USDA Blog

2014 will soon be in our collective rear view mirrors, and USDA Rural Development has had an incredibly productive year. This week we are looking back on stories from the year that illustrate the impact our programs have on rural communities. Here's a story out of our Kansas State Office from June...

Access to the world via internet and mobile phone services is at the fingertips of most Americans, but this is not the reality for residents of many rural communities across the Nation. In October 2014, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $190.5 million in grants and loans to make broadband...

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. Nature presents unparalleled bounty, so why not go back to basics and serve an organic holiday feast?

One central Texas rancher is fulfilling a childhood dream. Rickie Roddy bought his first cow when he was 14 years old. By the time he was 19, he had grown his herd to 13 head of cattle. “I have always been fascinated by cattle,” Roddy said. “I didn’t know if I was ever going to be able to have any...

During this holiday week, I couldn't help but think of my recent visit with Ms. Rebecca Weber of St. Johns, Michigan – about twenty minutes north of our state capital of Lansing. USDA Rural Housing Service Administrator Tony Hernandez and I were able to meet Ms. Weber and hear her inspiring story...

“It’s a big, wild world,” said Dave Freeman, co-founder of Wilderness Classroom, “and I want you to go out and explore it.” That was the message the native Minnesotan had for more than 100 elementary school kids from local schools attending an outdoor youth engagement fair at Rawlins Park in...

Protecting agriculture is nothing new for USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), who is on the job 24/7 keeping livestock safe from animal disease. APHIS is sharing that expertise internationally to help countries protect livestock and threatened and endangered species from...