CAPACITY 

ASSESSMENT

U.S. Department of 

Agriculture
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

i

Table of Contents

Introduction................................................................................................................................................................. 1

Stakeholder Engagement................................................................................................................................................ 1

Capacity Assessment Structure.................................................................................................................................... 2

Concepts and Principles................................................................................................................................................... 2

Capacity Assessment Findings .............................................................................................................................. 4

Research........................................................................................................................................................................ 6

Evaluation..................................................................................................................................................................... 8

Statistics......................................................................................................................................................................10

Other Analysis...........................................................................................................................................................13

Capacity Assessment Inventory .........................................................................................................................15

Acronyms and Abbreviations ..............................................................................................................................26
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

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Introduction

Under the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Evidence Act), USDA is 

required to conduct a Capacity Assessment of the coverage, quality, methods, effectiveness, and 

independence of the Department’s evaluation, research, statistics, and analysis functions. The 

Capacity Assessment is intended to establish a baseline of existing evidence-building capacity, 

identify gaps, and recommend areas for improvement to strengthen USDA’s ability to build and use 

evidence to inform decision-making. USDA will also use the Capacity Assessment to determine 

priority areas in which evidence should be bolstered to inform future budget requests. 

Stakeholder Engagement

Throughout FY 2021, OBPA conducted a 

number of stakeholder engagement activities 

to inform the development of the Capacity 

Assessment. USDA’s internal stakeholders 

were organized into the following standard 

hierarchy to ensure that all levels were 

appropriately engaged and to provide clarity 

around roles and responsibilities:

• Strategic Direction: Responsible for setting 

the Department’s strategic direction 

(Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and SubCabinet officials);

• Departmental Operations: Responsible for 

supporting strategic implementation 

efforts in alignment with the Department’s 

strategic goals and objectives (staff offices such as OBPA, Human Resources, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer, etc.); and

• Mission Delivery and Performance: Responsible for aligning agency strategic directions and 

resources with the Department-wide strategic directions and for delivering statutorily required 

missions, functions, programs, projects, etc. (all USDA Mission Areas and Agencies).

OBPA convened the Evidence Act Working Group (EAWG) to collaborate on the Capacity 

Assessment and other Evidence Act deliverables. The EAWG was a cross-functional team that 

included representation from across USDA Mission Areas and Agencies and served as the conduit 

between OBPA and Mission Area and Agency leadership. OBPA regularly engaged with the EAWG 

through a series of interactive workshops to appropriately scope the Capacity Assessment and 

solicit feedback on draft materials. 

In addition to coordination with the EAWG, OBPA conducted a number of interviews with USDA 

senior leaders with subject matter expertise in statistics, evaluation, research, and data. 

Interviewees included the Chief Evaluation Officer, Chief Data Officer, Statistical Official, and 

Deputy Chief Economist. These leaders were asked to provide their insights on USDA’s current 

evidence-building capacity, including where in the Department evidence building practices are 

strongest, what areas would most benefit from strengthening evidence-building capacity, and 

which specific programs require additional investment to fill existing evidence gaps. OBPA then 

conducted additional interviews with Agency-level Assistant Evaluation Officers, members of the 

EAWG, and other experts in evidence functions to supplement this information.
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

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Capacity Assessment Structure

In accordance with the Evidence Act and relevant guidance from the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB), the Capacity Assessment Findings section of this document covers:

• The extent to which the evaluations, research, and analysis efforts and related activities of 

the Department support the needs of various divisions within the Department;

• The extent to which the evaluations, research, and analysis efforts and related activities of 

the Department achieve an appropriate balance between needs related to organizational 

learning, ongoing program management, performance management, strategic 

management, interagency and private sector coordination, internal and external oversight, 

and accountability;

• The extent to which the Department uses methods and combinations of methods that are 

appropriate to Departmental divisions and the corresponding research questions being 

addressed, including an appropriate combination of formative and summative evaluation, 

research, and analysis approaches;

• The extent to which the evaluation and research capacity is present within the Department 

to include personnel and agency processes for planning and implementing evaluation 

activities, disseminating best practices and findings, and incorporating employee views and 

feedback; and

• The extent to which the Department has the capacity to assist Departmental staff and 

program offices to develop the capacity to use evaluation research and analysis approaches 

and data in the day-to-day operations.

The Capacity Assessment Inventory section contains a list of the highest-priority activities and 

operations of the Department that are currently being evaluated and analyzed, as identified by the 

Mission Areas and Agencies.

For the purposes of this inaugural Capacity Assessment, OBPA focused its efforts on establishing a 

baseline understanding of how well the Department is positioned to create and leverage evidence 

to support strategic decisions (i.e., how the Department meets its mission(s), including how 

programs, policies, and regulations function both individually and in combination) over operational 

decisions (i.e., human resources, grant-making procedures, financial systems and tracking, and 

internal processes).

Concepts and Principles

In its Memorandum M-19-23, OMB directs agencies to assess their evidence activities across five 

dimensions: coverage, quality, methods, effectiveness, and independence. For the purpose of the 

Capacity Assessment, USDAused the following definitions for these dimensions, which are adapted 

from OMB Circular A-11 Section 290: Evaluation and Evidence-Building Activities:

• Coverage: Describes the evidence activities that are happening and where in the 

Department the activities are occurring.

• Quality: Describes the extent to which data and other information used in the course of 

conducting evidence activities are of high quality with respect to utility, objectivity, and 

scientific integrity.
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• Methods: Describes the techniques, systems, and processes used in evidence generation. 

Methods may vary by evidence type; however, all methodologies should include an 

appropriate level of rigor and take an empirically proven approach. 

• Effectiveness: Describes the extent to which evidence activities are meeting their intended 

outcomes, including serving the needs of stakeholders and being disseminated 

appropriately.

• Independence: Describes the extent to which the activities being carried out are free from 

bias and inappropriate influence.
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Capacity Assessment Findings

In conducting the Capacity Assessment, OBPA identified 12 recommendations for strengthening 

evidence-building capacity in research, evaluation, statistics, and other forms of analysis. These 

recommendations, if implemented, would serve to improve the coverage, quality, methods, 

effectiveness, and independence of USDA’s evidence functions. In the near term, USDA’s Evidence 

Act Designated Officials will work to prioritize these recommendations for implementation based 

on leadership priorities and resource availability.

