USDA Blog

Remember the good old days when you only got the “spring sniffles” for a few weeks as the new leaves began sprouting on the trees? And doesn’t it seem like now, for some reason, you’re taking your antihistamine almost as often as you take your multi-vitamin? That’s not your imagination; that’s...

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the U.S. Department of Agriculture blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from the agency’s rich science and research portfolio. Rural America is often portrayed in Hollywood as an idyllic place where kids can run free...

Today, the Economic Research Service (ERS) posted a new and innovative interactive mapping tool that makes it easy to visualize and compare rural economic and social conditions among counties, states, and regions. By creating county-level maps of the United States, users can see how socioeconomic...

As the Economic Research Service celebrates its 50 th Anniversary this year and looks back over the decades, the legacy of Senior Demographer Calvin Beale stands out due to the 55-plus-year length of his service at USDA and the impact of his work.

President Obama stressed the importance of innovation in his State of the Union address – and reminded us, “We do big things.” Wes Jackson, who lent USDA the banner pictured here, founded The Land Institute around the “big idea” of using nature as a model for agriculture, including perennial grain...

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the U.S. Department of Agriculture blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from the agency’s rich science and research portfolio. Japanese beetles are tough hombres in the bug world, ripping and chomping their way through...

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. It’s an all-too-familiar truism: Americans don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables. Last week, USDA unveiled the 2010 Dietary...

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. This year’s weather has presented some challenges for Florida’s citrus growers. In December, sub-freezing temperatures hit...