USDA Blog

Gloria Gonzalez has humble beginnings in Mexico where, as a child, she lived in a home made by her grandmother out of river rocks and mud. The dream of living in a safe, sturdy home wouldn’t become reality until moving to the United States.

To be competitive in today’s marketplace, U.S. cattle producers and everyone in the supply chain need reliable data to make informed decisions. USDA provides in-depth market data through the Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) program, which delivers critical market intelligence on price trends, as...

What does organic certification really mean for a farm? In Lars Crail’s experience as a central California organic pear farmer turned NOP Accreditation Division Audit Supervisor, going organic transformed his orchard and led to a new career helping others achieve organic success.

Sparrows Point, Md., is home to a sustainable greenhouse that is changing the way we grow produce in cities across America. Gotham Greens’ climate-controlled facility is supplying grocery stores throughout the region with fresh produce such as leafy greens and herbs while using a fraction of the...

USDA is now accepting applications for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) for farmers and ranchers whose operations have been impacted by the current pandemic. Signup closes on December 11. Have you submitted your application? Let’s debunk some common myths that may be holding you...

Meg Miller, executive director of the Peabody Senior-Care Home in Franklin, N.H., was elated to hear that the beloved facility was approved for a $26 million loan from USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program.

Rural areas continue to face unique health care challenges. Among them are a lack of infrastructure, long distances to services, and a qualified health care workforce.

In Rural America, there are many challenges to accessing high-quality healthcare – one of the most significant challenges is physically getting to the locations where a specialist is practicing. Telemedicine is a great tool for rural hospitals, health clinics, and even dental practices to use to...

Family and food are the heart of the Thanksgiving tradition, a time to come together and celebrate everything we are thankful for. The holiday will certainly feel different this year, with the COVID-19 pandemic restricting travel and large gatherings. But that doesn’t mean every tradition should go...

My mom raised five kids, taught high school chemistry for 15 years and then retired back to the family farm in 1986. Her new life on the farm depended on the Salisbury, MD farmers market where she sold daylilies. The farmers market, just one of 8,000 or more markets listed in USDA’s National Farmers...