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Department of Agriculture
Farm Service Agency
Description
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) serves all farmers, ranchers, and agricultural partners through the delivery of effective, efficient agricultural programs for all Americans. There were 2.02 million U.S. farms in 2020. With 51 state offices and over 2,000 county offices, including offices in U.S. territories, FSA implements farm programs and farm loans to farmers and ranchers across the country. This past year, FSA obligated more than $7.5 billion in direct and guaranteed farm ownership and operating loans, including more than $3.4 billion for beginning farmers, an agency record.
Designated Services
Previously-reported Services
Applying for direct and guaranteed real estate and operating loans to start, maintain and expand a family farm
Description
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides loan making and servicing to underserved and beginner farmers and ranchers; the agency also works with established producers needing credit to maintain or expand operations. Family farmers seek Farm Loans to purchase farmland and finance capital improvements and equipment; pay employees; purchase livestock, feed and seed; and support family living expenses. Customers use farm loans to finance land and water conservation practices, purchase precision agriculture technology and equipment and implement sanitation and pollution reduction. Loan servicing is a critical part of the services provided by Farm Loans and guaranteed lenders for customers to manage their debt and evolving financing needs, whether it is to grow their business, manage fluctuating revenue and input costs, or recover from natural disasters. Customers interact with the Farm Loan Programs through an online informational site, in person at local service centers, or by telephone and email.
Why this service was designated
FSA’s farm loan programs provide credit to farmers and ranchers unable to obtain commercial credit to finance their operations at reasonable rates and terms. During FY2021, the total direct and guaranteed credit provided was $6,670,756,699 provided through 29,051 loans, with a total loan portfolio of $32.4 billion to over 127,000 direct and guaranteed borrowers as of September 30, 2021.
Quarterly data reported
Q1 2023
What we learned from this quarter's data:
Service details
Transaction point: Mail survey or email survey response to customers identified as in a phase of a farm loan application using proportional sampling techniques
Channel: website
People served: 2000
Surveys offered: 1250
Responses: 277
Previously-reported Services
Prior to the first service designation exercise in 2022, HISPs were collecting data using methods unique to each agency, resulting in data that was not standardized. This previously-reported data was collected to increase visibility and awareness regarding customer experience through feedback data. Per A-11 guidance, service providers will collect feedback in a more standardized way.
Finding information about programs on the website.
Service url
Description
Farmers.gov is designed to provide America’s farmers, ranchers, private foresters and other agricultural producers with online self- service applications, educational materials, engagement opportunities and business tools to increase efficiency and productivity while preserving long-held traditional relationships between local USDA offices and producers. Survey feedback is collected from website visitors.
Quarterly data reported
Q4 2022
What we learned from this quarter's data:
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers guaranteed and direct farm ownership and operating loans for small and family-owned farms and ranches. The customer experience feedback data reported here was collected from July through October of 2022. During that time about 36 percent of the website feedback FSA received was provided from a Farm Loan webpage reflecting the public’s interest in access to business credit and financing for small and family-owned farms and ranches. Customer understanding of the information was rated the highest out of the key drivers for satisfaction and trust. Customers indicated that the simplifying the information would improve their experience.
Service details
Transaction point: Feedback button or Intercept Survey
Channel: computer
People served: 289927
Surveys offered: 225
Responses: 151
Transaction point: Feedback button or Intercept after a couple minutes of activity for 30% of customers
Channel: computer
People served: 403918
Surveys offered: 230
Responses: 180
Q3 2022
What we learned from this quarter's data:
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers guaranteed and direct farm ownership and operating loans for small and family-owned farms and ranches. The customer experience feedback data reported here was collected from April through June of 2022. During that time about 42 percent of the website feedback FSA received was provided from a Farm Loan webpage reflecting the public’s interest in access to business credit and financing for small and family-owned farms and ranches. More than 91 percent of surveyed visitors indicated that they were at least somewhat satisfied with the farm loan webpages they interacted with. However, only 50 percent indicated that it took a reasonable amount of time to complete what they needed to. FSA is committed to improving the loan application process and intends to deploy new application options over the next year.
Service details
Transaction point: Feedback button or Intercept Survey
Channel: computer
People served: 235649
Surveys offered: 202
Responses: 140
Transaction point: Feedback button or Intercept after a couple minutes of activity for 30% of customers
Channel: mixed
People served: 308020
Surveys offered: 745
Responses: 614
Q2 2022
What we learned from this quarter's data:
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers guaranteed and direct farm ownership and operating loans for small and family-owned farms and ranches. The customer experience feedback data reported here was collected from January to March of 2022. During that time about 40 percent of the website feedback FSA received was provided from a Farm Loan webpage or blog post, reflecting the public’s interest in access to business credit and financing for small and family-owned farms and ranches. More than 75% of surveyed visitors indicated that they were at least somewhat satisfied with the farm loan webpages they interacted with. Additionally, about 65% indicated that their visit to the webpage increased their trust in the farmers.gov product to meet their needs. Results show that improvements to the effectiveness of the farm loans webpages to complete what customers need, and ease of the process to find the information, could further increase trust in the website. On December 13th, the President issued the Executive Order on Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government. Part of this announcement includes a commitment from the USDA to improve access to farm loans through digital tools, saving time, reducing unnecessary paperwork, and avoiding unnecessary trips to the county office to improve the overall experience.
