January 2012

Under the Obama Administration, USDA has continued to expand markets for American goods abroad, worked aggressively to break down barriers to trade, and assisted U.S. businesses with the resources needed to reach consumers around the world. And by organizing and executing agricultural trade missions, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is helping U.S. businesses reach the 95-percent of consumers who live outside the United States.

Those who know me well know that I am an overzealous networker. I began my USDA experience in summer 2010 as a legislative and public affairs intern in the Rural Development mission area of USDA. While there, I was able to write press releases and blogs that were featured on the USDA website, attend agency hearings on the Hill, and make connections with a lot of great people.

My internship opportunities have allowed me to gain valuable work experience, ultimately leading to my current role in USDA’s Office of Communications.

Patagonia, Chile is known for its spectacular views, amazing scenery and great fly fishing.  The area attracts 2 million tourists annually. But only 20 percent of Chile’s natural resources are protected.  Chilean stakeholders recently partnered with the U.S. Forest Service and the State Department to develop tourism in concert with land management practices.

The U.S. Forest Service has approved construction of a wind energy facility on the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont.

Cross posted from the Department of Education blog:

It’s no secret that community colleges are leading the way to achieving the President’s goal for the United States to once again have the highest college attainment rate in the world by 2020. Community colleges are hubs for career-training, re-training, adult education and for recent high school graduates seeking a pathway into the careers of their choice.

Bald eagle counting season is in full swing for the U.S. Forest Service, specifically in California and Washington.

Rows of bright green grape vines provided an appropriate backdrop for the recent USDA Field Day held at Williams Muscadine Farm in Nesmith, S.C.

Bill Trado, County Executive Director (CED) of the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Williamsburg County office, led the event, which gathered more than 100 guests at 84-year-old David Williams’ vineyard. The event honored Williams for his outstanding accomplishments in agriculture and helped to educate guests about USDA programs.

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

While USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is gearing up for the next Census of Agriculture right here in the United States, the agency is also sharing its expertise to help guide agriculture censuses around the world. In December, the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Armenia hosted NASS representatives to help these two nations prepare for their own censuses of agriculture.

Farmers Market Month may be over, but USDA’s commitment to promoting the use of farmers markets continues. Farmers markets are important for a number of reasons but, in particular, they’ve been an integral part of our efforts to bring nutritious foods to Americans who participate in programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Farmers Market Nutrition Program. Since the number of markets accepting nutrition assistance benefits has increased, we think it’s a great time to look at how effective farmers markets have been when it comes to increasing low income household access to nutritious foods.

The Agricultural Trade Office in St. Petersburg, Russia joined U.S. cooperators and the U.S. Consulate to host the first-ever American pavilion at the St. Petersburg Christmas Fair, which runs from Dec. 21, 2011 to Jan. 14, 2012. The pavilion showcases American cuisine including New York cheesecakes, Kona coffee, California almonds and American holiday treats.