Guide to Federal Records

Records of the Farm Service Agency


(Record Group 145)
1904-78 (Bulk 1933-78)

Overview of Records Locations

Table of Contents

  • 145.1 Administrative History
  • 145.2 General Records of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration and the Agricultural Adjustment Agency 1933-68 (bulk 1933-47)
  • 145.3 Records of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration Consumers' Counsel Division 1933-43
  • 145.4 Records of the Production and Marketing Administration 1904-54
  • 145.5 Records of the Commodity Stabilization Service 1939-61
    • 145.5.1 General records
    • 145.5.2 Records created and accumulated by the CSS and its predecessors in administering programs of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)
  • 145.6 Records of War Boards 1942-48
    • 145.6.1 Records of the California War Board
    • 145.6.2 Records of the Department of Agriculture War Board
  • 145.7 Records of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) 1936-91
    • 145.7.1 Records of the Michigan State Office
    • 145.7.2 Records of the Pennsylvania State Office
    • 145.7.3 Records of the Vermont State Office
  • 145.8 Cartographic Records (General) 1935-52
  • 145.9 Motion Pictures (General)
  • 145.10 Still Pictures (General)

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145.1 Administrative History

Established: In the Department of Agriculture by Secretary's Notice, January 16, 1996 (61 FR 1109), redesignating the Consolidated Farm Service Agency as the Farm Service Agency without change of organization or functions.

Predecessor Agencies:

In the Department of Agriculture:
  • Agricultural Adjustment Administration (1933-42)
  • Agricultural Adjustment Agency, Agricultural Conservation and Adjustment Administration (1942)
  • Agricultural Adjustment Agency, Food Production Administration (1942-43)
  • Agricultural Adjustment Agency, Administration of Food Production and Distribution (1943)
  • Agricultural Adjustment Agency, War Food Administration (1943-45)
  • Production and Marketing Administration (PMA, 1945-53)
  • Commodity Stabilization Service (CSS, 1953-61)
  • Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (1961-94)
  • Consolidated Farm Service Agency (1994-96)

Functions: Administers farm commodity loan and purchase programs, farm ownership and operating loan programs, and the conservation reserve program. Supervised Farm Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), January 16-May 3, 1996, when FCIC was transferred within Department of Agriculture to newly established Risk Management Agency.

Finding Aids: William F. Sherman, Charlotte M. Ashby, and Sadie Mittman, comps., "Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service," NC 144 (June 1966).

Related Records: Record copies of publications of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service in RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government.

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145.2 General Records of the Agricultural Adjustment
Administration and the Agricultural Adjustment Agency
1933-68 (bulk 1933-47)

History: Agricultural Adjustment Administration established under the Agricultural Adjustment Act (48 Stat. 31), May 12, 1933. Reorganized under the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act (49 Stat. 1148), February 29, 1936. Redesignated the Agricultural Adjustment Agency and consolidated with the Sugar Agency, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, and Soil Conservation Service into Agricultural Conservation and Adjustment Administration by EO 9069, February 23, 1942. Assigned to Food Production Administration by EO 9280, December 5, 1942; and to Administration of Food Production and Distribution by EO 9322, March 26, 1943, renamed War Food Administration by EO 9334, April 19, 1943. Functions reverted to the Secretary of Agriculture when War Food Administration abolished by EO 9577, June 29, 1945. Subsequently assigned to the Production and Marketing Administration by Secretary's Memorandum 1118, August 18, 1945. See 145.4.

Textual Records: Central correspondence, including records of the War Food Administration and the PMA, 1933-47 (1,400 ft.). Subject correspondence, 1933-38. Circular letters, 1934-38. Comptroller's office file, 1933-42. Press releases, 1933-40. Docket files, 1933-38. Reports concerning governmental assistance to farmers, 1934-36. Consolidated reference files on the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), War Food Administration, and ASCS, 1933-68.

Motion Pictures: The Land, concerning reclamation and conservation of farmland depleted by poor agricultural practices, produced by Robert Flaherty of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration Documentary Film Section, Division of Information, 1941 (5 reels).

