The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the selection of 30 university students who will attend USDA’s 2018 Agricultural Outlook Forum (AOF), as winners of the USDA Student Diversity Program. These undergraduate and graduate students will receive a weeklong trip to Washington, D.C., capped off by their attendance at the AOF, the USDA’s largest annual meeting, held Feb. 22-23 …
USDA Helped Improve Essential Services for 7 Million Rural Residents in 2017
Funding Supports Schools, Libraries, Municipal Centers, First Responder Vehicles and Equipment, Other Community Needs Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that USDA invested in nearly 400 projects to provide essential services for more than 7 million people in rural areas across the country in Fiscal Year 2017. “Partnering with our small towns and cities to support essential services that rural residents …
Millennials Spend Less Per-Person on Groceries
Recent data released by the Department of Agriculture shows that millennials are spending less per-person at the grocery store. A recent analysis by USDA’s Economic Research Service of 2014 grocery store data found that compared to older generations, millennial-headed households spent the least per person on food at home. However, like the other generations analyzed, millennial households with higher incomes …
NPPC Commends USDA for Maintaining Essential Livestock Market Programs
Two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs critical to the continuity of livestock market operations will continue during the current federal government shutdown. The Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) program, managed by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, is the sole source of market information on sales to packers of cattle, swine and lambs and on the subsequent sale of meat products. Inspection …
Secretary Perdue Outlines USDA Services in the Event of a Government Shutdown
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today outlined U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) services available in the event of a government shutdown. “USDA is committed to safeguarding life and property through the critical services we provide – and should the government shut down, we will continue to do just that,” said Secretary Perdue. “I am proud of each USDA employee …
USDA Announces Plenary Speakers for the 2018 Agricultural Outlook Forum
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced speakers for the 2018 Agricultural Outlook Forum (AOF), to be held Feb. 22–23, 2018, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Va. This year’s forum is themed “The Roots of Prosperity,” and the opening plenary session will feature keynote remarks from U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, welcoming comments from Deputy Secretary Steve Censky, and “The 2018 Economic …
USDA Proposes New Swine Slaughter Inspection System
After years of study and pilot testing USDA is proposing a new voluntary swine slaughter inspection system. (Gary Crawford and Carmen Rottenberg) USDA Proposes New Swine Slaughter Inspection System-1 Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Carmen Rottenberg talks about the nature and purpose of the new proposed inspection system for market hog slaughter establishments. USDA Proposes New Swine Slaughter …
Trump Falling Behind on USDA Nominees
President Donald Trump has nominated just seven of the 13 Agriculture Department positions that require Senate confirmation. The Senate has confirmed just four nominations, being Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Deputy Secretary Steve Censky and Undersecretaries Ted McKinney and Greg Ibach. The undersecretary nomination of Bill Northey remains on hold by Senator Ted Cruz, and one Trump nomination, Sam Clovis, withdrew …
USDA Hazlett on Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Report
On behalf of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett discussed key findings and recommendations, and the strategies for implementing the recommendations, from the newly released report by the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. Created by President Donald Trump in April 2017 and chaired by Secretary Perdue, the Task Force …
Latest WASDE Report from USDA
The latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Report (WASDE) was released recently. During December, raging wildfires in southern California and a late-month cold wave east of the Rockies highlighted a La Niña-driven weather regime. La Niña also contributed to a broad expanse of drier than-normal conditions, especially across the southern tier of the country. A few areas, however, received …