U.S. Department of Agriculture launches AskUSDA Contact Center Program
Upcoming Events
Related News
Key Takeaways
On November 18, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the official launch of the AskUSDA Contact Center program – a centralized hub for phone, chat and web inquiries. AskUSDA also contains thousands of answers to frequently asked questions for USDA programs that serve a variety of audiences. This new portal will help streamline and improve USDA’s customer service process for recipients of nutrition services, disaster aid or federal grants and loans.
USDA provides many critical programs and services that counties – particularly rural counties – rely on. While there are many funding opportunities for rural counties through USDA loan and grant programs, the application process for these funds can be challenging to navigate. Earlier this year, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, USDA announced their COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide which contains information about programs and funding opportunities for rural counties to help address the public health crisis. AskUSDA will help county officials better understand these new resources and navigate the application process more efficiently.
The public can contact AskUSDA by phone at (833) ONE-USDA between 9:00 am-5:30 pm EST on weekdays. The website is available 24/7 and live chat agents are available 10:00 am-6:00 pm EST on weekdays. Inquiries can also be sent via email at any time to askusda@usda.gov.
Attachments
Related News
MAHA Commission releases federal strategy outlining next steps in childhood chronic disease prevention
On September 9, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission’s new Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy, following the earlier MAHA Report published in May 2025. The strategy builds on the assessment’s findings regarding four key drivers of childhood chronic disease: poor diet, chemical exposure, lack of physical activity and chronic stress and overmedicalization.
U.S. Department of Agriculture announces reorganization
On July 24, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a major reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will relocate thousands of federal employees, restructure regional offices and consolidate administrative services and operations. The changes are expected to reduce USDA’s footprint in Washington, D.C. and shift more personnel to regional hubs across the country.