USDA Blog

Those of us fortunate enough to have quality broadband service in our homes and workplaces know that it opens educational, business and entertainment opportunities that can only be imagined by those still living in a “dial up” world. President Obama believes that all Americans should have access to...

I have had an eventful couple of weeks since my last post. I spent a day two weeks ago in Riverdale, Maryland at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services building learning more about some of their programs. I particularly enjoyed meeting with two economists, as many of my college classes...

It was exciting to have Congressman Rick Boucher, 9 th District of Virginia and the Deputy Administrator for USDA Rural Development’s Rural Utilities programs, Jessica Zufolo join me last week in Hurley, Virginia for an awards ceremony. The event highlighted the funding of three Virginia rural...

It was great to have Under Secretary Dallas Tonsager on hand for our combined event with Bassett Healthcare on Tuesday. The event highlighted the 60th anniversary of our Telecommunications Program and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Amy, a breast cancer survivor, spoke to the crowd about the...

Agriculture groups find voice in social media "I'm trying to be a modern deputy here," said Kathleen Merrigan, deputy secretary of Agriculture, during the department's first monthly Facebook live chat earlier this month. She's not the only ag player trying to take the plunge into social media. In...

Amy Sents, a junior Animal Science major at Kansas State University, spent the summer as a USDA intern working in the Office of the White House Liaison. She joined about 100 other interns from around the country, as well as young people from Washington working with the D.C. Summer Youth Employment...

Welcome to the United States Department of Agriculture’s new blog, a place where visitors can get the latest news on the work we are doing. Whether we are providing nutrition assistance, maintaining an appropriate safety net for America’s farmers and ranchers, mitigating effects of climate change...

Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged within the bounds of respectful civil discourse. Questionable language, personal attacks, off-topic comments, and gratuitous links will either be edited or deleted. Comments are moderated and will not appear on USDA until they have been...