USDA Strategic Plan FY 2018 – 2022

The USDA Strategic Plan FY 2018 – 2022 is a national cross-sectoral plan of the United States of America. Its main objective is to provide leadership on agriculture, food, natural resources, rural infrastructure, nutrition, and related issues through fact-based, data-driven, and customer-focused decisions.
The Plan aims to eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. To this end, it sets out to provide all Americans access to a safe, nutritious, and secure food supply; prevent foodborne illness and protect public health; and support and encourage healthy dietary choices through data-driven, flexible, customer-focused approaches.
In addition, the Plan aims to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable. To this end, it is planning to strengthen the stewardship of private lands through technology and research; enhance conservation planning with science-based tools and information; promote productive working lands; enhance productive agricultural landscapes; ensure productive and sustainable use of our national forest system lands; contribute to the economic health of rural communities through use and access opportunities; and ensure lands and watersheds are sustainable, healthy, and productive.
Further, for reducing rural poverty, the document targets to provide an effective financial safety net for farmers and ranchers to sustain economically viable agricultural production and support rural jobs and economic growth; facilitate rural prosperity and economic development; expand rural business opportunity and rural quality of life with access to capital; improved infrastructure, broadband access, and connectivity; and support for workforce availability; and provide access to safe and nutritious food for low-income people while supporting a pathway to self-sufficiency.
To enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, the Plan seeks to ensure USDA programs are delivered efficiently, effectively, with integrity and a focus on customer service; modernize information technology infrastructure, facilities, and support services to improve the customer experience; maintain a high-performing workforce through employee engagement and empowerment; reduce the regulatory burden and streamline processes; improve stewardship of resources and utilize data-driven analyses to maximize the return on investment; maximize the ability of American agricultural producers to prosper by feeding and clothing the world; provide an effective financial safety net for farmers and ranchers to sustain economically viable agricultural production and support rural jobs and economic growth; promote American agricultural products and exports; expand international marketing opportunities; prevent or resolve barriers to trade that hinder U.S. food and agricultural exports; and build demand in developing countries through trade capacity building.
In order to increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, the Plan aims to protect agricultural health by preventing and mitigating the spread of agricultural pests and disease; and mitigate wildfire risk.