USDA
Inside the Secret Service hunt for skimmers as outdated SNAP cards let thieves steal millions
The government still uses 1970s-era technology to deliver SNAP, leaving beneficiaries vulnerable to transnational crime rings that have taken hundreds of millions of dollars in benefits in recent years.
Agriculture taps DOGE associate as its tech lead, reassigning previous CIO
Sam Berry, who’s been at USDA for months as part of the Department of Government Efficiency, is the agency's new chief information officer.
Agencies and industry announce efforts to further Presidential AI Challenge
The Trump administration is angling to leverage private sector partnerships and an all-hands agency approach to establish a robust U.S. AI workforce and education platform.
USDA wants to modernize farmer services, even as staffing cuts could hurt the effort
The department plans to digitize farmer-facing applications that are still on paper.
2 CIOs elevated to acting agency heads as Trump takes office
The tech leaders at USDA and USAID will head their agencies in an acting capacity until the Senate confirms Trump’s nominees for the permanent roles.
SNAP reimbursements cut from Trump-backed spending proposal
Although the future of the Republican bill is uncertain, the stopgap measure released Thursday does not include reimbursements for people whose federal food benefits are skimmed.
SNAP theft reimbursements could end for many without congressional action by Friday
Senators are also urging the Agriculture Department to speed up its rulemaking around card security that could help prevent the problem.
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USDA inches ahead in plan to secure EBT cards from skimming
The U.S. Agriculture Department doesn’t have a timeline for fully moving food assistance accounts to industry-standard chip cards, however, leaving beneficiaries vulnerable to digital theft.
USDA wraps equity commission, vows to continue work
The department will likely have to contend with anti-DEI efforts as it pursues this goal.
New bill aims to bring SNAP card security up to credit card standards
Security standards for SNAP cards have not kept pace with industry advancements, lawmakers say.
AI could help clear food stamp backlogs plaguing some states
States are increasingly seeing it as a way to better process public benefit programs amid workforce shortages and outdated technology issues. But change can be incremental amid policy and money concerns.
USDA's equity commission urges 'sweeping and generational change'
The independent commission’s report also included some to-do items for lawmakers.
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USDA seeks fellows for its new digital service team
The tour-of-duty positions will “act as firefighters” to address pressing challenges across the Department of Agriculture, according to the agency’s CIO.
Proposed law aims to boost food and agriculture industry’s cyber posture
The bill would direct multiple stakeholders to conduct exercises that simulate when the food and agriculture sectors are hacked.
2023 was just the start of generative AI’s rise, government and industry leaders say
Generative artificial intelligence isn’t just a buzzword, it’s here to stay.
USDA unveils new data strategy
The Department of Agriculture’s new guidance builds on previous agency plans, and looks to improve data sharing and incorporate artificial intelligence into analytics operations.
USDA hopes more data access will improve states’ SNAP delivery
The Agriculture Department is also working to help states address card skimming and other persistent problems in the SNAP program.
Agriculture Department is taking a ‘cautious’ approach to generative AI
The agency’s data “also needs to be in a condition… to support those kinds of tools,” according to USDA chief data officer and responsible AI officer, Chris Alvares.
GAO: USDA violated the Anti-Deficiency Act while planning its relocation of science agencies
House Democrats renewed calls to institute tighter regulation of agency relocations in light of the watchdog agency's findings.
The ‘future is at risk’ for government’s biggest civilian payroll provider, study finds
The National Finance Center — a part of the Agriculture Department — provides payroll services for over 170 agencies, but a lot of them aren’t happy with the services they’re getting.
