October 2023

Two women Carol Podolak and Joy Thompkins poke their head out a window of a van that they use for their BNutty business.

International Day of Rural Women Spotlight: Indiana Soccer Moms Score Big as Global Entrepreneurs with USDA Assist

For a women-owned business in rural Indiana, working with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) became a life-changing experience. Soccer moms Carol Podolak and Joy Thompkins sold homemade peanut butter as their kids’ team fundraiser to travel from Portage, Indiana to Dallas, Texas for a tournament in 2016. Customers wanted the pretzel, blueberry, and toffee peanut butter more than once a year, so Podolak and Thompkins started taking custom orders. And now, BNutty is on shelves in stores around the world.

Zane Evans, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Posted in Trade Rural

Oct 13, 2023

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National Hispanic Heritage Month: Employee Spotlights from the Research, Education, and Economics Mission Area

National Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 to October 15, is a time to celebrate the rich history, traditions and cultural diversity of the Hispanic and Latino/a community. As this recognition month comes to a close, USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area is spotlighting the stories of several brilliant Hispanic colleagues who contribute so much to the Department each and every day.

Megan Guilfoyle, Public Affairs Specialist, Research, Education, and Economics Mission Area Posted in Equity Research and Science

Oct 13, 2023

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South Carolina Air National Guard Veteran Topeka Ham Finds New Calling with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service

Georgia native Topeka Ham found a new calling serving the American public through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) after 26 years in the South Carolina Air National Guard.

Melissa Blair, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement Posted in Equity Initiatives

Oct 11, 2023

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Hawaiian farmers and community members gather to share tubers and planting materials at a La Kalo celebration

2501 Grants Support Traditional Farming and Culture in Hawaii

In Hawaii, the word ‘āina describes interconnected relationships between people, the environment and spiritual kin.

Marquita Bady, Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement Public Affairs Specialist Posted in Equity Initiatives

Oct 05, 2023

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Urban Agriculture Grant Brings Together Diverse Urban Farms in Boston

Boston’s urban agriculture community is a diverse group of farmers and community advocates, and their needs are as varied as the types of operations they run and the populations they serve. In 2021, the City of Boston’s GrowBoston initiative received a $200,000 Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Grant (UAIP) to engage community members to develop priorities and recommendations in key food security neighborhoods and strengthen the city’s urban agriculture policy.

Kathryn Fidler, Public Affairs Specialist, FPAC Posted in Farming

Oct 04, 2023

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The Kitchen Sink: An Overlooked Place for Food Safety

We use the kitchen sink for food preparation – rinsing produce, cleaning pots and pans, washing utensils that touch raw meat, and more. With these activities come the possibility for foodborne illness-causing bacteria to hang out in the sink too. If proper food preparation safety steps are not followed, these bacteria could cross-contaminate your food and make you sick!

Meredith Carothers, Public Affairs Specialist, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), USDA Posted in Food and Nutrition Health and Safety

Oct 03, 2023

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