RESEARCH

Consideration Coverage Quality Methods Effectiveness Independence

Build cross-cutting research 

partnerships  

Improve employee training on 

and awareness of research tools 

and information



EVALUATION

Consideration Coverage Quality Methods Effectiveness Independence

Stand up a centralized evaluation 

office or offices     

Incorporate evaluation into 

program design   

Ensure adherence to the USDA 

Evaluation Policy     

Foster an organizational culture 

that values evaluation     

STATISTICS

Consideration Coverage Quality Methods Effectiveness Independence

Streamline data collection 

methods and reduce burden on 

customers



Increase programming language 

proficiency among statisticians  

Centralize information 

technology structures to improve 

data access

 

Foster a collaborative learning 

environment for statistical staff     
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

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OTHER ANALYSIS

Consideration Coverage Quality Methods Effectiveness Independence

Strengthen the use of 

performance data in decisionmaking



Leverage the Data Science 

Workbench to improve analytical 

functions

 

The findings below are intended to move USDA to a higher level of maturity with respect to its 

evidence-building activities. The dimension(s) of evidence – coverage, quality, methods, 

effectiveness, and independence – that the recommendations could improve if implemented are 

noted throughout the document. The Evidence Act Designated Officials may consider using the 

Capacity Assessment results to guide resource allocations to strengthen capacity in the most 

critical areas of need. Through these efforts, USDA can take steps towards improving and 

enhancing its evidence-building activities, increasing stakeholder buy-in and understanding of the 

benefits of evidence for strategic decision-making, and facilitating a robust learning culture 

Department-wide.
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

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Research

The Office of the Chief Scientist provides leadership and coordination to ensure that research 

supported by and scientific advice provided to the Department and external stakeholders is held to 

the highest standards of intellectual rigor and scientific integrity. The Office of the Chief Scientist

strives to inform policy and programmatic decisions within the Department by providing the best 

available scientific advice and input; establishing appropriate linkages between USDA and other

scientific organizations in government (U.S. and abroad), academia, and industry; and ensuring the 

dissemination of scientific research and science performed by the Department to policy makers and 

decision leaders across the spectrum of policymaking Nationally and internationally.

The Research, Education, and Economics Mission Area is dedicated to creating a safe, sustainable, 

competitive U.S. food and fiber system, as well as building strong communities, families, and youth 

through integrated research, analysis, and education. It is the home to USDAleadership responsible

for advancing scientific knowledge related to agriculture through credible scientific research, 

economic data, statistical analysis, and scientific guidance. Of the five Agencies under this Mission 

Area, four are primarily responsible for research activities, described below:

• TheAgricultural Research Service is USDA’s chief scientific in-house research Agency. It has 

a workforce of approximately 8,000 employees, including 2,000 scientists and postdoctoral fellows in more than 90 research locations. The Agricultural Research Service’s

research mission is to find solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every 

day from field to table and includes about 660 research projects within 15 National 

programs. The primary research focus areas of the Agency include animal production and 

protection; crop production and protection; natural resources and sustainable agricultural 

systems; and nutrition, food safety, and quality. The Agency produces an annual Report on 

Science, a compendium of research accomplishments over the previous year that 

demonstrate the Agency’s impact on the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we 

breathe. The Agency positions itself strategically to address agricultural challenges by 

gathering input from customers and stakeholders and conducting research that addresses 

programmatic research goals throughout five-year cycles. The 2020 Annual Report on 

Science can be found here.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture is USDA’s primary extramural research, 

education, and extension Agency, providing leadership and funding for programs that 

advance agriculture-related sciences. The Agency invests in and supports initiatives that 

ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensuring

that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the 

people who can put them into practice. Through partnerships with the Land-Grant 

University System and government, private, and non-profit organizations, National 

Institute of Food and Agriculture programs can provide solutions to those who need them.

• The Economic Research Service (ERS) anticipates trends and emerging issues in agriculture, 

food, the environment, and rural America and conducts economic research to inform public 

and private decision-making. ERS provides statistics on food security, farm income, and 

agricultural productivity and contributes to the work of USDA’s World Agricultural Outlook 

Board.

• The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is responsible for ensuring the quality, 

objectivity, and transparency of the statistical information and analysis provided by the REE 
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Mission Area. NASS and ERS are USDA’s two federal statistic agencies responsible for this 

effort. 

USDA has additional research authorities in divisions of the Food Safety and Inspection Service, 

Natural Resources Conservation Service, Food and Nutrition Service, and Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, and Marketing and Regulatory Programs. These researchers contribute 

funding, human capital, and collaborative expertise to USDA science efforts. 

CONSIDERATIONS FOR BUILDING RESEARCH CAPACITY 

USDA has identified several recommendations to strengthen research functions to support 

evidence-based decision-making:

• Build cross-cutting research partnerships: Mission Areas and Agencies may consider 

building relationships across the Department to facilitate collaborative and cross-cutting 

research efforts. In particular, USDA could prioritize new research partnerships or building 

on existing efforts that focus on supporting the priorities of the Secretary and the 

Administration, such as advancing equity, climate, and customer experience.

If implemented, this recommendation would improve the coverage and effectiveness of USDA’s 

research functions.

• Improve employee training on and awareness of research tools and information: Results 

from the 2020 Federal Managers Survey: Results on Government Performance and 

Management Issues from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) showed that USDA 

has opportunities to improve the research-related capabilities of its program-level staff in a 

number of dimensions including increasing employee awareness of research tools and 

information; strengthening program staff knowledge and skills needed to collect and 

analyze information for research; and facilitating access to research performed by external 

partners such as other Federal agencies, academic researchers, and think tanks. 

If implemented, this recommendation would improve the quality of USDA’s research functions.
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

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Evaluation

USDA engages in a range of evaluation activities to support operational effectiveness, rulemaking, 

and decision-making. As USDA does not have a centralized evaluation office, most evaluation 

activities are planned and conducted on an individual basis by Mission Areas and Agencies 

according to their established planning processes. Through data calls related to the Department’s 

FY 2023 Evaluation Plan and budget submission, as well as stakeholder interviews, OBPA 

determined that many Mission Areas and Agencies have an opportunity to improve their capacity 

for conducting high-quality and rigorous program evaluations. The list below reflects the Mission 

Areas and Agencies whose evaluation work is reflected in the USDA Learning Agenda and FY 2023 

Evaluation Plan (note that it is not a comprehensive listing of all evaluation work across USDA):

• The Food and Nutrition Service within the Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Mission 

Area conducts a variety of studies, evaluations, and related activities that respond to the 

needs of policymakers and managers and help ensure that nutrition assistance programs 

achieve their goals effectively. The Office of Policy Support leads the development and 

execution of FNS's Research and Evaluation Plan (the Agency’s FY 2021 Research and 

Evaluation Plan can be found here).

• Rural Development has a robust evaluation function that focuses on the impact of programs 

to improve the economy and quality of life in rural America. Many ongoing evaluations focus 

on building infrastructure (e.g., Community Facilities, broadband) and providing clean 

water, as well as ensuring equitable program access for historically disadvantaged and 

underserved communities.

A selection of the Department’s program evaluation activities is documented in its Annual 

Evaluation Plan, which describes the significant evaluations USDA plans to undertake in the coming 

fiscal year. The FY 2022 Evaluation Plan can be found here.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR BUILDING EVALUATION CAPACITY

USDA has identified several recommendations to strengthen evaluation functions to support 

evidence-based decision-making: 

• Stand up a centralized evaluation office or offices: Mission Areas and Agencies, especially 

those whose evaluation capacity is less mature, could benefit from having an independent 

evaluation office to assist with evaluation planning, design and implementation. Such an 

office could be situated under a staff office such as OBPA, Office of the Chief Economist 

(OCE), or the Office of the Chief Scientist and support the evaluation needs of the 

Department enterprise-wide; alternatively, multiple offices could be established at the 

Mission Area and Agency level. By centralizing the planning and management of evaluations 

under one entity, the Department could maximize efficient use of its resources and support 

the lower-maturity Mission Areas and Agencies in improving their evaluation capacity.

