usda science

Scientists from the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are working shoulder-to-shoulder with food producers to help them feed the world’s growing population. One of their most effective tools is integrating ecological, economic and social principles to help farming systems move toward greater resilience.

Today is World Food Safety Day, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has launched a sweeping new initiative known as the Salmonella Grand Challenge. The project brings together an elite group of ARS, university and food industry scientists from different specialties to fight Salmonella, a foodborne pathogen that sickens over a million Americans each year, sometimes fatally. The challenge complements the work being done by the Food Safety and Inspection Service to develop a more effective strategy to reduce human Salmonella illness linked to poultry.

The U.S. cotton industry contributes 35% of the cotton exported globally.

Dr. Aaron Dossey has taken what began as a Facebook hobby of photographing insects and turned it into a successful research business, thanks in part to funding from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA’s) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

We are at a pivotal moment for USDA and U.S. agriculture.

Americans love their shrimp. No matter how you eat them, by pounds consumed, the popularity of these delectable little morsels ranks well ahead of salmon and more than doubles that of canned tuna.

Members of the United States Armed Forces sacrifice so much to keep us safe and protect our country. Every May Americans recognize their efforts and express gratitude during Military Appreciation Month. At USDA, we also celebrate the contributions that our Military members have made to agriculture and farming.

Nearly 300 of the nation’s best and brightest young people were in Washington, D.C., last week to attend the 2023 National 4-H Conference, hosted by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). With the theme of “From Youth Success to the Future’s Best,” 4-H delegates in attendance represented 43 states, two U.S. territories and 57 Land-grant Universities (LGUs).

We see them every time we purchase fresh fruits and vegetables: price look up (PLU) labels. The little coin-size stickers are stuck to everything from apples, bananas, and cantaloupes to watermelons, yams, and zucchini.

Feeding a world population estimated to exceed 9 billion by 2050 will require significant increases in agricultural production, yet those increases must be sustainable solutions that protect the world’s natural resources. As USDA’s primary extramural funding agency, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) invests in research, education and Extension efforts to ensure a secure food supply while protecting and enhancing the world’s natural resources.