Publisher's Synopsis
Now more than ever, America's agricultural and rural communities face challenges that jeopardize the livelihoods and well-being of people working the land or living in rural areas. As this strategic plan was being written, the Nation was working to pull itself out of the worst recession since the Great Depression. These economic circumstances have led to unpredictable input costs and unsteady demands for agricultural products in a rapidly evolving global marketplace. More Americans are hungry than at any time in the past 15 years, and our children are increasingly at risk of growing up overweight or obese. In the longer term, a changing global climate brings increased uncertainties about the effect of weather patterns on crop production and the conservation of our natural resources, and puts a premium on improving energy efficiency and producing a renewable energy supply at home. The Department is committed to a strong safety net for production of agriculture. These challenges and others will require USDA to not only provide a reliable safety net for farmers and ranchers, but also help communities and businesses to innovate by implementing new technologies and modernizing their infrastructure to ensure access to new markets, increased competitiveness, and greater resilience of their productive resources. At the same time, these challenges create many opportunities for farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, public land managers, and families in rural communities to generate prosperity in new ways while conserving the Nation's natural resources and providing a safe, sufficient, and nutritious food supply for the country and the world. Because USDA programs touch almost every American every day, the Department is well positioned to support its constituents in taking advantage of these new opportunities. To ensure the Department's programs deliver results effectively and efficiently, USDA's Strategic Plan for fiscal years (FY) 2010-2015 lays out key policy priorities and the strategies to achieve them. Over the next 5 years, USDA will use this plan to manage its resources in a way that delivers the best outcomes for everyone affected by its diverse program portfolio. The USDA Strategic Plan for FY 2010-2015 differs from previous plans by striving to break down organizational barriers to maximize the Department's available resources. Key priorities and desired outcomes have been identified, as well as the best means and strategies to achieve them. In the pursuit of these outcomes, agencies and offices of USDA will be encouraged to collaborate more effectively to achieve the shared goals of rural prosperity, preservation and maintenance of forests and working lands, sustainable agricultural production, global food security, and safe and nutritious foods for Americans. This strategic plan represents the dynamic process within USDA to ensure the best results for America. Through this process, the Department is able to continually assess the quality of its provision of services to the public. This close attention to performance outcomes and results will allow USDA to better support its constituents as they strive to take advantage of today's new opportunities.
