Research And Science

The U.S. cotton industry contributes 35% of the cotton exported globally.

Dr. Aaron Dossey has taken what began as a Facebook hobby of photographing insects and turned it into a successful research business, thanks in part to funding from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA’s) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

We are at a pivotal moment for USDA and U.S. agriculture.

Americans love their shrimp. No matter how you eat them, by pounds consumed, the popularity of these delectable little morsels ranks well ahead of salmon and more than doubles that of canned tuna.

Members of the United States Armed Forces sacrifice so much to keep us safe and protect our country. Every May Americans recognize their efforts and express gratitude during Military Appreciation Month. At USDA, we also celebrate the contributions that our Military members have made to agriculture and farming.

Invasive fruit flies, such as the Oriental, Mexican, Mediterranean, and European cherry fruit fly, pose threats to many U.S. commercial and homegrown crops. If established, these flies could cause significant economic losses, requiring costly treatments to protect fruits and vegetables and reducing the marketability of infested fruit both locally and abroad. What’s at stake? The market value of invasive fruit fly-host commodities totaled approximately $11.7 billion in the United States in 2022. Approximately $8.3 billion of that was from California and $2.9 billion from Florida.

Nearly 300 of the nation’s best and brightest young people were in Washington, D.C., last week to attend the 2023 National 4-H Conference, hosted by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). With the theme of “From Youth Success to the Future’s Best,” 4-H delegates in attendance represented 43 states, two U.S. territories and 57 Land-grant Universities (LGUs).

The 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s work is under way, and we welcome your involvement in the process to update the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines. The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) encourage public participation in the committee’s review process. You can get involved by:

We see them every time we purchase fresh fruits and vegetables: price look up (PLU) labels. The little coin-size stickers are stuck to everything from apples, bananas, and cantaloupes to watermelons, yams, and zucchini.

Feeding a world population estimated to exceed 9 billion by 2050 will require significant increases in agricultural production, yet those increases must be sustainable solutions that protect the world’s natural resources. As USDA’s primary extramural funding agency, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) invests in research, education and Extension efforts to ensure a secure food supply while protecting and enhancing the world’s natural resources.