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Where Passion Meets Purpose: The Snow Survey

December 16, 2015 Spencer Miller, Natural Resources Conservation Service

“To say I enjoy my job is an understatement,” said Hydrologist Randy Julander. “Monday is my favorite day of the week, because I get to go back to work.” As the Snow Survey Data Collection Officer in Utah, Julander’s job is a mix of science, adventure and artistry. He weaves information from data....

Conservation Technology

Investing in Opportunity in Indian Country

November 05, 2015 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack

USDA celebrates National Native American Heritage Month in November with a blog series focused on USDA’s support of Tribal Nations and highlighting a number of our efforts throughout Indian Country and Alaska. Follow along on the USDA blog. Earlier today, I met with leaders from the 566 federally...

USDA Results Initiatives Rural Technology

Heroes of the Harvest: Breeding program brings better, safer corn to South

October 29, 2015 Alexandra Wilson, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

NOTE: This week on the USDA Blog, we’ll feature the stories of America’s Harvest Heroes who, like farmers across the nation, are working this harvest season to secure the bounty of healthy food American agriculture is renowned for. From laying the foundation for the next generation of farmers...

Research and Science Technology

Smart Phones: The Latest Tool for Sustainable Farming

October 27, 2015 Jan Suszkiw, Public Affairs Specialist, Agricultural Research Service

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio. Seems like there’s an “app” (application) for everything these days—perhaps because mobile phone use is becoming...

Research and Science Technology

Harnessing the Power of Global Open Data

October 07, 2015 Jaime Adams, Senior Advisor for International Affairs, Office of the Chief Scientist

At the 70 th United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly Meeting, the U.N. Member States agreed to a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals) to eradicate poverty and hunger, protect the planet, and create sustainable economic growth globally. High-quality statistics and data are critical...

Conservation Food and Nutrition Research and Science Technology

Taking Broadband to the Next Level

September 21, 2015 Brandon McBride, Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, USDA Rural Development

Getting broadband to unserved rural areas is one of the toughest challenges we face. It’s far easier to make a business case to serve 500 people per square mile than it is where there are only five people per square mile. Broadband is expensive to deploy through hundreds of miles of countryside...

Technology

Open Data: a Key to Feeding 9 Billion People by 2050

September 18, 2015 Justice Wright, USDA Research, Education, and Economics mission area

NPR’s “The Takeaway” program recently examined the “The Biggest Challenges Facing America and the World.” The episode included an interview with USDA Chief Scientist and Undersecretary Catherine Woteki on the challenge of being able to feed a world population that is estimated to reach more than 9...

Food and Nutrition Technology

Wildfire Smoke Monitors Working to Reduce Health and Safety Impacts

September 18, 2015 Keith Riggs, Pacific Southwest Regional Office, U.S. Forest Service

Smoke from wildfires can have an enormous impact on the public and on fire personnel, affecting health, interfering with transportation safety and upsetting tourism and local economies. Trent Procter, like all U.S. Forest Service Air Resource Advisors, is a technical specialist with expertise in air...

Forestry Technology

Secretary Announces New York and Oregon Tall Wood Building Prize Winners

September 17, 2015 Charles Parrott, AMS Specialty Crops Program Deputy Administrator

All around the world, including here in the United States, builders are adopting new, cutting edge technologies to save energy and reduce a structure’s carbon footprint. Now, technological advances are enabling architects and contractors to use one of the most traditional materials, wood, to...

Conservation Technology

USDA Participated in a "First of Its Kind" Camp for DC-Area Teens Focused Specifically on Open Data and Agriculture

August 18, 2015 Joyce Hunter, Deputy CIO, Policy and Planning, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Summer has arrived and young people all over the country are enjoying their time spent in summer camps. And while many camps involve athletics or camping out, others are meant to keep kids’ brains moving. Today’s camps are anything but boring. Science Technology Engineering, Agriculture and Math...

Technology