 0 2

DA/OSEC 5 10

FAS 1 0

FNCS 405 646

FS 34 34

FSA 7 9

FSIS 0 7

GIPSA 0 0

NAD 0 0

NRCS 1 3

OBPA 0 0

OCFO 0 0

OGC 1 1

OIG 0 0

RD 4 1

REE 0 0

RMA 23 10

AGENCY 

OVERALL 577 838

After reviewing their databases, AMS, APHIS, FNS, GIPSA, OGC and RD updated the number of backlogged 

appeals as of the end of the fiscal year from the previous annual report.
60 | Page