Stories by USDA Newswire on Federal Newswire

News Release: Washington - As part of its efforts to enforce the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) and ensure fair trading practices within the U.S. produce industry, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on three produce businesses for failing to meet their contractual obligations...

Private Exporters Report Sales Activity for China and Unknown Destinations

Release: Washington -Private exporters reported to the U.S. Department of Agriculture the following activity.

ARS Launches Website Highlighting Research Impacting People Around the World

News Release: WASHINGTON, July 30, 2020-The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) today announced the launch of its Scientific Discoveries 2020 website to highlight the national and international impact of ARS research on agriculture from the farmer's field to the consumer's table.

USDA Issues a Default Decision Against Scott Deters, d.b.a. Scott Deters Livestock Company for Violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act

News Release: Washington - As part of its commitment to ensuring fair and competitive markets for the livestock, meat and poultry industries, on May 19, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a Decision and Order Without Hearing by Reason of Default against Scott Deters, doing business as Scott Deters...

APHIS Removes the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in Lasara, Willacy County, Texas

Release: FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION. DA-2020-15. July 29, 2020 To: State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials Effective July 22, 2020, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) removed the Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine area in ...

SNAP Benefits to Increase in FY 2021

Release: Washington, DC, July 29, 2020 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) today released its June 2020 Cost of Foods Report, announcing a more than 5% increase in the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan from last year. This increase is more than double the 20-year annual average...

Farmers to Families Food Box Program Reaches 50 Million Boxes Delivered

News Release: (Washington, D.C., July 29, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farmers to Families Food Box Program has distributed over 50 million food boxes in support of American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Farmers to Families Food Box Program Reaches 50 Million Boxes Delivered

Release: Washington, DC, July 29, 2020 - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farmers to Families Food Box Program has distributed over 50 million food boxes in support of American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Lighting System Helps Deer Avoid Vehicles at Night

Release: Researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Wildlife Services (WS) program recently applied for a patent (U.S. Patent Application No. 16/668,253) for a new vehicle-based lighting system to prevent deer-vehicle collisions during low-light conditions.

Fudge Condemns Senate, White House for Abandoning Hungry Families

News Release: WASHINGTON - Ohio Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge, Chair of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations slammed the Senate’s proposed coronavirus relief legislation announced on Monday for its lack of funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)...

New Lighting System Helps Deer Avoid Vehicles at Night

Release: . WS is a program with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Its mission is to provide Federal leadership and expertise to resolve wildlife conflicts to allow people and wildlife to coexist. The program’s efforts help people resolve wildlife damage to a wide variety of resources and to ...

Farmers to Families Food Box Program Reaches 50 Million Boxes Delivered

News Release: (Washington, D.C., July 29, 2020) - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farmers to Families Food Box Program has distributed over 50 million food boxes in support of American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Availability of Deregulation Extension Request for GE Potato

Release: The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is inviting public comment on a request from J.R. Simplot Company (Simplot) to extend deregulation to a potato variety, designated as Snowden Z6 (Z6 potato), which is genetically engineered for late blight ...

USDA Investigates Packages of Unsolicited Seeds from China

Release: aphispress@usda.gov. USDA is aware that people across the country have received suspicious, unsolicited packages of seed that appear to be coming from China. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection, ...

Commercially Available Cell Line Rapidly Detects African Swine Fever Virus

News Release: WASHINGTON, July 28, 2020-Scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have identified a new way to detect the presence of live African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) that minimizes the need for samples from live animals and provides easier access to veterinary labs that need to diagnose the virus.

USDA Files Action Against First Fruits Holdings LLC, d/b/a Four Rivers Onion Packing in Idaho for Alleged PACA Violations

News Release: Washington - As part of its efforts to enforce the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) and ensure fair trading practices within the U.S. produce industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed an administrative complaint against First Fruits Holdings LLC, doing business as Four...

USDA Reaches a Consent Decision and Civil Penalty with Merle Olson, d.b.a. Olson Cattle Co., for Packers and Stockyards Act Violations

News Release: Washington - As part of its commitment to ensuring fair and competitive markets for the livestock, meat and poultry industries, on July 14, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reached a consent decision with Merle Olson, doing business as Olson Cattle Co. (Merle Olson) of Montana, for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act.

Costa Statement on Roundtable Discussion with Chief Agriculture Negotiator Doud