Tag: USDA
USDA announces new FSA and Rural Development directors
The USDA announced the appointments of five Farm Service Agency state executive directors and seven Rural Development state directors.
Hot real estate market does not apply to USDA meat plants
For all the talk about the lack of processing capacity for small farms, one would think that a turnkey USDA plant would be an easy sell. The fact that it’s still sitting on the market is a sign of the industry’s broader issues: the labyrinth of confusing federal regulations, the difficulty in running a customer-facing business and the struggle to keep skilled workers.
MyPlate launches first Alexa skill
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the launch of its first-ever Alexa skill, a digital tool for parents and caregivers of infants and toddlers.
USDA to review meat labeling
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is launching a review of the "Product of the USA" label on meat.
Here’s what the numbers say about systemic discrimination in the USDA
Alan Guebert digs into how the USDA sent almost $24 billion to farmers over two years, but socially disadvantaged farmers received next to nothing.
Truth in labeling is not ‘branding’
Alan Guebert explains why hundreds of other long-time organic farmers maintain that large portions of USDA-labeled "organic" products are not truly organic.
Cosby ready to continue conservation work as NRCS chief
Terry Cosby, the new NRCS chief, has worked with the USDA for more than 40 years. He's stayed with the department for the same reason he joined: to make sure NRCS services are available to everyone.
Cosby appointed to lead NRCS
Terry Cosby, Ohio state conservationist and acting chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service has been appointed to serve as chief of the NRCS.
Ohio, Pa. farms and businesses get USDA grants to install solar
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development is giving nearly $300,000 in grants to farm and businesses in Ohio and Pennsylvania to install solar, conduct energy assessments or make other energy efficiency upgrades.
Troubled USDA food box program canceled
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families Food Box program launched last spring at the height of the pandemic with the best of intentions, but things went awry almost as soon as the program began. The program will end in May, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced last week.