Photographic Prints and Negatives: Agriculture in the United States, including soil conservation, commodity control and support, and Agricultural Adjustment Administration publicity pictures; National Guard camps; and U.S. military in World War II, 1939-46 (AAA, 7,548 images; AAA-A, 250 images). See also 145.10.

Photographic Negatives: Home, farm, and consumer activities, used in the Agricultural Adjustment Administration publication, Consumers' Guide, 1937-42 (CG, 690 images). See also 145.10.

Filmstrips: Agricultural Adjustment Administration soil conservation activities, marketing quotas for grain, and the ever-normal granary program, 1935-41 (FS, 26 items). See also 145.10.

Finding Aids: Shelf list for photographic series AAA; item list for photographic series CG.

Related Records: Record copies of publications of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration and the Agricultural Adjustment Agency in RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government. Related photographs in series G of RG 16, Records of the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture; and series DL of RG 114, Records of the Soil Conservation Service.

Subject Access Terms: Abandoned farms, blacks, cotton, flax, grains, hay, livestock, lumber, orchards, poultry, tobacco, and truck farms (all subjects in AAA series photographs). Blacks, broadcasting, camps [children's], folk art, and nutrition (all subjects in CG series photographs).

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145.3 Records of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration
Consumers' Counsel Division
1933-43

History: Established by appointment of Frederick C. Howe to the staff of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, June 17, 1933. Began operations, June 22, 1933. Transferred to Surplus Marketing Administration by Secretary's Memorandum 849, February 1, 1940, and to Agricultural Marketing Administration (AMA) by Secretary's memorandum 988, February 28, 1942. Liquidated early 1943, following transfer of AMA to Food Distribution Administration by EO 9280, December 5, 1942.

Textual Records: General correspondence, with indexes, 1933-43. Office files of consumer counsels, 1933-42, and other officials, 1934-38. Correspondence relating to price racketeering, 1933. Records relating to National Recovery Administration codes, 1933- 35. Records concerning the survey conducted to determine per capita milk consumption of school children, 1935. Records of and relating to control committees regarding marketing agreements and licenses, 1935-38. Records relating to a non farm income study, 1937-38. Reference files consisting chiefly of consumer publications, 1933-43.

Photographic Negatives: Growing, processing, and merchandising agricultural products; consumer education; federal inspection of farm products; and related subjects, made for the Consumers' Counsel, 1934-39 (CC, 450 images). See also 145.10.

Finding Aids: Truman R. Strobridge, comp., "Preliminary Inventory of the Consumers' Counsel Division of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration," NC 26 (May 1963).

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145.4 Records of the Production and Marketing Administration
1904-54

History: Established by Secretary's Memorandum 1118, August 18, 1945, as functional successor to Agricultural Adjustment Agency. Designated the CSS by Secretary's Memorandum 1320, suppl. 4, November 2, 1953. See 145.5.

Textual Records: Correspondence, management improvement surveys, and organization charts of the Office of the Administrator, 1942- 53. Minutes, correspondence, and audit reports relating to commodity offices, 1951-54. Correspondence of the Grain Division, 1945-53. General correspondence of the Grain Branch, 1943-51. Records of the Office of Price relating to commodity prices, 1941-47. Records of the Grain Feed and Seed Branch relating to the seed production program, 1940-48.

Photographic Prints and Negatives: Created or accumulated by the Office of Information, PMA, and its predecessors, documenting commodity production and marketing, 1904-53 (PMA, 9,173 items). See also 145.10.

Finding Aids: Subject/item list for photographic series PMA.

Related Records: Record copies of publications of the Production and Marketing Administration in RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government. Related photographs in series G of RG 16, Records of the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture; series G and ML of RG 83, Records of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics; and series G of RG 114, Records of the Soil Conservation Service.

Subject Access Terms: Barges, blacks, broadcasting, cotton, dairy, fats, food preservation, fruits, grains, honey, inspection, livestock, markets, nutrition, poultry, shipping, soil conservation, storage, surplus commodities, tobacco, and vegetables (all subjects in PMA series photographs).