Service details
Transaction point: Feedback button or Intercept Survey
Channel: mixed
People served: 21971
Surveys offered: 210
Responses: 193
Transaction point: Feedback button or Intercept after a couple minutes of activity for 30% of customers
Channel: computer
People served: 3938
Surveys offered: 151
Responses: 132
Q1 2022
What we learned from this quarter's data:
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers guaranteed and direct farm ownership and operating loans for small and family-owned farms and ranches. The customer experience feedback data reported here was collected from October through December of 2021. During that time about 24 percent of the website feedback FSA received was provided from a Farm Loan webpage or blog post, reflecting the public’s interest in access to agricultural credit and financing for small and family-owned farms and ranches. More than 75% of surveyed visitors indicated that they were at least somewhat satisfied with the farm loan webpages they interacted with. However, 60% indicated that their visit to the webpage increased their trust in the farmers.gov and fsa.usda.gov products to meet their needs. Average scores for effectiveness and ease also reflect this same sentiment with average scores around 3.7. USDA is committed to improve access to farm loans through digital tools to improve the overall experience.
Service details
Transaction point: Feedback button or Intercept Survey
Channel: computer
People served: 407534
Surveys offered: 394
Responses: 330
Transaction point: Feedback button or Intercept after a couple minutes of activity for 30% of customers
Channel: mixed
People served: 407534
Surveys offered: 274
Responses: 191
Q4 2021
What we learned from this quarter's data:
During the fourth quarter of the year, FSA surveyed 3,773 customers and received feedback using both the original and updated surveys. The updated survey separates the key drivers of satisfaction. Of those surveyed, 1,781 customers responded providing FSA with 448 total completed surveys. FSA customer ratings for ease, efficiency, and equity increased on both surveys. During this period, FSA announced new programs, however, pending litigation has delayed the implementation of these programs. With user feedback, our web team was able to prompt leadership to provide updates for the public which decreased customer dissatisfaction as a result of these delays. Initial scores for these drivers continue to show that customers want easier, more effective online services to increase their satisfaction with, and trust in, website processes.
Service details
Transaction point: Pop-up Survey after users navigate through an interaction on the website or opt to provide feedback
Channel: computer
People served: 977074
Surveys offered: 3773
Responses: 224
Transaction point: Either a pop-up survey on the webpage, or self selected using the feedback button on each page
Channel: computer
People served: 977074
Surveys offered: 339
Responses: 149
Q3 2021
What we learned from this quarter's data:
During the third quarter of 2021, the farmers.gov survey was distributed to a random sample of 1,025 customers that used the website during this time. To increase customer participation, the survey is short so that the required experience driver questions about effectiveness, ease, efficiency, and transparency are assessed through one multiple choice question instead of four individual questions. Scoring for theses drivers is on a two-point scale ( 1 or 5 ), instead of the full 5-point scale like overall trust and satisfaction, which have a range of scores from 1 - 5 points. Results show that 75% of surveyed customers were at least somewhat satisfied with their experience using the website. Customers recognize the value or efficacy of the website, which received the highest score of the key drivers for satisfaction. Customers were least satisfied with the ease and efficiency of their experience, confirming previous survey results.
Service details
Transaction point: Pop-up Survey after users navigate through an interaction on the website or opt to provide feedback
Channel: computer
People served: 0
Surveys offered: 1025
Responses: 889
Q2 2021
What we learned from this quarter's data:
The first Farmers.gov CX Survey was launched at the end of January 2021 in collaboration with the FPAC farmers.gov development teams, experts, and external affairs. To gain buy-in, the survey is short, so experience drivers are assessed through one multiple choice question. Unfortunately, shortly after the survey was launched, funding delays resulted in the removal of the survey from the website. Funding was restored in late March 2021 resulting in the relaunch and collection of 180 total responses. Of those responses, 94 customers completed the CX survey while the rest choose to proceed to technical support or to interact with the AskUSDA webpage. Of those respondents, more than half were dissatisfied and expressed a lack of trust in farmers.gov, however 80 percent indicated that they overall found the website to be either effective, easy, efficient, or understandable. Additional data capture in future quarters might help us better understand the disconnect in the survey results.
Service details
Transaction point: Pop-up Survey after users navigate through an interaction on the website or opt to provide feedback
Channel: computer
People served:
Surveys offered: 217
Responses: 104