If implemented, this recommendation would improve the coverage, quality, methods, 

effectiveness, and independence of USDA’s evaluation functions.

• Incorporate evaluation into program design: When designing a new program or modifying 

an existing one, program managers should consider future data collection needs for 

conducting evaluations. Further, program managers and staff could use logic models to 

articulate the intended outcomes and impact of programs and strengthen overall program 
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

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readiness for evaluation. Developing or describing the theory of change can also be helpful 

for identifying data and evidence needs. 

The Department may also consider building provisions into its grant programs that require 

grantees conduct evaluations t or access to data so that evaluations may be conducted by a 

third party. This approach could help USDA embed institutional learning into program 

design and development and would likely require additional resources (e.g., staff, training, 

funding) to implement.

If implemented, this recommendation would improve the coverage, quality, and effectiveness of 

USDA’s evaluation functions.

• Ensure adherence to the USDA Evaluation Policy: The USDA Evaluation Policy establishes 

best practices and requirements for all evaluations conducted across the Department. It 

gives USDA employees, partners, and stakeholders a common framework for conducting 

evaluations and defines the core standards and principles by which evaluators must abide. 

Mission Areas and Agencies should identify opportunities to align internal policies and 

procedures to the Department-wide Evaluation Policy and educate staff on how to 

implement the policy as needed.

If implemented, this recommendation would improve the quality, methods, effectiveness, and 

independence of USDA’s evaluation functions.

• Foster an organizational culture that values evaluation: Evaluation is often misunderstood 

as a mechanism for highlighting inefficiencies or performance issues within programs. The 

GAO 2020 Federal Managers Survey: Results on Government Performance and Management 

Issuesindicated that USDAcould expand opportunities for program managers to participate 

in evaluation training. Increased education and training on a variety of topics such as the 

benefits of evaluation for improving program outcomes, using evaluation to inform 

decision-making, and generating and using data for evaluations could facilitate a shift 

toward a learning-positive culture among program staff and managers. This cultural 

transformation can be supported by Agency and Departmental leadership championing 

efforts to strengthen evaluation capacity and exemplifying a commitment to building and 

using evidence in their decision-making.

If implemented, this recommendation would improve the coverage quality, methods, effectiveness, 

and independence of USDA’s evaluation functions.
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Statistics

USDA’s statistical capabilities primarily reside in four agencies: NASS, ERS, the Foreign Agricultural 

Service (FAS), and the Agricultural Marketing Service. Collectively, these four Agencies contribute 

to the USDA Economics, Statistics, and Marketing Information System, which contains more than 

2,100 publications on international agriculture and related topics.

NASS and ERS are two of the thirteen Federal statistical Agencies which collect, analyze, and 

disseminate statistical information. Under OMB Statistical Policy Directives, these Agencies are 

responsible for the quality, objectivity, and transparency of statistical information and analysis. 

NASS is the primary statistical Agency for USDA and conducts hundreds of surveys every year and 

prepares reports covering virtually every aspect of U.S. agriculture. Production and supplies of food 

and fiber, prices paid and received by farmers, farm labor and wages, farm finances, chemical use, 

and changes in the demographics of U.S. producers are only a few examples. NASS is committed to 

providing timely, accurate, and useful statistics in service to U.S. agriculture by:

• Reporting the facts needed by people working in and depending on American agriculture;

• Providing objective and unbiased statistics on a preannounced schedule that is fair and 

impartial to all market participants;

• Conducting the Census of Agriculture every five years, providing the only source of 

consistent, comparable, and detailed agricultural data for every county in America;

• Serving the needs of data users and customers through a network of State field offices and 

cooperative relationships with universities and State Departments of Agriculture; and

• Safeguarding the privacy of farmers, ranchers, and other data providers, with a focus on 

confidentiality and data security.

ERS conducts statistical analyses that inform and enhance public and private decision-making on 

economic and policy issues related to agriculture, food, the environment, and rural America. To 

accomplish this mission, ERS economists and social scientists develop and disseminate a broad 

range of science-based economic and statistical information to the public. The suite of ERS data and 

statistical products encompasses estimates, forecasts, economic and statistical indicators, and data 

compiled from diverse sources where ERS adds value in the form of recompilation and/or subject

matter expertise. ERS disseminates its information to key stakeholders and the public through an 

array of outlets, including the ERS website. ERS’ policies and procedures for publishing research and 

data, designed to ensure that the Agency provides high quality and objective analysis, include:

• Data Product Quality: ERS ensures that quality standards are embedded in data products for 

purpose, utility, objectivity, transparency, integrity, and accessibility;

• Error Correction: In the event that a substantive error is detected in a disseminated 

information product, ERS will make a correction; and

• Scientific Integrity: ERS is committed to upholding the protections and responsibilities 

outlined in USDA’s Scientific Integrity Policy, which protects scientific findings from 

suppression or alteration and ensures the quality and accuracy of data and analysis.

FAS has a global network of nearly 100 offices covering approximately 180 countries. These offices 

are staffed by agricultural attachés and locally hired agricultural experts who are the eyes, ears, and 

voices of U.S. agriculture around the world. FAS’ network of global contacts and long-standing 

relationships with international groups contribute to the Agency’s unique market intelligence 

capacity. FAS analysts provide objective intelligence on foreign market conditions, prepare 
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

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production forecasts, assess export opportunities, and track changes in policies affecting U.S. 

agricultural exports and imports. 

The Agricultural Marketing Service produces a variety of statistical reports on topics including 

organic foods; cotton and tobacco; dairy and milk products; fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops; 

livestock, meats, poultry, eggs, grain, and hay; organic; and local and regional foods. The Agency also 

maintains several National and program-level databases. 

CONSIDERATIONS FOR BUILDING STATISTICAL CAPACITY

USDA has identified several recommendations to strengthen statistical functions to support 

evidence-based decision-making: 

• Streamline data collection methods and reduce burden on customers: The USDA Data 

Strategy for FY 2021 – 2023 notes that data are often collected manually from the 

Department’s customers, such as farmers and ranchers, through surveys and other 

resource-intensive methods. The Department has already undertaken efforts to reduce the 

burden of the data collection process, such as the development of a tool by NASS that will 

leverage multiple data sources and integrate existing systems to reduce process steps and 

timelines for data collection and reporting. USDA may consider identifying additional 

opportunities to ensure that data can be gathered once and shared accordingly to provide 

accurate information back to customers in a more expeditious and meaningful manner.

If implemented, this recommendation would improve the methods of USDA’s statistical functions.

• Increase programming language proficiency among statisticians: The USDA Office of the 

Chief Data Officer recently conducted a data skills assessment and associated gap analysis, 

surveying more than 1,200 employees across the Department to identify gaps in data skills 

and management. The need for programming language proficiency was identified as the 

second-most critical skill for Departmental staff. As the Department continues to adopt 

open-source tools, statisticians will increasingly require skills in statistical languages such 

as Python and R to meet the demand for statistical products from USDA and its customers. 

One Mission Area has procured licenses for an asynchronous training software tool that can 

tailor Python and R trainings to analysts’ current knowledge, experience, and interest in 

programming languages. Expanding on such initiatives to broaden programming language 

expertise will enable USDA to conduct more effective and efficient statistical analyses.