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145.5 Records of the Commodity Stabilization Service
1939-61

History: Established by Secretary's Memorandum 1320, suppl. 4, November 2, 1953, renaming the PMA. Name changed to ASCS, 1961. See 145.1.

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145.5.1 General records

Textual Records: Reports and memorandums concerning drought relief, 1952-55. Correspondence with state agricultural mobilization committees, 1952-54. General correspondence of the Grain Division, 1957.

Related Records: Record copies of publications of the Commodity Stabilization Service in RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government.

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145.5.2 Records created and accumulated by the CSS and its
predecessors in administering programs of the Commodity Credit
Corporation (CCC)

Textual Records: Office files of the CSS Administrator, 1942-54. Records of the PMA Program Staff, 1948-53. Records of the Deputy Administrator for Price Support, 1953-57; the Deputy Administrator for Operations, 1954-58; the Assistant Administrator for Commodity Operations, 1947-54; and the Director of the Fiscal Division, 1951-54. Records of the Livestock and Dairy Division, 1943-51; Food and Materials Requirement Division, 1946-54; Tobacco Division, 1954; Grain Branch (PMA) and Grain Division (CSS), 1945-58; and the CCC Office of Supply, 1945. Resolutions approved by the CCC Board of Directors, 1946-52. CCC financial records, 1939-47; and reports of the CCC's financial condition, 1946-61. Records relating to war food orders, 1943-50; and lend-lease processing plant programs, 1943-48. Marketing agreements and orders, 1939-48.

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145.6 Records of War Boards
1942-48

History: Established, July 5, 1941, as state and county defense boards. Renamed war boards, January 7, 1942. Coordinated farmers' efforts to meet food production goals.

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145.6.1 Records of the California War Board

Textual Records (in San Francisco): Requisitions for machinery seized from Japanese-American farmers, and appraisal reports on the seized equipment, 1942-48.

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145.6.2 Records of the Department of Agriculture War Board

Textual Records: Information and policy memorandums issued to state war boards, 1942-44.

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145.7 Records of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS)
1936-91

History: ASCS established by Secretary's Memorandum 1458, June 5, 1961, in accordance with Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1953, effective June 4, 1953. Administered agricultural price support, production adjustment, and conservation assistance programs; and international commodity agreements. Abolished by Secretary's Memorandum 1010-1, October 20, 1994, implementing section 226 of the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (108 Stat. 3214), October 13, 1994, with agricultural stabilization programs and the conservation reserve program transferred to newly established Consolidated Farm Service Agency (CFSA); and remaining conservation programs transferred to newly established Natural Resources Conservation Service (see RG 114). CFSA, established by same Secretary's Memorandum, acquired not only ASCS functions, but also the Farm Home Loan program of the Farmers Home Administration (abolished by same Secretary's Memorandum; see RG 96); and supervision of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. CFSA redesignated Farm Service Agency without change or organization or functions, January 16, 1996. See 145.1.

Textual Records: Speeches of Administrator Kenneth E. Frick, 1970-81. Publications, 1936-91.

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145.7.1 Records of the Michigan State Office

Textual Records (in Chicago): Organization files, 1976-77.

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145.7.2 Records of the Pennsylvania State Office

Textual Records (in Philadelphia): Minutes of monthly meetings of county committees, 1977-78.

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145.7.3 Records of the Vermont State Office

Textual Records (in Boston): State and county program handbooks, 1936-82.

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145.8 Cartographic Records (General)
1935-52

Maps: U.S. regions, showing farm population statistics, wheat regions, tobacco regions, and areas covered by aerial survey contracts, 1937-52 (23 items). Washington State, showing Agricultural Adjustment Agency community boundaries, 1943 (1 item). Southwest United States, showing regional activities of Agricultural Adjustment Administration, ca. 1940 (1 item).

Aerial Photographs: United States, by county, for acreage allotment determinations, 1935-42, with photo indexes (2,241,000 items).

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145.9 Motion Pictures (General)

See under 145.2.

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145.10 Still Pictures (General)

See Photographic Prints and Negatives under 145.2 and 145.4.
See Photographic Negatives under 145.2 and 145.3.
See Filmstrips under 145.2.


Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.

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This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.


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