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Blog Archives

Explore the Science Behind the Magic of Fall Colors

Ashville DC House
Fall colors from a terrace of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. The Pisgah National Forest is in the background. Photo by Robert Westover.

With a pandemic raging around the world, drastically altering so many lives, it’s hard to believe that any good can come from such chaos.

Connecting Veterans with the Lands for which they Fought

Millions visit America’s public lands every year to have fun and get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. In fact, spending time in nature can be truly restorative and research shows that nature and green spaces have a positive effect on human health and wellbeing. Veterans, especially, may benefit from nature-based therapies on public lands to relieve stress and symptoms of trauma endured during their time in service.

Educational Resources that will Inspire Your Family to Learn and Practice Food Safety at Home

You’re working from home and facing constant interruption by your child who needs help with a chore, schoolwork, or preparing a snack. Sound familiar? Many of us are wearing several hats: the working-at-home professional, the teacher, and the child entertainer.

RD’s ReConnect Program: Supporting Agricultural Innovation by Bridging the Digital Divide

Often when we think of rural broadband, we think about how internet access has revolutionized the way Americans consume media, conduct business, learn, and receive medical care via telemedicine. Over the last two decades, USDA has been making significant progress in connecting rural communities to the same telecommunications infrastructure enjoyed by their urban counterparts. However, the untapped potential of high-speed broadband also extends into the new technologies farmers and ranchers use to feed and clothe the world.

Test Your Children’s Food Safety Knowledge Before Letting Them Have the Run of the Kitchen

September is Food Safety Education Month and it’s a perfect time to test your children’s food safety knowledge before you let them take over your kitchen. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, many children have spent more time at home – and visited the kitchen numerous times a day.

Automation Helps Solve Specialty Crop Challenges

With support from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Multistate Research Fund, researchers at 17 land-grant universities are working together to develop automated systems that work well for labor-intensive specialty crops like fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery plants. A multi-state collaborative approach lifts the burden of research and development from a single specialty crop sector and spurs major advances.

Scholarly Pursuits

Established in 1992, the 1890 National Scholars Program is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the 1890 Land-Grant Universities. College students accepted into the program receive valuable on-the-job training with USDA agencies and are often eligible for conversion to full-time employment after successful completion of degree requirements.