Category Archives: News

Members of Congress have requested that USDA retain the regulated status of genetically engineered alfalfa. In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, lawmakers and more than 50 businesses and organizations stated that a USDA Draft Environmental Impact Statement — … Continue reading →

The first day of July is an important date for the country, according to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. It’s the day that the U.S. renewable fuel standard goes into effect. “It is a goal and establishes an opportunity for this … Continue reading →

A 70-year-old mathematician and professor is trying to connect the rural farmland of upstate New York to the South Bronx in an effort to bring healthy food to the poorest Congressional district east of the Mississippi. By creating a community-supported … Continue reading →

Two USDA employees died yesterday when the airplane they were in crashed in a Lock Haven, Pa., neighborhood. Dan Snider and Rodney Whiteman, who worked for Forest Service, were conducting aerial pest detection surveys on federal land when the single-prop … Continue reading →

The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer erred in prohibiting the planting of Monsanto’s genetically modified alfalfa seed until an environmental review is conducted. In a 7-to-1 vote, the justices reversed the decision stating that … Continue reading →

Less corn is required in order to produce ethanol, according to a report by the USDA Office of Energy Policy and New Uses. Ethanol yields have increased 10 percent for the past 20 years, requiring less corn for production. Corn … Continue reading →

The Obama administration is enforcing laws and issuing fines to farmers who employ children and underpay workers. Hundreds of investigators were hired and fines increased for labor and wage violators, specifically blueberry farmers, who typically hire migrant workers and children. … Continue reading →

Tomatoes have made a comeback after a January freeze slowed crop growth and delayed harvest. Massive amounts of tomatoes have been harvested since mid-May, causing tomato prices to plummet 78 percent since March. “Growers tend to stagger plantings based on … Continue reading →

USDA is seeking comments on a proposed rule that will provide additional protections for livestock and poultry producers against unfair, fraudulent and retaliatory practices. The proposed rule, which will publish on June 22 in the Federal Register, addresses market fairness … Continue reading →

A new study on cultivated cropland shows that conservation practices are reducing sediment, nutrient and pesticide losses from farm fields. The study, which focuses on cropland in the Upper Mississippi River Basin, revealed that soil erosion control practices are widespread … Continue reading →