USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service announced seven international projects this year as part of the Food for Progress Program which will benefit more than 1.6 million people.
Favorable weather conditions in the nation’s agricultural states have yielded increasing amounts of corn and soybeans which are expected to reach record-breaking numbers in 2014.
USDA recently released state fact sheets detailing the importance of agriculture trade. The state-specific fact sheets include each state’s top five agricultural exports in 2012 and the number of US jobs created by agriculture.
In an active effort to find a solution to the declining bee population, USDA announced $8 million in funding the Conservation Reserve Program to give incentives to farmers and ranchers in the northern Midwest who establish new habitats for honey bee populations.
Sanjaya Rajaram, of India and Mexico, was announced as the recipient of the 2014 World Food Prize for his efforts in breeding 480 varieties of wheat that are resistant to rust disease and grow in a variety of climates.
As pollinator week begins, the Environmental Protection Agency is announcing changes to some pesticide labels in an attempt to mitigate the impact they have on a dwindling bee population.
The National Climate Assessment report detailing the impact of climate change on rural communities in the United States concluded the nation’s agricultural, ranching and foresting communities are resilient, but will face challenges responding to and preparing for climate change risks.