Our Mission
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) administers programs that create domestic and international marketing opportunities for U.S. producers of food, fiber, and specialty crops. AMS also provides the agriculture industry with valuable services to ensure the quality and availability of wholesome food for consumers across the country.
Nearly 4,000 AMS professionals work every day to support the country’s diverse agricultural operations, which range from individual farmers to international businesses and employ 1 in 12 people. AMS services and its millions of dollars in annual grant investments also create opportunities by supporting economic development in small towns and rural communities that stand as the backbone of American values.
Much of the agency’s support for agriculture is provided through commodity-specific efforts, such as its Dairy; Specialty Crops; Livestock, Poultry and Seed; and Cotton and Tobacco Programs. AMS also oversees the National Organic Program; Science and Technology Program; and the Transportation and Marketing Program. AMS also provides regulatory oversight for over 20 research and promotion programs, and enforces other Federal regulations such as the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) and the Seed Act.
Our History
In 1939, Secretary of Agriculture Henry Wallace consolidated a number of bureaus and programs to create a single agency to carry out a sweeping mission. The new Agricultural Marketing Service was charged with facilitating the efficient, fair marketing of U.S. agricultural products, including food, fiber, and specialty crops.
Over the last 76 years, AMS has evolved to support American farmers, ranchers, importers, exporters and many other facets of the agricultural industry.