How to cite the USDA website in MLA?

November 24, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the MLA Style Center, government documents should be treated like any other organizational author, making accurate source citation crucial for academic integrity. Learning how to cite the USDA website in MLA format is an essential skill for any student or researcher utilizing government data, reports, or articles for their work. This guide will walk you through the proper steps, from identifying key information to creating your Works Cited entry.

Quick Summary

A guide to citing USDA website resources in MLA format. It explains how to build a Works Cited entry and in-text citation for various document types found on the United States Department of Agriculture website, including webpages, reports, and datasets.

Key Points

Corporate Author: Treat the U.S. Department of Agriculture or its specific agencies as the author for many USDA website resources.
No Specific Author: If no individual or agency author is identified, begin the citation with the title of the webpage or document.
Include the Publisher: Always include the publisher, which in this case is the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Format Page Titles: Enclose the specific webpage or article title in quotation marks and italicize the website name, USDA.
Essential Information: A complete Works Cited entry for a USDA webpage includes the author (if applicable), page title, website title, publisher, date, and URL.
In-Text Citations: In-text citations should use a shortened form of the corporate author (e.g., United States, Dept. of Agriculture) or a truncated webpage title in quotation marks.

General Principles for Citing Government Websites

Before diving into specific examples for the USDA website, it's helpful to understand the general rules for citing government sources in MLA. The core principle involves identifying the publishing government entity and the specific document or webpage title. The USDA, as a government body, serves as the organizational author for many of its publications and website pages. The Works Cited entry will typically begin with the government agency's name, followed by the specific title of the page or document.

Identifying Key Information for USDA Citations

To build a complete citation for a USDA resource, you need to gather specific pieces of information. Often, you will need to look closely at the webpage to find these details.

Author: The author is often the United States Department of Agriculture itself, or a specific agency within it (e.g., Natural Resources Conservation Service, Economic Research Service). Sometimes, a specific author may be named for an article or report. If no individual or agency is listed, assume the broader government body is the author.
Title of Page or Document: This is the specific heading for the information you are citing. It should be placed in quotation marks.
Title of Website: The overarching website is typically the official website name, which should be italicized. For the USDA, this is often "USDA" or "United States Department of Agriculture".
Publication Date: Look for a date near the top or bottom of the page, or within the document's metadata. If none is available, you may omit it from your Works Cited entry, though including the access date is always a good practice.
URL: The full URL is necessary to direct your reader to the source. It should not be shortened.

Citing Different USDA Resource Types

Citing a General USDA Webpage

For a standard webpage on the USDA site with no specific individual author, the format is as follows:

Format: Title of Webpage. Title of Website, Publisher, Publication Date, URL.
Example: "About the U.S. Department of Agriculture." USDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture, www.usda.gov/about-usda. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Citing a USDA Report or Publication

Many USDA reports, such as those from the Economic Research Service (ERS), can be cited using this format, treating the specific report as a separate container or, more simply, as the titled item.

Format: Author. Title of Document. Publisher, Publication Date, URL.
Example: United States, Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. Rural America at a Glance: 2024 Edition. U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2024, www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=113038. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Citing USDA Data or Datasets

When citing a specific table or dataset from the USDA, you should provide as much information as possible, referencing the specific table name.

Format: Author. "Table/Dataset Name." Title of Dataset, Publication Date, URL.
Example: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. "Farm Household Income and Characteristics." ERS Farm Income and Wealth Statistics, 2024, www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/farm-income-and-wealth-statistics/farm-household-income-and-characteristics. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Comparison of USDA Citation Scenarios

This table illustrates the key differences in formatting when handling various USDA sources in an MLA Works Cited entry. Remember to start with the item's title if no specific author is identified.


Scenario	Works Cited Entry Format	In-Text Citation	Notes
USDA webpage with no specific author	"Title of Page." USDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture, [Date], [URL]. Accessed [Date].	("Title of Page")	Use a shortened version of the webpage title in the parenthetical citation.
USDA webpage with agency author	United States, Department of Agriculture, [Agency]. "Title of Page." USDA, [Date], [URL]. Accessed [Date].	(United States, Dept. of Agriculture, [Agency])	For government bodies, list the country first, then the department.
USDA report with identified author	Author Last, First. Title of Report. U.S. Department of Agriculture, [Date], [URL].	(Author Last)	Use the specific author's last name for in-text citation.

In-Text Citations

An in-text citation is a parenthetical reference within your paper that points to the full citation in your Works Cited list. For USDA sources, this will often involve the corporate author (USDA) or a shortened version of the title.

With corporate author: Use the agency's name in the text or in parentheses. For example: The USDA reported a significant increase in agricultural exports (United States, Dept. of Agriculture).
No author listed: Use a shortened version of the webpage title in quotation marks. For example: A recent report outlines new food safety guidelines ("Food Safety Guidelines").

For more advanced guidance, consult the MLA's official style website for specific cases and updates. MLA Style Center

Conclusion

Citing the USDA website in MLA format requires attention to detail, but the process becomes straightforward once you identify the type of source and its key components. Whether you are referencing a general webpage, a detailed report, or a specific dataset, the core practice remains consistent: begin with the author (individual or corporate), include the specific page or document title, follow with the container (the website name), and provide the URL. By following these clear guidelines, you can ensure your research papers accurately credit the authoritative government data and information from the United States Department of Agriculture.

Frequently Asked Questions

The basic format for a USDA webpage is: "Title of Webpage." USDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Day Month Year, URL. Include the access date if there is no publication date.

If no specific author is listed, begin the Works Cited entry with the title of the webpage in quotation marks. Do not use 'Anonymous.' For the publisher, use 'U.S. Department of Agriculture'.

While the access date is now optional in MLA 9th edition, it is highly recommended to include it, especially for online sources that might change over time, like government websites.

If you refer to the USDA in your sentence, no parenthetical citation is needed. Otherwise, use the corporate author, or a shortened title of the page in parentheses: (United States, Dept. of Agriculture) or ("Shortened Title").

For a specific agency report, list the United States, Department of Agriculture, and the agency name as the author. Then, provide the title of the report, the publisher (U.S. Department of Agriculture), the date, and the URL.

A corporate author is a group, institution, or organization that is responsible for creating a work. For government websites, this is the government entity, such as the United States Department of Agriculture.

Yes, when citing a U.S. government document, begin the Works Cited entry with 'United States' to indicate the national government level.