agricultural marketing service

The last few years have seen the U.S. dairy industry weather some storms, including an unprecedented global pandemic and the related supply chain disruptions, which forced producers to dump millions of gallons of milk that no longer had a market. Through it all, USDA continues to support the industry. For this year’s National Dairy Month, we’d like to highlight two major ongoing USDA programs that focus on the dairy industry.

Every year, thousands of farmers, ranchers, and businesses grow and produce organic products – and all these operations are audited by qualified organic inspectors. Organic inspectors visit fields, pastures, or processing plants to conduct annual reviews where they meet with farmers and processors, ask questions, and observe processes. Annual inspections by qualified inspectors strengthen consumer trust in the USDA organic seal and ensure families are getting what they paid for when they choose to buy organic.

Producers, feeders, and other stakeholders who want a better understanding of factors that contribute to the market value of cattle, and how these factors can inform marketing and production decisions, can join us at three upcoming in-person events at the USDA Cattle and Carcass Training Centers (CCTC). These events will help producers learn how they can improve their return on investments in their herds and are open to the public.

In the field and at organic organizations across the U.S., students grew new career skills in summer 2022.

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Purdue University have developed a series of training videos that illustrate proper sanitation assessment techniques to evaluate shell egg processing equipment. While the practices in these videos are required in facilities that have USDA grading, they are valuable for any shell egg facility wishing to learn more about good sanitation techniques.

The 2019 National Farmers Market Survey conducted by the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and the National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) collected data regarding the market practices of managers in 2019 from 10,000 farmers markets. Using trends and statistics found from these efforts, AMS and Wheaton College created five research briefs highlighting results from this survey and sharing insights into the trajectory for farmers markets into the future.

USDA’s Local Food Directories make it easy for customers to find fresh local foods through four local outlets. Recent updates have made the directories easier to use on the go, on your phone or computer. We’ve also launched a new directory for agritourism. As the platform continues to grow, here are a few tips on how to navigate this resource. We especially hope you’ll use it during National Farmers Market Week, when supporting local markets can be a few clicks away.

Across the country, coast to coast, Alaska to Hawaii, farmers markets are providing people with fresh, locally sourced food and bringing communities together.

USDA is focused on building new, more, fairer, and more resilient markets for our farmers, ranchers, and producers. To help get there, USDA published the first of several priority initiatives supporting enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act, which protects poultry growers and livestock producers from unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive practices.

As a fifth-generation farmer, I know how important it is to have access to reliable market data and how little time producers have to search for this information. Thanks to the new USDA Market News Mobile App, accessing this information just got easier.