Blog Archives

The USDA is ready to kick off another season of its outdoor farmers market and it has a star-studded schedule planned for market visitors.  Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan will lead the June 4 opening ceremony of the USDA Farmers Market with the help of celebrity chef Eric Ziebold from the nearby CityZen and Sou’Wester restaurants in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

Theresa Two Bulls, President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe (OST) signed a proclamation declaring June 2010 National Homeownership Month.  The signing event took place in conjunction with the live interview the OST Housing Authority, Partnership for Housing and USDA Rural Development held with KILI Radio commentator Tom Casey on May 26th.  USDA Rural Development Area Director Tim Potts was on site discussing the many opportunities available to qualified applicants through our housing programs.

By Liz Purchia, Press Assistant

A crowd of all ages gathered in the Jefferson College Field House this morning for the Obama administration’s National Rural Summit.  The audience listened as Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, along with several other esteemed panelists, took the stage to discuss the silent crisis facing rural America today. On a beautiful June day, more than 400 people listened intently as industry and community leaders outlined a roadmap for revitalization in rural communities.

Cross-posted from the White House Blog

Tomorrow I will travel to Hillsboro, Missouri to host the Obama Administration’s National Summit of Rural America: A Dialogue for Renewing Promise. The event will feature a broad conversation with key policymakers and community leaders to explore the priorities and policies necessary to strengthen America’s rural communities.

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 the USDA's rich science and research portfolio.

By Mary Ann Rozum, National Program Leader, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture

By USDA Rural Development Housing Administrator Tammye Treviño

June is Homeownership month!

Do you live in a rural community without a tornado warning siren?

"Right now we have money. We can help as many [communities] as come to us," said Phil Lehmkuhler, Indiana's rural development state director for the United States Department of Agriculture.

By USDA Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

Inner city Omaha is an economically distressed area, especially among the predominantly African-American and senior populations. Poverty rates and obesity among young people are high and access to healthy, affordable food is low, especially for those who need it most.

For working parents in isolated rural communities, quality child care is a lifeline that allows them an opportunity to obtain employment so they can provide for their families.

By Susie Stanfield, Fishers Elementary Physical Education Teacher, Fishers, IN (near Indianapolis)