USDA awards $19.2M scholarships to boost careers at land-grant universities

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced a significant investment in rural infrastructure projects across the United States. The USDA is allocating $1.3 billion to fund 116 projects aimed at improving access to clean and reliable electric grids, safe drinking water, and job opportunities in rural and Tribal communities. This initiative aligns with President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which focuses on economic growth from the middle out and bottom up.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a $1.7 billion investment to purchase locally and regionally produced foods for emergency food assistance. This funding, facilitated by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), aims to support American producers by providing access to local and regional markets and the financial benefits of selling directly to institutions. The initiative also ensures that American children and families in need have access to healthy food at schools, child care facilities, and emergency food providers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack has issued a proclamation recognizing October 2024 as the Department’s 60th anniversary of National Cooperative Month.

As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration has announced over $2.8 billion to support clean power in the Midwest. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) revealed a loan guarantee up to $1.52 billion for Holtec Palisades under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) program to restart an 800-MW nuclear station in Covert Township, Michigan.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in collaboration with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), has announced three projects recommended for funding through the "Nourishing Next Generation Agrifood Breakthroughs" Innovation Challenge. The selected projects will receive a total of $1.15 million, with Columbia University and the University of British Columbia each receiving $500,000, and From the Land, LLC receiving $150,000.

The Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce have released a report aimed at boosting community-led economic development in the sustainable forest product sector and outdoor recreation. This initiative supports healthy, resilient forests while addressing climate change impacts, workforce and housing shortages, and intergovernmental coordination barriers in rural forest-dependent communities. The report builds on President Biden’s Executive Order on Strengthening the Nation’s Forests, Communities, and Local Economies (E.O. 14072), signed on Earth Day 2022.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL). This agreement aims to raise awareness of USDA as an employer among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) college students and to support the recruitment, hiring, and retention of a diverse workforce.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) held its Final Equity Convening in Washington, D.C., to mark the achievements of the USDA Equity Commission and highlight progress made under the Biden-Harris Administration. The event, held at USDA Headquarters, was the culmination of a series of equity summits and regional convenings aimed at emphasizing equity and inclusion within USDA programs.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a reminder to communities, farmers, ranchers, families, and small businesses in the path of Hurricane Helene about available assistance programs. USDA staff at regional, state, and county offices are prepared to help.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the advancement of eight new clean energy projects through the Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program. These projects, if approved, will receive over $248 million to lower electricity bills, expand access to renewable energy, and create jobs for rural families, small businesses, and agricultural producers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that low-income residents in eight Louisiana parishes affected by Hurricane Francine may be eligible for assistance through the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). The hurricane began impacting the area on September 11, 2024.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a $466.5 million investment aimed at enhancing global food security through its international development programs. The announcement was made by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack at the Clinton Global Initiative 2024 annual meeting.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is awarding more than $35 million in grants to 15 independent meat processors in 12 states to increase processing capacity, spur competition, expand market opportunities for U.S. farmers, and create jobs in rural areas. This marks the final investment in the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP), funded by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, which was first launched in 2022.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited two communities in Arizona today to highlight U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) investments aimed at protecting communities and natural resources from wildfire and drought, expanding access to clean energy, creating jobs, and building stronger, more resilient communities.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an investment of nearly $121 million to advance research and extension activities aimed at addressing key challenges faced by specialty crop and organic agriculture producers. This includes $70.4 million for specialty crop production research across the United States and $50.5 million to support farmers and ranchers growing high-quality organic food, fiber, and products.