Blog

Bats aren’t just hanging around here for the boo’s. They play an irreplaceable role in our ecosystems.

Water is critical in space. This is especially true for NASA’s planned long-term space missions, replete with on-board farming. At roughly 8.34 pounds per gallon, getting enough H2O aboard ship to irrigate crops and sustain astronauts is expensive, as every pound carried to space requires additional fuel, which incurs additional costs.

Last week, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) began collecting data for its first ever Hemp Acreage and Production Survey. Hemp is a commodity that can be used for numerous industrial and horticultural purposes, including fabric, food products, cosmetics, and more. Yet, there is no comprehensive, national production data for it. That’s where NASS comes in.

Megan Helsel was always interested in wildlife, especially wild birds. When she was working at a veterinary clinic, she met a client who was wearing a USDA APHIS t-shirt and struck up a conversation. “I didn’t know anything about the agency,” Megan said, “but once I learned about it, I was immediately interested.”

Join Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) Pesticide Data Program (PDP) in celebrating their 30^th anniversary! Since 1991, the program has monitored pesticide residues in the U.S. food supply, with a focus on sampling foods most consumed by infants and children.

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) celebrates the achievements and contributions of the Hispanic community who are helping advance scientific innovation and creating the next generation of leaders in support of our Nation’s food and agricultural system.

Thanks to the NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) program, a coalition of partners including Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) and Sustainable Food Lab are tackling water quality, soil health and greenhouse gas issues in the Midwest.

For people suffering from addiction, the chances of recovery are oftentimes only as good as the care they receive. And for decades, the Boxwood Recovery Center in Culpeper, Virginia struggled to provide the high-quality care it was capable of, as it operated out of a deteriorating former roadside motel and restaurant.

Before coming to the USDA National Organic Program (NOP), Laura Gallagher worked on farms and with community gardening organizations in the Midwest and Northeast providing training and education. Now Laura helps NOP manage the Organic Integrity Learning Center (OILC) and the Human Capital Capacity Building Initiative to help build the future of the organic workforce.

October is National Pork Month! America’s pork producers play a major role in feeding the world, and this month we honor their hard work and dedication to providing high quality products to consumers. Collectively, they generate 13% of the world’s pork supply, making the United States the world’s third largest producer and consumer of pork products.