USDA

USDA names chief diversity and inclusion officer

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has appointed L’Tonya Davis as its first permanent chief diversity and inclusion officer (CDIO). The CDIO will lead USDA in its ongoing efforts to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA)... more »

USDA awards grants to boost U.S. fertilizer production

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has received $3 billion in applications from more than 350 independent businesses for the first two rounds of a new grant program to add innovative domestic fertilizer production capacity. The... more »

USDA session tackles H-2A, labor shortages

To combat increasing labor shortages, growers are adapting labor-saving technology and modifying their cultivation practices, including lessening and delaying pruning and weeding. The gravity of the crisis was highlighted in a session at the Feb.... more »

USDA Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee meeting scheduled

USDA schedules Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee meeting The U.S. Department of Agriculture has scheduled the next meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee. The committee, which studies issues facing the fruit... more »

DOL issues H-2A wage rule, ag groups voice displeasure

The Department of Labor issued its new rule for determining wages for ag workers in the H-2A temporary visa program, and industry groups were quick to voice their displeasure with the new rule. The National... more »

IFPA advocates for fresh produce in WIC, ‘healthy’ products

The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) has responded to proposed revisions to Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food packages and efforts to define “healthy” for nutrient content claims. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and... more »

USDA still seeks Census of Ag data from farms, ranches

The U.S. Department of Agriculture continues to accept information for the 2022 Census of Agriculture, despite the deadline passing, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, which compiles farm and ranch data for the census... more »

USDA alerts growers to new disaster, pandemic relief

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency is alerting growers to two new federal assistance programs for revenue losses from COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters in 2020 and 2021. Phase 2 of the Emergency... more »

USDA invests $70 million in climate-smart projects

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is investing $70 million in sustainable agricultural projects that establish climate-smart food and agricultural systems. This investment is made under NIFA’s Sustainable Agricultural... more »

USDA simplifies FSA loan application process

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed a simplified direct loan application for producers applying for loans from the Farm Service Agency (FSA). The simplified direct loan application enables producers to complete a more streamlined... more »