USDA Blog

On the brinks of Beaufort, South Carolina, lies the brimming, remote island of St. Helena where the Gullah farmers are hard at work. For years, the Gullah Geechee community, an African American ethnic group located in the low region of the U.S., have struggled to make a living off their biggest...

Co-ops are a business structure, and like any business, they require hard work to be successful. They are unique in that they bring individuals together to solve issues they wouldn’t be able to solve on their own. Cooperatives can help communities by creating jobs, meeting social or economic needs...

McClellanville County is a rural community in South Carolina, and like many communities across rural America, access to high-speed internet presents real barriers. Families like Lindsay’s struggled to stay connected in the digital age. “When the kids came home from school and I was working, no one...

This month, I had the opportunity to travel to New Paltz, New York and visit with Peter Ferrante of Wallkill View Farm. Mr. Ferrante received funding through USDA Rural Development’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) to install a solar array on the rooftop of his farmers market in the Hudson...

Cooperatives are a vital pillar of the U.S. economy and contribute essential goods and services to rural America. Many communities rely on cooperatives to provide locally grown food, housing, electricity, financial services, internet, retail services, and so much more.

A meal preparation study (PDF, 1.3 MB) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) revealed that only 55% of people use a food thermometer to verify if their food is safe to consume, despite 88% of participants reporting that they own a thermometer...

September 29 is International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. Earlier this month, USDA hosted a convening to raise awareness of food loss and waste mitigations across the supply chain. The second annual Food Loss and Waste Innovation Fair showcased some of the latest food loss and waste...

Hiking and camping are perfect Labor Day weekend activities, and there’s something special about enjoying a meal while admiring nature. To ensure your experience stays foodborne illness free, follow these food safety tips.

Last year USDA Rural Development awarded more than $10 million in ReConnect Program funding to bring high-speed internet access to Madison County, New York. USDA’s ReConnect Program offers loans and grants to construct, improve, and build equipment to provide broadband service in eligible rural...

More than 50 million youth are expected to attend U.S. schools this fall, and a good portion will be taking their own lunches to school. To help parents and caregivers prepare to-go meals safely, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers some advice.