1. What are the goals of the program?

AMS has two major goals for the Federal Pesticide Recordkeeping Program - to provide the private certified pesticide applicator with educational tools to assist them in maintaining the necessary restricted use pesticide (RUP) records and to provide assistance during a recordkeeping inspection to ensure the applicator's compliance with the regulation. 

2. Why are pesticide record inspections conducted?

AMS administers the Federal Pesticide Recordkeeping Program, which requires all certified private pesticide applicators to keep records of their use of federally restricted use pesticides (RUP) for a period of 2 years.

View the July 2019 Lamb Markets Overview Report (pdf)

General Information

• Divisional and Services Fact Sheets
• Understanding the Data (pdf)

Forms

• Cotton and Tobacco Forms

• Accredited Seed Programs
• Food Defense Program
• Specialty Crop Export Verification

The AMS Livestock and Poultry Program offers a variety of auditing services to help companies differentiate their products and services in the marketplace through independent, third-party  audits by USDA’s globally recognized audit team. Through these voluntary user-fee services, AMS audits against established standards often set by a company, by industry, or a foreign government. These standards are made publicly available to support Program transparency.

The AMS Specialty Crops Program (SCP) offers a variety of auditing services to help companies meet the requirements of their customers or to differentiate their products in the marketplace through independent, third-party audits by USDA’s globally recognized audit team. Through these voluntary, user-fee services, AMS audits against established standards often set by a company, by industry, or by government regulations.

Audit services include:

• Dairy Plant Survey Program
• Equipment Review - Dairy, and Meat and Poultry

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) purchases a variety of domestically produced and processed commodity food products, through a competitive process among approved vendors. The purchases made by the AMS Commodity Procurement Program (CPP) support American agriculture by encouraging the consumption of domestic foods. The wholesome, high-quality products feed people across the Nation and around the world through nutrition assistance and humanitarian food aid programs.

Program Updates

The FY26 grant application period is now closed. Applications were due June 5, 2026. Please refer to the AMS Transportation and Marketing Program Grants and Cooperative Agreements Late, Nonresponsive, and Incomplete Applications Policy  for more information.  For any questions related to RFSP, contact IPPGrants@usda.gov.