U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Freedom of Information Act Annual Report FY 2017

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.

III. ACRONYMS, DEFINITIONS, AND EXEMPTIONS

Acronyms

Component Acronyms Component Name

AMS Agricultural Marketing Service

APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
ASCR Office of Civil Rights

FAS Foreign Agricultural Service

FNCS Food and Nutrition Consumer Service

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

OSEC/OCIO/DM Office of the Secretary/Office of the Chief Information Officer /Departmental Management

OGC Office of General Counsel

OIG Office of the Inspector General

RD Rural Development

REE Research, Education, and Economics

RMA Risk Management Agency

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 "third-party" 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 non-U.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.

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

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 2

2

7 U.S.C. § 608(d)(2) Information for marketing order 

programs that is categorized as trade 

secrets and commercial or financial 

information

N/A AMS 3

3

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

agricultural producer (policy 

information, yield data, etc.)

N/A NRCS 4

19

RMA 15

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 90

90

7 U.S.C. § 2276(a)(2)

(Food Security Act of 1985)

"[I]nformation furnished under a 

provision of law 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"

Strunk v. U.S. Dept. of Interior, 752 F. 

Supp. 2d 39, 44 (D.D.C. 2010).

FNCS 29

29
7 U.S.C. § 8791 "[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" and 

certain "geospatial information . . . 

maintained by the Secretary"

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 7

359

FSA 291

NRCS 58

RD 2

RMA 1

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).

FS 1

5

REE 4

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).

FS 29

31

NRCS 2

41 U.S.C. § 253b(m)(1) 

(currently at 41 U.S.C. § 4702)

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 

OSEC/OCIO/DM 1

10
granted, No. 03-5257, 2004 WL 

1900562 (D.C. Cir. Aug. 25, 2004).

FS 5

APHIS 4

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

information or complaints to the 

Inspector General

N/A OIG 2

2

18 U.S.C. § 5038 Juvenile arrest records N/A OIG 1

1
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 49 181 193 37

APHIS 652 1,762 794 1,620

ASCR 2 32 31 3

FAS 15 41 31 25

FNCS 72 690 641 121

FS 487 1,832 1,836 483

FSA 2,428 19,066 18,737 2,757

FSIS 84 350 382 52

GIPSA 3 24 19 8

NAD 9 1 0 10

NRCS 42 278 272 48

OBPA 0 22 16 6

OCFO 15 17 2 30

OSEC/OCIO/DM 17 379 275 121

OGC 38 70 39 69

OIG 96 97 110 83

RD 65 393 402 56

REE 12 138 142 8

RMA 14 88 84 18

AGENCY OVERALL 4,100 25,461 24,006 5,555

After reviewing their databases, AMS, APHIS, ASCR, FSA, FSIS, NRCS, OCFO, OSEC/OCIO/DM, REE, RMA, OGC, FS, and RD updated the

number of requests pending as of the start of the Fiscal Year.
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 40 79 4 24 17 14 0 1 0 0 6 8 193

APHIS 163 354 17 121 10 35 1 3 7 11 27 45 794

ASCR 5 9 0 2 5 1 0 1 0 4 1 3 31

FAS 8 3 1 11 0 3 0 0 0 5 0 0 31

FNCS 105 425 9 15 4 26 16 2 3 10 17 9 641

FS 762 580 65 211 42 70 3 2 11 7 33 50 1,836

FSA 17,434 417 226 207 172 92 24 17 65 10 38 35 18,737

FSIS 79 184 6 60 9 28 0 0 1 0 6 9 382

GIPSA 3 10 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 19

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

NRCS 101 96 21 25 2 14 0 0 1 1 4 7 272

OBPA 2 1 2 4 4 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 16

OCFO 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2

OSEC/OCIO/DM 84 88 1 55 5 13 2 0 1 2 8 16 275

OGC 6 6 0 7 7 7 0 1 0 2 2 1 39

OIG 6 37 12 26 1 22 0 1 1 2 2 0 110

RD 200 96 18 43 6 18 2 0 2 1 3 13 402

REE 35 39 5 19 2 16 1 1 2 4 2 16 142

RMA 15 22 12 3 5 4 0 0 4 3 1 15 84

AGENCY 

OVERALL 19,049 2,446 399 836 291 367 49 29 98 63 151 228 24,006
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 Publicly Available Information 8

