USDA Blog

USDA partnered for the first time with Women in Data for the non-governmental organization’s just-concluded Climate Sustainability Datathon, which is a friendly contest for people who really like to work with data.

In June 2013, Secretary Vilsack outlined a vision for agricultural solutions to environmental challenges, which included creating the Regional Climate Hubs. In 2014, the USDA Climate Hubs were established in to serve as regional centers of climate change information and outreach to reduce risks. The...

Emergency responders are an interesting lot. As a culture we recognize and value those who rush toward an emergency while others flee to safety. They work or volunteer as firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical workers, dispatchers and in a variety of support positions. Chances are...

Fifty years after the creation of National Agriculture Day, America’s farmers, ranchers and private forestland owners find themselves on the front lines of climate change. They are uniquely positioned to deliver solutions by implementing climate-smart practices that conserve natural resources, build...

The USDA Forest Service and Michigan Technological University (MTech) are using unmanned aerial systems, or drones, to advise the Hiawatha National Forest ’s land management efforts .

Forest restoration crews in Mississippi are directing a full-frontal assault at eliminating the southern pine beetle, an insect the size of a grain of rice, that are threatening to destroy tens of thousands of acres of pine stands on four U.S. Forest Service ranger districts and nearby private...

As part of the Every Kid in a Park initiative, the USDA Forest Service has partnered with the American Recreation Coalition to bring the Agents of Discovery mobile game. The new Internet-based game is a leading educational technology platform focused on national forests and grasslands.

“Three…two…one!” And with this countdown the journey of three thousand miles for the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree from Montana’s Kootenai National Forest comes to end or just begins for those who have yet to see the massive 79-foot Engelmann spruce now on Capitol Hill.

For many in the D.C. area, the arrival of the towering Capitol Christmas Tree means the holiday season has begun. Every year local residents and tourists from all over the country, as well as delegations from the state that provides the tree, come to view the official lighting of what is fondly...

While city living has its share of conveniences, stressors like traffic congestion, pollution, and weakened social ties threaten the health and well-being of many urban dwellers. Such factors can lead to a range of mental and physical health concerns. For example, stress is linked to negative...