USDA Blog

The holiday season is here! No matter your background or which holidays you celebrate, this season’s festivities involve family, friends, and traditions. Whether your home is in the U.S. or abroad, what matters most is being with the ones you love and sharing special activities. Food is central to...

I joined more than 20 U.S. companies and farm groups last month on the first FAS trade mission to Brazil. The trip provided the opportunity to expand agricultural exports and further develop business relationships in the cities of Recife and São Paulo. Over five days, participants had more than 275...

May is World Trade Month, a time set aside to acknowledge and reflect on the importance of global trade. But here at USDA, you could say that every month is “Trade Month” because few industries depend more upon – and benefit more from – trade than American agriculture.

U.S. fresh beef exports are back in Brazil! Following a 13-year hiatus, the first shipment of U.S. fresh beef has arrived in Brazil, ushering in promising long-term market opportunities for the U.S. beef industry. In 2016, the United States exported $6.3 billion in beef and beef products globally...

Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack sent the following message to all USDA employees: I want to take this opportunity on my final day at USDA to express my profound gratitude to the people who work at USDA. Every day, nearly 90,000 people leave their families and the comfort of their home to do...

Chances are that if you order a side of fries at a restaurant, you need to specify whether you’re asking for white potatoes or sweet potatoes. Food trends that support the consumption of more healthful, colorful and unique foods have helped to encourage sales of sweet potatoes in the form of fries...

Did you know… …that small family farms account for most U.S. farms and for a majority of farm assets? …that nonmetro areas declined in population--perhaps for the first time--in 2011-12? …or that the inflation-adjusted value of SNAP benefits declined from 2009 to 2011?

Over the course of 2013, we’ve seen yet another banner year for U.S. agricultural exports. Exports of U.S. farm and ranch products reached a record $140.9 billion in 2013 and supported about a million U.S. jobs. In fact, compared to the previous five-year period from 2004-2008, U.S. agricultural...

This is the fourteenth installment of the Organic 101 series that explores different aspects of the USDA organic regulations. Are you a certified organic operation looking to increase your market presence? USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) recently published two fact sheets that explain...

The American brand of agriculture is surging in popularity worldwide. The last four years represent the strongest in history for agricultural trade, with U.S. agricultural exports exceeding $478 billion. This international success is critical to achieving one of USDA’s core missions – fostering...