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From Opinion and Insights to the latest in technologies and news straight from the fields, here you will find information about the produce and work of our members and their innovation in U.S. farming, fishing and forestry.
Land-grant universities were established by President Lincoln through the Morrill Act of 1862.
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Can agriculture meet the demands of a growing world population while ensuring environmental sustainability? Daniel Lapidus, Director of Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems at RTI International, highlights important trends on both the supply and demand sides that suggest we are heading in the right direction.
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Glynn and Ruth Gibson from southeast Arkansas are a small but mighty force in American ranching. Their cattle operation may be modest, but their dedication to conservation and innovation is anything but.
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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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Globally-applicable insights on the conditions needed to support regenerative agriculture at scale, as shared by a group of food and beverage companies convened by Sustainable Food Lab.
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AFIA’s annual report outlining its commitments, progress and priorities for strengthening the competitiveness and resilience of the U.S. animal food sector.
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An analysis of the reasons why U.S. farmers face persistent barriers to adopting sustainable practices and what types of support could accelerate change.
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July 2025. A forecast of trends in agricultural production, trade and food consumption up to 2034 at national, regional and global levels.
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USSA News: This month’s top stories include a new name for one of our members to better reflect the commodities it represents, and the winners of a student design competition that champions the use of natural materials.
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In Jackson County, northeast Arkansas, a legacy of sustainable agriculture has endured for five generations.
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Only Natural has announced the winners of its international student design competition.
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In 2024, exports from the U.S. animal feed industry reached $11.6 billion, with volumes increasing by 8% from the previous year to 21.4 million metric tons.
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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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