The United States Secretary of Agriculture Honor Awards are open to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees at all grade levels and private citizens in recognition of honorees contribution to USDA strategic goals, mission objectives, and overall management excellence.

To qualify for an award the candidate must be nominated in one of the many categories by their respective institution.

Some categories in the past were as follows:

• Secretary’s Award for assisting rural communities in creating prosperity so they are self-sustaining, repopulating and economically thriving.
• Secretary’s Award for ensuring our National forests and private working lands are conserved, restored and made more resilient to climate change, while enhancing our water resources.
• Secretary’s Award for helping America promote sustainable agricultural production and biotechnology exports as America works to increase food security.
• Secretary’s Awards for ensuring that all of America’s children have access to safe, nutritious, and balanced meals.
• Secretary’s Award for Management Excellence (USDA employees only).
• Secretary’s Award for Personal and Professional Excellence.
• Secretary’s Award for Support Service (USDA employees only).
• Secretary’s Award for Heroism and Emergency Response (USDA employees only).
• Secretary’s Award for Diversity and Inclusion (USDA employees only).
• Secretary’s Award for Labor-Management Collaboration (Labor-Management Groups that work with USDA).

For more detailed descriptions of each award click here

Website:

http://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/31757.wba