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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.
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?
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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!
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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.
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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 […]
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This publication examines the innovation required to protect forests’ benefits for the climate, biodiversity, and communities. It focuses on barriers, enablers, actions, and real-world examples.
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A look into the future of agricultural supply and demand in the context of climate change and a growing population, focusing on corn, rice, soybeans, and wheat.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest climate adaptation plan assesses current and future climate risks to USDA employees, facilities, services, and, more broadly, to federal lands, waters, and cultural resources. The plan also outlines how the Department is integrating climate adaptation and resilience into every aspect of its operations.
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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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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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
