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A Message from USDA to Ant Keepers

October 25, 2023 April Dawson, Communications Specialist, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA

Ant keepers enjoy a fun and educational hobby, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also has an interest in it. You might wonder what ant keeping has to do with American agriculture and natural resources. Some invertebrates that people—including ant keepers—import into the U.S. or...

Animals

Taking the Bait: USDA Safeguards Wildlife Against the Rabies Virus

September 25, 2023 Alisha McDowell, APHIS Public Affairs Specialist (detailed)

Rabies, one of the oldest known diseases, remains a significant wildlife-management and public-health challenge. September 28 th will mark the 17 th annual World Rabies Day, a global health observance started in 2007 to raise awareness about the disease and enhance prevention and control efforts...

Animals

Professional Training and Cooperation Sustain Organic Careers

August 23, 2023 Laura Gallagher, Program Analyst, USDA National Organic Program

One week on the job can take organic inspectors from a field crop farm to a dairy pasture or food production facility. Inspectors audit organic farms, ranches, and businesses to verify that they follow the USDA organic standards. Travel and flexibility are inherent to inspection work, and many...

Farming Organic

Organic-focused Education Paves the Way to Technical Skills

June 29, 2023 Laura Gallagher, Program Analyst, AMS National Organic Program

Consumers around the globe often recognize the USDA organic seal but may want to learn more about the practices the organic standards include. During an Introduction to Organic Farming and Gardening Course offered by USDA Human Capital Initiative partner Florida Organic Growers (FOG), Dr. Juan C...

Organic

June is National Dairy Month - Here’s what USDA is Doing to Support the Dairy Industry

June 02, 2023 Toby Anekwe, AMS Public Affairs

The last few years have seen the U.S. dairy industry weather some storms, including an unprecedented global pandemic and the related supply chain disruptions, which forced producers to dump millions of gallons of milk that no longer had a market. Through it all, USDA continues to support the...

Farming Organic

How USDA Scientists are Winning the Battle Against Invasive Fruit Flies

April 27, 2023 Cecilia Sequeira, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Invasive fruit flies, such as the Oriental, Mexican, Mediterranean, and European cherry fruit fly, pose threats to many U.S. commercial and homegrown crops. If established, these flies could cause significant economic losses, requiring costly treatments to protect fruits and vegetables and reducing...

Animals Research and Science

Apprenticeships Develop Inspectors Skills to Protect Organic Integrity

April 24, 2023 Laura Gallagher, NOP Program Analyst, Agricultural Marketing Service

Every year, thousands of farmers, ranchers, and businesses grow and produce organic products – and all these operations are audited by qualified organic inspectors. Organic inspectors visit fields, pastures, or processing plants to conduct annual reviews where they meet with farmers and processors...

Farming Organic

Upcoming USDA Cattle and Carcass Training Center Programs Offer In-Person, Hands-On Training and Technical Assistance for Producers and Processors

March 23, 2023 Jennifer Porter, Agricultural Marketing Service, Deputy Administrator, Livestock and Poultry Program

Producers, feeders, and other stakeholders who want a better understanding of factors that contribute to the market value of cattle, and how these factors can inform marketing and production decisions, can join us at three upcoming in-person events at the USDA Cattle and Carcass Training Centers...

Animals

200 Years of Bilateral Relations with Mexico: Protecting Agricultural Resources from Plant Pests and Animal Disease Threats on Both Sides of the Border

January 19, 2023 Nick Gutiérrez, APHIS, International Services Regional Manager in Mexico

As of December 2022, United States and Mexico are celebrating 200 years of bilateral relations. Over these two hundred years, our nations have developed rich diplomatic and cultural ties where agriculture and trade considerations feature a prominent role.

Animals Plants Trade