USDA
USDA toolkit provides resources for urban farmers
The USDA has unveiled the Urban Agriculture Toolkit, a new resource created by USDA's Know Your Farmer team to help entrepreneurs and community leaders create jobs and increase access to healthy food through urban agriculture. Industry... more »
Loans available for portable storage, handling equipment
USDA will provide a new financing option to help farmers purchase portable storage and handling equipment. Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini and Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Administrator Elanor Starmer announced changes to the Farm... more »
USDA funds assist farmers with environmental assurance
USDSA is making financial assistance available to Michigan farmers seeking to have their operations environmentally verified through the Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP). MAEAP is a voluntary program created in Michigan that allows producers to... more »
Engineers work on better blueberry picker
Industrial engineers from Penn State are part of a nine-university, four-year, $4.75 million collaborative research project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) focused on increasing the efficiency of blueberry production in the United... more »
Protecting organic integrity through enforcement
The mission of the National Organic Program (NOP) – part of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service – is to protect the integrity of the USDA organic seal. Consumers look for and trust the organic seal because they... more »
USDA to fund food safety programs for small farms
USDA has made $4.7 million available in grants for food safety education, training, and technical assistance projects that address the needs of owners and operators of small to mid-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors,... more »
USDA to buy Maine wild blueberries
USDA has agreed to purchase 30 million pounds of wild blueberries from Maine blueberry growers, The Associated Press reports. The Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine... more »
USDA conducting first local foods survey
The USDA has begun conducting the 2015 Local Food Marketing Practices Survey. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is conducting this first-time survey to produce official benchmark data on the local food sector in the United States. The... more »
Andean blackberry, raspberry can be imported from Ecuador
USDA APHIS is amending the “Fruit and Vegetables” regulations to allow the importation of fresh Andean blackberry (Rubus glaucus Benth) and raspberry (Rubus idaeus Linnaeus) fruit from Ecuador into the continental United States under a... more »
USDA launches new GroupGAP program
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced the official launch of GroupGAP, a new certification program that helps small and mid-sized growers and cooperatives meet retailers' on-farm food safety requirements. "We know that GAP certification can... more »
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IFTA Yakima Valley tour provides orchard insights
IFTA recognizes tree fruit honorees
Pennsylvania recognizes fruit industry professionals
Fresh Views 40 Under 40
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