USDA In Case You Missed It - #USDAResults: New Markets, New Opportunities

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Title: USDA In Case You Missed It - #USDAResults: New Markets, New Opportunities

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Farmers market with organic agricultural products.

In April we’re showcasing how a rising consumer demand to know where, how and by whom our food is grown has led to the growth of a host of new market opportunities for farmers, ranchers and other food businesses. In fact, last week we announced that the number of domestic certified organic operations increased by almost 12 percent between 2014 and 2015, representing the highest growth rate since 2008 and an increase of nearly 300 percent since the count began in 2002. That continues a trend of double-digit growth in the organic sector.

USDA also made a series of announcements that continue to solidify the foundation for local and regional foods and organics, and connect producers with more opportunities to tap into these fast-growing markets. The availability of
more than $90 million in new competitive grants will help strengthen local and regional food systems, develop new market opportunities for producers and support farmers growing fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, flowers and nursery crops (known collectively as specialty crops). In addition, the official launch of GroupGAP, marked a new push to help small and mid-sized growers and cooperatives meet retailers' on-farm food safety requirements.

USDA also made
up to $44 million available to farmers, ranchers and businesses to develop new bio-based products and expand markets through the Value-Added Producer Grant program. The grants may be used to develop new products and create additional uses for existing ones. Since 2009, USDA has awarded a total of 1,126 Value-Added Producer Grants for $144.7 million.

Join us throughout the month of April as we take a look at how significant and transformative USDA investments have evolved to support a growing movement to better get to know our nation’s farmers, connecting producers with consumers and expanding rural economic opportunities to help more farmers stay on the farm. Follow along on usda.gov, on the USDA blog and by using #USDAResults, or catch up on Chapter IV:
New Markets, New Opportunities: Strengthening Local Food Systems and Organic Agriculture.

The Week in Pictures

USDA organic animated graphic

In April we’ll take a look at how USDA’s programs evolved to support a growing movement to better get to know our farmers, connecting producers with consumers and expanding rural economic opportunities to help more farmers stay on the farm: www.usda.gov/medium.


 

Proposed provisions infographic
USDA has proposed changes to ensure consumer confidence in the growing organic market by promoting consistency across the organic industry, supporting the continued growth of the organic livestock and poultry sector.



 

Monique and Sam assisting the One World Children’s Academy pre-kindergarten class plant seeds.
Earth Team
volunteers assist a pre-kindergarten class planting seeds in Nevada.


 

Rich Casale, NRCS district conservationist, provides assistance to Chris Omer, farm manager, Homeless Garden Project, Santa Cruz, CA.
The Homeless Garden Project
provides sanctuary, refuge and meaningful work for homeless citizens within the healing environment of a three-acre organic farm in Santa Cruz, California.


ICYMI on the USDA Blog

Helping Organics Grow with Clear Livestock and Poultry Standards

The mission of the National Organic Program, part of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), is to protect the integrity of USDA organic products in our country and throughout the world. This means clearly defining what it means to be organic and enforcing those rules.  Consumers look for and trust the organic seal because they know that USDA stands behind the standards that it represents.

Earth Team Volunteers and People’s Garden Benefit a Nevada Community

“This partnership couldn’t have worked out any better,” said Academy of Arts, Careers and Technology (AACT) Agriculture Teacher Michelle Burrows. As part of a senior project to put their agricultural and leadership skills into practice, Earth Team volunteers Samantha (Sam) Antipa and Monique Renteria assist in the People’s Garden of Truckee Meadows.

Reduce Food Waste? Challenge Accepted!

Since USDA launched the U.S. Food Waste Challenge in 2013, leaders and organizations across the food chain have committed to reducing, recovering, and recycling food loss and waste.  Last week, I joined our newest partners in this effort at the Jessup Terminal Market to launch their own friendly competition, the Terminal Market U.S. Food Waste Challenge.

Developing New Leaders in a Global Landscape

Historically black colleges and universities, particularly the “1890 land-grant universities (LGUs),” have conducted groundbreaking studies to further advance agricultural research in this country, such as eradicating peanut allergens and food borne illnesses.  Now, they’re making significant impacts abroad by strengthening U.S. global outreach in agribusiness.

High Five: NIFA Programs Help You to Know Your Farmer/Know Your Food

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) invests in agricultural research, education, and extension programs that take groundbreaking discoveries from laboratories to farms, communities, and classrooms. These programs enhance the competitiveness of American agriculture, ensure the safety of the nation’s food supply, improve the nutrition and health of communities, sustain the environment and natural resources, and bolster the economy.

New Beginnings Spring from the Homeless Garden Project

The Homeless Garden Project (HGP) provides sanctuary, refuge and meaningful work for homeless citizens within the healing environment of a three-acre organic farm in Santa Cruz, California. This unique urban garden and farm is inspired by the joy that comes from growing and sharing healthy food, the well-being created by vibrant social and natural ecosystems, and every individual’s potential for growth and renewal.

Deciphering County Estimates Process

Farmers love data. And while big picture items are great, growers tell us they really want and can use local data. In addition to national and state-level statistics, some of our most popular data are the county-level agricultural production information that we collect and publish.

New GroupGAP Certification Brings New Opportunities for the Produce Industry

Excitement is building in the produce industry.  From salad greens to roasted beets to fresh blueberries, local food is showing up on grocery stores shelves, as new features on restaurants menus and on our kids’ school lunch plates.

