AMS provides audit and accreditation programs based on international standards, principles, and guidelines to provide producers and suppliers of agricultural products the opportunity to assure customers of their ability to provide consistent quality products or services.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) purchases a variety of domestically produced and processed commodity food products through a competitive process among approved vendors, distributing them to American schools, food banks, underserved households across the country, and vulnerable populations around the world
AMS enforces compliance with COOL, Organic, PACA and Packers and Stockyards regulations.
AMS Federal Grain Inspection Service provides inspection services on grains, pulses, oilseeds, and processed and graded commodities.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) works to improve domestic and international opportunities for U.S. growers and producers.
AMS administers export verification programs for livestock, poultry, egg, dairy, and specialty crop products, as well as import regulations for fruit & vegetable commodities to assure U.S. quality standards are met.
AMS provides lab testing and approval services to facilitate domestic and international marketing of food and agricultural commodities.
The consumer demand for locally-produced food is creating jobs and opportunity throughout rural America for farms, businesses and entrepreneurs that store, process, market and distribute food locally and regionally.
The Market and Facility Design team provides technical assistance and support to stakeholders regarding the construction of new structures or the remodeling of existing ones.
AMS has a long history of providing tools and services that help create opportunities for American farmers and businesses. One of the tools we provide—free of charge—is in-depth market information and analysis to assist with the marketing and distribution of farm commodities.
Organic Certification allows a farm or processing facility to sell, label, and represent their products as organic. Organic Accreditation authorizes private, foreign, or state organizations to certify farms or processing facilities.
The Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) establishes a code of fair trading practices covering the marketing of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables in interstate and foreign commerce. The PACA protects growers, shippers, distributors, retailers, and others who deal in those commodities by prohibiting unfair an fraudulent practices.
The Pesticide Data Program (PDP) is a national pesticide residue monitoring program and produces the most comprehensive pesticide residue database in the U.S.
The Plant Variety Protection Office provides intellectual property protection to breeders of new varieties of seeds, tubers, and asexually propagated plants.
AMS provides grading and inspection services for beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, butter, cotton, fruit, and vegetable commodities to assure consumers of product quality and wholesomeness.
The Seed Regulatory and Testing Division (SRTD) tests agricultural and vegetable seeds to ensure the efficient, orderly marketing of seeds and to assist in the development of new or expanding markets.
Our Transportation Economics Division provides insightful data, information and analysis on the movement of agricultural products to market.
Warehouse Services fall into two categories: federal licenses issued under the United States Warehouse Act and Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Storage Agreements.