National Appeals Division
Our sole mission is to conduct impartial administrative appeals hearings of adverse program decisions by the following USDA agencies: the Farm Service Agency, the Risk Management Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Rural Housing Agency, the Rural Business Cooperative Service, and the Rural Utilities Service.
Anyone who disagrees with an agency program decision can resolve their dispute by filing an appeal with NAD and receiving a hearing. A NAD hearing provides an opportunity for an appellant to present their case, including any new evidence, before an independent Administrative Judge (AJ). The AJ reviews the facts and evidence presented and determines if the agency decision was in error.
The National Appeals Division’s Headquarters Office is located in Alexandria, Virginia with regional offices located in: Indianapolis, Indiana (Eastern Regional Office); Cordova, Tennessee (Southern Regional Office); and Lakewood, Colorado (Western Regional Office).
The National Appeals Division exists to conduct impartial administrative appeals hearings and reviews of adverse program decisions made by officers, employees or committees of designated agencies of the Department of Agriculture.
- Organization
NAD Locations
The National Appeals Division’s Headquarters Office is located in Alexandria, Virginia with regional offices located in: Indianapolis, Indiana (Eastern Regional Office); Cordova, Tennessee (Southern Regional Office); and Lakewood, Colorado (Western Regional Office).
Organizational Chart
Organizational Roles
Director
The Director is responsible for managing the work assigned to the Division, recommends Administrative Judges (AJ) for Secretary of Agriculture appointment, issues final determinations as to whether a decision is appealable, reviews AJ determinations, and may reconsider a review determination.Deputy Director
The Deputy Director is a career civil servant who assists the Director in all aspects of developing, managing and directing a comprehensive appeals program for NAD. The Deputy Director shares in the supervisory authority for setting and implementing the Division’s long-range plans, staffing, budget, and overall administrative objectives. The Deputy Director has been delegated authority by the Director to make final appealability decisions, review determinations, and reconsider review determinations.Supervisory Appeals Officer
The Supervisory Appeals Officer (SAO) is responsible for supervising and monitoring the review process of appellant cases filed with NAD. The SAO verifies regulatory and statutory references are accurate, timeframes are met, and review determinations prepared in accordance with Department and Division policies. The SAO supervises the Appeals Officers.Regional Director
Three Regional Directors oversee a regional staff of Administrative Judges and administrative personnel to ensure that appeals meet statutory and administrative time frames, manage all administrative and operational functions for that region, and provide oversight for the appeal case management process. As Regional Directors, they share the responsibility for accomplishment of the Division’s administrative requirements.- Director's Welcome
Welcome to the National Appeals Division (NAD) website.
NAD is an office that reports directly to the Secretary of Agriculture and is, by law, independent from the direction and control of any other agency within USDA. Our sole mission is to conduct impartial administrative appeals hearings of adverse program decisions by the following USDA agencies: the Farm Service Agency, the Risk Management Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Rural Housing Agency, the Rural Business Cooperative Service, and the Rural Utilities Service.
Anyone who disagrees with an agency program decision can resolve their dispute by filing an appeal with NAD and receiving a hearing. A NAD hearing provides an opportunity for an appellant to present their case, including any new evidence, before an independent Administrative Judge (AJ). The AJ reviews the facts and evidence presented and determines if the agency decision was in error.
On this website, you’ll find everything you need to know about NAD, from how and where to file an appeal to searching previous NAD decisions for reference. It’s designed to be user-friendly so you can find your way around easily and obtain information quickly. You can read about filing an appeal and how to contact us.
You can also view our introduction and appeal process videos on USDA's YouTube channel.
Frank M. Wood
Director
- Administration Biographies
Frank M. Wood
Director, USDA National Appeals DivisionJennifer Nicholson
Deputy Director, USDA National Appeals DivisionJeffrey P. Wilcox
Supervisory Appeals Officer, USDA National Appeals DivisionDuane A. Sinclair
Regional Director – Eastern Region, USDA National Appeals DivisionTezra O. Woody
Regional Director – Southern Region, USDA National Appeals DivisionJoli Liebrock
Regional Director – Western Region, USDA National Appeals Division- Strategic Plan
Download the Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) Strategic Plan (PDF, 1.6 MB)
- Reports
Equitable Relief Reports
Each year the Secretary of Agriculture is required to submit a report to Congress describing the number of requests for equitable relief that producers filed pursuant to sections 1613(b) and (e) and section 278(d) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 during the previous calendar year and their disposition.
The annual reports (PDF) can be found here 2021 (PDF, 104 KB), 2020, 2019.