8

APHIS Directed Requester to Publicly Available Information 45

45

ASCR Directed Requester to Publicly Available Information 3

3

FAS N/A 0

0

FNCS Directed Requester to Publicly Available Information 4

9

Unable to Locate or Contact Requester 5

FS Directed Requester to Publicly Available Information 25

50

Unable to Locate or Contact Requester 25

FSA Directed Requester to Publicly Available Information 21

35

Unable to Locate or Contact Requester 14

FSIS Directed Requester to Publicly Available Information 6

9

Unable to Locate or Contact Requester 3

GIPSA Directed Requester to Publicly Available Information 1

1

NAD N/A 0

0

NRCS Directed Requester to Publicly Available Information 7

7

OBPA N/A 0

0

OCFO N/A 0

0

OSEC/OCIO/DM Directed Requester to Publicly Available Information 8

16

Unable to Locate or Contact Requester 8

OGC Directed Requester to Publicly Available Information 1

1

OIG N/A 0

0

RD Directed Requester to Publicly Available Information 7 13
Unable to Locate or Contact Requester 6

REE Directed Requester to Publicly Available Information 16

16

RMA Directed Requester to Publicly Available Information 15

15

AGENCY 

OVERALL 228
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 5 48 30 71 8 0 17 7 0 0 0 0

APHIS 0 0 11 27 36 334 20 0 202 10 5 1 0 0

ASCR 0 0 0 0 3 7 1 0 6 0 0 0 0 0

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

FNCS 0 1 119 9 291 416 0 2 397 54 288 0 0 0

FS 0 0 35 111 159 468 42 3 132 1 36 42 3 5

FSA 0 80 291 10 17 293 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0

FSIS 0 0 0 127 40 165 3 0 37 1 6 0 0 0

GIPSA 0 1 0 4 2 9 3 1 4 1 0 1 0 0

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

NRCS 0 2 64 12 19 70 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OBPA 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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

OSEC/OCIO/DM 0 1 1 4 22 81 0 0 12 0 1 0 0 0

OGC 0 0 0 0 5 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

OIG 0 0 3 0 9 41 10 0 35 10 15 1 0 0

RD 0 0 2 63 21 65 4 0 3 0 0 0 0 0

REE 0 0 4 15 7 34 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0

RMA 0 2 16 5 4 15 1 0 1 1 3 0 0 0

AGENCY 

OVERALL 0 87 551 438 669 2,073 94 6 851 85 355 46 3 5
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 13 7 12 8

APHIS 82 24 22 84

ASCR 0 0 0 0

FAS 0 1 0 1

FNCS 332 186 97 421

FS 55 56 74 37

FSA 10 21 22 9

FSIS 1 5 5 1

GIPSA 3 0 0 3

NAD 0 0 0 0

NRCS 1 16 15 2

OBPA 0 0 0 0

OCFO 1 0 0 1

OSEC/OCIO/DM 5 3 2 6

OGC 2 6 5 3

OIG 2 8 10 0

RD 7 6 6 7

REE 1 7 5 3

RMA 30 3 8 25

AGENCY OVERALL 545 349 283 611

After reviewing their databases, AMS, APHIS, FAS, FNCS, FS, FSA, FSIS, GIPSA and OGC updated the number of appeals pending as of the start 

of the Fiscal Year.
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 7 2 1 12

APHIS 1 1 1 19 22

ASCR 0 0 0 0 0

FAS 0 0 0 0 0

FNCS 9 23 2 63 97

FS 9 26 11 28 74

FSA 2 6 2 12 22

FSIS 1 0 0 4 5

GIPSA 0 0 0 0 0

NAD 0 0 0 0 0

NRCS 4 7 1 3 15

OBPA 0 0 0 0 0

OCFO 0 0 0 0 0

OSEC/OCIO/DM 0 0 0 2 2

OGC 3 1 0 1 5

OIG 4 4 0 2 10

RD 0 1 0 5 6

REE 1 3 0 1 5

RMA 0 6 0 2 8

AGENCY OVERALL 36 85 19 143 283
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 1 2 8 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

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

ASCR 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 2 0 14 32 0 0 32 8 16 0 0 0

FS 0 0 1 4 19 26 1 0 11 0 2 1 0 1

FSA 0 0 5 0 2 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FSIS 0 0 0 1 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 0 0 8 0 1 6 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

OSEC/OCIO/DM 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OGC 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OIG 0 0 0 1 0 7 0 0 7 1 4 0 0 0

RD 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

REE 0 0 0 1 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RMA 0 0 5 4 5 5 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0

AGENCY 

OVERALL 0 0 21 13 50 94 2 0 50 10 28 1 0 1
VI.C.(2). REASONS FOR DENIAL ON APPEAL -- REASONS OTHER THAN EXEMPTIONS

Agency / 

Component No Records

Records 

Referred at 

Initial 

Request 

Level

Request 

Withdrawn

Fee-Related 

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 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

