USDA Blog

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio. Even though there’s still snow on the ground over much of the country, it’s about time to start thinking about the logistics...

Ramps, these tasty spring ephemerals with the scientific name Allium tricoccum, are generally called ramps in the south and wild leeks in more northern areas. They are native to the hardwood forests of eastern North America. In many areas, ramps are viewed as a sign of the coming of spring and...

Successful businesses all seem to have a common bond – a commitment to quality, consistency, and integrity. During a recent trip with my colleagues, I saw firsthand the many ways that companies are turning to my agency – the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) – to provide these factors to...

Join Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden on Wednesday March 18 at 2 p.m. for a Google Hangout with Dr. Linda Young, Chief Mathematical Statistician and Director of Research and Development of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, and Marji Guyler-Alaniz, photographer and founder of FARMHER as...

During National Nutrition Month, we’re excited to highlight the many ways federal nutrition assistance programs benefit vulnerable Americans. At USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, we often get the chance to discuss how WIC and our school lunch and breakfast programs boost the nutritional lives of...

Recently, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) launched its redesigned website. The agency’s web team has worked for the past year to design a site that will make access to information about NIFA’s grants and programs easier than ever. The new website is compatible with a variety of...

The following guest blog from a Nebraska high school student is part of our Cafeteria Stories series, highlighting healthy meals in schools and the impact of hard working school nutrition professionals who are dedicated to making the healthy choice the easy choice at schools across the country. We...

We all benefit from creative partnership. It’s especially true when some very savvy people leverage USDA Food and Nutrition Service programs to fight hunger and improve nutrition. Text2BHealthy is one such example, where the University of Maryland-led program uses popular technology to inspire...

Reduction of E. coli O157 illnesses since the mid-1990’s has been one of the Food Safety and Inspection Service’s greatest public health successes, with illnesses having dropped by over 50% since 1998. While overall illnesses are down significantly, the most recently available outbreak data shows a...

To be a wildlife biologist and to be in Alaska … it’s not a question, it’s the good life for this Forest Service land manager. Just ask Robert Stovall, the deputy district ranger for the Seward Ranger District since 2009 for Alaska’s Chugach National Forest. There are no roads into the forest’s...