Stories by USDA Newswire on Federal Newswire

News Release: Emergency Benefits Prompted by COVID-19 (Washington, D.C., April 22, 2020) – Today, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced emergency benefit increases have reached $2.0 billion per month for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households across all 50 states and 3 territories ...

Confirmation of COVID-19 in Two Pet Cats in New York

Release: Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) today announced the first confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) infection in two pet cats. These are the first pets in the United States to test positive for SARS-CoV-2.

USDA Increases Monthly SNAP Benefits by 40%

Release: Washington, DC, April 22, 2020 - Today, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced emergency benefit increases have reached $2.0 billion per month for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households across all 50 states and 3 territories to increase food security during the...

USDA Approves Program to Feed Kids in Alabama

Release: Washington, DC, April 22, 2020 - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced Alabama has been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), signed by President Trump, which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures.

Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on the Fourth Bipartisan Coronavirus Package

News Release: WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today issued the following statement after Senate passage of the fourth Coronavirus package, the Paycheck Protection and Health Care Enhancement Act...

Detection of Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 in a United States Greenhouse

Release: FOR INFORMATION. DA-2020-09. April 21, 2020To: State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed detection of the pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 (Rs R3bv2) in a symptomatic geranium (Pelargonium sp.) plant located in a Michigan ...

Kentucky, Missouri, and Texas Added to Innovative SNAP Online Pilot Program

News Release: USDA is expanding access to innovative online food purchase program (Washington, D.C., April 21, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced approval of requests from Kentucky, Missouri, and Texas to provide online purchasing of food to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ...

USDA Holds Virtual Career Expo for Kansas City Jobs

News Release: April 21, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) are partnering with University of Missouri to host a joint Virtual Career Expo on April 28, 2020, building on an event last year that attracted more than 400 attendees. Both agencies relocated most of their operations to the Kansas City region last fall and are continuing to grow their workforces.

Important Information about APHIS Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Import Permits

Release: APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine is excited to announce that, beginning this fall, importers will be able to apply for and receive fresh fruit and vegetable import permits through eFile, APHIS’ new online permitting system. eFile will offer a simple and easy way to apply for and receive your fresh ...

USDA Confirms Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 in Geranium Plants in Greenhouse

Release: Washington, D.C. - The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the detection of Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 (RSr3b2) in a single variety of geranium plants located in a Michigan greenhouse. This particular type of Ralstonia ...

Peterson Statement on Final Navigable Waters Protection Rule

News Release: WASHINGTON - House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson of Minnesota issued the following statement Tuesday following the finalization of the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, a replacement for the former "Waters of the U.S." (WOTUS) rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Kentucky, Missouri, and Texas Added to Innovative SNAP Online Pilot Program

Release: Washington, DC, April 21, 2020 - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced approval of requests from Kentucky, Missouri, and Texas to provide online purchasing of food to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households. This approval will allow the states to expedite the implementation of online purchasing with currently authorized SNAP online retailers with a target start date to be announced at a later time.

USDA Reports Record Enrollment in Key Farm Safety-Net Programs

News Release: Washington - Producers signed a record 1.77 million contracts for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2019 crop year, which is more than 107 percent of the total contracts signed compared with a 5-year average. USDA also reminds producers that June 30 is the deadline to enroll in ARC and PLC for the 2020 crop year.

USDA Approves Program to Feed Kids in Arizona and Illinois

News Release: Pandemic EBT to Feed Children during COVID-19 National Emergency (Washington, D.C., April 20, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced Arizona and Illinois have been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), a new program authorized by the Families First ...

USDA Approves Program to Feed Kids in Arizona and Illinois

Release: Washington, DC, April 20, 2020 - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced Arizona and Illinois have been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (PEBT), a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), signed by President Trump, which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures.

APHIS Adds Indonesia to the List of Regions Affected by African Swine Fever

Release: The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) added Indonesia to the list of regions affected by African swine fever (ASF). On Dec. 17, 2019, the veterinary authorities of the Republic of Indonesia reported to the World Organization of Animal Health ...

Senate Democrats Urge Trump Administration to Protect Food Supply, Essential Workers During COVID-19 Crisis

News Release: WASHINGTON - Today, a group of 36 Democratic Senators led by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, urged Vice President Mike Pence and other members of the Trump Administration to take action to help ensure the safety of the nation’s food supply and protect essential workers in the food supply chain.

Bioinsecticide-minded Researchers Prospect for Purple-Pigmented Bacterium