The National Appeals Division (NAD) of the U. S. Department of Agriculture was established by the Secretary of Agriculture on October 20, 1994 by Secretary's Memorandum 1010-1, pursuant to the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (P. L. 103-354, section 271 et seq. (October 13, 1994). The Act consolidated the appellate functions and staffs of several USDA Agencies to provide for independent hearings and reviews of adverse Agency decisions. NAD's organizational structure was approved by the Secretary on May 14, 1996, and interim final regulations governing NAD appeals were published on December 29, 1995.

NAD is responsible for all administrative appeals arising from program activities of assigned Agencies, as well as such other administrative appeals arising from decisions of Agencies of USDA designated by the Secretary. NAD appeals involve program decisions of the Farm Service Agency, Risk Management Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Development Service, Rural Housing Service, and the Rural Utilities Service.

Last Modified: 04/14/2016