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USDA Announces Additional Farm Service Agency and Rural Development State Directors

News Release: WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2021 – Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to appoint four U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regional positions, including two Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Directors and two Rural Development (RD) State Directors.



Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on House Passage of President Biden’s Build Back Better Act

News Release: WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2021 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack released the following statement following House Passage of President Biden’s Build Back Better bill. The bill will now go to the Senate for consideration.


USDA Announces Steps to Restore Roadless Protections on Tongass National Forest

News Release: WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2021 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it is taking steps to repeal the 2020 Alaska Roadless Rule and restore protections to more than nine million acres of inventoried roadless areas on the Tongass National Forest. The Alaska Roadless Rule, approved on ...


Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on the Intent to Nominate Jose Emilio Esteban, Ph.D. to Serve as Under Secretary for Food Safety

News Release: WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2021 — “Dr. Esteban has a deep understanding of USDA’s commitment to protect the health of the public by providing food safety. Having held several leadership roles in USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), he has a proven, and extensive, track record on this key issue.


USDA Announces 2022 Hispanic-Serving Institutions Faculty and Staff Fellowships

News Release: WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE) is accepting applications for 2022 Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Fellows through the E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship Program. These fellowships introduce faculty and staff from Hispanic-Serving Institutions to the vast array of USDA resources available to them.


USDA Invests $222 Million in Rural Community Infrastructure to Help People in 44 States, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico

News Release: Projects Include $132 Million for Rural Health Care, Food Security and Emergency Response Services


USDA Announces Agricultural Outlook Forum Theme and Program

News Release: WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the theme and program of the 98th Agricultural Outlook Forum, a virtual event that will be held on February 24-25, 2022. The 2022 Forum theme is “New Paths to Sustainability and Productivity Growth” and the program will focus on innovations to minimize the environmental footprint of agriculture and ensure sustainability while improving crop yields.


USDA Invests $5.2 Billion to Build and Improve Critical Rural Infrastructure in 46 States and Puerto Rico

News Release: Funding Will Expand Access to High-Speed Internet, Clean Water and Dependable Electric Power in People’s Homes and Businesses in Rural America


News Release: Washington - As part of its commitment to ensuring fair and competitive markets for the livestock, meat and poultry industries, on November 19th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reached a consent decision with Mark A. Oberly, doing business as Oberly Brothers Livestock (Oberly) of Dundee, Mich., for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act.


Export Sales to Unknown Destinations

Release: Private exporters reported sales of 132,000 metric tons of soybeans for delivery to unknown destinations during the 2022/2023 marketing year.


News Release: Researchers within the Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) Systematic Entomology Laboratory (SEL) are currently preparing for more intense study of beetles in the genus Agrilus, thanks to their recent acquisition of the Eduard Jendek Collection. The collection was developed over the last 30-40 years...


News Release: Washington - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) entered into a stipulation agreement with Rex Alan Starr & Nikki Starr, doing business as Stillwell Livestock Auction LLC (Stillwell) of Stillwell, Okla., on Nov. 22, 2021, for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act. Under the terms of the stipulation agreement, Stillwell waived their rights to a hearing and paid a civil penalty of $1,500.


David Scott and Jim Costa Statements on U.S. Victory in USMCA Dispute over Canada Dairy Restrictions

News Release: WASHINGTON - House Agriculture Committee Chairman David Scott and Livestock and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee Chair Jim Costa issued the following statement on yesterday's announcements regarding the USMCA Dispute on Canadian Dairy Restrictions.



U.S. Department of Agriculture publishes 16 press releases in December

There were 16 press releases published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in December.


News Release: WASHINGTON, Jan. 4. 2022 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) entered into a stipulation agreement with Clinton Stockyards Inc. (Clinton) of Fox, Ark., on Sept. 24, 2021, for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act. Under the terms of the stipulation agreement, Clinton waived its right to a hearing and paid a penalty of $2,500.


Statement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on USMCA Dairy Panel Ruling

News Release: Washington - “Today, the U.S. Trade Representative announced that the United States has prevailed in the first dispute settlement panel proceeding under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The panel agreed with the United States that Canada is unfairly restricting access to its market for U.S. dairy products by breaching its USMCA commitments regarding allocation of dairy tariff rate quotas (TRQs).


USDA Announces Additional Farm Service Agency and Rural Development State Directors

News Release: Washington - Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced additional regional positions, including three Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Directors and two Rural Development (RD) State Directors.


USDA Settles a Packers and Stockyards Case Against Mohammad Aziz

News Release: Washington - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) entered into a stipulation agreement with Mohammad Aziz (Aziz), East Rosharon, Texas, on June 19, 2021, for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act. Under the terms of the stipulation agreement, Aziz waived his right to a hearing and paid a civil penalty of $2,500.