USDA Press Releases

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today awarded nine grants to help reduce energy costs for residents in remote rural areas where the cost of producing electricity is extremely high. "The High Energy Cost Grant Program is one more approach USDA is taking to deliver...

NEW YORK, Sept. 16, 2015 — Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy announced the United States' first-ever national food waste reduction goal, calling for a 50-percent reduction by 2030. As part of the effort, the federal government...

NEW YORK, Sept. 16, 2015 – Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Environmental Protection Agency Deputy Administrator Stan Meiburg announced the United States' first-ever national food waste reduction goal, calling for a 50-percent reduction by 2030. As part of the effort, the federal...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2015 - On the heels of a notification Monday from USDA to Congress of the need to transfer an additional $250 million to cover wildfire suppression costs for the remainder of the year, Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Department of the Interior Secretary Sally...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2015 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds farmers and ranchers affected by the recent wildfires in Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington State that USDA has programs to assist with their recovery efforts. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) can...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2015 - U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the award of $20.5 million through its Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program for 45 projects that will develop and advance the conservation of natural resources. This year's projects include...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2015 – Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden and Dr. Susan Kelly, Director of the Department of Defense's Transition to Veterans Program Office, today announced the integration of agriculture into the career training and counseling programs Service members receive as they...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2015 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the release of a new report that shows that USDA's Farm to School Grant Program, established and funded through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, has helped 12,300 schools improve nutritious meal options made with local...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill., Sept. 10, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 21 states will receive grants through the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) to add infrastructure needed to supply more renewable fuel to America's drivers. Since announcing the program in May 2015, the U...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2015 – A new U.S. Forest Service report shows the continued expansion of housing development near forests, an area referred to as the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), with direct implications for the cost of wildfire fighting. Increasing densities of people and infrastructure in...