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Welcome to USDA Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Website
The FOIA is found in Title 5 of the United States Code, Section 552. FOIA was enacted in 1966 and gives any person the right to request access to almost any federal agency record, except those protected from disclosure by legal exemptions and exclusions (e.g., classified national security, business proprietary, personal privacy, and investigative documents.)

How to Submit a FOIA Request

1. Send a written request for the records directly to the USDA component responsible for the records sought.
2. Describe the requested records clearly.
3. Consider including time frames, names of authors and recipients, and subject matter
in the description of the records requested.
4. State your willingness to pay the fees associated with processing the request or seek
a fee waiver.
5. If you seek a fee waiver, address specifically the criteria articulated in Section 6
(a)(1) of 7 CFR Part 1, Appendix A.
6. If you do not know and cannot determine which USDA component is responsible for
the records you seek, you may address your request to the USDA FOIA Officer.
Please know that failure to send your request to the responsible agency results in
delay in proper receipt and processing of your request.
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FOIA Electronic Reading Room

USDA maintains a FOIA Electronic Reading Room. This area contains reports, indexes, and records responsive to commonly-submitted FOIA requests. USDA�s FOIA Annual Reports, showing statistical information on FOIA requests, are displayed on this page. The Electronic Reading Room is regularly updated with new information to meet public demand.

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Implementation of Executive Order 13392 - Improving Agency Disclosure of Information                                                    


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The following links provide additional information on the FOIA:

USDA Annual FOIA Reports
USDA Chief Freedom of Information Act Officer Report
  • March 2012 (DOC;421Kb) | PDF;243Kb)
  • March 2011 (DOC;0Kb) |(PDF;282Kb)
  • March 2010 (DOC;408Kb) | PDF;349Kb)