USDA Press Releases

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2016 -- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that in 2015, wildfires burned a record 10,125,149 acres across the United States, surpassing the previous record set in 2006. The Secretary renewed the call for Congress to pass the bi-partisan Wildfire Disaster Funding...

DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 5, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a host of new efforts to help Iowa's farmers and livestock producers conserve water and soil resources and improve nutrient management practices on the state's 30 million acres of farmland. Vilsack said the U.S...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today released the following statement in response to a new study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation regarding the effects of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. The study found that after the new standards were implemented, the...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a significant jump in ethanol exports to China this year, following a USDA-led trade mission to the country last year. Representatives from nine state departments of agriculture and 28 U.S. companies, including...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2015 – This year, millions of rural businesses and families were positively impacted by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) investments in their communities. Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack released a list of USDA's top achievements in 2015, demonstrating USDA's...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that communities may now apply to be designated a Promise Zone under the third and final round competition. Read the new notice...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today released the following statement regarding the language in the omnibus bill repealing the country of origin labeling requirements for beef and pork products. "The omnibus bill repealed the country of origin labeling (COOL)...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2015 – In support of the Obama Administration's Climate Action Plan, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) jointly released the Biogas Opportunities Roadmap Progress Report today, updating...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today finalized a rule to ensure that farm safety-net payments are issued only to active managers of farms that operate as joint ventures or general partnerships, consistent with the direction and authority provide by Congress in...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the availability of $3.4 million for research projects in support of the new International Wheat Yield Partnership (IWYP) program. "Wheat is one of the world's most important staple crops, providing a significant amount of...