# Agricultural Research Service

> research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture

**Wikidata**: [Q2827151](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2827151)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_Research_Service)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/agricultural-research-service

## Summary
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the primary in-house scientific research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Established on November 2, 1953, it operates as a federal research institute dedicated to finding solutions to agricultural problems. The agency is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with major facilities located in Beltsville, Maryland.

## Key Facts
- **Inception:** November 2, 1953
- **Parent Organization:** United States Department of Agriculture
- **Instance of:** Research institute, United States federal agency
- **Headquarters:** Jamie L. Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, Washington, D.C., 20250
- **Location:** Prince George's County; Beltsville, Maryland
- **Street Address:** 5601 Sunnyside Ave, Beltsville, MD 20705
- **Coordinates:** 39.0254415, -76.9238976
- **Website:** https://www.ars.usda.gov/
- **Phone:** +1-202-720-3656
- **Fax:** +1-202-720-5427
- **Replaces:** United States Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils, and Agricultural Engineering
- **Field of Work:** Agricultural research
- **Review Score:** 4.3/5 (Glassdoor, 2023)
- **ROR ID:** 02d2m2044
- **GRID ID:** grid.463419.d

## FAQs
### What is the organizational structure of the Agricultural Research Service?
The ARS is subdivided into several geographic and administrative areas, including the Midwest, Northeast, Pacific West, Plains, and Southeast Areas. It also manages major subsidiaries such as the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and the Aquatic Animal Health Research unit.

### What library is associated with the ARS?
The United States National Agricultural Library is a component part of the Agricultural Research Service, serving as its dedicated agricultural library.

### Where is the ARS located?
While the agency is headquartered in the Jamie L. Whitten Building in Washington, D.C., its main operational street address is in Beltsville, Maryland, specifically within Prince George's County.

## Why It Matters
As the USDA's chief scientific in-house research agency, the Agricultural Research Service provides critical infrastructure for agricultural innovation and problem-solving. It functions as a dedicated engine of discovery, focusing purely on generating new knowledge through systematic investigation without the teaching obligations typical of universities. This focus allows for long-term, high-risk research essential for addressing national and global challenges in food security, nutrition, and natural resource management.

## Notable For
- Being the principal research agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Replacing the United States Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils, and Agricultural Engineering in 1953.
- Housing the United States National Agricultural Library as a core component.
- Operating the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, a major research complex.
- Maintaining a strong employee satisfaction rating of 4.3/5 on Glassdoor.
- Having a verified social media presence with over 42,000 Twitter followers and substantial YouTube viewership.

## Body
### Identity and Classification
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is classified as both a research institute and a United States federal agency. It is formally recognized in library and knowledge systems, such as the Library of Congress (Authority ID n79108942) and the German National Library (GND ID 1043538-4). As a research institute, it is an organization whose primary purpose is to conduct research, distinguishing it from universities and think tanks.

### History
The agency was officially established on November 2, 1953. It succeeded the United States Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils, and Agricultural Engineering, taking over its responsibilities and infrastructure.

### Organizational Structure and Components
The ARS is organized into multiple geographic "Areas" and specialized research centers. Key administrative units include:
*   **Regional Areas:** Agricultural Research Service - Midwest Area, Northeast Area, Pacific West Area, Plains Area, and Southeast Area.
*   **Major Centers:** Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and Aquatic Animal Health Research.
*   **Divisions:** Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service.
*   **Key Component:** United States National Agricultural Library.

### Location and Facilities
The ARS maintains its headquarters in the Jamie L. Whitten Building located at 1400 Independence Avenue, Washington, D.C. (Zip Code 20250). Its administrative and operational base is centered in Beltsville, Prince George's County, Maryland, with a street address of 5601 Sunnyside Ave, Beltsville, MD 20705. The geographic coordinates for the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center are 39.0254415°N, -76.9238976°W.

### Digital Presence and Social Media
The agency engages the public and scientific community through various digital channels:
*   **Website:** Official portal at https://www.ars.usda.gov/
*   **Twitter:** Verified account @USDA_ARS with 42,393 followers (as of Feb 2023).
*   **YouTube:** Channel "USDAARS" with 342,305 video views (as of Nov 2025).
*   **Professional:** LinkedIn profile (usda-ars) and Glassdoor page (ID 33074).

### Identifiers and Authority Control
The entity is tracked across numerous international databases:
*   **ISNI:** 0000000404040958
*   **ROR ID:** 02d2m2044
*   **GRID ID:** grid.463419.d
*   **FAST ID:** 537027
*   **Open Funder Registry ID:** 100007917
*   **Bibsys ID:** 1001856
*   **CNKI/CINII Research ID:** 1140000791700310272
*   **Library of Congress Authority ID:** n79108942
*   ** VIAF ID:** 162015220
*   **Aliases:** ARS, USDA ARS, United States Agricultural Research Service, Servicio de Investigacion Agricola, 美国农业研究局.

## References

1. [Federal Register](https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/agricultural-research-service)
2. [Source](https://www.ars.usda.gov/docs/headquarters-information/)
3. Google Maps
4. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/usda-ars/about/)
5. GRID Release 2017-01-10
6. Virtual International Authority File
7. CiNii Research
8. [USA.gov](https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/agricultural-research-service)
9. Research Organisation Registry
10. [US Agricultural Research Service Reviews. Glassdoor](https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/US-Agricultural-Research-Service-Reviews-E33074.htm)
11. [Federal Register](https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/national-agricultural-library)
12. [National Agricultural Library](https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/national-agricultural-library/)
13. [Source](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Beltsville+Agricultural+Research+Center/@39.0254415,-76.9238976,19.67z/)
14. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
15. Trove
16. Google Knowledge Graph
17. X
18. Global Agricultural Concept Space
19. Library of Congress Name Authority File
20. GRID Release 2016-12-06
21. Open Funder Registry
22. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
23. National Agricultural Library Thesaurus
24. YouTube API
25. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
26. HAL
27. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
28. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)