usda science

What comes to mind when you think of South Dakota? Is it the Black Hills, presidential busts and bison? According to USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s 2017 Census of Agriculture, South Dakota has the largest inventory of bison of any state in the United States, with over 30,000 bison spread across 99 farms and ranches. We will update these numbers and find out if this holds true with the upcoming 2022 Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture data collection begins this fall.

June is Caribbean American Heritage Month! Many foods and beverages originated in the Caribbean. For instance, Chocolate milk originated in Jamaica and Barbados is considered the birthplace of rum.

Last month, I had the honor to serve as keynote speaker for The Mule Train’s 54th anniversary. The Mule Train left Marks, Mississippi and traveled to Washington, D.C., on May 13, 1968, as part of Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign to demand economic justice since Marks resided in the poorest U.S. county at the time. However, Dr. King did not witness the Mule Train because he was assassinated the month before the demonstration.

It’s National Pollinators Week! As an annual celebration supporting pollinators and pollinator health, we want to highlight USDA’s ongoing investments in pollinator health, crop production, and conservation. USDA’s investments help ensure the continued health of pollinators and their contribution to agriculture, food systems and ecosystems.

April showers bring May flowers and for USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), this means the release of 2021 floriculture data. Look for more flora in this data bouquet; NASS expanded the floriculture program to cover all 50 states and more than 30 new crops.

Do you enjoy exploring food from countries around the world? Celebrating cultural traditions through food is a great way to connect with people from various communities and learn about their heritage. It is also a way to appreciate your own cultural roots! Discover simple ways to enjoy three cultural foods and see what vitamins and minerals they contain using FoodData Central from USDA’s Agricultural Research Service.

According to rangeland experts, wildfires in the western Great Basin region scorched more than 14,600 square miles in just 10 years—nearly the land mass of Maryland and Delaware combined.

As we celebrate this Earth Day, we want to share a few examples of USDA’s commitment to climate-smart research and scientific investments.

As we celebrate our planet this Earth Day, we highlight ongoing research being conducted at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) exploring how a seaweed species could potentially reduce methane emissions in livestock production.

Today marks 110 years since the sinking of what was thought to be an unsinkable ship. Recognized every year on April 15, Titanic Remembrance Day honors the more than 1,500 people who lost their lives in the early hours of that day.