News and reports from the Department of Agriculture.

WASHINGTON, September 10, 2024 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the Biden-Harris Administration is investing $100 million in 21 new projects to expand work on the USDA Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy. This initiative aims to reduce the threat of wildfire in high-risk areas across the country.

WESTBY, WI, Sept. 5, 2024 – During a visit to Wisconsin today, President Joe Biden and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack will announce more than $7.3 billion in financing for rural electric cooperatives to build clean energy for rural communities across the country through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program. Together, New ERA and other investments in rural clean energy in the President’s Inflation Reduction Act make up the largest investment in rural electrification since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Rural...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2024 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issued a statement following the release of the Economic Research Service’s 2024 Farm Sector Income Forecast.

On September 4, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service released its annual Household Food Security Report in the United States. The report indicates that in 2023, 86.5 percent of U.S. households were food secure throughout the year, while the remaining 13.5 percent (18 million households) experienced challenges with food availability, quality, or variety at some point during the year.

WASHINGTON, August 29, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today joined the U.S. Department of Education along with education, parent, and school meal partner organizations to host a virtual pep rally celebrating the back-to-school season. The event aimed to thank those who educate and nourish the nation’s school children and highlighted steps taken by the Biden-Harris Administration to support school meals as an essential educational tool.

The Biden-Harris Administration announced a $140 million investment for clean energy projects in rural Nevada and Kentucky. This initiative aims to reduce power bills, enhance access to clean energy, and create jobs for rural families, small businesses, and agricultural producers.

BOONE, IA, Aug. 28, 2024 – At the annual Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is partnering with American business owners to expand innovative domestic fertilizer production. This initiative aims to create jobs in rural communities and strengthen local economies. The Department is awarding $35 million for seven projects across seven states through the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP), funded by the Commodity Credit Corporation. The program provides grants to independent business...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the release of an updated guideline to strengthen documentation supporting animal-raising and environment-related claims on meat and poultry product labels. This initiative aims to enhance consumer protection against false and misleading labels, aligning with President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American economy.

WASHINGTON, DC, August 16, 2024 – Two years ago, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, marking the largest investment in climate action and clean energy in history. This law is central to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda and aims to lower energy costs, create new income streams, and address the climate crisis. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has received significant resources through this act to better serve communities nationwide.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., Aug. 16, 2024 – On the second anniversary of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced funding for 160 projects in 26 states aimed at expanding access to clean energy systems and increasing the availability of domestic biofuels. These initiatives are expected to create new market opportunities and jobs for U.S. farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers.

WASHINGTON, August 14, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the appointment of 20 new members to the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. This committee is part of USDA’s support for equitable access to its services and programs, aiming to create more market opportunities for local and regional production.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced its intention to establish the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council, informally known as the Growing Climate Solutions Act Advisory Council. The USDA is currently seeking nominations for membership on this new council, as stated in a Federal Register notice published today.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on August 1 that it will invest $400 million in collaboration with at least 18 irrigation districts to assist farmers in continuing commodity production while conserving water across the Western United States. The funding aims to conserve up to 50,000 acre-feet of water across 250,000 acres of irrigated land and create new sustainable market opportunities.

On August 8, 2024, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the advancement of a new clean energy project under the Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program. SE Municipal Solar LLC in Nebraska has been selected to receive nearly $30 million to construct eight solar photovoltaic generation facilities with a total capacity of 18.72 megawatts. These facilities are expected to generate enough electricity to power over 1,700 residential homes across Alliance, Gering, Sidney, Imperial, Ansley, Pender, Crete, and Stuart in Nebraska.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to assist recovery efforts for farmers, ranchers, and residents affected by Hurricane Debby, which continues its track up the East Coast. USDA staff across the country are prepared to respond with various program flexibilities and other assistance to producers and communities in need.