Blog

When the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a new effort to reduce Salmonella in poultry, we led with the numbers. The number of illnesses due to Salmonella has not decreased over the last two decades. Year after year, people have become ill with Salmonella infections at roughly the same rate. Each case of foodborne illness represents someone whose life was impacted. And among the most vulnerable — children, the elderly, and those with underlying health issues — those impacts can be serious, leading to physical, emotional, and financial harm. These are the people who are always top of mind for me and who motivate me to come to work each day.

April 30 is World Veterinary Day: a day to celebrate veterinarians, their work and their impact. Although the importance of veterinarians is hardly a secret, people often forget that veterinarians’ work goes beyond clinical care of animals. USDA employs more veterinarians than any other department in the federal government, with positions located across the nation and associated territories. The breadth of roles that veterinarians fill at USDA illustrates their versatility. Veterinary epidemiologist, emergency responder, laboratory diagnostician, and public health veterinarian are just some of the roles that USDA veterinarians fill every day.

It’s the age-old question – how to get children to eat more fruit? We all know the benefits of a diet that’s rich in fruit. At least adults do. Convincing children to add more fruit to their diet is another challenge. The food nutrition experts at the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands enticed their school children to eat more fruit by serving fruit smoothies.

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

Earth Day is a global movement empowering people to create real change in the world to help our environment and natural resources. I recently visited two Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) laboratories to see the actions they are taking to stop invasive insects and protect crops and trees.

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.

Rural Americans are on the frontlines of climate change impacts and increasingly severe weather that threatens their health, safety and livelihoods. That’s why USDA Rural Development stands ready to offer resources to help tackle the climate crisis, rebuild communities that have been hit by disaster and equip them with the tools to become more resilient than ever before.

In today’s world, keeping up with the latest news and research can feel like a full-time job. Fortunately, USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) has launched a new Charts of Note Mobile App designed to deliver digital snapshots of research straight to your mobile device.

The West is one of the most climate-sensitive areas in the United States. Rural communities in this region face additional challenges due to being naturally dry and prone to drought. In recent years, they have experienced earlier snowpack melt and more frequent wildfires.

It’s a human right to have access to clean water and reliable wastewater systems. USDA Rural Development finances projects to build strong infrastructure to help people in rural America thrive and create economic opportunities.