APHIS 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 1 2 0 11

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

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

FNCS 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 58

FS 14 0 3 0 0 1 0 4 0 0 6

FSA 4 0 6 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0

FSIS 0 0 3 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 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

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

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

OSEC/OCIO/DM 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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

OIG 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0

RD 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

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

RMA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

AGENCY 

OVERALL 21 1 24 0 2 4 0 7 2 1 81
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 3

11

Unable to Locate or Contact the Requester 8

FNCS Moot 1

Unable to Locate or Contact the Requester 54 58

Untimely 3

FS Moot 3

Unable to Locate or Contact the Requester 2 6

Untimely 1

FSIS Moot 1

1

NRCS Moot 1

1

RD Unable to Locate or Contact the Requester 2

2

RMA Unable to Locate or Contact the Requester 2

2

AMS N/A 0

0

ASCR N/A 0

0

FAS N/A 0

0

FSA N/A 0

0

GIPSA N/A 0

0

NAD N/A 0

0

OBPA N/A 0

0

OCFO N/A 0

0

OSEC/OCIO/DM N/A 0

0
OGC N/A

0

0

OIG N/A0

0

REE N/A0

0

AGENCY 

OVERALL 81
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 200.00 297.39 70.00 716.00

APHIS 1,734.50 1,541.91 3.00 2,620.00

ASCR 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

FAS 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

FNCS 517.00 490.66 23.00 1,015.00

FS 156.50 278.83 1.00 1,754.00

FSA 52.50 62.27 2.00 255.00

FSIS 14.00 30.40 5.00 79.00

GIPSA 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

NAD 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

NRCS 24.75 24.61 <1 38.00

OBPA 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

OCFO 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

OSEC/OCIO/DM 96.50 96.50 26.00 167.00

OGC 54.25 71.25 5.00 253.00

OIG 20.00 19.20 16.00 20.00

RD 261.00 293.13 5.00 812.00

REE 75.25 84.42 41.00 174.00

RMA 1,266.50 1,157.25 193.00 1,859.00

AGENCY OVERALL 209.50 344.68 1.00 2,620.00
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 N/A N/A 2017-06-01 2017-04-14 2014-08-19 2014-08-11 2014-05-28 2013-04-29 2012-12-10 2012-10-15

Number of Days Pending 0 0 84 117 781 787 839 1110 1204 1242

APHIS

Date of Appeal 2011-10-06 2011-08-24 2011-07-08 2011-05-16 2011-04-29 2011-03-22 2010-05-05 2009-12-19 2009-08-20 2007-01-16

Number of Days Pending 1498 1528 1561 1598 1609 1637 1856 1949 2032 2686

ASCR

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

FAS

Date of Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2017-03-23

Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 133

FNCS

Date of Appeal 2014-05-06 2014-01-16 2013-12-18 2013-11-21 2013-11-07 2013-09-24 2013-09-03 2013-08-14 2012-12-05 2012-10-22

Number of Days Pending 854 930 949 967 976 1007 1022 1035 1207 1237

FS

Date of Appeal 2016-12-23 2016-12-22 2016-07-13 2016-03-25 2015-09-14 2015-06-08 2014-12-17 2014-08-29 2014-03-17 2014-01-24

Number of Days Pending 192 193 305 381 513 581 699 773 890 925

FSA

Date of Appeal N/A 2017-09-05 2017-08-15 2017-08-14 2017-08-10 2017-08-09 2017-06-23 2017-06-02 2017-04-07 2016-07-14

Number of Days Pending 0 18 32 33 35 36 68 83 122 304

FSIS

Date of Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2017-09-25

Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4

GIPSA

Date of Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2016-08-25 2016-08-25 2016-06-02

Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 274 274 333

NAD

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

NRCS

Date of Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2017-09-29 2017-08-08

Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 37

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/A 2012-07-19
Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1302

OSEC/OCIO/DM

Date of Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A 2017-09-19 2017-06-07 2015-01-30 2014-05-09 2014-04-14 2012-04-02

Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 8 80 670 851 870 1378

OGC

Date of Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2017-06-09 2017-05-15 2017-04-12

Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 78 96 119

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

RD

Date of Appeal N/A N/A N/A 2017-08-11 2017-04-24 2017-04-06 2017-01-07 2016-10-18 2015-11-30 2015-10-13

Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 34 111 123 183 238 461 493

REE

Date of Appeal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2017-09-18 2017-09-13 2017-09-05

Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 12 18

RMA

Date of Appeal 2012-01-26 2011-12-13 2011-12-13 2011-12-13 2011-12-13 2011-09-20 2011-09-01 2011-08-18 2011-03-17 2010-12-16

Number of Days Pending 1424 1453 1453 1453 1453 1510 1522 1532 1640 1701

AGENCY 

OVERALL

Date of Appeal 2011-07-08 2011-05-16 2011-04-29 2011-03-22 2011-03-17 2010-12-16 2010-05-05 2009-12-19 2009-08-20 2007-01-16

Number of Days Pending 1561 1598 1609 1637 1640 1701 1856 1949 2032 2686
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 27 71.45 <1 756 109.5 167.83 4 504 N/A N/A N/A N/A

APHIS 66 109.82 <1 1191 163.5 261.51 4 1378 19 34.38 12 149

ASCR 1.5 5.12 <1 21 19 25 8 46 N/A N/A N/A N/A

FAS 20 26.04 1 76 45 39.67 17 57 18.5 34 15 84

FNCS 17 23.4 <1 541 65 74 30 136 N/A N/A N/A N/A

FS 20 48.26 <1 1311 47.5 115.95 <1 1332 12 15.71 5 36

FSA 1 0.51 <1 392 10 33.52 <1 948 1 1 1 1

FSIS 47 81.93 <1 846 266 336.5 37 867 N/A N/A N/A N/A

GIPSA 27 50.4 22 138 16 25.46 <1 106 115 115 115 115

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 40.07 <1 568 26 162.77 <1 800 16.5 16.5 15 18

OBPA 4 6.73 <1 20 34 34 34 34 N/A N/A N/A N/A

OCFO 7.5 7.5 7 8 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

OSEC/OCIO/DM 13 24.77 <1 469 38.5 78.77 <1 1894 N/A N/A N/A N/A

OGC 214 360.86 <1 1252 52 315.7 <1 1278 N/A N/A N/A N/A

OIG 33.5 88.73 1 713 138 324.59 13 1261 N/A N/A N/A N/A

RD 16 30.07 <1 529 39 66.52 4 438 N/A N/A N/A N/A

REE 17.5 19.67 <1 136 79 93.73 <1 296 N/A N/A N/A N/A

RMA 9 64.14 <1 816 12 83.17 <1 1081 N/A N/A N/A N/A

AGENCY 

OVERALL 1 11.09 1 1311 25 88.22 1 1894 19 26.76 1 149
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 34 79.94 <1 540 199 242.38 29 504 N/A N/A N/A N/A

APHIS 81 123.64 1 1191 177 266.1 4 1322 19 34.38 12 149

ASCR 8 9.11 <1 19 22 28.4 15 46 N/A N/A N/A N/A

FAS 37.5 43.17 12 76 57 57 57 57 18.5 34 15 84

FNCS 17 21.46 1 448 65 74 30 136 N/A N/A N/A N/A

FS 20 45.72 <1 1285 53 119.37 <1 1332 9 12.4 5 22

FSA 1 0.43 <1 392 13 23.36 <1 394 1 1 1 1

FSIS 52 83.98 2 846 266 336.5 37 867 N/A N/A N/A N/A

GIPSA 32.5 32.5 25 40 17 29.55 5 106 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 27.82 <1 515 32 228.22 7 800 16.5 16.5 15 18

OBPA 9 9 4 14 34 34 34 34 N/A N/A N/A N/A

OCFO 7 7 7 7 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

OSEC/OCIO/DM 14 26.74 1 469 48 97.22 3 1894 N/A N/A N/A N/A

OGC 115 374.78 <1 1173 773 563 27 889 N/A N/A N/A N/A

OIG 24 29 5 53 155 308.27 13 1261 N/A N/A N/A N/A

RD 15.5 31.95 <1 529 45 59.42 4 143 N/A N/A N/A N/A

REE 21.5 26.13 <1 136 98.5 111.58 33 296 N/A N/A N/A N/A

RMA 16 93.1 <1 816 20 96.75 1 1081 N/A N/A N/A N/A

AGENCY 

OVERALL 1 8.4 1 1285 29 92.01 1 1894 18.5 23 1 149
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 73 39 17 10 2 4 2 7 3 5 11 2 5 180

APHIS 169 65 79 73 62 41 35 16 15 11 51 20 31 668

ASCR 23 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24

FAS 12 6 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24

FNCS 451 138 19 5 6 2 1 0 1 1 4 0 4 632

FS 737 271 113 51 33 22 24 14 15 8 20 5 25 1,338

FSA 17,900 64 6 2 1 1 2 2 1 3 5 1 0 17,988

FSIS 73 86 65 40 23 13 14 8 8 5 24 11 5 375

GIPSA 0 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 5

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

NRCS 175 40 8 5 6 4 1 2 0 1 6 2 6 256

OBPA 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15

OCFO 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

OSEC/OCIO/DM 99 26 8 2 1 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 142

