USDA

USDA - Latest News Releases

The Southern Region Grows a Delicious Slice of the Nation’s Agricultural Pie

    The Southern Region of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, is home to nearly 144,000 farming operations that produce a variety of commodities. Agriculture is deeply rooted in the region and has shaped it into an area known for its warm hospitality and delicious comfort food. What better embodies Southern hospitality than a freshly baked slice of pie?

    USDA Celebrates Students as They Return to School

      Once again, the summer break came and went in a blink of an eye. As we enter the time of year when students return to the classroom, all of us at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offer encouragement at every step of the journey.

      USDA Enhances Market Coverage in Retail Outlets

        Each week USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) publishes a series of retail reports through our Market News service that reflect advertised prices for products being featured to consumers at grocery stores across the country. We recently transitioned our retail reports covering red meats, poultry, and eggs to the My Market News platform, which allows users to filter and customize the information to meet their individual needs. This is part of an ongoing effort to modernize the AMS market reporting data collection and delivery system to improve the customer experience.

        1890 National Scholar’s Roots Run Deep in Agriculture

          When Kiera Sherrod was young, her grandfather often came to her house in Albany, Georgia to plant crops in her parents’ backyard for her family to maintain and harvest. This ritual also sparked the beginning of his granddaughter’s interest in agriculture.

          Unlocking a Workforce Superpower: L'Tonya Davis Reveals How Innovation Through Inclusion Drives Success at VBA Symposium

            The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is advancing its leadership in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) across the federal sector. On August 22, 2024, L'Tonya Davis, USDA’s first permanent Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, addressed HR professionals at the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Training for Excellence Symposium. This year’s event, themed "To the Stars and Beyond," focused on equipping 1,000 HR leaders with the skills needed to address the evolving needs of the nation’s Veterans.

            USDA Thinks Outside the Box at Inaugural Innovation Event

              How can the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) build on innovation to better support sustainable American agriculture? Tackling that complex question was the driving force behind our inaugural USDA Innovation Symposium. USDA’s diverse mission requirements in technology and tools make creativity essential in leveraging today’s challenges into opportunities for innovation.

              CAPAL Intern Driven to Change Food Insecurity

                Nichole Espineli is studying for her master’s degree at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her determination, borne from her personal experience with food insecurity, led her to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) internship this past summer with the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

                Reflections from the Road in Pennsylvania: Charting the Path Forward with Urban Agriculture and the Next Generation

                  Last month I attended the Northeast Regional Equity Convening hosted by the USDA and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture on July 18, 2024. This was a unique opportunity to interact with fresh voices and discuss charged and meaningful topics like urban agriculture and nutrition sovereignty.

                  Dr. Jennie L. Stephens: Advocating for Heirs’ Property and the Future of Family Land

                    For nearly 20 years, Dr. Jennie L. Stephens has been a champion in breaking down barriers so that families can build generational wealth and grow working landscapes with their inherited property. South Carolina’s Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation (CHPP™), where Equity Commission Agriculture Subcommittee member Dr. Jennie L. Stephens serves as CEO, helps historically underserved families who jointly own land that is vulnerable to disposition and underutilization.

                    Young Producers Boost Great Lakes Agriculture

                      The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) Great Lakes Region encompasses Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio – three states with a significant impact on U.S. agriculture and a healthy crop of young producers.

                      USDA - Latest News Releases

                      The Southern Region Grows a Delicious Slice of the Nation’s Agricultural Pie

                        The Southern Region of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, is home to nearly 144,000 farming operations that produce a variety of commodities. Agriculture is deeply rooted in the region and has shaped it into an area known for its warm hospitality and delicious comfort food. What better embodies Southern hospitality than a freshly baked slice of pie?

                        USDA Celebrates Students as They Return to School

                          Once again, the summer break came and went in a blink of an eye. As we enter the time of year when students return to the classroom, all of us at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offer encouragement at every step of the journey.

                          USDA Enhances Market Coverage in Retail Outlets

                            Each week USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) publishes a series of retail reports through our Market News service that reflect advertised prices for products being featured to consumers at grocery stores across the country. We recently transitioned our retail reports covering red meats, poultry, and eggs to the My Market News platform, which allows users to filter and customize the information to meet their individual needs. This is part of an ongoing effort to modernize the AMS market reporting data collection and delivery system to improve the customer experience.

                            1890 National Scholar’s Roots Run Deep in Agriculture

                              When Kiera Sherrod was young, her grandfather often came to her house in Albany, Georgia to plant crops in her parents’ backyard for her family to maintain and harvest. This ritual also sparked the beginning of his granddaughter’s interest in agriculture.

