What does the Department of Agriculture do?

Updates published annually

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is cabinet-level executive branch agency responsible for developing and executing federal policies on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues. Its functions include supporting farmers and ranchers, ensuring food safety, promoting agricultural trade, conserving natural resources and the environment, and addressing hunger both domestically and internationally. It was established in 1862.

In FY 2024,

$203B

was spent by the Department of Agriculture

In FY 2024,

3.0%

of federal spending was by the Department of Agriculture

How much does the Department of Agriculture spend?

The Department of Agriculture spent $203.4 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 3% of the $6.78 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 7 among federal agencies in total spending.

The Department of Agriculture accounted for 3.0% of all federal spending in FY 2024.

Share of USDA net spending compared to the top ten highest spending agencies in FY 2024

Federal spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Department of Agriculture’s federal spending has increased from $135.2 billion in 1980 to $203.4 billion in 2024.

The Department of Agriculture’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by USDA, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1980–2024

Since 1980, the Department of Agriculture's spending has increased 50.5%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.

The department’s spending grew less than overall spending, which means that the department’s share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, USDA accounted for 3% of all federal spending. That’s 1 percentage points lower than 2014 and 2.9 percentage points lower than in 1980.

Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Department of Agriculture’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to USDA, FYs 1980–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.

In FY 2024, the Department of Agriculture transferred 26.5% of its total spending to states and local governments.

The chart below outlines all USDA spending.

How did the Department of Agriculture spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to USDA, FY 2024

Federal agencies often contain divisions including bureaus, offices, and subagencies. In FY 2024, the Department of Agriculture divisions with the highest expenditures were the Food and Nutrition Service, the Forest Service, and the Risk Management Agency.

The Department of Agriculture's highest-spending division is the Food and Nutrition Service.

USDA net spending by division, FY 2024

Read related content about the Department of Agriculture:

Land burned by wildfires: USDA’s Forest Service, in coordination with the Department of Interior, manage wildfire suppression. The Forest Service handles most of the cost.
Food insecurity in the US: The Food and Nutrition Service manages the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps provide nutritional support to Americans.

How many people work for the Department of Agriculture?

Some 98,000 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Department of Agriculture as of September 2024. This is 8% fewer people than the department staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Department of Agriculture has decreased 8% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for USDA, September 2010–2024

USDA accounts for 4.3% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. USDA constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 than in 2010 (5.2%).

While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Department of Agriculture's share of the workforce (4.3%) is larger than its share of the budget (3%).

Who leads the Department of Agriculture?

USDA is headed by the secretary of Agriculture, who is nominated by the president, confirmed by the Senate, and then sworn into office. They are one of the 15 cabinet members who serve at the president's discretion. This appointed position typically ends when the appointee resigns, is replaced, or when a new president takes office and appoints their own cabinet, though some may serve temporarily during transitions between administrations.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

Office of Personnel Management
FedScope
Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury
Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement