FSA’s new strategic plan, which covers fiscal years (FY) 2012-2016, recently received departmental approval and is now available online.
The strategic plan supports accomplishment of the USDA mission and is directly linked to USDA goals and related objectives found in the USDA FY 2010-2015 Strategic Plan.
“This strategic plan represents a dynamic process within FSA to ensure the best results for America. Through this process the agency is able to continually assess the quality of its services to the public,” said FSA Administrator Bruce Nelson. “This close attention to performance outcomes and results will allow FSA to better support its customers.”
The plan consists of four goals aimed at supporting rural prosperity, improving the environment, eliminating hunger and contributing to national security by helping to ensure a safe and abundant food supply.
The first goal aims to provide a financial safety net for America’s farmers and ranchers to sustain economically viable agricultural production, while the second goal protects the environment by increasing stewardship of America’s natural resources. The second goal also contributes significantly to USDA’s priority goal of protecting and enhancing water quality and quantity, and watershed health across landscapes.
The third goal ensures that commodities are procured and distributed effectively and efficiently to increase food security, and the fourth goal transforms and modernizes the Farm Service Agency and fully supports Secretary Vilsack’s Cultural Transformation initiative.
“FSA must keep pace with complex new programs and the changing dynamics in agriculture,” said Nelson. “In order to accomplish our mission, we must modernize FSA operations and instill a culture of continuous improvement.”
Development of the strategic plan began in August 2010 with the establishment of the FSA Strategic Planning Standing Committee (SPSC). The plan was developed through a series of workshops, teleconferences and Web meetings from the fall of 2010 through the spring of 2011. Workshop participants included SPSC members as well as employees from state offices and service centers. The workshops were the key component of the strategic planning process as they allowed for critically important field office input on the challenges and issues facing FSA. Employee associations and unions also were kept apprised of the plan’s development and were given the opportunity to provide input.
The next phase in the agency’s strategic management process is to complete the operational plan, which implements the strategic plan and identifies specific actions needed to accomplish each strategy and meet specific timelines and performance targets. The operational plan also will assign responsibility to applicable deputy administrator areas, creating the accountability necessary to ensure strategies are carried out, objectives are met and goals are accomplished.
Visit the FSA FY 2012-2016 Strategic Plan Web page to view the plan’s framework, mission, vision and core value statements. Links to the operational plan and performance reports will soon be included.