If implemented, this recommendation would improve the quality and methods of USDA’s statistical 

functions.

• Centralize information technology structures to improve data access: According to the 

data skills gap analysis referenced above, the management of IT processes has been 

historically decentralized at USDA, which has created siloed legacy systems and 

technologies that impede data access and degrade data quality. Manual workarounds are 

often used to compensate for limitations in the existing legacy applications, increasing the 

need for historic program knowledge across staff. Such issues can limit staff’s ability to 

respond quickly to emerging issues or perform robust statistical analysis, due to the amount 

of time spent mitigating data access challenges. USDA will consider bolstering ongoing 

efforts to make data more accessible, available, and usable in the Enterprise Data Analytics 

Platform and Toolset and other central platforms to eliminate data siloes and facilitate more 

efficient statistical activities.
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If implemented, this recommendation would improve the quality and methods of USDA’s statistical 

functions.

• Foster a collaborative learning environment for statistical staff: The NASS Human Capital 

Plan notes that employees have expressed a desire for non-classroom development and 

increased collaboration across NASS to learn from one another. USDA has established two 

communities of practice, the Advanced Analytics Community of Practice and the Data 

Visualization Community of Practice, to raise the collective awareness and knowledge 

levels of staff. Continuing to provide opportunities to share best practices, challenges, and 

successes related to statistical analysis could be an effective way to improve skill 

development across NASS and other USDA agencies.

If implemented, this recommendation would improve the coverage, quality, methods, 

effectiveness, and independence of USDA’s statistical functions.
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Other Analysis

The OCE is the focal point for economic and policy-related research and analysis for USDA. OCE 

aims to inform public and private decision makers by providing unbiased information and datadriven analyses of current and emerging issues impacting agriculture. OCE comprises five suboffices, four of which serve various roles related to economic and policy analysis, such as economic 

intelligence and the commodity outlook for U.S. and world agriculture; weather assessments and 

real-time yield intelligence; risk assessments and cost-benefit analysis of regulations; development 

and coordination of USDA policy on pest management; and assessments on energy, environmental 

markets, and climate change.

• The OCE Immediate Office conducts economic and policy analysis and advises the 

Secretary on the economic impacts of market developments, program changes, legislative 

proposals, key U.S. trade initiatives, and agricultural labor issues. Immediate Office staff 

also coordinate sustainable development and Food Loss and Waste activities of the 

Department. OCE economists within the Office support USDA policy decision-making by 

analyzing the impact of proposals and coordinating a response among USDA Agencies. 

Requests for analyses related to proposed changes in USDA programs, policies, and 

legislation come from the Secretary, other Administration officials, and members of 

Congress.

• The Office of Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analysis reviews major regulations 

proposed by USDA to ensure that they are based on sound scientific and economic analysis. 

The Office also sponsors the Science, Policy, and Risk Forum, a series of four or more annual 

seminars that feature prominent speakers on risk assessment and the intersection of risk 

assessment and economic analysis to build capacity in risk analysis. The seminars address 

emerging issues in risk assessment or economic analysis, new methodological techniques, 

or other special topics of interest. The Office also occasionally hosts full- or half-day 

workshops on topics such as cost-benefit analysis.

• The Office of Pest Management Policy develops and coordinates USDA policy on pesticides, 

biotechnology, integrated pest management, and related topics. Specifically, the Office

provides the Environmental Protection Agency and other Federal agencies with the most 

accurate data available to help assure that pesticide regulatory decisions are based on 

modern, realistic agricultural practices; reviews and responds to proposed pesticide risk 

mitigation strategies; conducts surveys and analyzes available data to answer pest 

management-related research questions; and communicates with stakeholder groups 

regarding pest management-related regulatory decisions and policies.

• The Office of Energy and Environmental Policy serves as a focal point for the Department’s 

energy, environmental markets, and climate change activities, conducting analyses and 

assessments to ensure that USDA and the people we serve are positioned to meet future 

challenges and opportunities. The Office coordinates policy analysis, long-range planning, 

research priority-setting, and response strategies for addressing energy development and 

environmental policy. 

• The Farm Service Agency within the Farm Production and Conservation Mission Area 

manages the Farm Loan Program Risk Assessment, the primary tool that USDA uses for 

ongoing review and oversight of field office farm loan program operations. This assessment

examines the Farm Loan Programs using a data-driven, risk-based approach and provides 

the framework for assessing program management and oversight of State Offices and 

program delivery by Service Centers. The Federal crop insurance program is also
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

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periodically evaluated and adjustments are made based upon evidence from these 

evaluations.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR BUILDING ANALYTICAL CAPACITY

USDA has identified several recommendations to strengthen analytical functions to support 

evidence-based decision-making: 

• Strengthen the use of performance data in decision-making: The FY 2020 Management 

Challenges report included a challenge related to strengthening program performance and 

performance measures, noting that “agencies do not always have adequate reviews or 

controls in place to supply the metrics necessary to [assess] programs.” This challenge was 

echoed in the GAO 2020 Federal Managers Survey: Results on Government Performance and 

Management Issues, in which USDA scored significantly lower than the government-wide 

average in a number of categories related to performance measurement, including using 

performance information to identify problems, understanding measure definitions, and 

communicating performance information. USDA may consider expanding its efforts to 

integrate performance information into analytical functions to support decision-making.

If implemented, this recommendation would improve the effectiveness of USDA’s other analytical 

functions.

• Leverage the Data Science Workbench to improve analytical functions: USDA is in the 

process of launching a Data Science Workbench that provides an expandable suite of tools 

for performing analytics and data science processing (e.g., Python, ESRI, etc.), enabling 

Agencies to perform complex analytics in a scalable cloud environment. The Workbench 

allows users from across the Department to harness data from disparate sources to address 

questions on program performance, evaluation, and research, improving business outcomes 

and decision-making. The Workbench offers easy, widespread access to standardized tools 

in an expandable suite, facilitates learning and adoption of analytics practices, and 

empowers leaders and employees across USDA to make data-driven decisions.

If implemented, this recommendation would improve the quality and methods of USDA’s other 

analytical functions.
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Capacity Assessment Inventory

OBPA developed the Interim Capacity Assessment in the fall of 2020 using a survey and Capacity Assessment template with criteria 

outlined in OMB guidance and best practices from other Federal agencies. In collaboration with the Mission Areas and Agencies, OBPA 

conducted a Department-wide assessment that consisted of three components: 

• Evidence Inventory: Comprehensive collection of all evidence-building activities broken down by type of evidence (policy analysis, 

program evaluation, foundational fact-finding, performance measurement, and other), alignment to USDA FY 2018 – 2022 

strategic goals, and audience;

• Resources: Number of full-time employees and funding invested in evidence-building activities; and

• Evidence Maturity Model: Mission Areas’ assessment of their level of maturity in evidence-building activities based on an evidence 

maturity model adapted from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The findings of the Interim Capacity Assessment indicated that the Department is currently operating at a low level of maturity on most 

dimensions. This score was consistent with the results of the recentGAO2020 Federal Managers Survey: Results on Government Performance 

and Management Issues, in which USDA scored lower than the government-wide average for “evidence-building capacity and actions to 

enhance it.”

