USDA Press Releases

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2016 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced final changes to increase access to healthy food choices for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The provisions in this rule require SNAP authorized retail...

DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 7, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will offer farmers and ranchers more opportunities to participate in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The announcement includes new CRP practices to protect water...

WASHINGTON, December 7, 2016 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today released the following statement on the 21st Century Cures Act, passed by the Senate today: "On behalf of all of the families across rural America affected by the heroin and opioid epidemic, I am grateful that Congress has...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2016 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced an investment of more than $33 million in 197 high-priority watersheds across the country to help landowners improve water quality through the Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) National Water Quality...

LAS VEGAS, Dec. 6, 2016 - Agriculture Under Secretary Michael T. Scuse today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved and obligated the first loan under the Highly Fractionated Indian Land Loan program (HFIL). The program provides revolving loan funds to qualified...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2016 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the appointment of six new members and the re-appointment of five members to the Council for Native American Farming and Ranching. As a discretionary advisory committee, the Council provides recommendations to the Secretary...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today proposed a critical step in ensuring that consumers have updated nutritional information for meat and poultry products, helping Americans make better informed decisions when...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2016 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today issued the following statement on the forecast for U.S. agricultural exports in fiscal year 2017. "U.S. farmers and ranchers continue to rise to the challenge of supplying the world with high-quality, American-grown products. At a...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2016 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issued the following statement today on the Farm Income and Financial Forecasts for 2016, released by USDA's Economic Research Service. "Today's forecast continues to show that the health of the overall farm economy is strong in the face...

Editor's Note: This release has been updated to reflect the change of institution for one of the investigators. During the application process, J.A. Forrester moved from the University of Wisconsin, Madison to North Carolina State University, Raleigh. The purpose and amount of the award did not...