USDA Press Releases

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the nation's farmer, rancher and fishery cooperatives posted record income and revenue in 2014. As part of USDA's observance of October as National Cooperative Month, Vilsack previewed a USDA report to be released...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the availability of up to $16.8 million in funding to help participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) increase their purchases of fruits and vegetables. The funding is available to local, state and...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2015 – Leaders from across the U.S. agriculture and food sector have continued to express their optimism and confidence in the newly reached Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. Yesterday, trade ministers from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New...

Editor's Note: This release was corrected on Oct. 6, 2015, changing the location of a $3.6 million USDA Agricultural Research Service grant from Peoria, IL to Wooster, Ohio. While the grant was applied for through the Illinois ARS facility, the actual work and funding dollars will be implemented at...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today made the following statement following the successful conclusion of negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership: "An agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations provides a more level playing field in trade for...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today helped to kick off the nation's harvest season by announcing nearly $35 million in new funding through four grant programs to support local and regional food systems, including farmers markets. Secretary Vilsack has named...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2015 - The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that in a first round of funding, USDA will commit $4 million to several states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to help agricultural landowners with accelerating stream and riverbank tree plantings that can...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today signed a partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) that will provide more than 500 member museums and science-technology centers with resources to incorporate agricultural...

PINE RIDGE INDIAN RESERVATION, S.D., Sept. 29, 2015 - Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack awarded $2.6 million in grants for seven projects to support economic development and improve the economy on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. "Investing in and rebuilding hard-hit communities are...

PINE RIDGE, S.D., Sept. 29, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today awarded nearly $20 million through 385 grants to help support the start-up or expansion of rural small businesses. "These grants will strengthen the economic fabric of our rural small towns and communities by providing...