June 2024. The National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics is the first interagency strategy to lay out a plan for the United States to meet its national goal of halving food loss and waste and achieving a 50% recycling rate by 2030.
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During Organic Week (14-16 May), Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced a series of initiatives to create and expand organic markets in the United States. These new programs, partnerships, grant […]
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Larry Santos of Taylor Farming in Salinas, California, has been named 2024’s Organic Farmer of the Year, recognized by the Organic Trade Association (OTA) for his outstanding contribution to organic agriculture.
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The Organic Trade Association (OTA) has welcomed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) introduction of updated standards for organic livestock and poultry production. The standards are expected to create “a […]
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The Organic Trade Association’s Organic Leadership Awards recognize individuals making a tangible difference to the U.S. organic industry. For organic producers, the highest accolade is Farmer of the Year, which […]
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10 April 2023: A comprehensive analysis of the organic industry since 2000, from policy to production.
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The funding will help NRCS provide farmers with the advice and knowledge they need to change their production methods.
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The National Organic Program provides rigorous standards, under the widely-recognized USDA Organic seal, for the production of organic crops and livestock products, giving consumers confidence that the organic foods they […]
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15 December 2022: Based on a census of producers certified organic or transitioning to organic certification, this report provides the latest statistics on certified organic crops and livestock commodities in the United States.
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The Organic Trade Association (OTA) and Black Farmers Index, the largest public listing of black agriculturalists in the U.S., have joined forces to diversify organic agribusiness, a large and growing industry in […]
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June 2024. The National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics is the first interagency strategy to lay out a plan for the United States to meet its national goal of halving food loss and waste and achieving a 50% recycling rate by 2030.
Read more
During Organic Week (14-16 May), Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced a series of initiatives to create and expand organic markets in the United States. These new programs, partnerships, grant […]
Read more
Larry Santos of Taylor Farming in Salinas, California, has been named 2024’s Organic Farmer of the Year, recognized by the Organic Trade Association (OTA) for his outstanding contribution to organic agriculture.
Read more
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) has welcomed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) introduction of updated standards for organic livestock and poultry production. The standards are expected to create “a […]
Read more
The Organic Trade Association’s Organic Leadership Awards recognize individuals making a tangible difference to the U.S. organic industry. For organic producers, the highest accolade is Farmer of the Year, which […]
Read more
10 April 2023: A comprehensive analysis of the organic industry since 2000, from policy to production.
Read more
The funding will help NRCS provide farmers with the advice and knowledge they need to change their production methods.
Read moreThe National Organic Program provides rigorous standards, under the widely-recognized USDA Organic seal, for the production of organic crops and livestock products, giving consumers confidence that the organic foods they […]
Read more
15 December 2022: Based on a census of producers certified organic or transitioning to organic certification, this report provides the latest statistics on certified organic crops and livestock commodities in the United States.
Read more
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) and Black Farmers Index, the largest public listing of black agriculturalists in the U.S., have joined forces to diversify organic agribusiness, a large and growing industry in […]
Read more
After more than three decades of tree farming, Jay and Kathryn Libby have won the 2025 Maine Outstanding Tree Farm Award.
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The Ellis family - Benjamin, Shannon and their son Tripp - farm in the environmentally sensitive and highly regulated Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
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As the public and private sectors increasingly choose building materials based on factors such as carbon footprint and renewability rather than solely on cost, sustainably sourced wood products offer a promising solution.
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The old Hawaiian proverb “The land is chief, and man is its servant” guides Parker Ranch and its cow-calf operation. The ranch raises cattle in a way that respects natural resources while ensuring cattle health, beef quality and food safety.
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May 2025. A detailed overview of U.S. agricultural exports in 2024, highlighting key export markets and top-performing commodities.
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May 2025. A comprehensive farmgate life cycle assessment (LCA) that enhances understanding of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. dairy industry.
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May 2025. The latest annual report from The Peanut Research Foundation, the American Peanut Council's research arm, highlights the latest research innovation and investments aimed at keeping the U.S. peanut industry competitive.
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April 2025. An updated study examining the contributions of U.S. grain exports to the U.S. economy.
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USSA News: latest agricultural trade export data, new dairy LCA, Maine's forest stewards.
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The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has achieved its sixth consecutive year of growth. The voluntary sustainability program for U.S. cotton now represents 18% more acres and 14% more growers than in 2024.
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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins led a trade delegation to Rome, Italy, in early June as part of a program to expand market access for U.S. agricultural products in Europe.
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In 2024, the value of U.S. agricultural exports reached $176 billion, the third-highest total on record. The European Union (EU) emerged as the fourth-largest market for these exports, with tree nuts ranking as the top export commodity in the region.
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Whilst the USSA members work to exceed regulatory requirement, U.S. laws and regulations provide a robust framework, developed over many years, to ensure and promote the sustainability of its crop, livestock, seafood and forestry sectors. The policies look to immediate impacts on the environment and beyond to cover topics from employment to biodiversity to endangered species. The following pages provide context and an introduction to key federal legislation.
Focused on conservation and environmental stewardship, the USDA, working with The Natural Resources Conservation Service on technical assessment and the Farm Service Agency for enforcements, uses grant management to deliver best practice. A particular focus is on erodible lands and wetlands, with ‘sodbuster’ and ‘swampbuster’ rules, requires presentation of conservation strategies prior to conversion of lands to agricultural use. One result, that soil loss has been halved since 1982.
The U.S. recognizes that sustainability has many facets and action is required in explicit areas. This has resulted in the enactment of a wide range of laws from the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act to the Endangered Species Act, to research and regulatory action on Insecticides and Fungicides and Rodenticide Act; and, with the Lacey Act a focus on illegal trafficking of plants, fish and animals.
In the latest episode of This is U.S. Sustainability, we hear from two multi-generational farmers – an eleventh-generation grains farmer from Maryland and the owner of a centennial cattle farm in Louisiana – about how they have moved with the times while staying true to their roots. We cover rotational grazing, no-till cultivation, water conservation, biotech seeds, and more. And we discuss why going back to the natural cycle is sometimes the best approach.
Tune in to the latest episode of This is U.S. Sustainability to hear how Paul Catanzaro and Professor Tony D’Amato work together to reach family forest owners and ensure they have the information and resources to make the right decisions about their land. And learn about the vital role Tim Stout, a Vermont landowner, plays in amplifying their message.
Tune in for the lowdown on the innovative, often surprising ways the almond industry and the wider food sector are reducing waste. Jet fuel, beer, water filters and peat moss to grow mushrooms – these are just some of the many applications in use and under development.
Discover how softwoods were used in the architecture of PDX Main Terminal, Portland, Oregon, in this new series from the Softwood Export Council.
Watch nowThis new series from the Softwood Export Council spotlights the global reach and versatility of American softwoods in architecture, offering a behind-the-scenes look at sustainable forestry practices.
Watch nowThis new series from the American Feed Industry Association explores the $267 billion U.S. animal food industry, offering insights into its scale and impact.
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