In preparing the final iteration of the Capacity Assessment, OBPA determined that this prior methodology for building an evidence

inventory was highly resource-intensive and did not necessarily result in meaningful data that could be effectively leveraged by USDA 

staff. For example, Agencies under the Research, Education, and Economics Mission Area required multiple months to compile hundreds 

of data points that captured all ongoing studies and analyses. Furthermore, it was unclear how the aggregated data from across the 

Department could be utilized, if at all, by Mission Areas and Agencies. 

In order to make the list of activities (e.g., programs, initiatives, etc.) and operations (e.g., administrative and support tasks) being analyzed 

and evaluated across USDA as useful and relevant as possible, OBPA focused the scope of the inventory to those activities that align to 

the FY 2022 – 2026 Strategic Plan. OBPA collaborated with responsible offices and programs to document the current evidence base, 

including ongoing studies and analyses, supporting each strategic objective. The purpose of this approach was to ensure that the inventory 

provided practical, applicable information to the Mission Areas and Agencies that improves evidence-building capacity and supports 

implementation of the USDA Strategic Plan over the next four years. As such, the inventory may be revisited on an annual basis or other 

regular cadence and updated as needed to reflect the ongoing evidence activities associated with the implementation strategies in 

support of the Department’s strategic goals and objectives. This inventory is not comprehensive of all ongoing evaluations and analyses 

but represents the highest-priority or most critical activities as identified by Mission Area and Agency leadership.
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

16

Agency Activity or Operation Main Research Question Brief Summary of Methods Strategic 

Goal

FNS

Using Robotic Process 

Automation or Related 

Technology in SNAP 

Eligibility Processes

How does the use of Robotic Process 

Automation improve the efficiency of 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program application processing?

See the USDA Learning Agenda for more information. 4

FNS

Assessment of Mobile 

Technologies for Using 

SNAP Benefits

To what extent do mobile technologies 

affect participant access to Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance Program benefits?

See the USDA Learning Agenda for more information. 4

FNS

Understanding the 

Relationship Between 

Poverty, Well-Being, and 

Food Security

What are the key factors associated with 

variations in food security rates in 

persistent-poverty counties?

See the USDA Learning Agenda for more information. 4

FSA Farm Loan Program Risk 

Analysis

At the borrower level, what economic 

factors influence borrower demand for 

Farm Loan Program loans, delinquencies, 

and other risks?

See the USDA Learning Agenda for more information. 3

FSA

Major Programs Including 

the Wildfire and Hurricane 

Indemnity Program Plus 

and the Market Facilitation 

What are the impacts of new farm bill and 

other significant regulations on the 

distribution of program benefits and the 

overall costs to the Federal government?

Methods will include cost-benefit analysis, as well as 

additional quantitative analysis using spreadsheets, SAS, 

mapping, and other tools. Primary data sources are 

administrative data from FSA and NRCS.

1

FSA

Conservation Reserve 

Program and Major NRCS 

Conservation Programs 

FSA has developed a portfolio of research 

questions related to its CRP program and 

major NRCS conservation programs, 

including the Environmental Quality 

Incentives Program, Agricultural 

Conservation Easement Program, 

Conservation Stewardship Program, and 

Regional Conservation Partnership 

Program.

FSA is conducting analyses of alternative strategies for 

discretionary National program decision-making 

associated with the CRP and various NRCS conservation 

programs. Methods will include quantitative analysis using 

spreadsheets, SAS, mapping, and other tools using FSA 

and NRCS administrative data. The CRP monitoring and 

evaluation work involves $2 million in annual agreements 

with USGS, ARS, universities, and others.

1

FSA

Agriculture Risk Coverage 

and Price Loss Coverage 

Programs

What are the government cost impacts to 

changing the Agriculture Risk Coverage and 

Price Loss Coverage yield cascade?

What types of yields should be used in 

situations where missing county yields are 

an issue (e.g., plug yields)?

FSA will perform quantitative analysis using spreadsheets, 

SAS, mapping, and other tools to identify alternative 

strategies for National program decision-making 

associated with the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price 

Loss Coverage programs.

3

FSA Major FSA Programs

What are Commodity Credit Corporation

10-year baseline projections for major FSA 

programs?

What are the most appropriate valuations 

for various types of livestock for 

FSA will conduct quantitative analysis using spreadsheets, 

SAS, mapping, and other tools to inform decision-making 

and maintain and enhance high-quality program 

implementation. Primary data sources are administrative 

data from FSA and NRCS.

3
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

17

implementing the Livestock Indemnity 

Program in any given year?

What are the most appropriate feed 

coefficients to use in the Dairy Margin 

Coverage program's calculation?

FSA

Agricultural Foreign 

Investment Disclosure Act 

Work

Can systems be streamlined so that they are 

easier to use, reduce resource needs, and 

improve the timeliness of data delivery?

Over the past year, FSA staff have developed an Access 

database to track foreign investment in U.S. agriculture 

(acquisition and disposition of land by foreign country of 

owner, U.S. State, and type of land [crop, forest, pasture, 

etc.]). Prior to this database being developed, these data 

were handled by a cumbersome system that involved 

multiple databases and processes. With one simplified 

system residing in Access, program staff were able to 

develop and deliver two reports to Congress (as required 

by law) this past year, eliminating the lag in data reporting.

FSA will continue the refinement of data collection and 

systems for in-house consolidation of Agricultural Foreign 

Investment Disclosure Act work.

3

FSA

FSA and RMA Programs 

Related to the Hemp 

Market

What are key data and information needed 

to understand the current State of the 

hemp market, and what data should USDA 

be collecting in order to support FSA and 

RMA programs?

FSA will coordinate with NASS and AMS on data 

development and statistical activities as laws change or 

new issues emerge related to the hemp market. Efforts 

will focus on various FSA and RMA programs, including 

crop insurance, the Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance 

Program, Farm Storage Facility Loan program, and FSA 

credit programs.

3

NRCS Climate Change Mitigation 

Assessment Initiative

How can USDA better focus the 

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

toward climate outcomes to further USDA’s 

goal of addressing climate change?

See the USDA Learning Agenda for more information. 1

APHIS Zoonotic Disease in 

Animals

How should APHIS prioritize future 

surveillance activities for zoonotic diseases 

in animals?

APHIS will develop a science-based policy framework for 

how to best identify and address zoonotic disease 

challenges in livestock and other farmed animals. The 

Agency will pilot projects for surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 

in farmed wildlife (e.g., mink) and conduct evaluations of 

policy alternatives from full quarantine to depopulation.

2

APHIS

Climate Suitability Maps 

for Priority Pests in Pest 

Detection and Response 

Programs

How can APHIS address the impact of climate 

change on the spread of pests and diseases?

APHIS will evaluate how to address climate change 

impacts on its programs. This includes the development of 

technologies and tools to identify and mitigate impacts of 

invasive species, pests, and diseases. Other methods will 

include scientific literature and peer review, geospatial 

analysis, risk analysis, and predictive modeling.

