Regulations and Directives

Regulations and directives are developed by USDA to ensure compliance with all relevant federal laws, executive orders, directives, and policies.

USDA Directives

The USDA Directives system is the on-line repository of all USDA Departmental Regulations, Notices, Manuals, and Secretary Memoranda.

Regulations.gov

Members of the public can and are encouraged to find, review, and submit comments on Federal documents, which are open for comment and published in the Federal Register, the Government's legal newspaper.

Food Distribution Regulations

USDA provides links to key Federal Regulations and public laws enacted for USDA food distribution commodity programs and food purchase programs.

Rural Development Regulations and Guidelines

USDA ensures its rural utility service programs are compliant with Federal regulations and policies.

Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Laws and Regulations

USDA regulations provide official marketing standards for grains and oilseeds, and require that exported grains and oilseeds be officially weighed and inspected. The Department's laws also regulate the slaughter and manufacture of meat products.

Animal and Plant Health Regulations

USDA regulations protect and promote U.S. agricultural health, administer the Animal Welfare Act, carry out wildlife damage management activities, and ensure that America's agricultural exports are protected from unjustified trade restrictions.

Crop and Livestock Insurance Regulations

USDA issues regulations to protect the integrity of the crop insurance program in the best interest of the insured and the American taxpayer through a sound system of review, analysis, and evaluation as to whether laws, policies, and procedures are being followed and administered correctly, and for the detection and prevention of crop insurance program abuse.

Crop and Livestock Insurance Directives, Agreements & Handbooks

USDA publishes directives and handbooks as guidelines and expectations for delivery of the Federal crop insurance program. Reinsurance agreements establishes the terms and conditions under which the Department will provide subsidies and reinsurance on eligible crop insurance contracts sold or reinsured by the insurance company named on the agreements.

Quality Assurance Regulations

Quality assurance regulations review commercial item descriptions (CIDs) to assure document requirements conform to applicable laws, regulations, and policies with users, regulatory agencies, inspection and testing agencies, and the food industry.

Export Regulations

USDA publishes regulations to govern the exporting of agricultural products and exporting programs.

Biotechnology Regulations

USDA along with other the Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency have the responsibility for implementing the Nation's biotechnology regulatory framework.