U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Strategic Plan 2010 - 2015

The USDA supports rural communities and enhances quality of life for rural residents by improving their economic opportunities, community infrastructure, environmental health, and the sustainability of agricultural production. This Strategic Plan presents the Department’s priorities in four overall goals as of 2010: 

Goal 1: Assist rural communities to create prosperity so they are self sustaining, repopulating, and economically thriving;

Goal 2: Ensure our national forests and private working lands are conserved, restored, and made more resilient to climate change, while enhancing our water resources;

Goal 3: Help America promote agricultural production and biotechnology exports as America works to increase food security; and

Goal 4: Ensure that all of America’s children have access to safe, nutritious, and balanced meals.

These goals contain 14 objectives that describe the major programmatic policies and cover the programs and services that USDA administers. Within each objective, the plan presents specific pillars - or focal action areas - followed by related performance measures and strategies identifying the intended approach for each pillar. 

Climate change is considered throughout the plan, primarily in Goal 1 and 2.  Within Goal 1, Pillar 4 is to "Capitalize on Opportunities Presented by the Nation’s Efforts to Develop Markets for Ecosystem Services and Mitigate Climate Change."  To achieve mitigation efforts, the Department's conservation and energy programs will target actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon sequestration. Further, the USDA plans to expand its work with landowners "to increase adoption of practices that will make farms, ranches, and forestlands more resilient to the effects of climate change," as described in performance measure 1.1.4. Other strategies described also relate to resiliency including facilitating renewable energy development, and generating green jobs through natural resource and recreation programs. 

In supporting Goal 2, the Department will use a collaborative, “all lands” approach to bring public and private owners together across landscapes and ecosystems. For the duration of this strategic plan, the USDA will help to restore and conserve the Nation’s forests, farms, ranches, and grasslands (Objective 2.1); lead efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change (Objective 2.2); protect and enhance America’s water resources (Objective 2.3); and reduce the risk from catastrophic wildfire and restore fire to its appropriate place on the landscape (Objective 2.4).

The adaptation efforts described include the monitoring of climate impacts and helping communities to adapt (e.g., measuring changes in water flow timing and intensity and then implementing relevant practices like placing stream buffers or upgrading culverts to absorb water overflow), as well as forming partnerships to generate dialogue, coordinate investments, and facilitate regional planning. USDA research also contributes to the development of climate change mitigation and adaptation tools and technologies, while its outreach and extension networks make these tools and technologies available to farmers, ranchers, and land managers.

The external risk factors section of each goal highlights possible challenges the USDA may encounter in making progress on each strategic goal, while performance measures were established to help track progress in attaining each objective and its overarching goal. These measures specify baseline information and long-term performance targets, with strategies and means describing the actions that need to be taken to accomplish the strategic goals.

 

Publication Date: 2010

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