2
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

18

APHIS

Zoonotic Disease 

Engagement, Investigation, 

and Response

How can APHIS continue working with 

cross sector partners on impactful National 

and international One Health strategies and 

policies for Zoonotic Disease Engagement, 

Investigation, and Response?

APHIS will carry out a National Animal Health Laboratory 

Network pilot project to monitor antimicrobial resistance 

profiles in animal pathogens. Methods include formative 

program evaluation, risk analysis, geospatial analysis, 

strategic foresight, and process and performance reviews

2

APHIS Plant Pest and Disease 

Response

What phytosanitary treatment and/or 

strategy will provide effective protection in 

place of fumigation with methyl bromide?

APHIS will develop a plan for integrating more 

environmentally friendly treatments into its plant pest and 

disease response and import/export risk mitigation 

measures. Methods will include risk analysis and scientific 

literature and peer review.

2

AMS

AMS Transportation 

Services Division and 

Climate-Related 

Disruptions to 

Transportation Networks

What transportation related disruptions 

exist as a result of climate impacts and to 

what extent do they occur across various 

modes (e.g., ocean, rail, trucking, etc.)? 

Through one or more cooperative agreements with 

university partners, existing data and literature on this 

topic will be analyzed through a variety of qualitative and 

quantitative methods. 

1

AMS USDA American Rescue 

Plan Investments

What is the impact of these types of 

investments on outputs (i.e., trainings 

delivered, food business plans developed, 

new food products developed), outcomes 

(e.g., job creation, new market channels, 

alignment of stakeholder groups, and viable 

food businesses), and ultimately supply 

chain impact (e.g., increased competition, 

increased access to local and regional food 

products, increased small food business 

activity, increased representation, and 

diversity in the food system)?

AMS will use standardized performance metrics for grant 

programs as a local/regional investment measure for 

summary analyses and, if Centers are established, develop 

a standard reporting rubric to indicate both outputs and 

outcomes (also for summary analyses). Evaluation 

strategies, such as social network analysis and/or ripple 

effects mapping, may be used to gauge the connectedness 

of grants and/or the regional supply chains over time and 

related impacts on speed of or impact of outcomes, if any.

2

AMS

AMS Fair Trade Practices 

Program / Packers & 

Stockyards Division

What methods or approaches is AMS using 

to support Fair and competitive markets for 

livestock, meat, and poultry?

AMS will monitor market prices and conduct 

investigations of alleged unfair and/or anti-competitive 

conduct in the livestock, meat, and poultry industries. 

3

AMS Organic Transition 

Initiative

How does technical assistance for both 

transitioning farmers and organic 

professionals correlate with the number of 

certified organic operations and compliance 

metrics across the industry? 

AMS is assessing its Organic Transit Initiative to facilitate 

the transition to organic, including conservation practices

and climate-smart agriculture. Methods include tracking 

geographic and audience-based distribution of technical 

assistance resources against growth in organic metrics 

and compliance statistics. 

3

AMS National Organics Program

How does the publication of the Organic 

Livestock and Poultry Standards and 

Strengthening Organic Enforcement impact 

organic market growth and visibility into 

organic imports? 

AMS is assessing growth in the organic industry as a result 

of rulemaking activities, using Organic Integrity Database 

and data from the Customs and Border Protection Import 

system. 

3
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AMS

Local Purchase Assistance 

Cooperative Agreement 

Program

Can State and Tribal government agencies 

more effectively procure agricultural 

products that support local and regional 

food systems, socially disadvantaged 

producers, and underserved communities?

Does the program foster relationships 

between local/regional suppliers, socially 

disadvantaged producers, and underserved 

communities that will continue after the 

program ends? 

AMS will use quarterly performance reports and a final 

report submitted by recipients that will measure the 

ongoing success of the Local Purchase Assistance 

Cooperative Agreement Program and the percentage of 

those relationships that will continue into the future.

4

AMS AMS Staff Recruitment and 

Selection Practices 

What barriers exist to expand program 

access to underserved and 

underrepresented communities?

What are the key factors associated with 

successful recruitment and retention of a 

diverse and inclusive workforce?

AMS will assess Agency-wide implementation of programs 

and services related to participant access, ease of use, and 

program integrity to increase diversity, equity and 

inclusion in areas with less than desired participation rates 

in the AMS workforce and increase program participation 

and use by underserved populations. Additionally, AMS 

will engage with cross-Departmental partners, including 

FPAC New and Beginning Farmer Coordinator, the Office 

of Partnerships and Public Engagement, and the Office of 

Tribal Relations.

6

AMS

Program Administration / 

HR Personnel Grading 

Policies and Office of 

Personnel Management 

Policies

Can AMS Grading and Auditing duties be 

completed with relevant experience?

Does requiring undergraduate degrees 

impact AMS’ ability to fill Grading and 

Auditing positions?

Do AMS Grading and Auditing positions fall 

in line with positions of similar 

grade/duty/responsibilities in the labor 

market?

AMS will conduct a review of position descriptions and 

scope and complexity of duties, as well comparative and 

statistical analyses of USDA as compared to similar 

positions in the labor market.

6

FS Timber Removal Impact

What are estimates of timber removals and 

their consequential impact on the forests 

and economies of various regions? 

What are the locations, size, and types of 

mills in a given State?

Forest Service conducts Nationwide statistical surveys of 

mill owners to determine how much land they own and 

where.

1

FS U.S. Forests Status and 

Trends

Are U.S. forests sustainable in ecological, 

social, and economic dimensions and in

comparison to forests in other nations? 

Forest Service will review individual reports compiled by 

experts for 64 indicators of forest sustainability, based on 

a variety of datasets, covering topics ranging from 

biodiversity conservation to forest fires to the many 

benefits derived from forests.

1
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

20

FS Alternative Harvesting 

Scenarios

Where should Forest Service invest in 

removing woody biomass from the 

landscape to achieve the greatest return on 

investment in terms of wildfire risk 

reduction? 

What are the trade-offs between harvesting 

and hazardous fuels mitigation treatments 

to reduce fire risk?

Forest Service conducts modeling to inform trade-offs in 

where to invest in land treatments and resource 

treatments.

1

FS Private Landowners

How might Forest Service better 

understand private forest owners to 

improve collaboration?

Are underrepresented owners being served 

in an equitable way?

Forest Service conducts Nationwide statistical surveys of 

individual forest owners and is working to expand the 

survey to corporate owners.

1

FS Wildfire Suppression 

Operations

What risk-based factors influence 

management decisions with respect to 

wildfire suppression operations?

Methods include in-person field testing and record 

reviews. 1

FS Wildfire Suppression 

Operations

Are fuel management treatments 

implemented broadly enough, as well as 

sited correctly?

Methods include remote sensing-based disturbance 

detection techniques, events data vetted by LANDFIRE 

personnel, and cleaned by overlapping all the data sources 

and types to create a single unique event per year and 

location.

1

FS Effective Funding 

Allocation

Is allocating program funding using the 

current allocation formula the most 

effective use of program resources?

What activities are being implemented 

based on the recommendations in Forest 

Stewardship Management Plans? 

Methods include compiling geospatial and tabular 

accomplishments on an annual basis report on 19 

different metrics as well as monitoring for implementation 

based on a statistical sample of Forest Stewardship 

Management Plans.

