Beginning Farmers

The new Farm Bill has created many new tools and resources for beginning farmers and ranchers – and questions about which programs are right for their operations. That is why I took to Google+ this month to talk about how the new Farm Bill can help new and beginning farmers and ranchers. For the...

On Tuesday, September 9 th, at 3 p.m. eastern, Deputy Secretary Harden will host a Google+ Hangout to share some highlights from the new Farm Bill and discuss what this means for new and beginning farmers and ranchers. The Agricultural Act of 2014 is important legislation that provides authorization...

If I could use one word to describe the farmers and ranchers I have met during my time as Deputy Secretary it would be passionate. Last week, it was my great pleasure to join the White House in honoring 17 extraordinary new and beginning farmers who represent the future of agriculture—and let me say...

The Census of Agriculture is the most complete account of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Every Thursday USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will highlight new Census data and the power of the information to shape the future of American agriculture. When examining...

The Census of Agriculture is the most complete account of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Every Thursday USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will highlight new Census data and the power of the information to shape the future of American agriculture. According to...

Growing up on a farm in Camilla, Ga., I developed a passion for agriculture early. Being a farmer’s daughter helped me understand the challenges farmers and ranchers face over time and the need for common-sense policies and programs to create and expand opportunities for the farmers of the future...

This is the final post of a Microloan Success feature series on the USDA blog. To see previous blogs, go to the Microloan Success feature series. I’ve got one of the best jobs in the country, hands down. As Under Secretary for the Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, I get to meet with – and talk...

From the White House Champions of Change blog: In the field of agriculture, we have a very important question to ask ourselves: who will the next generation of farmers and ranchers be? For more than three decades, the share of farms operated by beginning farmers has been in decline. Beginning farms...

This post is part of a Microloan Success feature series on the USDA blog. Check back every Tuesday and Thursday as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s Farm Service Agency. For the last few weeks we have shared stories about farmers and ranchers across the country that are benefitting from the...

This post is part of a Microloan Success feature series on the USDA blog. Check back every Tuesday and Thursday as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s Farm Service Agency. Marilyn Simpson grew up on the Navajo Reservation in Torreon, N.M., where she learned all about farming from her parents...