About us

OCE comprises five sub offices that serve several roles:

• Economic intelligence and the commodity outlook for U.S. and world agriculture: 
  OCE’s World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) coordinates, reviews, and approves the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report as well as long-term agricultural projections.
• Weather assessments and real-time yield intelligence:
  The OCE meteorologists develop regular weather assessments to support World Agricultural Supply and demand estimates and briefs Department leadership of weather impacting both international and domestic crop production.  This group is housed within OCE’s WAOB.
• Economic and policy analysis: 
  The OCE Immediate Office (IO) conducts economic and policy analysis and advises the Secretary on the economic impacts of market developments, program changes, legislative proposals, key U.S. trade initiatives and agricultural labor issues. IO staff also coordinate sustainable development and Food Loss and Waste activities of the Department.
• Risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis of regulations:
  OCE’s Office of Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analysis (ORACBA) reviews major regulations proposed by USDA to ensure that they are based on sound scientific and economic analysis.
• Development and coordination of USDA policy on pest management: 
  The Office of Pest Management Policy (OPMP) develops and coordinates USDA policy on pesticides, biotechnology, integrated pest management, and related topics.
• Policy analysis and assessments on energy, environmental markets, and climate change: 
  The Office of Energy and Environmental Policy (OEEP) serves as a focal point for the Department’s energy, environmental markets, and climate change activities, conducting analysis and assessment to ensure that USDA and the people we serve are positioned to meet future challenges and opportunities.