                              Unlocking a Workforce Superpower: L'Tonya Davis Reveals How Innovation Through Inclusion Drives Success at VBA Symposium

                                The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is advancing its leadership in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) across the federal sector. On August 22, 2024, L'Tonya Davis, USDA’s first permanent Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, addressed HR professionals at the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Training for Excellence Symposium. This year’s event, themed "To the Stars and Beyond," focused on equipping 1,000 HR leaders with the skills needed to address the evolving needs of the nation’s Veterans.

                                USDA Thinks Outside the Box at Inaugural Innovation Event

                                  How can the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) build on innovation to better support sustainable American agriculture? Tackling that complex question was the driving force behind our inaugural USDA Innovation Symposium. USDA’s diverse mission requirements in technology and tools make creativity essential in leveraging today’s challenges into opportunities for innovation.

                                  CAPAL Intern Driven to Change Food Insecurity

                                    Nichole Espineli is studying for her master’s degree at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her determination, borne from her personal experience with food insecurity, led her to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) internship this past summer with the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

                                    Reflections from the Road in Pennsylvania: Charting the Path Forward with Urban Agriculture and the Next Generation

                                      Last month I attended the Northeast Regional Equity Convening hosted by the USDA and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture on July 18, 2024. This was a unique opportunity to interact with fresh voices and discuss charged and meaningful topics like urban agriculture and nutrition sovereignty.

                                      Dr. Jennie L. Stephens: Advocating for Heirs’ Property and the Future of Family Land

                                        For nearly 20 years, Dr. Jennie L. Stephens has been a champion in breaking down barriers so that families can build generational wealth and grow working landscapes with their inherited property. South Carolina’s Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation (CHPP™), where Equity Commission Agriculture Subcommittee member Dr. Jennie L. Stephens serves as CEO, helps historically underserved families who jointly own land that is vulnerable to disposition and underutilization.

                                        Young Producers Boost Great Lakes Agriculture

                                          The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) Great Lakes Region encompasses Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio – three states with a significant impact on U.S. agriculture and a healthy crop of young producers.

                                          USDA - Latest Blog Posts

                                          The Southern Region Grows a Delicious Slice of the Nation’s Agricultural Pie

                                            The Southern Region of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, is home to nearly 144,000 farming operations that produce a variety of commodities. Agriculture is deeply rooted in the region and has shaped it into an area known for its warm hospitality and delicious comfort food. What better embodies Southern hospitality than a freshly baked slice of pie?

                                            USDA Celebrates Students as They Return to School

                                              Once again, the summer break came and went in a blink of an eye. As we enter the time of year when students return to the classroom, all of us at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offer encouragement at every step of the journey.

                                              USDA Enhances Market Coverage in Retail Outlets

                                                Each week USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) publishes a series of retail reports through our Market News service that reflect advertised prices for products being featured to consumers at grocery stores across the country. We recently transitioned our retail reports covering red meats, poultry, and eggs to the My Market News platform, which allows users to filter and customize the information to meet their individual needs. This is part of an ongoing effort to modernize the AMS market reporting data collection and delivery system to improve the customer experience.

                                                1890 National Scholar’s Roots Run Deep in Agriculture

                                                  When Kiera Sherrod was young, her grandfather often came to her house in Albany, Georgia to plant crops in her parents’ backyard for her family to maintain and harvest. This ritual also sparked the beginning of his granddaughter’s interest in agriculture.

                                                  Unlocking a Workforce Superpower: L'Tonya Davis Reveals How Innovation Through Inclusion Drives Success at VBA Symposium

                                                    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is advancing its leadership in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) across the federal sector. On August 22, 2024, L'Tonya Davis, USDA’s first permanent Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, addressed HR professionals at the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Training for Excellence Symposium. This year’s event, themed "To the Stars and Beyond," focused on equipping 1,000 HR leaders with the skills needed to address the evolving needs of the nation’s Veterans.

                                                    USDA Thinks Outside the Box at Inaugural Innovation Event

                                                      How can the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) build on innovation to better support sustainable American agriculture? Tackling that complex question was the driving force behind our inaugural USDA Innovation Symposium. USDA’s diverse mission requirements in technology and tools make creativity essential in leveraging today’s challenges into opportunities for innovation.

                                                      CAPAL Intern Driven to Change Food Insecurity

                                                        Nichole Espineli is studying for her master’s degree at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her determination, borne from her personal experience with food insecurity, led her to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) internship this past summer with the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

                                                        Reflections from the Road in Pennsylvania: Charting the Path Forward with Urban Agriculture and the Next Generation

                                                          Last month I attended the Northeast Regional Equity Convening hosted by the USDA and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture on July 18, 2024. This was a unique opportunity to interact with fresh voices and discuss charged and meaningful topics like urban agriculture and nutrition sovereignty.

