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“Projects like these help us … ensure zip codes never determine a child's destiny and every part of America prospers." — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack
Last week, USDA joined five other federal agencies to announce the selection of 27 communities in 22 states that will participate in Local Foods, Local Places. This multi-agency federal initiative takes a locally-driven approach to creating opportunities by helping communities recognize new economic prospects for farmers and promoting childhood wellness by improving access to healthy local food. The initiative is part of the White House Rural Council's Rural Impact work to improve quality of life and upward mobility for children and families in rural and tribal communities. You can read about the selected projects here. In partnership with Microsoft, we also announced the winners of the USDA-Microsoft Innovation Challenge, in which contestants used USDA open data to develop online tools that can help producers and our communities prepare for the impacts of climate change and create a more resilient and sustainable food system. Read more about the winning projects on our website. Throughout 2016, we’ll be taking a look back at how eight years of historic investments from the Obama Administration and USDA have supported our nation’s producers, yielding positive #USDAResults for the American farmer and for the American people. Join us in February as we take a look at how historic investments over seven years have helped USDA build lasting partnerships to care for our nation’s unparalleled public lands and support producers as they conserve our nation’s land, water and soil: medium.com/usda-results.
At this Iowa farm, 300 chickens ride in style from paddock to paddock feasting on larvae in manure. This natural form of pest control, improves herd health and rate of gain, while providing another income source from the eggs laid by the clean-up crew.
Be sure to take a look at how historic investments from USDA over seven years have supported our farmers, ranchers, and growers, yielding positive results for American agriculture and for the American people: https://medium.com/usda-results
Earned Income Tax Credit Can Help Rural Families Thanks to the hard work of Rural Americans, along with record investments in infrastructure under the Recovery Act and the 2014 Farm Bill, over the last seven years America was able to pull itself out of one of the deepest economic recessions since the Great Depression. While we’ve seen wages rise and unemployment fall in rural areas over the last several years, workers in rural America still receive less hours and earn less pay than those in urban areas. Fortunately, for those who need help making ends meet, the Earned Income Tax Credit can help. 50 Years of Super Bowl and Food Safety Changes The Super Bowl is a very popular food “holiday” in the United States, and this year’s game marks a milestone. Super Bowl 50, dubbed the “Golden Super Bowl,” will be played on February 7, 2016. Help set the gold standard and ensure that you and your guests remain free of foodborne illness by following four steps to food safety. A Community for Agricultores in Puerto Rico In the municipality of Lares, Puerto Rico, lies Alturas de Castañer, a small, mountainous community that is home to 24 agricultores and their families. The agricultores – or farm workers – work hard year-round to produce coffee, bananas, root vegetables and citrus fruits that are then sold in local markets and to area restaurants. Una Comunidad Para Agricultores en Puerto Rico En el municipio de Lares, Puerto Rico, se encuentra Alturas de Castañer, una comunidad en las montañas donde viven 24 agricultores y sus familias. Los agricultores trabajan arduamente durante todo el año para producir café, plátanos, viandas y frutas cítricas que luego se venden en los mercados locales y a los restaurantes en la zona. Looking Ahead: Adding Seats to the Table to Diversify the Agricultural Workforce From the field to the fork, we need diversity in agriculture. I’m proud to say that here at USDA, we are doing our part to make sure young people have access to the wide array of opportunities available. Over the next five years, we can expect to see an average of 57,900 jobs become available annually in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and the environment. However, only 35,400 students will graduate with the specialized degrees and expertise to fill those jobs, leaving 39 percent to be filled by young people with talent in other areas. We need to expand the talent pool and change the dialogue to show agriculture as an attractive, meaningful career path. Seeds Spur Growth in International Relations The U.S. seed industry and the international market continue to grow to keep up with feeding the world’s population. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is helping to ensure the availability of products that start with seeds through the enforcement of laws and management of international programs that promote the interests of the U.S. seed industry. Creating Uniformity in a Diverse Industry During its 100 years of serving the livestock industry, USDA Market News – part of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) – has prided itself in creating transparency and clarity in the marketplace by allowing all industry stakeholders to have the same information about the market at the same time. The entire agricultural supply chain relies on USDA Market News for timely, unbiased data. Without this free service, information would not be available to everyone equally, making USDA Market News a vital lifeline for America’s agricultural economy. Chicken Ranching Boosts Pasture Soil Health on Iowa Farm When bison roamed the Great Plains, prairie chickens and other fowl played an important role as the clean-up crew. They would follow the herds feasting on the larvae in bison manure. In Doug Darrow’s 160-acre mob grazing system near Oxford, Iowa, his 300 chickens have the same job, but they ride in style from paddock to paddock in an old school bus that doubles as a chicken coop. “This means there are fewer flies to pester the cows,” said Darrow.
