USDA Announces Over $243M in Grants Awarded to Strengthen the Specialty Crop Industry

October 29, 2021 USDA AMS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced an investment of more than $243 million in grants to support specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts and nursery crops through two USDA programs – the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and the Specialty Crop Research Initiative grants program.

Joint Statement from U.S. and Mexican Agriculture Secretaries

October 22, 2021 USDA

Mexican Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Victor Villalobos and United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack issued the following statement at the conclusion of their bilateral meeting in Ames, Iowa.

FY 2019 Pesticide Report: Consistent with Trends Over the Past 8 Years, Pesticide Residue Levels Remain Low

October 21, 2021 FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued its annual Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Report for FY 2019. We tested for 812 pesticides and industrial chemicals across 4,692 total samples and the majority of samples had pesticide residues below the limits (known as “tolerances”) set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These results are consistent with the trend of low levels of pesticide residue violations over the past 8 years.

Thirty-Five Years of the Beef Checkoff: How the National Research and Marketing Program Works

October 20, 2021 Beef Checkoff

Thirty-five years ago, the Beef Checkoff program became a reality. Established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill, the Beef Checkoff is funded by producers and beef importers who pay a $1-per-head assessment on animals they market or import. The national marketing and research program has one primary goal: driving demand for beef. While the Beef Checkoff has been around for more than three decades, it’s a complex program that can be difficult to understand, even for those in the beef industry.

USDA Launches New Effort to Reduce Salmonella Illnesses Linked to Poultry

October 19, 2021 USDA

“Far too many consumers become ill every year from poultry contaminated by Salmonella,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “We need to be constantly evolving in our efforts to prevent foodborne illness to stay one step ahead of the bad bugs. Today we’re taking action to help prevent Salmonella contamination throughout the poultry supply chain and production system to protect public health.”