U.S. Department of Agriculture

AMS announced today it is awarding over $10M in funding through the Acer Access and Development Program, the Federal State Marketing Improvement Program & the Micro-Grants for Food Security Program

https://www.ams.usda.gov/press-release/usda-awards-over-10-million-funding-strengthen-markets-us-agricultural-products-and

Looking for some inspiration for your garden? Consider a “permaculture guild,” a team of plants that work together to benefit everyone. A guild mimics nature’s diversity by including a variety of trees, shrubs, and food plants that create healthy soil, save water, and attract beneficial insects.

Check-out Edible Evanston's Eggleston Park Food Forest, a that incorporates fruit tree guilds in their garden.

USDA recently welcomed Agriculture Future of America (AFA) student delegates to its headquarters in Washington, DC for a Policy Institute meeting, where they learned about USDA history and career opportunities. Last December, USDA signed an agreement with AFA formalizing a partnership to strengthen the future competitiveness and sustainability of the U.S. agriculture industry by preparing more young people for careers in agriculture.

Learn more: https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2023/12/12/usda-signs-agreement-agriculture-future-america-prepare-young

Today we commemorate the somber events of September 11, 2001, and honor the lives tragically lost. We pay tribute to the passengers and crew of Flight 93, and the brave acts of firefighters, first responders, police officers, and civilians at Ground Zero.

Today, Secretary Vilsack announced the Biden-Harris Administration is investing $100 million in 21 new projects to expand work on the Forest Service Wildfire Crisis Strategy to reduce the threat of wildfire in high-risk areas across the country.

Biden-Harris Administration Invests $100 Million to Expand Work to Confront the Wildfire Crisis as part of Investing in America Agenda WASHINGTON, September 10, 2024 - Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the Biden-Harris Administration is investing $100 million in 21 new projects to expand work on the USDA Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy to reduce the threat of wildfire in high-risk areas across the count...

📢 Announcement! USDA and its Appalachia Regional Food Business Center are offering over $3.32M through the Business Builder Grant program to aid small and mid-sized farm-food businesses. This grant is open to applicants in OH, WV, KY, TN, and parts of PA, VA, & MD. Apply by Nov. 1st.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/press-release/usda-and-appalachia-regional-food-business-center-make-available-332-million-farm-and

Join Secretary Vilsack and U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore for a significant investment announcement to combat the nation's wildfire crisis. Tune in LIVE today at 1:00PM EST ➡️ usda.gov/live

Celebrate National Organic Month by shopping local. You can use AMS’s Local Food Directory on your desktop or mobile devices to search for organic products.

www.usdalocalfoodportal.com

The next meeting of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee will take place September 25-26. Registration to view the livestream of the meeting is now open. Learn more https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/get-involved/meeting-6.

Happy Grandparents' Day to all the amazing grandparents out there! Your stories, traditions, and values connect generations and create lasting memories. Thank you for being our mentors and best friends ❤️

USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement recently hosted interns at a celebration ceremony in recognition of their hard work and accomplishments over the summer.

Learn more about USDA internships and career opportunities ➡️ https://usda.gov/youth/career

What's for dinner tonight? There's a good chance it's chicken - the number one species consumed by Americans. Get answers to the most frequent questions callers to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline have asked about chicken. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/chicken-farm-table

Join us this September as we celebrate .
Discover and appreciate the world of organic, where farming and production cycle resources, conserve biodiversity, and preserve ecological balance to make a better world! 🌎💚

Today President Biden and Secretary Vilsack will announce $7.3B in rural clean energy through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program. As the largest rural electrification investment since FDR's New Deal, this lowers energy costs for people in rural communities. ➡️ https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2024/09/05/biden-harris-administration-announces-73-billion-clean-energy

USDA is celebrating 60 years of SNAP! SNAP reaches over 40 million Americans each month, including children, seniors, and people with disabilities. We’re committed to continuously improving SNAP to best serve those who need it the most.

Kiera Sherrod, a sophomore at TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY and USDA 1890 National Scholar, interned at USDA Farm Service Agency and learned all about USDA's mission. Learn more about her experience ➡️ https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2024/09/03/1890-national-scholars-roots-run-deep-agriculture

Today we honor our farmers, farm workers, ranchers, food safety inspectors, foresters and wildland firefighters who work tirelessly to put food on our tables and conserve our resources. Your hard work contributes to the prosperity of our nation.

Parents, caregivers, and educators, take note of the top 9 food allergens to watch. When preparing food or eating with others, be mindful and considerate. Teach kids to recognize and be cautious with these allergens. Awareness matters! https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/food-allergies-big-9

The USDA announces $300k in Sheep Production & Marketing Grant Program funds. An incredible opportunity to revolutionize the sheep industry and provide sustainable solutions! Got an idea? Apply before Sept. 30, 2024.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/press-release/usda-announces-300000-funding-available-support-us-sheep-industry

It's season, and we're joining the U.S. Department of Education and education partners to celebrate healthy school meals! Join Secretary Vilsack and Secretary Cardona for a virtual Back to School Pep Rally today at 1:45 PM ET➡️ usda.gov/live

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service releases updated guidelines to strengthen substantiation of animal-raising and environment-related claims on meat and poultry labels. Today's action builds on the significant work USDA has already undertaken to protect consumers from false and misleading labels. Read more:

USDA Releases Updated Guideline to Strengthen Substantiation of Animal-Raising and Environment-Related Claims on Meat and Poultry Labels WASHINGTON, August 28, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today the availability of an updated guideline that makes recommendations to strengthen the documentation that supports animal-raising or environment-related claims on meat or poultry product labeling.

Secretary Vilsack announced today at the annual Farm Progress Show that USDA is partnering with American business owners to expand innovative domestic fertilizer production, creating jobs in rural communities and strengthening local economies ⬇️

Biden-Harris Administration Partners with Farmers to Expand Innovative Domestic Fertilizer Production BOONE, IA, Aug. 28, 2024 – At the annual Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is partnering with American business owners to expand innovative domestic fertilizer production, creating jobs in rural communities and ...

USDA AMS has partnered with the Kansas Department of Agriculture under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program to award over $5.6M for 49 projects that build resilience across the middle of the supply chain and strengthen local and regional food systems.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/press-release/usda-and-kansas-award-56-million-projects-strengthen-food-supply-chain-infrastructure

During Nichole Espineli’s Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) internship with USDA's Agricultural Research Service, she contacted food outlets to gather information for upcoming focus groups and helped analyze transcripts from previous focus groups.

Learn more about her experience: https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2024/08/27/capal-intern-driven-change-food-insecurity

USDA AMS has boosted the Organic Market Development Grant program with $9.7 million. This brings the total investments through the program to $85M, to revolutionize new & existing markets. Benefiting over 119 million producers, buyers, and consumers!

https://www.ams.usda.gov/press-release/usda-announces-almost-10-million-organic-market-development-grants-resulting-85

Shoutout to all of the working dogs on farms and ranches and the detector dogs safeguarding our nation’s agriculture and environment! We’re grateful for their dedication and service 🐾

Shoutout to all of the working dogs on farms and ranches and the detector dogs safeguarding our nation's agriculture and environment! We're grateful for their dedication and service 🐾