The
FOIA is found in Title
5 of the United States
Code, Section 552. FOIA
was enacted in 1966
and gives any person
the right to request
access to almost any
federal agency record,
except those protected
from disclosure by legal
exemptions and exclusions
(e.g., classified national
security, business proprietary,
personal privacy, and
investigative documents.)
How to Submit a FOIA
Request
1.
Send
a written request
for the records
directly to the
USDA component
responsible for
the records sought.
Consider
including time
frames, names
of authors and
recipients, and
subject matter
in the description
of the records
requested.
4.
State
your willingness
to pay the fees
associated with
processing the
request or seek
a fee waiver.
5.
If
you seek a fee
waiver, address
specifically the
criteria articulated
in Section 6
(a)(1) of 7
CFR Part 1, Appendix
A.
6.
If
you do not know
and cannot determine
which USDA component
is responsible
for
the records you
seek, you may
address your request
to the USDA FOIA
Officer.
Please know that
failure to send
your request to
the responsible
agency results
in
delay in proper
receipt and processing
of your request.
Reading Room
USDA maintains only
an electronic reading
room. If you need to
use the USDA electronic
reading room, you may
make arrangements by
contacting the USDA
FOIA Officer at 202-720-8164.
Implementation
of Executive Order
13392 - Improving
Agency Disclosure
of Information
Chief FOIA Officer
- Secretary of Agriculture
Mike Johanns designated
the Assistant Secretary
for Administration,
as the Department's
Chief FOIA Officer.
The Chief FOIA Officer
is supported by
the Departmental
FOIA Officer, Rita
Morgan, and the
agency FOIA Officers
and Public Liaisons
throughout the Department
to ensure compliance
with the FOIA, as
well as responsiveness
to our constituents,
including implementation
of the Department's
comprehensive FOIA
Improvement Plan.