Author Archives: tanya brown

Newly Unveiled Red Celery to Hit Grocery Shelves Soon

A new breed of celery will be hitting the grocery shelves just in time for the holidays. Duda Farm Fresh Foods unveiled red celery at a produce industry trade show on Saturday in Orlando, Fla. Nearly 20 years in the … Continue reading

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Beginning Farmers, Ranchers Get Grant for Training

Grants have been awarded to 40 organizations to provide training and assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers to help them run successful and sustainable farms. Announced today by Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, the awards were given by USDA’s Beginning … Continue reading

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USDA Grant to Help Alaskan Villages Grow Own Food

USDA has awarded a more than $400,000 grant to native villages in rural Alaska to help them grow their own food. The grant, given to the Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension, will help residents of remote communities grow food for themselves … Continue reading

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PA Loses 14 Percent of Dairies in 3 Years

The number of Pennsylvania dairy farms dropped 14 percent between 2006 and 2009, according to a report from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The number of operations, including milking farms dropped from 8,610 in 2006 to 7,400 in 2009. … Continue reading

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Scientists Develop Alternative Feed to Meet Growing Demand for Fish

Researchers from the USDA Agriculture Research Service have found an alternative way to produce fish feed to meet the increasing demand by consumers to have a healthier diet. Traditionally, fishmeal comes from small, boney fish like menhaden, herring and capelin, … Continue reading

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Report: Ag Production Lagging Behind Demand Growth

Agricultural productivity is not on par to keep up with population demand, according to The Global Harvest Initiative 2010 GAP Report. The report — compiled by the Farm Foundation and the USDA Economics Research Service — states that the world … Continue reading

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EPA to Give OK for Increased Ethanol in Cars

The Environmental Protection Agency plans to announce that it will allow ethanol levels in gas used by newer cars to increase to 15 percent. The new E15 will be used by cars made since 2007. Additional research must be conducted … Continue reading

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Suburbanites Cluck Over Backyard Chicken Rental Program

Land’s Sake Farm is offering suburbanites an opportunity to become backyard chicken farmers. For $100, the Massachusetts farm allows residents to rent two chickens, a portable coop and organic feed for two weeks. Help is just a phone call away … Continue reading

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VT Project Highlights USDA’s Efforts Toward Renewable Energy

 The anaerobic digester is supplied with liquid cow manure from the nearby dairy lagoon.  Pipes transfer the raw materials to the digester inside the building. USDA officials visited a Vermont dairy farm this week to see one of the state’s … Continue reading

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Winter Canola May Be Farmers’ Crop of Choice

A study by the USDA Agriculture Research Service found that consistently good yields of winter canola can be obtained by varying planting dates, planting rates and other establishment techniques. Generally used to control weeds, supplement animal feed and produce biodiesel, … Continue reading

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