Blog del USDA

This past weekend, civic hackers across the country took action—or hack-tion—when they gathered together to use their coding, designing and tech-making powers for good. Armed with a passion for data and working under a framework that focused their energies on solving civic problems, over 11,000...

As the USDA Farmers Market prepares to begin a new season, we invite everyone to come celebrate the richness and diversity of the market and the DC community that brings us all together. Whether you're a federal employee, a sight-seeing tourist, or a long-time resident, we are all a part of what...

Mark Seale got out of agriculture early. A Virginia native raised on the family farm, he didn’t see a future in the business once he finished high school – and his family didn’t argue with him. But over the years, Mark found himself drawn back to agriculture in Virginia. Working with produce was...

At this very moment, an underappreciated tool for combating climate change may be hiding in your chiller drawer or at the back of your pantry. By keeping that limp carrot or dusty box of pasta out of our nation’s landfills, you can help reduce emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more...

For MyPlate’s 2 nd birthday on June 2, 2013, USDA is using the power of social media to throw a month- long virtual party. Everyone is invited to participate and help celebrate the success of USDA’s MyPlate on the new MyPlate Facebook page. Log on to www.facebook.com/myplate from June 2 through the...

Think big. Think Sear’s Tower big and then multiply by 44. That is approximately the volume of food that is lost from the U.S. food supply annually at retail food stores, restaurants, and homes combined. Now think of all the labor, land, water, fertilizer, and other inputs that went into growing...

USDA personnel continue to assist the State of Oklahoma and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the wake of the tornadoes and heavy rains that occurred this week. Earlier this week, USDA announced that it was working to assist Oklahomans who were left homeless by providing FEMA with a...

What would you do with $390? I imagine that “throw it in the garbage” was not on your list of possibilities. Nevertheless, throwing money in the garbage is what many of us do regularly when it comes to food. In 2008 the amount of uneaten food in homes and restaurants was valued at roughly $390 per U...

As part of USDA’s 12-month Digital Government Strategy deliverables we are sharing several new mobile and open data projects that help us deliver 21 st century service to you, our customers and stakeholders. These new tools and open data efforts will enable USDA customers, to more easily access...

As the cold, drab winter gives way to warmer temperatures and the crisp colors of spring, our longing for stews and other comfort foods ebbs, making way for some warm-weather favorites. Picnics, hiking and other outdoor activities heighten the appeal of lighter, fresh salad greens, fruits, and...