USDA Press Releases

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today released the final year-end report of the Obama administration's results creating jobs and investing in rural communities nationwide. "USDA Rural Development has measurably improved the lives and livelihoods for millions of rural...

HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C., Dec. 14, 2016 - U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Housing Service Administrator Tony Hernandez today visited North Carolina to tour a USDA-funded rental complex and highlight two decades of USDA investments and partnerships to build and renovate affordable rural...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2016 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) today announced updated regulations to protect the rights of farmers. The Farmer Fair Practices Rules target the most harmful practices hurting farmers and clearly...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2016 – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) joined the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Department of Defense (DoD) to announce the Sentinel Landscapes Federal Coordinating Committee will now accept applications for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Sentinel...

WASHINGTON, December 8, 2016—Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today released the following statement on the House Committee on Agriculture's new report on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which contains the Committee's findings from a series of hearings on the program: "After...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2016 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced final changes to increase access to healthy food choices for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The provisions in this rule require SNAP authorized retail...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2016 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced an investment of more than $33 million in 197 high-priority watersheds across the country to help landowners improve water quality through the Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) National Water Quality...

DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 7, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will offer farmers and ranchers more opportunities to participate in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The announcement includes new CRP practices to protect water...

WASHINGTON, December 7, 2016 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today released the following statement on the 21st Century Cures Act, passed by the Senate today: "On behalf of all of the families across rural America affected by the heroin and opioid epidemic, I am grateful that Congress has...

LAS VEGAS, Dec. 6, 2016 - Agriculture Under Secretary Michael T. Scuse today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved and obligated the first loan under the Highly Fractionated Indian Land Loan program (HFIL). The program provides revolving loan funds to qualified...