1

FS Changes in Forest 

Inventory

Is the Forest Service sustaining the health, 

diversity, and productivity of the Nation's 

forests and grasslands to meet the needs of 

present and future generations?

Methods include a Nationwide statistical survey to collect

quantitative data (e.g., trees, biomass, or carbon by

species; forest type; biomass of dead and dying material, 

soil carbon estimates, forest floor carbon; invasive 

species; and forest land area).

1

FS Assessment of Natural 

Resources

What are the status and trends in these 

resources? 

How is climate change expected to impact 

these resources? 

What issues should be tracked for each of 

these resources? 

The Resources Planning Act Assessment includes analyses 

of forests, rangelands, wildlife and fish, biodiversity, water, 

outdoor recreation, wilderness, urban forests, and the 

effects of climate change on these resources. Scientists 

integrate findings and create projection models in the 

various resource areas and write peer-reviewed 

summaries of status and trends. The final assessment 

summarizes results for each resource area.

1
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

21

What are and how can rural and urban 

forestry opportunities mitigate the buildup 

of atmospheric carbon dioxide and reduce 

the risk of global climate change?

FS Analysis of the Northwest 

Forest Plan

What is the best available science to inform 

an assessment of effects of the Northwest 

Forest Plan on old-growth forest 

ecosystems, including with respect to 

wildlife habitat?

What is the best available science to inform 

how old-growth forest ecosystems, 

including wildlife habitat and other 

ecosystem services, Tribal values related to 

timber harvest, and socioeconomic wellbeing, could be balanced with timber 

outputs?

Methods include qualitative and quantitative data 

collection, including interviews; scientific literature 

review; collaboration between 50 scientists from Forest 

Service Research & Development, other Federal agencies, 

universities, and Tribes; and public input from 

stakeholders.

1

FS Recreation - National 

Visitor Use Monitoring

What is the recreational use of National 

Forest System lands?

For each ORV, the park resources experts determined at 

least one measurable indicator to track its condition. 5

FS National Work 

Environment Survey

How well does the workforce meet the 

intentions of the Forest Service Code and 

Commitments?

Methods include a confidential survey open to USDA 

Forest Service Federal employees. 6

FS Job Corps

Forest Service has developed a portfolio of 

research questions related to its Job Corps 

program. 

Methods include in-person reviews at Job Corps centers

conducted according to the Policy Requirement 

Handbook; surveys of students at graduation and six and 

12 months post-graduation assessing employment status 

and salary; Data collection on conservation work 

performed by students and subsequent conservation job 

placements; and cost-benefit analyses.

6

FS Fire Risk Reduction and 

Resilience Index

What information is needed to measure and 

index fire risk, reduction, and resilience?

Using the ongoing work in Research & Development, 

Forest Service will identify data needed to measure risk, 

risk reduction, and resilience in firesheds.

1

RD USDA Broadband 

Programs

What are the impacts of the broadband 

programs on broadband availability, use, 

and on economic (property values, 

household income, and employment) and 

social (population growth, healthcare 

access and availability, and telemedicine) 

outcomes?

See the USDA Learning Agenda for more information. 5

RD USDA Water and 

Environment Programs

What is the impact of the Water and 

Environment Program on water quality, 

property values (residential, agricultural, 

See the USDA Learning Agenda for more information. 5
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

22

and commercial property), income and 

earnings, poverty, and population growth 

across the rural-urban continuum?

RD USDA Community 

Facilities Program

What is the impact of Community Facilities 

funding on rural hospital closings?

What are the impacts of Community 

Facilities funding on education (i.e., school 

quality)?

See the USDA Learning Agenda for more information. 5

RD USDA Single Family 

Housing Program

What is the impact of Single Family Housing 

Section 502 Direct Loans on measures of 

housing affordability and stability in 

recipient tracts or counties?

What is the impact of Single Family Housing 

Section 502 Direct Loans on recipient home 

values?

See the USDA Learning Agenda for more information. 5

RD USDA Rural Development 

Programs

What is the collective impact of RD 

program investments on the socioeconomic 

well-being of rural communities?

See the USDA Learning Agenda for more information. 5

RD

USDA Rural Development 

Programs

What rural communities are underserved 

by RD field-based programs?

Where are the concentrations of need in 

rural communities by State? 

The Strategic Investment Mapping Tool can be used by RD 

State Directors or Program Directors to understand the 

present and historical location of investments in each 

program or all programs. This tool can also be utilized to 

target underserved areas to assure RD programs and 

funds are being equitably distributed. The drivetime and 

office location layers identify potential gaps in service 

coverage. Program specific layers will aid the user in 

better understanding the economic climate and natural 

resources in their State or region.

5

RD USDA Rural Development 

Programs

Which rural communities are most at risk 

from COVID-19 shocks/disruptions (e.g., 

sudden outbreaks shutting down local 

industry)?

Where are the rural borrowers who are 

facing, or may face, significant economic 

challenges caused by the pandemic?

The COVID-19 Economic Risk Assessment Dashboard 

was developed to increase Rural Development decisionmakers’ awareness of the relative sensitivity of the 

counties our programs serve to the economic impact of 

COVID-19. This data will help identify areas of heightened 

economic and portfolio vulnerability during the pandemic 

months and enable decision-makers to respond more 

quickly to the needs of rural communities. 

5

RD USDA Rural Development 

Rural Utilities Program

How do RD infrastructure investments 

reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

RD will explore how it can measure and capture, post 

project completion, the impact of dollars invested on 

reducing greenhouse gas emissions without creating an 

unnecessary burden on recipients.

5
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

23

OCS Pollinator Health and 

Habitat Conservation

How can OCS understand and identify 

forward-thinking strategies to ensure 

pollinator resiliency in the face of 

heightened climate-induced stressors and 

forage declines?

OCS supports research and programmatic advancements 

that aim to understand and identify forward-thinking 

strategies to ensure pollinator resiliency in the face of 

heightened climate-induced stressors and forage declines.

OCS will establish a new pollinator subcommittee within 

the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, 

and Economics Advisory Board.

1

ERS Climate and Agricultural 

Research

What is the intersection between 

productivity and climate change?

How can ERS improve climate change 

models and needed data?

ERS will conduct and publish multiple analyses and reports 

on various aspects of the intersection between 

productivity and climate change. The Agency will also 

conduct foundational work to enhance the scope and 

dimensions of data used in models to examine the subnational impacts of climate change.

1

ERS Carbon Sequestration and 

Woody Biomass

How can the U.S. expand carbon 

sequestration and woody biomass supply on 

limited new land?

ERS will hold a workshop and draft a report on how the 

U.S. can expand carbon sequestration and woody biomass 

supply on limited new land.

1

ERS

Economic Impact of Citrus 

Greening and Import 

Competition on U.S. Citrus

What are the various tools, methods, and 

data for understanding citrus greening and 

its impact on U.S. agriculture?

ERS will draft reports on tools, methods, and data on 

various aspects of citrus greening and its impact on U.S. 

agriculture.

1

ERS

Supply Chain Issues, 

Distribution of Tariffs, and 

Shipping Containers

What is the role of financing in the meat and 

poultry processing industry?

