USDA Blog

If you’re one of the millions of people who will receive the delicious gift of strawberries on Valentine’s Day, you can thank scientists at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) as well as your sweetheart.

The United Nations has dedicated 2021 to spreading the word about the importance of fruits and veggies.

Years ago, I spent my days watching pecan roots change the color of solutions from clear to red as they reduced iron for uptake. It may not sound exciting, but that was the topic of my 2010 undergraduate research internship at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Children’s Nutrition Research...

A team of USDA agricultural scientists in the Golden State are helping farmers make the most out of a natural resource that is becoming ever more precious – water.

A new technology from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) may become a key tool for dairy farmers to reduce their expenses and help limit pollution.

The story of agriculture in America cannot be told without acknowledging the contributions of Black people. Black people have been and are an integral driver in the success of U.S. agriculture. From farming and cultivation to scientific research, the agriculture narrative is fortified by the many...

At USDA we use a feedback loop of 1) surveillance and monitoring 2) research, and 3) education and outreach to find science-based answers to challenging questions such as those posed by AR.

The Economic Research Service estimates that in 2010, America wasted approximately 133 billion pounds of food. That’s the equivalent of every American discarding three average-sized apples every day. Not the “apple a day” advice we’re used to hearing. Today, on Stop Food Waste Day, we’re sharing...

With the global population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, farmers need all the help they can get to increase production, quality, and nutritional value of agricultural products. FarmBeats will help them achieve that.

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...