farmers

In Alaska, where most food is imported, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is helping local Alaskans and Alaska Natives grow their own fresh food. As a 2022 recipient of a USDA 2501 grant, the Kodiak Archipelago Leadership Institute (KALI) is expanding access to USDA programs and connecting farmers to USDA resources and technical assistance.

Uncle Jerry’s Farm, LLC.’s humble beginnings stretch back to 2015, when a health-conscious consumer, Debora Coleman, decided to devote a small patch of her land on the outskirts of Jackson, Mississippi, to the growing shiitake mushrooms. She shared the yield with friends and family members. Consequently, each year the demand for such grew. This spurred her interest in efficient production and scientific approaches to small-scale farming.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proud to support successful partnerships that pave the way for meaningful outreach and access to services for underserved communities. In Hawaii, USDA is helping multiple partners come together to provide language-appropriate outreach to Thai, Lao, Ilocano, Chinese, and other immigrant farmers. Funding is made through USDA’s Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program, also known as the 2501 Program.

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.

Fifty years after the creation of National Agriculture Day, America’s farmers, ranchers and private forestland owners find themselves on the front lines of climate change. They are uniquely positioned to deliver solutions by implementing climate-smart practices that conserve natural resources, build healthier soils, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and sequester carbon.

On the brinks of Beaufort, South Carolina, lies the brimming, remote island of St. Helena where the Gullah farmers are hard at work. For years, the Gullah Geechee community, an African American ethnic group located in the low region of the U.S., have struggled to make a living off their biggest asset: their land.

Working in partnership with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), farmers are using proven conservation practices to help improve water quality downstream. Our customers are stewards of our nation’s farmland, voluntarily stepping up to the plate to make an impact. They are improving the natural resources in their communities while at the same time boosting the health of their operations for the future.

This month, I had the opportunity to travel to New Paltz, New York and visit with Peter Ferrante of Wallkill View Farm. Mr. Ferrante received funding through USDA Rural Development’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) to install a solar array on the rooftop of his farmers market in the Hudson Valley. REAP provides financing for renewable energy systems and can help agricultural producers or rural small businesses improve energy efficiency with new equipment and systems.

On a beautiful day, the Blaser Family welcomes visitors to their dairy farm in Oconto County, Wisconsin. They are hosting a “Breakfast on the Farm” event, where visitors enjoy eggs and pancakes. Tractors pull trailers touring this 1800-acre property, showcasing crops and cows.

Climate change is causing greater environmental and economic challenges for U.S. agriculture. But did you know that soil health practices can help working farmlands become more resilient to climate extremes?