OGC 7 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 4 3 8 28

OIG 18 12 6 4 3 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 4 52

RD 247 68 28 10 7 2 3 2 0 5 3 1 3 379

REE 75 36 7 3 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 124

RMA 30 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 44

AGENCY 

OVERALL 20,106 863 365 208 145 96 85 52 44 39 132 46 95 22,276
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 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 12

APHIS 5 12 8 10 5 3 6 5 3 2 20 7 22 108

ASCR 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6

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

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

FS 131 84 56 39 23 14 19 14 11 12 38 10 27 478

FSA 419 125 22 12 6 5 7 3 1 2 7 9 9 627

FSIS 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 6

GIPSA 8 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13

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

NRCS 6 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 13

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

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

OSEC/OCIO/DM 39 30 24 9 9 3 1 2 2 5 4 1 3 132

OGC 4 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 10

OIG 2 3 7 9 1 4 4 2 1 0 1 3 19 56

RD 7 4 3 2 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 21

REE 2 1 2 3 1 2 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 15

RMA 23 7 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 36

AGENCY 

OVERALL 653 278 129 86 49 37 39 28 19 23 75 33 92 1,541
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 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 8

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

FAS 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4

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

FS 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7

FSA 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

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

GIPSA 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

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

NRCS 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

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

OSEC/OCIO/DM 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OGC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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

RD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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 20 2 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 25
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 36 33 89 1 355 355 0 N/A N/A

APHIS 1577 130 196 36 577.5 598 2 165 165

ASCR 3 38 94 0 N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A

FAS 5 19 42 5 134 120 3 166 167

FNCS 118 25 83 0 N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A

FS 321 57 133 127 129 182 1 86 86

FSA 22 107.5 188.41 60 20.5 84.65 0 N/A N/A

FSIS 48 45 60 1 1 1 0 N/A N/A

GIPSA 2 98 98 6 73.5 84 0 N/A N/A

NAD 10 939.5 896 0 N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A

NRCS 40 23.5 37 4 22 24 0 N/A N/A

OBPA 1 1 1 5 20 76 0 N/A N/A

OCFO 28 238 437 0 N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A

OSEC/OCIO/DM 50 61 72.56 66 54.5 68.5 0 N/A N/A

OGC 37 141 270 28 154.5 201 2 106.5 106

OIG 1 1 1 82 314.5 444 0 N/A N/A

RD 42 36 92 11 125 143 0 N/A N/A

REE 4 18 30 2 94.5 94 0 N/A N/A

RMA 9 19 153 6 103 188 0 N/A N/A

AGENCY OVERALL 2354 114 176.16 440 93 181.05 8 151.5 141.38
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 2017-04-27 2017-03-29 2017-03-13 2017-03-10 2017-01-31 2016-07-18 2016-05-02 2016-03-22 2015-12-09 2015-11-19

Number of Days Pending 108 129 141 142 169 302 355 384 454 467

APHIS

Date of Receipt 2013-05-16 2013-04-30 2013-04-23 2013-04-08 2013-04-01 2013-03-14 2012-12-14 2012-09-26 2012-05-01 2011-12-01

Number of Days Pending 1097 1109 1114 1125 1130 1142 1200 1254 1357 1461

ASCR

Date of Receipt N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2017-09-05 2017-08-07 2016-11-02

Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 38 227

FAS

Date of Receipt 2017-08-25 2017-06-23 2017-04-27 2017-04-12 2017-03-22 2017-03-22 2017-03-22 2017-02-03 2017-01-23 2016-11-01

Number of Days Pending 24 68 108 119 134 134 134 166 175 228

FNCS

Date of Receipt 2016-11-30 2016-11-29 2016-10-21 2016-01-20 2016-01-20 2015-11-17 2015-11-02 2014-11-14 2014-09-30 2014-07-17

Number of Days Pending 209 210 235 427 427 469 479 721 752 804

FS

Date of Receipt 2014-07-09 2014-07-08 2014-04-22 2013-10-28 2013-09-20 2013-09-12 2013-07-12 2013-06-24 2013-05-02 2013-04-24

Number of Days Pending 810 811 864 984 1009 1015 1058 1071 1107 1113

FSA

Date of Receipt 2016-10-03 2016-09-19 2016-06-13 2015-10-13 2015-09-30 2015-06-10 2015-01-26 2015-01-22 2013-01-17 2012-12-19

