USDA Press Releases

WASHINGTON, May 28, 2021 - To help residents, farmers, and ranchers affected by the devastation caused by recent storms and flooding in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to aid recovery efforts. USDA staff in the...

TULSA, OK, May 27, 2021 — “This week, I traveled to Oklahoma to visit with individual Native farmers and with leadership from the Cheyenne and Arapaho, Cherokee, and Osage Tribal Nations about the American Rescue Plan debt relief for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers — which includes...

WASHINGTON, May 27, 2021 — As millions of Americans get ready to commemorate Memorial Day and welcome summer, the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds people to keep it safe this weekend: follow the latest CDC guidance for COVID-19 and remember your food safety practices. Rates of...

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s quarterly agricultural trade forecast, released today, projects fiscal year 2021 U.S. farm exports at $164 billion – the highest total on record. This represents an increase of $28 billion, or 21 percent, from last fiscal year’s total...

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2021 — In January 2021, President Biden released the National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness. The plan is driven by science, data, and public health to improve the effectiveness of our nation’s fight against COVID-19 and to restore trust...

WASHINGTON, May 25, 2021 — “Today, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative made a request to initiate a dispute settlement panel under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to challenge Canada’s allocation of dairy tariff-rate quotas (TRQs). This is an important step for American...

WASHINGTON, May 25, 2021 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the names of individuals who will hold senior staff positions in Washington, D.C. Kim Peyser was named Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration. Most recently, Peyser served as the Deputy Chief of Staff at the...

WASHINGTON, May 21, 2021 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA) today published the first notice of funding availability (NOFA) (PDF, 242 KB) announcing loan payments for eligible borrowers with qualifying direct farm loans under the American Rescue Plan Act Section 1005. The...

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2021 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson today announced that USDA is making priority funding available for coastal National Scenic Areas that have been devastated by wildfires. National Scenic Areas are...

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today published the 90-Day Progress Report on Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry. The report represents an important step toward in President Biden’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and shift...