To state the policy and responsibilities of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) with regard to food and human nutrition.

It is a policy of the USDA to promote optimal human health and well-being through improved nutrition. The department recognizes the importance of coordination of its human nutrition-related activities with the agricultural/food industry, other governmental agencies, and private or public institutions.

USDA has the mission to encourage the production and availability of a sufficient, safe, and nutritionally adequate supply of wholesome food for Americans and help and encourage other countries to meet their food requirements. USDA, in support of this mission, will:

a Conduct research in the area of human nutrition and food science, including human dietary requirements, nutritional status assessment, food composition, utilization of foods, and food safety.

b Provide food and nutrition education and guidance based on research, thus helping to provide useful information to individuals to assist them in selecting diets to improve their health and well being.

c Encourage the training of professionals with expertise in human nutrition and related fields and encourage action to assure the Nation of sufficient human capital in this area.

d Assess the nutritional adequacy of domestic food supplies to identify nutrition and food related problems and to develop strategies for improving them.

e Monitor food use and food consumption patterns among the Nation's population, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to determine areas where nutritional guidance, food assistance, and food production programs may be focused.

f Conduct domestic and international food assistance and distribution programs to improve the nutritional quality of diets.

g Work cooperatively with governments and institutions of other countries and with international organizations to identify world food and nutrition related problems and to develop multilateral approaches for correcting them.