Office of General Counsel (Department of Agriculture)
The Office of General Counsel (Department of Agriculture) serves as the primary legal advisor for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).[1]
Mission
The mission of the Office of General Counsel (OGC) is to provide legal services and oversight to support the USDA in achieving its mission. This includes offering legal advice to the Secretary of Agriculture and all other officials and agencies within the Department on all programs and activities, ensuring legal compliance, and defending USDA in legal proceedings.[1]
Parent organization
The parent organization is the U.S. Department of Agriculture.[2]
Legislation authorizing creation
The OGC was established under the general authority of the Department of Agriculture Organic Act of 1862, which set up the USDA, but there's no specific legislation cited for the creation of OGC itself.[1]
Number of employees
The Office of General Counsel had approximately 276 employees in 2015 according to available data, though current numbers might differ.[3]
Last total enacted budget
The last total enacted budget for the OGC is not publicly specified in the sources provided.[1]
Leader's title
The title of the leader of this organization is "General Counsel."[1]
Services provided
The OGC provides a wide array of legal services, including legal advice on program operations, policy formulation, contract drafting, litigation support, and representation in legal proceedings. It advises on matters of legislation, regulations, and administrative procedures, ensures compliance with federal laws, and represents USDA in judicial and administrative forums. The office also handles Freedom of Information Act requests, procurement issues, and civil rights matters.[1]
Regulations overseen
While the OGC does not directly oversee regulations, it provides legal counsel on the development, interpretation, and enforcement of USDA regulations. It ensures that the Department's actions are in compliance with applicable laws, reviews proposed regulations for legal sufficiency, and may represent USDA in legal challenges to regulatory actions. OGC also advises on potential legal risks associated with regulatory decisions.[1]
Headquarters address
The headquarters address for the Office of General Counsel is: 1400 Independence Ave SW, Room 107W, Whitten Building, Washington, DC 20250-1400, USA[4]
Website
The website for the Office of General Counsel is [6](https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/offices/office-general-counsel).[1]
Wikipedia article title
There isn't a specific Wikipedia article titled for this office; however, you might find information under the broader "United States Department of Agriculture" article title.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 U.S. Department of Agriculture. "Office of the General Counsel (OGC)". [1]
- ↑ U.S. Department of Agriculture. "About USDA". [2]
- ↑ FederalPay.org. "Office of the General Counsel (Department of Agriculture) Salary Statistics". [3]
- ↑ Google Maps. [4]
- ↑ Wikipedia. "United States Department of Agriculture". [5]