USDA
USDA awards $30.1 million for food safety, plant research
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the award of $30.1 million in competitive grants to fund 80 research projects to improve food safety, reduce antibiotic resistance in food, and increase the resilience of plants in the face of climate change,... more »
USDA bee genebank will preserve genetic diversity
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is organizing a national bee genebank as part of the agency's response to ongoing problems facing the country's beekeepers. Average losses of managed honey bee colonies have increased to more than 30... more »
USDA’s GroupGAP program set to launch this spring
GroupGAP, a new certification option for USDA’s Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) audit program, is designed to make GAP certification more accessible to small and medium-size producers. The program allows multiple growers to work together to... more »
USDA extends microloans program to farmland purchases, upgrades
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin offering farm ownership microloans, creating a new financing avenue for farmers to buy and improve property. These microloans will help beginning or... more »
USDA: $3.8 million available for organic farming research
USDA announced the availability of $3.8 million to support research, education, and extension projects that will assist current organic producers and those transitioning into organic farming. The funding is available through the Organic Transitions Program,... more »
USDA report: No safety concern for pesticide residues on U.S. food
The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has posted data from the 2014 Pesticide Data Program (PDP) Annual Summary, which confirms that overall pesticide chemical residues found on the foods tested are at levels below the... more »
USDA awards $3 million for robotics research
The USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has announced $3 million in grants to advance the use of co-robots that benefit and assist stakeholders in America’s production agriculture field. These three grants are... more »
Produce industry reacts to new USDA dietary guidelines
The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services recently released the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The recommendations focus on five overarching guidelines and what foods to consume more or less of. Here are... more »
HHS, USDA release new dietary guidelines
HHS and USDA have released the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The 8th edition of the Dietary Guidelines includes five overarching guidelines and suggestions on foods Americans should consume. The guidelines focus on the variety... more »
USDA expands organic assessment exemption
The USDA recently issued a final rule to expand the exemption for certified organic products from assessments collected by the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). The rule will be effective on Feb. 29. As directed... more »