Number of Days Pending 248 260 326 493 501 579 674 676 1179 1197

FSIS

Date of Receipt 2017-04-17 2017-04-13 2017-04-13 2017-04-11 2017-04-06 2017-03-08 2017-03-06 2017-01-04 2016-11-29 2016-08-12

Number of Days Pending 116 118 118 120 123 144 146 186 210 283

GIPSA

Date of Receipt N/A N/A 2017-09-11 2017-07-18 2017-07-10 2017-07-10 2017-05-24 2017-05-12 2017-02-22 2017-01-10

Number of Days Pending 0 0 14 52 58 58 89 97 154 182

NAD

Date of Receipt 2017-02-14 2014-12-11 2014-07-15 2014-04-16 2014-02-12 2013-11-21 2013-09-03 2013-07-09 2012-11-19 2012-10-01

Number of Days Pending 159 703 806 868 912 967 1022 1061 1218 1251

NRCS

Date of Receipt 2017-07-18 2017-07-13 2017-07-06 2017-06-19 2017-06-05 2017-06-05 2017-06-05 2017-06-05 2017-04-24 2016-06-06

Number of Days Pending 52 55 60 72 82 82 82 82 111 331

OBPA

Date of Receipt N/A N/A N/A N/A 2017-09-28 2017-09-26 2017-09-06 2017-08-31 2017-02-06 2017-01-18

Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 1 3 17 20 165 177

OCFO Date of Receipt 2015-01-12 2014-10-07 2014-09-22 2014-06-23 2014-02-12 2013-11-21 2013-11-05 2013-09-23 2013-09-03 2012-11-19
Number of Days Pending 683 747 758 821 912 967 978 1008 1022 1218

OSEC/OCIO/DM

Date of Receipt 2017-02-14 2017-02-09 2017-02-02 2017-01-25 2017-01-18 2017-01-06 2016-12-20 2016-12-09 2016-10-28 2016-04-26

Number of Days Pending 159 162 167 173 177 184 195 202 230 359

OGC

Date of Receipt 2015-06-25 2015-06-18 2015-06-15 2015-04-22 2015-01-26 2014-12-08 2014-11-25 2013-09-25 2013-07-05 2011-12-01

Number of Days Pending 568 573 576 613 674 706 714 1006 1063 1461

OIG

Date of Receipt 2013-08-22 2013-04-20 2013-01-22 2012-12-10 2012-11-13 2012-10-08 2012-08-22 2012-08-21 2012-06-19 2012-06-12

Number of Days Pending 1046 1132 1195 1223 1241 1265 1297 1298 1342 1347

RD

Date of Receipt 2016-12-23 2016-11-29 2016-10-21 2016-10-14 2016-08-22 2016-06-13 2016-06-02 2015-10-26 2015-06-02 2015-03-13

Number of Days Pending 192 210 235 240 277 326 333 484 585 641

REE

Date of Receipt N/A N/A N/A N/A 2017-09-29 2017-09-26 2017-09-01 2017-08-14 2017-06-01 2017-01-30

Number of Days Pending 0 0 0 0 0 3 19 33 84 170

RMA

Date of Receipt 2017-09-01 2017-09-01 2017-07-14 2017-06-29 2017-03-22 2017-03-10 2017-03-03 2016-09-19 2014-11-13 2014-01-17

Number of Days Pending 19 19 54 64 134 142 147 258 722 929

AGENCY 

OVERALL

Date of Receipt 2012-11-13 2012-09-26 2012-09-08 2012-08-22 2012-08-21 2012-06-19 2012-06-12 2012-05-01 2011-12-01 2011-12-01

Number of Days Pending 1241 1254 1265 1297 1298 1342 1347 1357 1461 1461
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 4 265 263.75 0

APHIS 3 56 7 14.76 46

ASCR 0 1 2 2 1

FAS 8 0 7.5 29.5 5

FNCS 0 4 45 65.25 1

FS 7 17 10 11.33 12

FSA 3 309 1 4.96 296

FSIS 0 11 0 43.55 10

GIPSA 1 0 164 164 0

NAD 0 0 N/A N/A 0

NRCS 3 3 15 15.33 2

OBPA 0 1 20 20 0

OCFO 0 0 N/A N/A 0

OSEC/OCIO/DM 0 18 7 6.44 15

OGC 2 1 0 54.67 2

OIG 0 1 6 6 1

RD 0 1 14 14 0

REE 0 0 N/A N/A 0

RMA 0 2 4 4 2

AGENCY 

OVERALL 27 429 1 11.65 393
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 8 0 177.5 136.88

