USDA’s Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $30 million will be put towards funding 22 projects that will help citrus producers fight Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, a devastating disease that threatens US production.

USDA has kicked off its Organic Survey in an attempt to gather detailed data on the current state of US organic agriculture production. According to USDA, the survey is a complete inventory of all known organic producers that are certified, exempt from certification, and transitioning to certified organic production.

Over 23,000 of the nation’s dairy operations, more than half of all dairy farms in the US, have enrolled in a new safety-net program created by the 2014 Farm Bill known as the Margin Protection Program, according to USDA.

USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service posted the data from the 2013 Pesticide Data Program (PDP) annual summary, which confirmed the overall pesticide chemical residues found on the tested foods are at levels below the tolerances established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and do not pose a safety concern.

Beginning Dec. 18 at 11 a.m., USDA will release selected commodity tables from its upcoming Agricultural Projections to 2024 report.

For the second time this year, USDA’s Citrus Disease Subcommittee will meet in Florida today to discuss and make recommendations for the Fiscal Year 2015 research agenda, budget and annual priorities for the Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program.

USDA has extended the application deadline for the Dairy Margin Protection Program through Dec. 19.