(Washington, D.C., May 14, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Ethics App for being named a “Top 8 Finalist” by the American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Council’s Innovation awards. The USDA Ethics App finished in the top 8 finalists, out of 150 innovations during the past year.
“Since day one, I have emphasized USDA’s commitment to maintaining the highest degree of integrity and ethical behavior,” Secretary Perdue said. “I am proud the work of USDA is being recognized by the private sector and other parts of the federal government. President Donald J. Trump’s Ethics Pledge is a top priority, and we are always seeking ways to enhance the American public’s confidence in the important work we are doing.”
Background:
The American Council for Technology – Industry Advisory Council hosted its Igniting Innovations Conference and Awards Ceremony last week highlighting the best innovations in government. Other finalists included private sector companies and other government agencies.
The Ethics App was unveiled by Secretary Perdue in August of 2017. The app provides short, easy-to-read summaries of federal ethics rules and Hatch Act limitations on political activity. The app includes a comprehensive video library so that officials can quickly become familiar with these important rules at any time, whether in the office, off-site, or on official travel. The app also contains a resources section so USDA employees can readily contact an ethics advisor at USDA. The groundbreaking application was designed to make compliance with the federal ethics rules a one-stop-shop for USDA employees, but the app is available to anyone with Android devices or Apple devices.
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