Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is a subdivision of the Department of Agriculture responsible for executing the strategic marketing of agricultural products in domestic and international markets. The agency sets standards, provides grading, and shares market information for farm products to support fair trading and a competitive marketplace. It also oversees organic farming through certification and compliance programs. It was established in 1939.

In FY 2024,

$3.07B

was spent by the Agricultural Marketing Service
In FY 2024,

1.5%

of Dept. of Agriculture spending was by the Agricultural Marketing Service

How much does the Agricultural Marketing Service spend?

The Agricultural Marketing Service spent a net total of $3.07 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 1.5% of the $203.4 billion spent by the Department of Agriculture, which itself was 3% of all federal spending. The AMS ranked 7th among USDA subdivisions in net spending.
Net spending is the difference between agency spending and any financial accounts generating funds from the agency’s own activities, like fees or rent. When these funds offset all spending, net spending appears negative. Some agencies tend to operate with positive net spending while others will register negative net spending sometimes or often.

The Agricultural Marketing Service ranked 7th among Department of Agriculture divisions in net spending in 2024.

USDA net spending by division, FY 2024

Like the overall federal budget, agency spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Agricultural Marketing Service’s federal spending has increased from $2.01 billion in 1980 to $3.07 billion in 2024.

The Agricultural Marketing Service’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

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

Since 1980, Agricultural Marketing Service spending has increased 52.6%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.
As a percentage of the overall federal budget, a positive number means agency net spending made up some positive share of total federal spending; a negative number means that net generated funds offset a portion of total spending. AMS spending grew less than overall federal spending since 1980, which means that its share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, AMS accounted for 0.045% of overall federal spending.

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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 Agricultural Marketing Service’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Net spending by AMS as a share of federal spending, 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 Agricultural Marketing Service transferred 64.7% of its total spending to states and local governments.
The chart below outlines all net AMS spending.

How did the Agricultural Marketing Service spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to AMS, FY 2024

How many people work for the Agricultural Marketing Service?

Some 4,517 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Agricultural Marketing Service as of September 2024. This is 6.2% more people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Agricultural Marketing Service has increased 6.2% since 2010.

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

The Agricultural Marketing Service accounts for 0.2% 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. The division constituted a similar share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 compared to 2010 (0.2%).
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 Agricultural Marketing Service's share of the workforce (0.2%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.045%).

Who leads the Agricultural Marketing Service?

The AMS is led by an Administrator. This individual is appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture and does not require Senate confirmation. The AMS administrator reports to the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. There is no fixed term for this position.

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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

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