FFA

As Associate Administrator of USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), one of my duties is to lead all-employee meetings with the Agency’s field offices across the country. During my travel, I often visit local projects and success stories in agriculture that have connections with USDA projects...

The economy its affect on agriculture was a common theme among leaders of the (former) Future Farmers of America who met with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack as part of the National FFA State President’s Conference.

It wasn’t supposed to happen. There wasn’t supposed to be an agriculture curriculum. There wasn’t supposed to be an instructor. And there definitely wasn’t any money to send seven African-American students from one of the smallest and lowest income towns in Texas to Washington, D.C., to speak with...

After a great event yesterday morning on the Obama Administration’s efforts to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, Secretary Vilsack headed to RFD-TV for a live show titled, “Homegrown Energy, Fueling America’s Future.” With an in-studio audience of about 275 people and others watching live, the...

USDA Rural Development State Director, Vernita F. Dore announced an award of more than $3.1 million to the Town of Iva for sewer improvements as part of an Earth Day celebration in Iva, South Carolina. After the ceremony, Ms. Dore, Town of Iva Mayor Bobby Gentry and members of the Crescent High...

Across our communities, young farmers are taking out loans, rolling up their sleeves and taking part in the American Dream in hopes of becoming future farmers with the ability to own a farm of their own one day. Rebecca Hatcher and Jake Broadway are members of the Grundy County High School Future...

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the U.S. Department of Agriculture blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from the agency’s rich science and research portfolio. During this week – National Agriculture Week—agriculture groups all across the country are...

This week young people across the country are celebrating FFA Week. During this time, members of Future Farmers of America (FFA) get a chance to educate the public about agriculture, but also to learn more about the industry themselves. In January, in his State of the Union address, President Obama...

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and several other U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies had staff at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis last week to share agricultural information with 50,000 enthusiastic FFA members, aged 12-21, and their families.

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. As we begin a new school year, I am proud to announce that the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has again...