USDA Blog

This week, the U.S. Forest Service commemorates International Day of Forests and its 2019 theme Forests and Education with the 75 th birthday of the iconic forest educator, Smokey Bear. While Smokey Bear’s influence in the United States is remarkable, he is also an inspiration to forest mascots...

USDA is proud to share stories of women in agriculture who are leading the industry and helping other women succeed along the way. In this blog, we feature Sandra “Sandy” Watts, USDA Forest Service Region 3 Deputy Regional Forester in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

On February 22-23, agriculture stakeholders gathered at USDA’s annual Agricultural Outlook Forum to discuss current and emerging issues affecting U.S. agricultural production and international trade.

Each year, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) must respond to new threats to America’s agricultural and natural resources often in the form of invasive species or emerging diseases. To raise awareness about these growing threats and our efforts to manage, monitor and regulate...

Breastfeeding rates in the United States fall short of those recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other U.S. health organizations. If breastfeeding in the U.S. increased to medically recommended levels, what would be the economic impact on Federal programs?

National Nutrition Month® is a great time to focus on your health goals! To lend support along the way, MyPlate is here with our latest initiative – Start Simple with MyPlate.

Increasingly, food companies, environmental organizations, and agricultural commodity groups are setting ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from farms. These goals are realized through conservation practices such as reduced tillage farming, and precision technologies, like...

Enrichment is essential for all animals. For animals housed in zoos, aquariums, and wildlife sanctuaries, enrichment helps stimulate an animal’s senses by mimicking what they would experience in the wild. Hose2Habitat, a nonprofit based in Maryland, found an innovative way provide enrichment to...

Beginning next summer, schools will no longer have to request state exemptions to serve products that are not whole grain. The final rule allows more flexibility for serving whole grains, which will help with some of the challenges cafeterias were having, such as pastas that didn’t hold up in the...

Every March, registered dietitian nutritionists celebrate National Nutrition Month®! During National Nutrition Month®, health and nutrition professionals share their knowledge and tips with patients, clients, family, friends and the community to increase awareness about the importance of good...