All Federal Departments are required to prepare five-year strategic plans that identify their key goals and objectives, their strategies for attaining them, and measures of progress. USDA's most recent strategic plan, covering 2002-2007, was released in January 2003. FNS has its own strategic plan that supports USDA's plan:

FNS' strategic plan provides an organizing structure for setting and implementing program priorities through a new integrated planning system. Equally important, FNS designed the plan to reflect the goals we share with our State and local program partners. We plan to use the revised plan as a basis for developing shared commitments to achieve program excellence. The plan includes the Agency's mission statement, which is to: Increase food security and reduce hunger in partnership with cooperating organizations by providing children and low-income people access to food, a healthful diet, and nutrition education in a manner that supports American agriculture and inspires public confidence. The plan categorizes FNS priorities under two broad goals: 

Goal 1: Improved Nutrition of Children and Low-Income People. This goal represents FNS’ efforts to improve nutrition by providing access to program benefits, nutrition education, and quality meals and other benefit packages. Click here for more information.

Goal 2: Improved Stewardship of Federal Funds. This goal represents the Agency's ongoing commitment to maximize the accuracy of benefits issued and the efficiency and effectiveness of program operations, and to minimize participant and vendor fraud. Click here for more information.

Download a PDF file of the full plan

Download a PDF file of the plan's appendix, comprised of FNS program fact sheets

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the Government Performance Results Act (GPRA)?

What is the purpose of FNS’ strategic plan?

What are "performance measures"?

Annual Performance Plans and Reports 

Each year, the Department prepares an Annual Performance Plan (APP) that explains the annual performance goals, derived from the five-year strategic plan, that each intends to pursue for the year, and links them to agency resources. Click on the link below to download the USDA APP in PDF format: 

FY 2004 (and revised 2003) Annual Performance Plan 

FY 2003 (and revised 2002) Annual Performance Plan 

USDA also prepares Performance and Accountability Reports (P&ARs) for submission to the President and Congress that document and assess program performance in relation to the goals set in the APP. Click on the link below to download these reports in PDF format: 

FY 2003 Performance and Accountability Report 

FY 2002 Performance and Accountability Report

Reaching Out to Stakeholders 

In Spring 1999, FNS engaged in an extensive process of stakeholder discussion and input in developing its revised strategic plan. Through this process, FNS received a large volume of comments on, and proposed revisions to, the plan outline, as well as a number of methods and data sources for measuring agency performance. To read an analysis of the comments we received and the Agency’s responses, click here.

Send your comments or questions about the plan to FNS.

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