USDA Helps Military Veterans Explore Agriculture as a Career

Before serving in my current role at USDA, I served eight years in the U.S. Army and the Iowa National Guard, including a 15-month mobilization and deployment as a combat engineer in Kandahar, Afghanistan. During my tour, I saw firsthand the tremendous scope of unique skills, experiences and perspectives held by those who serve in our armed forces.

Listen Header

Groups of Farmers May Now Join Together for Good Ag. Practices Certification

Broadcast Date: Tue, April 5, 2016 If you are a farmer wanting to be certified in USDA's Good Agricultural Practices program, you may be able to join with your fellow producers in your area in getting that certification. (Gary Crawford and Chuck Parrott)

Actuality: Farm Credit Supporting Rural Infrastructure Growth

Broadcast Date: Mon, April 4, 2016 Todd Van Hoose of the Farm Credit Council talks about educating companies who are investing in and building rural infrastructure on the differences between rural and urban infrastructure.

Record Growth in U.S. Organic Sector Broadcast Date: Mon, April 4, 2016

New numbers show the yearly trend of double digit growth in the U.S. organic sector is continuing. (Gary Crawford and Miles McEvoy)

Actuality: Recently Launched Organic Database Gives Near Realtime Data

Broadcast Date: Mon, April 4, 2016 Miles McEvoy, with USDA's National Organic Program, talking about the recently launched Organic Integrity Database which tracks certified organic operations.

Example Of A Local Food System Broadcast Date: Fri, April 1, 2016

Supporting local growers by giving them a market to sell their goods - that is one example of a local food system, like one of several found in one metropolitan area. (Rod Bain and David DeLoche)

Actuality: Building Local Food Systems for Producers and Consumers Broadcast Date: Fri, April 1, 2016

Florida farm market operator, David DeLoche, explains how efforts came about to establish the business as a local food system - buying items from neighboring food producers.

Read About Us in the News

Local food initiatives get a boost from USDA (Kansas City Star)

Local food was taking root in Kansas City long before the U.S. Department of Agriculture got around to marking grants and keeping statistics. My own local food bylines started in 1997 with a story about community-supported agriculture, a sort of subscription program connecting farmers with hungry consumers.

Indiana Adding Organic Farms Faster Than National Average
(Indiana Public Media)

The number of certified organic farms in Indiana increased 17-percent from 2014 to 2015, outpacing the national average of 12-percent. Indiana added 81 organic operations last year, with another 11 added so far in 2016. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the new data, compiled by the National Organic Program, this week.

America’s Appetite For Organic Foods Triggers A Natural Farming Boom
(Huffington Post)

American consumers’ demand for chemical-free and locally produced food has caused a surge in the number of organic operations across the county, new figures show. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Monday that the number of certified organic producers jumped by almost 12 percent from 2014 to 2015 — the highest rate increase since 2008.

American consumers are increasingly interested in organic and locally grown foods (The Norman Transcript)

There's been a trend in American agriculture, and farmers are taking notice. American consumers are becoming increasingly interested in organic and locally grown foods. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported Monday that the number of certified organic operations has increased by 12 percent between 2014 and 2015 -- the highest increase since 2008.

USDA: Nutrition vital to children in Flint
(The Detroit News)

A few years ago in a display of bipartisan support, Congress directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expand free school meals to more low-income children during the school year and to ensure the food we serve our children at school provides the nutrition they need to grow up healthy and strong.

Can Philanthropy Help the Feds Bring Sustainable Food Systems to Scale? (Inside Philanthropy)

Farm-to-table is tough when you’re talking about millions of tables. So it's good to see philanthropy playing an increasing role in creating sustainable food systems, and also to see how a new USDA program is enlisting a fleet of funders to help the local food movement scale up.

Organic sector continues double-digit growth (Agri-Pulse)

The number of organic farms is increasing, even after more than a decade of sustained growth in the sector, according to newly released USDA data. There are about 22,000 certified organic farms in the U.S. and more than 31,000 worldwide, the department's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) says in a release. Between 2014 and 2015, the number of organic farms in the U.S. increased by 12 percent - the highest growth rate since 2008.

Record Growth in U.S. Organic Sector (Morning Ag Clips 4/4)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a significant increase in the number of certified organic operations, continuing the trend of double digit growth in the organic sector. According to new data, there are now 21,781 certified organic operations in the United States and 31,160 around the world.

Connecting Rural Farmers & Urban Buyers (Morning Ag Clips 4/4)

Today, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), Delta Regional Authority (DRA), and 15 philanthropic partners, announced the creation of the Leveraging Investment for Network Coordination (“Food LINC”) initiative, which is designed to grow local and regional food economies through value chain development.

Organic Food Production Rising
(RFDTV 4/5)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that Organic food production is on the rise. According to the report, certified organic programs have increased over 300 percent since the USDA began keeping track in 2002. There are now 21,781 certified organic programs in the United States and 31,160 worldwide.

Share Header

A powerful local food movement is growing. How USDA investments have led to #USDAresults → http://ow.ly/10gM0v
Since '09, 40k new projects connect farmers & consumers + spur rural economies http://www.usda.gov/medium  #USDAResults

↑ local food investments ↑ food access for Americans ↑ rural economic activity #USDAResults http://ow.ly/10mIYh

.@USDA reflects on 7 years of Know Your Farmer Know Your Food impact in #USDAResults report: http://www.usda.gov/medium

The @KCStar has the scoop (& stats) on local  & how ↑ USDA support led to ↑ #USDAResults http://ow.ly/10pMKT

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