The Office of External Affairs (OEA) is charged with Farm Service Agency's (FSA) stewardship of Public Affairs, Communications, Congressional Affairs, Field Services, and Executive Correspondence. OEA supports the delivery of programs for the entire agency. These functions include internal partnerships with FSA divisions and offices, as well as external liaison with Congress, farm and agri-business constituencies, agricultural and public media, organizations, and other governmental entities.

Acting on a mandate by the secretary of agriculture to increase active participation by minorities and women in the FSA county committee system, OEA in 2004 developed and implemented a nationwide publicity and outreach campaign to promote the county committee election process to minority producers. Communications activities focused on 300 targeted counties with significant numbers of minority producers. The campaign included letters from the secretary to more than 2,000 community-based organizations and minority groups, brochures, radio public service announcements and paid advertising spots, video news releases, and a Minority Farm Register.

OEA's Washington staff joined with field public affairs specialists to conduct a series of comprehensive communications and media relations seminars for state executive directors (SEDs) and communications coordinators. At regional sessions in Syracuse, New York, St. Louis, Missouri, Nashville, Tennessee and Davis, California, OEA's staff used the latest technology to introduce state executives to on-camera interviews, speech writing and presentations, media training, and crisis management.

OEA also played a major role as the agency began several significant initiatives designed to improve program efficiency, enhance customer service, and modernize program delivery systems throughout the country. OEA staff developed and implemented a successful media campaign to publicize the rollout of the Farm Business Plan, the first major change in the way FSA processes farm loans in more than 50 years. OEA is a charter member of the Budget and Performance Management System (BPMS) Core Team which was charged with developing the strategic plan that will guide the agency through the next six fiscal years. OEA worked with Farm Programs staff to coordinate internal communications on the Modernize and Innovate the Delivery of Agricultural Systems (MIDAS) program.

The OEA provides continuous support for the Office of the Administrator, state and county Offices, the Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (FFAS) mission area, the FFAS deputy secretary, and the secretary.