The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled a new initiative—One Farmer, One File—that creates a single, streamlined digital record that will follow the farmer throughout the department.
“Our government for the people by the people should be modern, efficient, and respect taxpayer dollars,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said. “This modernization of old, duplicative, wasteful systems has one goal in mind, improve our customer service so the people we serve are able to farm and feed America and the world.
‘One Farmer, One File’ prevents our farmers from duplicating tasks while increases their productivity and time in the field.” USDA said the One Farmer, One File initiative will make program delivery more efficient, save time for USDA staff and decrease spending on disparate information technology systems.
It is part of a broad modernization effort to unify all Farm Service Agency FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service and Risk Management Agency systems.
The project began in 2025, and USDA officials estimate it will be completed in 2028.
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said Rollins’ announcement was welcome news to ensure farmers quickly receive the information and resources they need.
“At a time when farmers are facing a tough farm economy and rising pressures, we all count on USDA to deliver the programs and support that will keep our farms moving forward,” Duvall said.
“Farmers and ranchers need to make every dollar and every minute count on the farm, and having an easier system to navigate USDA programs will free up farmers for the work of growing our nation’s food, fiber and fuel.”
In addition to One Farmer, One File, USDA said it is working to simplify and streamline programs for farmers in other ways, such as using Login.gov to expedite Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) payments and making it easier for farmers to bundle and apply for USDA conservation program practices they need on their farms.