News & Events

A New Kind Of Agriculture Replaces Intuition With Precision

Published May. 17, 2013

The key is precision farming: the convergence of digital technology that allows farmers to apply just the right amount of fertilizer and water on their fields. Humans have practiced a rather crude form of agriculture for millennia: we douse fields to give them as much water and fertilizer as we think they need. Yet field conditions may differ drastically within a few feet.

AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT CONSIDERS DATA-DRIVEN NUTRITION ASSISTANCE

Published May. 9, 2013

The proposed database would help the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and its state-level partners make smarter decisions about where to invest time and money,

Agriculture is expected to remain strong in the coming decade

Published May. 14, 2013

Overall, this report indicates an optimistic future that includes some bumps along the way. A couple of these bumps include the short-term softening of commodity prices which are affected by increased production encouraged by high prices from the drought induced short crops of 2012 and increasing crude oil prices.

Agriculture Phrases that Frustrate Me

Published May. 16, 2013

Why are we getting so stuck on terminology, and who is “better” than the “other”. And, why are we so worried about everyone who does things differently? If we look at differences under the same narrow focus, does that mean that corn farmers cannot get along with peanut farmers? What about fruit and vegetable farmers? They are different…why are they not arguing over methods of raising produce?

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Unveils Vision for U.S. Organic Agriculture

Published May. 15, 2013

Vilsack announced a number of changes and new initiatives to support the continued growth of organic agriculture, including that the USDA's Risk Management Agency's (RMA) federal crop insurance program will increase coverage options for organic producers this year and provide even more options in 2014, including a contract price addendum as well as new premium price elections for organic crops.