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Agricultural Research Service


USDA Charts Course for Strengthening World Aquaculture

February 06, 2018 Jan Suszkiw, Public Affairs Specialist, Agricultural Research Service

Charting a course ahead for the conservation and sustainable farming of freshwater and marine species is a chief focus of the first State of the World’s Aquatic Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report that will contain subsections from 89...

Research and Science

Food for Thought from USDA Nutrition Teammates

January 25, 2018 Sheila Fleischhacker, PhD, JD, Senior Advisor for Nutrition and Food Safety, USDA Office of the Chief Scientist

Frequent family meals have consistently been associated with better health outcomes in children. It should come as no surprise that USDA nutrition employees were one of the first groups within our Department to formally convene around our new USDA Strategic Goals. That’s why USDA’s Office of the...

Research and Science

USDA Agencies Work Together to Eradicate an Old Foe: the Screwworm

January 09, 2018 Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Administrator, Agricultural Research Service

Early in October 2016, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was faced once again with New World screwworm, which had been eradicated from the United States more than three decades ago. Infestation of this flesh-eating parasite was confirmed in deer from the National Key Deer Refuge in the...

Research and Science

Hawaii: Home of a World-Class Pineapple Collection

December 20, 2017 Jan Suszkiw, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA Agricultural Research Service

Whether eaten sliced or as a pizza topping, pineapple is a delicious and versatile tropical fruit that ranks third in worldwide popularity behind the banana and mango.

Research and Science

Protecting the Earth’s ‘Thin Skin’

December 12, 2017 Jan Suszkiw, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA Agricultural Research Service

Though remarkably thin, soil makes up a layer of the Earth’s crust that’s vital to human survival. The soil is a living, breathing thing that, like the body’s skin, requires care and attention lest we lose its many benefits.

Research and Science

Need Help Growing Cranberries? It May Be Crawling in the Soil

November 21, 2017 Dennis O’Brien, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA Agricultural Research Service

The cranberries that are traditionally a part of Thanksgiving dinner may have a brighter future because of what Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists found when they went digging recently in a remote marsh in Wisconsin.

Research and Science

Shedding New Light on Stink Bug Invasion

November 07, 2017 Sharon Durham, Public Affairs Specialist, Agricultural Research Service

The invasive brown marmorated stink bug causes problems for homeowners and farmers and threatens U.S. specialty crops valued at over $20 billion. Farmers rely on insecticide sprays to reduce crop-damaging stink bugs. Another strategy is using traps with lures to capture this pest.

Research and Science

RIPEning the Possibility of a Food Secure Future

November 03, 2017 Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Administrator, Agricultural Research Service

The UN recently released a report stating that world hunger is once again on the rise, with 815 million people now hungry. That is roughly two and a half times the population of the United States. To this end, the UN lists “zero hunger” near the top of its list of Sustainable Development Goals, only...

Food and Nutrition

Unpacking the Cornucopia to Celebrate the Fall Harvest and the Fruits of Plant Breeding

October 17, 2017 Sarah Federman, AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow, USDA Office of the Chief Scientist and Ann-Marie Thro, National Program Leader for Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

It’s that time of year again when many of us adorn our homes with autumn décor, and our tables with the bounties of a fall harvest. Consider the cornucopia. This centerpiece is symbolic of the food and thanks that we share with our friends and family. Inside, we find examples of grains, fruits, and...

Research and Science

Nutrition.gov Brings You More Nutrition Resources in Spanish

October 03, 2017 Food and Nutrition Information Center Staff at the National Agricultural Library

In recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Nutrition.gov announces its enhanced “ En Español” website, making it easier to navigate and find credible nutrition resources in Spanish. Forty web pages were translated into Spanish. Now Spanish-speaking users and nutrition professionals in need...

Food and Nutrition
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