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 […]
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 more
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 […]
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
. The program will provide comprehensive support for farmers to transition to organic production, which USDA says will bring environmental benefits and enable producers to demand a premium in the marketplace.
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 […]
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
. The program will provide comprehensive support for farmers to transition to organic production, which USDA says will bring environmental benefits and enable producers to demand a premium in the marketplace.
Read more
In a landmark move, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Bovaer® - a feed ingredient that reduces enteric methane emissions from dairy cows - for use in the United States. What are the implications?
Read more
To mark National Dairy Month, we visit a New York dairy farm to look at some of the advances that have led to these improvements. Meet the Beck Brothers, the stars of a new TV documentary!
Read more
Jennie Schmidt, a third-generation farmer and registered dietitian, strongly believes in the power of storytelling. In her experience, personal narratives can help consumers better understand how our food is grown, especially when fewer people have first-hand knowledge of the agriculture industry than ever before.
Read moreLarry 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 […]
Read more
May 2024. In 2023, the United States exported almost $175 billion worth of agricultural commodities worldwide. The primary markets for these exports were China, Mexico, and Canada, followed by the European Union in fourth place. The latest export yearbook from USDA FAS delves into the details of this export activity, providing essential data and trends for the top 14 U.S. agricultural commodity exports and the leading 16 export destinations in 2023.
Download now
May 2024. Due to popular demand, USSA's regulatory report outlining key dates and events, regulatory developments, and government funding and assistance programs in U.S agriculture has been divided into four mini-series reports: soil health, water, climate change, and biodiversity. This report focuses on soil health.
Download now
May 2024. Due to popular demand, USSA's regulatory report outlining key dates and events, regulatory developments, and government funding and assistance programs in U.S agriculture has been divided into four mini-series reports: soil health, water, climate change, and biodiversity. This report focuses on biodiversity.
Download now
May 2024. Due to popular demand, USSA's regulatory report outlining key dates and events, regulatory developments, and government funding and assistance programs in U.S agriculture has been divided into four mini-series reports: soil health, water, climate change, and biodiversity. This report focuses on water.
Download now
The U.S. Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery, which includes white, brown, and pink shrimp from all five Gulf of Mexico states and federal waters, has become the first shrimp fishery to achieve Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Certification.
Read more
Before May this year, Laurent Journo, a marketing specialist at the U.S. embassy in Paris, knew little about Alaska despite it being an important trading partner for France. He saw the state as a distant, wild, mountainous land with dense forests and rich fauna. After visiting, what has he learned and how have his perceptions changed?
Read more
Willem Paul de Mooij, editor of VMT – a Dutch publication for the food sector – recently interviewed two entrepreneurial farmers who are exploring the potential of kelp as an alternative income stream. They claim it’s nutritious, sustainable, versatile, and ripe for export. Learn more about the opportunities for kelp.
Read more
This month, we bring you an update on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s adaptation plan to mitigate the growing risks of climate change. We also feature an innovation challenge to find breakthrough solutions to agriculture’s most pressing challenges. And we report on global research that has identified a way to save nearly half of the 1.3 billion tons of food wasted annually.
Read more
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.
Hear directly from noted seafood chef and author Barton Seaver about the sustainability of the American lobster industry.
Watch nowThe new Rewind documentary series from Real Leather Stay Different. aims to provide some balance in the debate about the use of our land, fast fashion and our future.
Watch nowThis video highlights the emphasis on sustainability by the U.S. beef industry. Watch this story of beef farmers’ and ranchers’ multi-generational commitment to the environment with buyers and consumers around the world.
Watch nowBefore you leave, please consider taking our survey.
We want to find out how you think the U.S. is performing in terms of sustainability, what you’re interested in finding out more about, and where you think we should focus our resources.
Your views will help shape the future and ensure we deliver key insights on the most important issues to our site visitors.
Take our survey
