2020 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE Agency-Wide ................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Purpose Statement.....................................................................................................................................................3 Available Funds and Staff Years ............................................................................................................................ 11 Permanent Positions by Grade and Staff Years ...................................................................................................... 13 Vehicle Fleet ........................................................................................................................................................... 14 Shared Funding Projects ......................................................................................................................................... 15 Account 1: Marketing Services ................................................................................................................................... 17 Appropriations Language........................................................................................................................................ 17 Lead-Off Tabular Statement ................................................................................................................................... 17 Project Statement .................................................................................................................................................... 18 Proposed Legislation ............................................................................................................................................... 27 Geographic Breakdown of Obligations and Staff Years ......................................................................................... 28 Classification by Objects ........................................................................................................................................ 29 Status of Programs .................................................................................................................................................. 30 Limitation on Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 64 Account 2: Payments to States and Possessions .......................................................................................................... 65 Appropriations Language........................................................................................................................................ 65 Lead-Off Tabular Statement ................................................................................................................................... 65 Project Statement .................................................................................................................................................... 65 Geographic Breakdown of Obligations ................................................................................................................... 66 Classification by Objects ........................................................................................................................................ 68 Status of Programs .................................................................................................................................................. 69 Account 3: Limitation on Fee Funded Inspection and Weighing, and Examination Services ..................................... 71 Appropriations Language........................................................................................................................................ 71 Lead-Off Tabular Statement ................................................................................................................................... 71 Project Statement .................................................................................................................................................... 71 Geographic Breakdown of Obligations and Staff Years ......................................................................................... 73 Classification by Objects ........................................................................................................................................ 74 Status of Programs .................................................................................................................................................. 75 Account 4: Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act Fund ....................................................................................... 76 Lead-Off Tabular Statement ................................................................................................................................... 76 Project Statement .................................................................................................................................................... 76 Geographic Breakdown of Obligations and Staff Years ......................................................................................... 76 Status of Programs .................................................................................................................................................. 77 Account 5: Funds for Strengthening Markets, Income and Supply (Section 32) ........................................................ 78 Appropriations Language........................................................................................................................................ 78 Lead-Off Tabular Statement ................................................................................................................................... 78 Project Statement .................................................................................................................................................... 79 Status of Programs .................................................................................................................................................. 80 21-1 2020 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE Proposed Legislation ............................................................................................................................................... 86 Geographic Breakdown of Obligations and Staff Years ......................................................................................... 87 Agency-Wide Performance ......................................................................................................................................... 88 Summary of Performance ....................................................................................................................................... 88 Selected Past Accomplishments Toward the Achievement of the KPI Outcomes.................................................. 88 Selected Accomplishments Expected at the 2020 Proposed Resource Level ......................................................... 88 21-2 2020 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE AGENCY-WIDE PURPOSE STATEMENT The mission of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is to facilitate the strategic marketing of agricultural products in domestic and international markets, while ensuring fair trading practices and promoting a competitive and efficient marketplace to the benefit of producers, traders, and consumers of U.S. food and fiber products. AMS carries out a wide range of programs under the authorization of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 as well as over 50 other statutes. More than half of the funds needed to finance AMS activities (excluding commodity purchase program funds) are derived from voluntary user fees. AMS also provides services for private industry and State/Federal agencies on a reimbursable basis. In addition, AMS conducts several appropriated program activities through cooperative arrangements with State Departments of Agriculture and other agencies. 1. Market News Service: The Market News program is authorized by the following statutes: Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 Agricultural and Food Act of 1981 (as amended by the Food Security Act of 1985) The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) Cotton Statistics and Estimates Act of 1927 The Mandatory Price Reporting Act of 2010 Peanut Statistics Act Naval Stores Act Tobacco Inspection Act of 1935 U.S. Cotton Futures Act The AMS Market News service collects, analyzes, and disseminates current market information to assist producers and marketers of farm products and those in related industries in making critical daily decisions. Market News information covers local, regional, national, and international markets and includes data on supply, movement, contractual agreements, inventories, and prices for numerous agricultural commodities, both conventionally and organically produced. Reported commodities include cotton, cottonseed, and tobacco; dairy products; fruits, vegetables and ornamentals; livestock, meat, grains, poultry and eggs. Market News provides farmers, producers and other agricultural businesses with the information they need to evaluate market conditions, identify trends, make purchasing decisions, monitor price patterns, evaluate transportation equipment