What are the short-run effects of 

retaliatory tariffs on different types of U.S. 

farms and the distribution of Market 

Facilitation Program payments?

What is the shipping container market's 

impacts on supply chains?

ERS will produce case studies on the role of financing in 

the meat and poultry processing industry; draft a report

on the short-run effects of retaliatory tariffs on different 

types of U.S. farms and the distribution of MFP payments; 

and draft a report on the shipping container market and 

impacts on supply chains.

2

ERS

Research on Nutrition 

Security and Food 

Assistance Programs

ERS will develop research questions to 

understand the declines in WIC 

participation, the role of social, economic, 

and policy contexts in local communities, 

particularly broadband availability and 

adoption and participation in WIC.

ERS will draft reports on the declines in WIC participation

and the role of social, economic, and policy contexts in 

local communities (e.g., broadband availability and 

adoption) and participation in WIC. The Agency will also 

produce data products and draft a report on Inequitable 

Food Retail Access and Nutritional Food Insecurity.

4

ARS

Developing New Products 

and Uses from Food 

Byproducts and Waste 

To be determined.

ARS conducts research to support USDA programs that 

target local food production, development of new 

products, protection from animal and plant disease, and 

keeping our food safe. ARS will implement research to 

develop new products and uses from food byproducts and 

waste and transfer technologies to farmers and food 

processors.

2
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

24

ARS

High-Impact, Strategic 

Innovations for NRCS and 

Other USDA Agencies

To be determined.

ARS supports NRCS, FSA, and other USDA Agencies’ 

climate mitigation and adaptation efforts by quickly 

moving technologies and innovative practices from the 

testbed into practice. The Agency will initiate new 

research targeting high-impact, strategic new innovations 

that are needed by NRCS and other USDA Agencies.

3

ARS

Technologies and 

Strategies to Detect and 

Reduce Food-Borne 

Pathogens and Toxins

Research on new technologies and 

strategies to detect and reduce food safety 

pathogens and toxins

ARS conducts research to support USDA programs that 

target local food production, development of new 

products, protection from animal and plant disease, and 

food safety. Food Safety National Program research will 

focus on new technologies and strategies to detect and 

reduce food-borne pathogens and toxins.

4

ARS FSIS and FDA Activities to 

Reduce Salmonella To be determined.

ARS will establish an Interagency Agreement with FSIS to 

address Salmonella illness; conduct priority research to 

address Salmonella foodborne illness; and participate in 

FSIS, Food and Drug Administration, and Association of 

Food and Drug Officials activities as subject matter expert 

to identify next steps to reduce salmonellosisto reach 

2030 Healthy People Goals.

4

NASS Interactive Portal for Data 

Providers

What is the demographic profile of farm 

producers?

The Census of Agriculture is critical in understanding the 

demographic profile of farm producers. NASS will ease 

reporting barriers to provide a more complete profile of 

the farming population; integrate this portal with 

Farmers.gov; determine and implement authentication 

process; and conduct end-to-end data collection activities 

for a pilot survey and demonstrate the integration of 

existing data collection systems.

3

NIFA Agriculture and Food 

Research Initiative

NIFA will identify research questions to 

create better markets and drive innovation 

in technologies and products that support 

economic growth.

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative will support 

projects to create more and better market opportunities 

in the following program area priorities in the 

Foundational and Applied Science RFA: Economics, 

Markets and Trade ($8 million); Food Safety and Defense 

($6 million); Novel Foods and Innovative Manufacturing 

Technologies ($8 million); Mitigating Antimicrobial 

Resistance Across the Food Chain ($4 million); Diseases of 

Agricultural Animals ($13 million); and Agricultural 

Biosecurity ($6 million).

3

NIFA Nutrition Security and 

Food Safety Programs

NIFA will identify research questions to 

advance USDA’s goal to tackle food and 

nutrition insecurity.

NIFA is investing in research, education, extension, and 

innovation to advance USDA’s goal to tackle food and 

nutrition insecurity.

4
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

25

NIFA

Research, Education, 

Extension, and Innovation 

Through Climate-Specific 

Program Areas

How can NIFA advance innovation on new 

crop and soil management systems, 

environmental monitoring, or breeding?

NIFA is investing in long-term climate change research 

through a National system of Agricultural Research 

Stations, supported with Hatch Act and Multistate 

Research Programs funding for 1,862 universities and 

Evans Allen funding for 1,890 universities.

1

OCS

Environmental Justice and 

Economic Opportunity for 

Disadvantaged 

Communities

What metrics can be used to track the 

benefits of climate and environmental 

science programs for disadvantaged 

communities?

OCS-REE will catalog all climate and environmental 

science programs supporting disadvantaged communities

and identify metrics to track the benefits of such 

programs.

5

OCS Centralized USDA 

Research/Researcher Tool To be determined.

USDA will combine Agency data in a Department-wide 

tool that is standardized, automated, searchable, 

dashboard-oriented, user-friendly, and high-quality; 

supports reporting on foreign influence, public access 

compliance, impact tracking, and topical queries; fosters 

synergy and reduces duplication; and links to publicly 

available research products.

6

FAS

Nontariff Measures and 

U.S. and Global 

Agricultural Trade: 

Developing A Framework 

for Analysis

To be determined.

An FAS cooperative agreement with Virginia Tech and 

University of Nebraska will develop a model for assessing 

the costs, and potential gains, from non-tariff measures 

restricting U.S. exports. A model that allows FAS to better 

quantify the impacts of different policy options will 

improve decision-making.

3

FAS Global Market Review To be determined.

FAS will identify where to focus capabilities to meet both 

Agency and Departmental strategic goals, as well as how 

FAS can allocate resources and activities around the globe 

that maximize exports for U.S. agriculture. Fifteen

commodity teams will be formed to bring the entire FAS 

Agency knowledge to bear when discussing high priority 

markets for U.S. exporters based on macro, trade, and 

demographic indicators, as well as policy expertise. 

3

FAS McGovern-Dole Program

FSA has identified a portfolio of research 

questions related to the McGovern-Dole 

program.

This research is primarily a desk review, funded by the U.S. 

Agency for International Development and focused on 

countries in Africa. The researchers are using McGovernDole program monitoring data collected by implementing 

partners, combined with third-party data sources.

3
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Capacity Assessment

26

Acronyms and Abbreviations

AMS Agricultural Marketing Service

ARS Agricultural Research Service

APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

CRP Conservation Reserve Program

EAWG Evidence Act Working Group

ERS Economic Research Service

Evidence Act Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018

FAS Foreign Agriculture Service

FNS Food and Nutrition Service

FPAC Farm Production and Conservation

FSA Farm Service Agency

FSIS Food Safety and Inspection Service

FY Fiscal year

GAO Government Accountability Office

NASS National Agricultural Statistics Service

NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service

OBPA Office of Budget and Program Analysis

OCE Office of the Chief Economist

OCS Office of the Chief Scientist

OMB Office of Management and Budget

SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture

WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
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regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in 

or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, 

religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital 

status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal 

or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not 

all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. 

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., 

Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or 

USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay 

Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other 

than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, 

AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or 

write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. 

To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to 

USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 

Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.

intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Issued March 2022