                                                          Dr. Jennie L. Stephens: Advocating for Heirs’ Property and the Future of Family Land

                                                            For nearly 20 years, Dr. Jennie L. Stephens has been a champion in breaking down barriers so that families can build generational wealth and grow working landscapes with their inherited property. South Carolina’s Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation (CHPP™), where Equity Commission Agriculture Subcommittee member Dr. Jennie L. Stephens serves as CEO, helps historically underserved families who jointly own land that is vulnerable to disposition and underutilization.

                                                            Young Producers Boost Great Lakes Agriculture

                                                              The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) Great Lakes Region encompasses Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio – three states with a significant impact on U.S. agriculture and a healthy crop of young producers.

                                                              USDA - Latest News Releases

                                                              Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Visits Arizona to Highlight Biden-Harris Administration Investments in Wildfire Resilience and Rural Prosperity

                                                                Marana, ARIZONA, September 12, 2024 – U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today visited two communities in Arizona to highlight U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) investments that protect communities and natural resources from wildfire and drought, expand access to clean energy and create jobs, and build stronger, more resilient communities.

                                                                USDA Invests Nearly $121M in Specialty Crops Research and Organic Agriculture Production

                                                                  WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced an investment of nearly $121 million to advance research and Extension activities that aim to solve key challenges facing specialty crop and organic agriculture producers. The investment includes $70.4 million to support specialty crop production research across the United States and $50.5 million to support farmers and ranchers who grow and market high-quality organic food, fiber and organic products.

                                                                  Biden-Harris Administration Invests $100 Million to Expand Work to Confront the Wildfire Crisis as part of Investing in America Agenda

                                                                    WASHINGTON, September 10, 2024 - Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the Biden-Harris Administration is investing $100 million in 21 new projects to expand work on the USDA Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy to reduce the threat of wildfire in high-risk areas across the country.

                                                                    Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on ERS’ 2024 Farm Sector Income Forecast

                                                                      WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2024 – Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement following the release of the Economic Research Service’s 2024 Farm Sector Income Forecast:

                                                                      “Today’s farm sector income forecast shows that, while the projection shows a decline from the 2022 record high, 2024 is expected to close out a four-year streak of net farm income that’s above the 20-year average. For the prior four years, net farm income was consistently at or below that historic average, even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

                                                                      Biden-Harris Administration Announces $7.3 Billion in Clean Energy Investments from the Investing in America Agenda, Largest Investment in Rural Electrification Since the New Deal

                                                                        WESTBY, WI, Sept. 5, 2024 – During a visit to Wisconsin today, President Joe Biden and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack will announce more than $7.3 billion in financing for rural electric cooperatives to build clean energy for rural communities across the country through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program.

                                                                        Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on the 2023 Household Food Security in the U.S. Report

                                                                          WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2024 - Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service published its annual Household Food Security Report in the United States. The report shows that in 2023, while 86.5 percent of U.S. households were food secure throughout the entire year, the remaining 13.5 percent (18.0 million households) struggled with food availability, quality or variety at least some time during the year.

                                                                          USDA Celebrates New School Meals Options as New School Year Begins

                                                                            WASHINGTON, August 29, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today joined the U.S. Department of Education along with education, parent, and school meal partner organizations to host a virtual pep rally to celebrate the back-to-school season and thank the champions that educate and nourish our nation’s school children.

                                                                            Biden-Harris Administration Invests $140 Million to Lower Energy Costs, Create Jobs in Rural Nevada and Kentucky Communities

                                                                              PAHRUMP, Nev., Aug. 29, 2024 – The Biden-Harris Administration today announced $140 million for clean energy projects in rural Nevada and Kentucky that will lower power bills for households, expand reliable access to clean energy and create jobs for rural families, small businesses and agricultural producers.

                                                                              USDA Releases Updated Guideline to Strengthen Substantiation of Animal-Raising and Environment-Related Claims on Meat and Poultry Labels

                                                                                WASHINGTON, August 28, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today the availability of an updated guideline that makes recommendations to strengthen the documentation that supports animal-raising or environment-related claims on meat or poultry product labeling.

                                                                                Biden-Harris Administration Partners with Farmers to Expand Innovative Domestic Fertilizer Production

                                                                                  BOONE, IA, Aug. 28, 2024 – At the annual Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is partnering with American business owners to expand innovative domestic fertilizer production, creating jobs in rural communities and strengthening local economies.