Agricultural Research Service is the principal in-house research arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. ARS has a mission to conduct research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority and provide information access and dissemination to ensure high-quality, safe food and other agricultural products; assess the nutritional needs of Americans; sustain a competitive agricultural economy; enhance the natural resource base and the environment; and provide economic opportunities for rural citizens, communities, and society as a whole. ARS plans and coordinates its research in multiple National Programs that fall into four main areas: Nutrition, Food Safety and Quality; Crop Production and Protection; Animal Production and Protection; and Natural Resources and Sustainable Agricultural Systems.