USDA Latest

Manhattan, Kan., May 24, 2023 – Today, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) officials celebrated the dedication and ribbon-cutting of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). This facility, which offers the highest level of biocontainment laboratories and safety protocols, is the first of its kind in the United States and will allow scientists to study and diagnose critical […]

WASHINGTON, May 23, 2023 – As summer approaches, millions of Americans will hit the road to visit national parks, beaches and campgrounds. While packing that sunblock, bug spray and picnic blanket, make sure to also take some U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food safety tips along for the ride.

LEXINGTON, KY, May 23, 2023—Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new research facility, known as the Forage-Animal Production Research Unit (FAPRU), on the University of Kentucky campus. The ceremony was hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture, Food and the Environment (UK-CAFE), which will house the new facility.

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2023 - The Biden-Harris Administration today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making investments, including from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, in watershed infrastructure to help communities recover from and prepare for natural disasters.

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2023 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is helping rural communities across eight states and Puerto Rico address some of their immediate needs and foster long-term economic growth.

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2023 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced plans to roll out $3.7 billion in Emergency Relief Program (ERP) and Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) assistance to crop and livestock producers who sustained losses due to a qualifying natural disaster event in calendar year 2022. USDA is sharing early information to allow producers time to gather documents in advance of program delivery.

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2023 – The Biden-Harris Administration today announced the availability of $500 million in funding to advance partner-driven solutions to conservation on agricultural land through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). RCPP leverages a voluntary approach to conservation that expands the reach of conservation efforts and climate-smart agriculture through public-private partnerships.

Washington, May 18, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through a cooperative agreement with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), has awarded $16 million in subgrants funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to 36 projects aimed at testing innovative outreach strategies to increase participation and equity in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, […]

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2023 – The Biden-Harris Administration today announced the availability of nearly $11 billion in grants and loan opportunities that will help rural energy and utility providers bring affordable, reliable clean energy to their communities across the country. This represents the single largest investment in rural electrification since President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act into law in 1936.