History and Mission Statement

Mission Statement

To facilitate the marketing of livestock, poultry, meat, cereals, oilseeds, and related agricultural products, and promote fair and competitive trading practices for the overall benefit of consumers and American agriculture.

History

The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) was established in 1994 as part of the reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The formation of the agency resulted from the joining of two previously independent agencies: the Federal Grain Inspection Service and the Packers and Stockyards Administration. Today, GIPSA is part of USDA's Marketing and Regulatory Programs, which are working to ensure a productive and competitive global marketplace for U.S. agricultural products.

The Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) was established by Congress in 1976 to manage the national grain inspection system, which initially was established in 1916, and to institute a national grain weighing program. The goal of creating a single Federal grain inspection entity was to ensure development and maintenance of uniform U.S. standards, to develop inspection and weighing procedures for grain in domestic and export trade, and to facilitate grain marketing.

Today's Packers and Stockyards Program (P&S) is the progeny of the Packers and Stockyards Administration, which was established in 1921 under the Packers and Stockyards Act. The organization was instituted to regulate livestock marketing activities at public stockyards and the operations of meat packers and live poultry dealers.

Vision

GIPSA's vision is to be a dynamic organization that responds effectively to the changing conditions of American agriculture.

As an organization GIPSA values:

• integrity and professionalism;
• innovation among individuals and teams;
• diversity in the workforce;
• employees and customers; and
• fiscal responsibility.

Strategic Plan

Ensuring fair and transparent markets free from deceptive and fraudulent practices, combined with recognized and reliable descriptors of crop quality and value, promote economic health and prosperity in American agriculture. U.S. farmers produce a wide variety of agricultural products and the vast American infrastructure permits these products to be processed and distributed throughout the United States and international markets effectively and efficiently. The markets serviced by GIPSA represent a total economic value of approximately $170 billion annually with exports contributing over $28.7 billion to the U.S. economy.

GIPSA's Strategic Plan (PDF; 267KB) outlines the goals, objectives, and performance measures and strategies that set the strategic direction of the Agency's work and ensure we fulfill our mission of facilitating the marketing of U.S. livestock, poultry, meat, cereals, oilseeds, and related agricultural products, and promoting fair and competitive trading practices for the overall benefit of consumers and American agriculture.