USDA Blog

It’s eight in the morning, and farmers with hand hoes and buckets have been here for two hours already, weeding and watering their plots before the heat of the day. Over 200 members of the Somali Bantu community of Lewiston, Maine, make the short drive out to Liberation Farms a few times each week...

From an early age, Sarah Baskins had in interest in agriculture. This interest accelerated when she became Merced College Agricultural Business Student of the Year. While studying for her Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Studies and Economics at California State University, Stanislaus...

You could say that Andreya Dupree is flying high with the USDA, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), partially due to being a licensed drone pilot. “USDA was the place that gave me a chance to continue to learn and grow. I've received many opportunities with USDA,” said Dupree.

July 2022 was the third hottest July the country has ever seen, and for staff and faculty from Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Hispanic-Serving School Districts, the sweltering temperatures they were experiencing in Washington, D.C. were no exception. This was not summer vacation. The 20 E...

Dr. Anabel Rodriguez is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health at the University of Texas, San Antonio. Growing up, Dr. Rodriguez lived in Rio Grande City, Texas, with her parents and siblings and worked as a migrant farm worker picking grapes and seasonal produce with...

In May 2022, FNS Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Dr. Patty Bennett joined Maryland Department of Aging Deputy Secretary Bernice Hutchinson and other nutrition partners at Sandtown Winchester Senior Center in West Baltimore to promote “ My Groceries to Go,” the Commodity Supplemental Food Program...

While Todd Corley, senior vice president for Inclusion & Sustainability at Carhartt, didn’t begin his career in the change management or diversity and inclusion fields, the Jesuit concept of cura personalis or the “care of the whole person” certainly motivated his actions and interests. This concept...

Finding infant formula has been stressful for families across the country – especially for those who require specialized formula to meet their baby’s specific health needs. However, from the earliest stages of the shortage, FNS has worked to ensure WIC families have access to the infant formula they...

Over the last two years, we’ve experienced major disruptions in the world of school meals – new realities stemming from pandemic-related school closures and supply chain disruptions which have impacted the cost and availability of food, staff, and supplies. Through it all, our dedicated school...

They called the next participant; a woman and her child exited the waiting area to meet at my desk. I introduced myself and asked, “How are you doing today?” She reluctantly answered, “good” with disinterest in her eyes. I detected a Spanish accent which prompted me to ask which language she...