USDA Blog

Today, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack kicked off National Homeownership Month. Each year, as part of this nationwide celebration, USDA highlights programs that help people in rural and Tribal areas buy, build and repair affordable homes.

Did you know, the United States is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of corn in the world? In 2022, corn and soybeans accounted for more than half of the U.S. crop cash receipts—totaling $148.5 billion. This is in no small part thanks to the Heartland Region states of Illinois and Missouri...

For basketball great Ralph Sampson, farming is his new game of choice. The new and beginning farmer is looking to resurrect his family’s farm and spur new economic growth on the ancestral land.

On May 16, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) held its Southeastern Regional Equity Convening on the grounds of The Sherrod Institute in Albany, Georgia in conjunction with the Institute’s Annual Farm Field Day, focused this year on advancing equity at USDA and ensuring equitable access for...

Just outside of Fayetteville, North Carolina, veteran farmer Jim Hartman embodies the resilience and resourcefulness of the honeybees he tends to. His success in building his honey business stems from his proactive approach of seeking out government funds, a trait that has been instrumental in his...

USDA kicked off National Small Business Month with the Midwest “Path to Prosperity" event at the Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, MO on April 24 th and 25 th. This was the 19 th event, since 2022, to provide regional business and economic development workshops that featured experts...

May is World Trade Month and this is World Trade Week – a perfect opportunity to celebrate U.S. agriculture’s trade successes and highlight the importance of trade to the farm sector and to our nation as whole. After all, about 20 percent of all U.S. agricultural production is exported, providing a...

It’s officially pool season! Meals at the pool come in many forms – ordered from the snack bar, delivered from local restaurants, packed from home, or carried outside from the kitchen. Follow these food safety steps to keep splashing all summer long!

Yimmuaj Yang, community director of the Wisconsin-based nonprofit and community organization Groundswell Conservancy, explains its mission in the simplest terms: “We protect special places forever.”

When people think about Wisconsin agriculture, they immediately think of Wisconsin as a leader in dairy farms and cheese production. As of December 31, 2022, Wisconsin had 6,216 dairy farms, and in 2022 Wisconsin produced just over 5.2 billion pounds of cheese.