Denver, Greeley Chosen For Federal Food Accessibility Projects (Colorado Public Radio) Denver and Greeley were both selected as communities for the White House's 2016 Local Foods, Local Places this week. But they don't get a big check for winning -- instead they get "technical assistance" to develop food systems in their cities. The Man Working Behind the Scenes to Bring Racial Equality to the Food System (Civil Eats) It’s not easy to change the culture of the institution you work for, but that’s precisely what Dr. Joe Leonard, assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), hopes to do every day, a little bit at a time. Dallas gets federal help to boost urban farming efforts (Dallas Morning News) Dallas is one of 27 U.S. cities selected for a federal program that uses food to help build economically stronger communities. Called “Local Foods, Local Places,” the program was announced Monday and is a partnership between USDA and five additional agencies including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation. More women planting roots in agriculture, finding home on range (Washington Post/Seattle Times 1/24) Although Laura Jean Schneider comes from four generations of Midwest farmers, she is uncertain sometimes about her agricultural acumen. For the past two years, she has ranched cattle across 100,000 acres on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in southern New Mexico with her husband. Feds tap Gary for urban agriculture program (NWI Times) The Steel City is one of 27 cities nationwide chosen for a federal initiative to eliminate food deserts, where people do not have access to healthy fresh food. How USDA crowdsourced agricultural data (FCW) Farmers want useful data, and the Agriculture Department has plenty, but unlocking the utility of that information isn't easy. So a contest born of a USDA-Microsoft partnership offered competitors access to a century of public crop and climate data, collected from surveys, satellite imagery and more and hosted on Microsoft's Azure cloud platform. Greeley chosen to be part of nationwide initiative to encourage focus on local food (Greeley Tribune) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced Monday that Greeley was one of 27 locations across the U.S. chosen to participate in the Local Foods, Local Places initiative.
Eligible Taxpayers Sometimes Not Aware of Earned Income Tax Credit Broadcast Date: Fri, January 29, 2016 Many eligible Americans don't take advantage of a tax break that could bring them an influx of needed cash. (Gary Crawford and Sec'y Tom Vilsack) The Groundhog--Will He or Won't He? Broadcast Date: Fri, January 29, 2016 Somewhere in a deep subterranean stronghold a creature with seemingly amazing powers will emerge to worldwide attention. (Gary Crawford. Mark Brusberg. Bugs Bunny. The Shadow) California on Track for at Least a "Normal" Snowpack Season Broadcast Date: Thu, January 28, 2016 Californians can thank El Nino for much needed rain and snow. (Gary Crawford and Brad Rippey) Blizzard of 2016 Not as Bad for Farmers as It Might Have Been Broadcast Date: Wed, January 27, 2016 The Blizzard of 2016 was not as bad for most farmers as it could have been. (Gary Crawford and Brad Rippey) US Bison Exports And T-Tip Deal Broadcast Date: Wed, January 27, 2016 American bison meat producers hope to reduce export tariffs into Europe through current negotiations on a US-EU trade deal. (Rod Bain and Dave Carter of the National Bison Association) Broadcast Date: Mon, January 25, 2016 A USDA service brings livestock producers together with hay farmers and grazing land owners in times of need. (Rod Bain and Farm Service Agency Administrator Val Dolcini) Camelina As A Cover Crop And Pollinator Habitat Broadcast Date: Mon, January 25, 2016 Winter Camelina grown as cover crops in Northern Plains states could greatly benefit pollinators, especially commercial honeybee populations. (Rod Bain and Russ Gersh of USDA's Agricultural Research Service)
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