Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Department of Agriculture

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture ("USDA" or "Department"), with the concurrence of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE), is issuing this final rule for attorneys of USDA's Office of the General Counsel (OGC). The final rule supplements the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (OGE Standards) issued by OGE by revising the Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Department of Agriculture (USDA Supplemental Ethics Regulations) concerning the outside practice of law by USDA OGC attorneys. To more fully address ethical issues unique to OGC attorneys, the final rule imposes additional restrictions on the outside practice of law, subject to certain exceptions.