As part of USDA's electronic government (eGovernment) initiative, you can now log on to the Web and view many USDA program services and details.

The new electronic service, called the Customer Statement, allows you to view your:

• Participation and application status in various conservation programs,

• Payments associated with commodity and conservation programs,

• Information on farm loans, and

• Conservation plan and land unit information.

The Customer Statement will be a focal point for providing ag producers access to their USDA information and facilitating online business with USDA, says Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman.

In the future, farmers and ranchers will be able to cross-reference the data with interactive maps of their operations using geographic information systems (GIS) technology with overlays for roads, soil types, water and other geographic features, Veneman explains.

For security, USDA will issue an ID that will allow only users to see statements and business transactions.

To view the new Customer Statement, visit www.usda.gov and click on Customer Statement.

Also, in August you'll be able to customize USDA's home page for your particular needs. The new site will be called MyUSDA.gov.