Welcome to the Freedom of Information Act Page
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552) allows any person the right to obtain Federal Agency records unless the records (or part of the records) are protected from disclosure by legal exemptions and exclusions.
On October 2, 1996, the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996 (E-FOIA) were signed into law. E-FOIA makes it possible for individuals to have electronic access to certain USDA information without having to make formal FOIA requests. To accommodate this requirement, we have established a NFC electronic reading room to assist the public in obtaining information electronically.