APHIS 36 11 19 40.32

ASCR 2 0 2.5 2.5

FAS 10 0 7 12.6

FNCS 8 1 1 1

FS 168 12 1 33.95

FSA 937 76 1 1.47

FSIS 83 6 0 0.64

GIPSA 1 0 115 115

NAD 0 0 N/A N/A

NRCS 13 0 10 14.46

OBPA 2 0 15.5 15.5

OCFO 0 0 N/A N/A

OSEC/OCIO/DM 21 6 5 14.11

OGC 1 2 1 1

OIG 0 0 N/A N/A

RD 14 0 19 21.57

REE 5 0 1 1

RMA 3 0 4 3.67

AGENCY 

OVERALL 1,312 114 1 8.28
IX. FOIA PERSONNEL AND COSTS

Agency / 

Component

PERSONNEL COSTS

Number of "FullTime FOIA 

Employees"

Number of 

"Equivalent FullTime FOIA 

Employees"

Total Number of 

"Full-Time FOIA 

Staff"

Processing Costs Litigation-Related 

Costs Total Costs

AMS 4 4.6 8.6 $774,147.00 $31,682.81 $805,829.81

APHIS 23 0 23 $2,743,298.94 $10,000.00 $2,753,298.94

ASCR 1 0 1 $121,130.86 $0.00 $121,130.86

FAS 2 0 2 $162,703.00 $0.00 $162,703.00

FNCS 7 6.39 13.39 $167,263.72 $0.00 $167,263.72

FS 15 21.47 36.47 $3,991,579.00 $526.00 $3,992,105.00

FSA 11 27.2 38.2 $2,612,308.97 $0.00 $2,612,308.97

FSIS 7 0 7 $1,089,818.00 $0.00 $1,089,818.00

GIPSA 0.5 0 0.5 $106,261.00 $0.00 $106,261.00

NAD 0 0.25 0.25 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

NRCS 2 16.5 18.5 $826,780.00 $42,298.00 $869,078.00

OBPA 0 0.5 0.5 $11,978.00 $0.00 $11,978.00

OCFO 0 0.25 0.25 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

OSEC/OCIO/DM 3.5 0 3.5 $1,537,864.00 $0.00 $1,537,864.00

OGC 6 0 6 $228,307.00 $772,296.50 $1,000,603.50

OIG 1.8 2.8 4.6 $537,454.30 $167,405.88 $704,860.18

RD 5 10 15 $1,688,530.00 $0.00 $1,688,530.00

REE 1 0 1 $125,741.70 $0.00 $125,741.70

RMA 1 1.3 2.3 $206,575.00 $0.00 $206,575.00

AGENCY 

OVERALL 90.8 91.26 182.06 $16,931,740.49 $1,024,209.19 $17,955,949.68
X. FEES COLLECTED FOR PROCESSING REQUESTS

Agency / Component Total Amount of Fees 

Collected Percentage of Total Costs

AMS $0.00 0.00%

APHIS $0.00 0.00%

ASCR $0.00 0.00%

FAS $0.00 0.00%

FNCS $29,926.36 17.89%

FS $4,992.85 0.13%

FSA $18,841.95 0.72%

FSIS $0.00 0.00%

GIPSA $0.00 0.00%

NAD $0.00 0.00%

NRCS $1,914.38 0.23%

OBPA $0.00 0.00%

OCFO $0.00 0.00%

OSEC/OCIO/DM $0.00 0.00%

OGC $0.00 0.00%

OIG $0.00 0.00%

RD $1,280.73 0.08%

REE $927.76 0.74%

RMA $1,207.10 0.58%

AGENCY OVERALL $59,091.13 0.35%
XI.A. NUMBER OF TIMES SUBSECTION USED

Agency / Component Number of Times Subsection Used

AMS 0

APHIS 0

ASCR 0

FAS 0

FNCS 0

FS 0

FSA 0

FSIS 0

GIPSA 0

NAD 0

NRCS 0

OBPA 0

OCFO 0

OSEC/OCIO/DM 0

OGC 0

OIG 0

RD 0

REE 0

RMA 0

AGENCY OVERALL 0
XI.B. NUMBER OF SUBSECTION POSTINGS

Agency / Component Number of Records Posted 

by the FOIA Office

Number of Records Posted 

by Program Offices

AMS 1 223

APHIS 0 0

ASCR 0 0

FAS 0 0

FNCS 0 532

FS 0 13,257

FSA 0 0

FSIS 0 0

GIPSA 0 26

NAD 0 0

NRCS 227 1,171

OBPA 0 43

OCFO 0 2

OSEC/OCIO/DM 1 192

OGC 0 0

OIG 0 0

RD 15 2,150

REE 0 4

RMA 227 338

AGENCY OVERALL 471 17,938
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 28 8

