AskUSDA (2024)

FAQs

What is AskUSDA? ›

​​​ AskUSDA is a contact center that answers general inquiries from the public using trained agents and self-service options. To date, AskUSDA has partnered with 19 agencies to improve the customer experience offered to the public.

Our agencies help to keep America's farmers and ranchers in business and ensure that the nation's commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and properly labeled.

These scammers try to pressure customers into giving them money or personal information. Scam callers can fake or “spoof” the caller identification (ID) on your phone, making it seem the call is legitimate. A USDA caller ID number appearing on your phone does NOT mean the person calling you is actually a USDA employee.

The USDA is responsible for overseeing farming, ranching, and forestry industries, as well as regulating aspects of food quality and safety and nutrition labeling. The USDA is further tasked with administering several social welfare programs including free school lunches and food stamps.

USDA provides critical nutrition assistance through Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) programs that include child nutrition programs, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and emergency food assistance among many other programs.

USDA regulations protect and promote U.S. agricultural health, administer the Animal Welfare Act, carry out wildlife damage management activities, and ensure that America's agricultural exports are protected from unjustified trade restrictions.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service

FSIS protects the public's health by preventing illness from meat, poultry, and egg products. We do this by ensuring these products are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled.