Radio Features

If your child is going to school this fall and taking lunch from home, experts say pack that lunch with good nutrition and with food safety in mind. Gary Crawford has more on this edition of Agriculture USA.


PARTICIPANTS: Gary Crawford. Sandy Proctor, retired Kansas State University Extension nutrition expert. Meredith Carothers with USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

***Broadcasters, USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline number is 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) Listeners can also chat live at ask.usda.gov from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. ***

The Powering Affordable Clean Energy program is one of USDA’s Rural Development offerings designed to improve rural electric and rural energy production and availability. Rod Bain reports.

PARTICIPANTS: Rod Bain and Deputy Agriculture Secretary Xochitl Torres Small

USDA recently announced updates to guidelines for both animal-raising and environmental-related claims found on meat and poultry labels. Rod Bain reports.

PARTICIPANTS: Rod Bain and Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Sandra Eskin

What are some of the notable data points on controlled environment agriculture within the 2022 Census of Agriculture? Rod Bain reports.

PARTICIPANTS: Rod Bain. USDA research horticulturalist James Altland. Carmen Azzaretti of the Resource Innovation Institute.

Severe heat waves do much more than pose a threat to human health. Gary Crawford has more.


PARTICIPANTS: Gary Crawford and Dr. Kristie Ebi with the University of Washington.

If you are grilling at that tailgate party, here's how to do it so you avoid food poisoning problems. Gary Crawford has more.

PARTICIPANTS: Gary Crawford and Meredith Carothers with USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline.

***Broadcasters, USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline number is 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) Listeners can also chat live at ask.usda.gov from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. ***

An initiative to increase domestic fertilizer production was expanded recently with the announcement of new projects under a USDA program. Rod Bain reports.

PARTICIPANTS: Rod Bain and Secretary Tom Vilsack

USDA recently announced recipients of Risk Management Education Partnership projects designed to explain crop insurance and risk management to various producer populations. Rod Bain reports.

PARTICIPANTS: Rod Bain. Risk Management Agency Administrator Marcia Bunger. Mary Conklin of the University of Connecticut.

The extreme heat and dryness across much of the country last month increased drought coverage over U.S. crops and commodities. Rod Bain reports.

PARTICIPANTS: Rod Bain and USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey

Brazil has perhaps quietly become one of the leading cotton producing nations in the world, but its history in reaching that point has been filled with challenges and innovations. Rod Bain reports.

PARTICIPANTS: Rod Bain and Lidiane Eichelt of Olam Agri

Seed bank resources and germplasm collections such as found at USDA research labs play a significant part in assuring plant species survival as well as future crop diversity. Rod Bain reports.

PARTICIPANTS: Rod Bain and USDA plant geneticist Rebecca Povilus