APHIS 1,534 84

ASCR 2 0

FAS 10 1

FNCS 70 409

FS 324 34

FSA 33 7

FSIS 29 0

GIPSA 7 3

NAD 10 0

NRCS 22 1

OBPA 3 0

OCFO 28 0

OSEC/OCIO/DM 89 5

OGC 53 3

OIG 78 0

RD 41 5

REE 3 0

RMA 7 23

AGENCY OVERALL 2,371 583
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 5 5 0

APHIS 6 16 21 1

ASCR 0 0 0 0

FAS 0 3 3 0

FNCS 0 0 0 0

FS 4 27 30 1

FSA 2 14 14 2

FSIS 0 0 0 0

GIPSA 0 0 0 0

NAD 0 0 0 0

NRCS 0 0 0 0

OBPA 0 2 1 1

OCFO 0 0 0 0

OSEC/OCIO/DM 0 18 18 0

OGC 1 8 4 5

OIG 2 2 4 0

RD 2 2 3 1

REE 0 4 4 0

RMA 0 1 1 0

AGENCY OVERALL 17 102 108 11

After reviewing their databases, FSA, OGC, and RD updated the number of consultations pending as of the start of the Fiscal Year.
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 N/A

Number of Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

APHIS

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2015-04-15

Number of Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 618

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

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 N/A

Number of Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FS

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2016-04-06

Number of Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 373

FSA

Date N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2013-01-25 2012-08-30

Number of Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1177 1276

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 2017-07-11

Number of Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 57
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

OSEC/OCIO/DM

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 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2017-08-11 2017-07-13 2017-05-30 2017-03-27 2015-11-13

Number of Days 0 0 0 0 0 34 55 86 131 471

OIG

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

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 1371

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 2017-07-13 2017-07-11 2017-05-30 2017-03-27 2016-04-06 2015-11-13 2015-04-15 2013-01-25 2012-08-30 2012-04-11

Number of Days 55 57 86 131 373 471 618 1177 1276 1371
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 153 181 134 193

APHIS 1,143 1,762 1,008 794

ASCR 21 32 21 31

FAS 9 41 1 31

FNCS 515 690 526 641

FS 1,977 1,832 1,757 1,836

FSA 18,463 19,066 18,104 18,737

FSIS 337 350 376 382

GIPSA 39 24 38 19

NAD 0 1 0 0

NRCS 282 278 294 272

OBPA 15 22 15 16

OCFO 2 17 0 2

OSEC/OCIO/DM 205 379 222 275

OGC 16 70 8 39

OIG 95 97 97 110

RD 396 393 331 402

REE 117 138 115 142

RMA 85 88 87 84

AGENCY OVERALL 23,870 25,461 23,134 24,006
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 35 28

APHIS 581 1,534

ASCR 0 2

FAS 8 10

FNCS 22 70

FS 477 324

FSA 60 33

FSIS 63 29

GIPSA 1 7

NAD 9 10

NRCS 24 22

OBPA 0 3

OCFO 3 28

OSEC/OCIO/DM 10 89

OGC 29 53

OIG 89 78

RD 70 41

REE 4 3

RMA 8 7

AGENCY OVERALL 1,493 2,371
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 9 7 7 12

APHIS 7 24 11 22

ASCR 0 0 0 0

FAS 0 1 0 0

FNCS 165 186 9 97

FS 68 56 90 74

FSA 20 21 14 22

FSIS 9 5 11 5

GIPSA 5 0 2 0

NAD 0 0 0 0

NRCS 10 16 12 15

OBPA 0 0 0 0

OCFO 0 0 0 0

OSEC/OCIO/DM 1 3 4 2

OGC 1 6 1 5

OIG 12 8 12 10

RD 10 6 9 6

REE 5 7 4 5

RMA 3 3 6 8

AGENCY OVERALL 325 349 192 283
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 14 8

APHIS 83 84

ASCR 0 0

FAS 0 1

FNCS 322 409

FS 51 34

FSA 4 7

FSIS 0 0

GIPSA 3 3

NAD 0 0

NRCS 0 1

OBPA 0 0

OCFO 0 0

OSEC/OCIO/DM 5 5

OGC 2 3

OIG 0 0

RD 6 5

REE 1 0

RMA 30 23

AGENCY OVERALL 521 583