USDA colleagues,

On the first Friday of each month, I look forward to sharing a few words with you. Often these messages highlight the great work of USDA employees in helping to feed, fuel and clothe the nation and world, take on our greatest challenges like climate change and hunger, or the many other ways we make a meaningful difference in the lives of our fellow Americans.

Today, of equal importance, I would also like to reflect inward on our workplace and how we support one another in the work that we do.

This past month, USDA’s Office of the Inspector General was honored with several awards from the Federal Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. These awards highlight the outstanding achievements of Inspector General staff from across the federal government to combat fraud, waste and abuse in government programs and operations. In addition, we celebrate the contributions and recent recognition of our very own Partnership for Public Service 2021 SAMMIE Award finalists: Dr. Sherry Hunt, supervisory civil engineer and acting location coordinator for ARS, as the finalist for Science and Environment; Gary Washington, chief information officer, as the finalist for Management Excellence; and Dr. William Hart-Cooper, research chemist for ARS, as the Emerging Leader.

Whenever USDA staff are recognized for their hard work, I reflect with pride on the award recipients and the tens of thousands of employees who are working collaboratively to support one another and to deliver our programs with integrity and compassion to the people we serve. Each employee’s success is integral to the success of the department and makes USDA stand out in the eyes or our national leadership, our customers, our partners and our employees. And each employee’s success builds upon their team’s work and inspires others to lead in a way that energizes the collective organization. When we are collaborative, service-oriented, mission-centered and inclusive, we are simply at our best.  

Our colleagues at USDA’s National Finance Center manage payroll for over 600,000 federal employees, ensuring that employees and their families have the certainty that their pay will arrive on time each month. This is particularly important to note because this work went uninterrupted during and after Hurricane Ida. Our Rural Development and Food Nutrition Service team members are supporting housing and food programs that provide a lifeline to families who live on the financial brink, and our Food Safety Inspectors protect the lives of not only American consumers, but those of more than 140 countries which we export to. The employees at these agencies represent only a few of the nearly 100,000 employees that work at USDA. Multiply their work and you begin to understand the exponential impact your own single contribution makes when added to the cumulative effort of the department. Put even more simply—we cannot do what we do, without you.   

I also know how important it is for us to find meaning in our work and that you find personal value and a sense of purpose when you start work each day. At USDA, I see examples each day of employees helping each other through and leading by example. We support each other through tough days and celebrate when we make a difference, no matter how large or small. But we can always improve. 

In 2020, USDA ranked 16 out of 17 among large executive departments in the 2020 Partnership for Public Service’s Best Places to Work in the Federal Government listing. Let’s change that. 

Hearing your perceptions about the USDA culture and your work experiences matters to me. The deputy secretary and I have listened to many of you over the past eight months and continue to integrate your ideas and feedback in key initiatives and decisions we know impact your day-to-day. This month, OPM launches the 2021 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. I have asked USDA leadership to develop plans that address the key findings from the 2020 FEVS results and make significant strides in addressing the largest areas for improvement. Please take the time to complete the survey, as it is my best indication of your employee experience and how we can implement changes to achieve a premier organization and model employer that lives by its values. The survey will come via email from EVAG@OPM.GOV. The deputy and I also plan to continue hosting roundtable discussions with USDA’s National Employee Resource Groups to bring together employees with similar backgrounds and interests to have conversations, share ideas and build the USDA community. I am listening, and our senior executive leaders across the department are working hard to identify the barriers to individual success and our success in delivering on our mission. 

I know that everyone shines like the Office of the Inspector General and so many others who over the past year have been recognized internally and by the national community for their commitments to public service, the department mission and each other. Thank you for all you do, every day, across the United States and around the globe. 

Finally, to those who celebrate, I wish you a happy Diwali. I hope you and your loved ones had an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the importance of community, compassion, empathy and hope. 

Sincerely, 

Tom Vilsack

You can also view this message at OneUSDA (internal link).