Welcome to the United States Department of Agriculture Freedom of Information Act Public Access Portal

*** Two-factor Authentication Coming Soon ***  In the near future, we plan to activate two-factor authentication on the PAL portal.  Once activated, after providing your username and account password, you will receive a “One Time Passcode” via email which you will need to complete your login.  This feature will provide additional security for your account.  

To Submit a FOIA/Privacy Act Request Online

Using links in the upper right corner of this page, Register to create an online profile or Sign In to your existing profile. Once logged in to your account profile, you can submit a request, check the status of a request, send a message to the FOIA officer, or download responsive records from a request.

Helpful Information to Review Prior to Submitting a Request       c

The Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, is a law that provides any person access to agency records, except to the extent that such agency records or portions of such agency records are protected from disclosure by one or more of the nine FOIA exemptions. 

There are certain requirements for making a USDA FOIA request, and in some cases, the records you are requesting may already be posted online. Prior to submitting a request, navigate to the USDA's FOIA website for information about the following topics:

• Requirements and tips for making a USDA FOIA request
• USDA FOIA component reading rooms
• USDA FOIA points of contact
• Prior published USDA FOIA reports
• FOIA resources

If after reviewing the USDA’s FOIA site, you determine that you need to file a FOIA request, we encourage you to submit your request online to facilitate faster processing.