Research And Science

Last month I attended the Northeast Regional Equity Convening hosted by the USDA and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture on July 18, 2024. This was a unique opportunity to interact with fresh voices and discuss charged and meaningful topics like urban agriculture and nutrition sovereignty.

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) Great Lakes Region encompasses Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio – three states with a significant impact on U.S. agriculture and a healthy crop of young producers.

Oklahoma and Texas form one of the nation’s most abundant agricultural regions. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, these two states accounted for 8% of total U.S. agricultural sales. The market value of agricultural products from Texas came to $32.2 billion, 6% of U.S. agricultural sales. In Oklahoma, the market value of agricultural sales reached $8.5 billion, 2% of total U.S. agricultural sales.

The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris are underway and athletes from around the world are competing for medals in individual events ranging from archery to wrestling and team events from artistic swimming to water polo. Becoming an Olympian requires more than natural ability, it takes proper coaching, endless practice, perseverance, and, of course, good nutrition. A common thread that connects top-notch athletes from around the globe is eating a healthy balance of foods.

From the big skies of Montana to the peaks of the Rocky Mountains to the white sand deserts of New Mexico, the diverse terrain of the Mountain Region presents unique challenges and great opportunities for the region’s 125,938 farms covering a vast 191.7 million acres of land.

Did you know, the United States is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of corn in the world? In 2022, corn and soybeans accounted for more than half of the U.S. crop cash receipts—totaling $148.5 billion. This is in no small part thanks to the Heartland Region states of Illinois and Missouri.

When people think about Wisconsin agriculture, they immediately think of Wisconsin as a leader in dairy farms and cheese production. As of December 31, 2022, Wisconsin had 6,216 dairy farms, and in 2022 Wisconsin produced just over 5.2 billion pounds of cheese.

When I sat down to speak with Mari Gomez, Chief of Staff at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), my first question was, “tell me about your career journey, including any roles you had before USDA.”

The first full week of May is Public Service Recognition Week—a time to honor the dedicated people who serve our country every day. USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area is home to more than 8,500 public servants, who are some of the best and brightest mind in agriculture science.

Natural beauty, vibrant cities and diverse ecosystems make up USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service’s Northwest Region, which includes Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. With its temperate northern climate, it’s no surprise that the region is diverse in crops and livestock. With the 2022 Census of Agriculture, we discovered more about these agricultural treasures in the Northwest Region.