75 members found: grain

U.S. Rice Exports to UK at Ten Year High

The UK experienced a 207 percent increase in U.S. rice imports during the first quarter of 2017 (over 10,000 MT valued at $5.4 million).  This was been driven by a […]

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Environmental sustainability of U.S. crops continues to improve

The sustainability of commodity crop production in the United States continues to demonstrate improved environmental outcomes in energy use efficiency, irrigation water use efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, land use efficiency, […]

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Technology, Sustainability and Food Security

by Dr. Jayson Lusk, Oklahoma State University In 1970, Jules Billard penned a feature article for National Geographic entitled “The Revolution in American Agriculture” with the subheading, “more food for our […]

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U.S. Organic Food Production Up From 2014

Sales of organic food in the United States in 2015 rose by 13 percent from 2014 to more than $6 billion. A survey report on 2015 organic food production and […]

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One Farmer’s Journey to Better Soil Health

Steve Siverling plants corn, soybeans and a few small grains on 350 acres in northern Wisconsin.  Some might call him a corn farmer or a soybean grower, but Steve considers […]

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U.S. Rice Farmer on Balancing Nature and Commerce

Jeff Rutledge is a third generation Arkansas rice farmer. Working today in fields first cleared by his grandfather, Rutledge’s ties to the land started when he was a little boy, just old enough to pull weeds.

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Organic farmer’s plea for coexistence: Sustainability benefits using conventional and organics

As a small organic farmer, I got a kick out of of a recent article Janna with big tractor advertising ‘Farming Camp’ for little ones. We used to go to

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U.S. Wheat Sustainability is In the Details

When it comes to analyzing the sustainability of agricultural crops there is a tendency to apply generalized metrics or standards to a wide swath of scenarios.

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Study: Negative Impact on the Environment and Food Prices if GMOs Banned

A significant increase in GHG emissions and a major loss of forest and pasture land would be some of the results if GMOs were banned in the U.S.

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FAO Releases Book to Guide Sustainable Cereal Production

The book describes the practical application of the FAO’s model of sustainable crop production that is being successfully employed to produce staple grain.

Read more

75 results found: grain

U.S. Rice Exports to UK at Ten Year High

The UK experienced a 207 percent increase in U.S. rice imports during the first quarter of 2017 (over 10,000 MT valued at $5.4 million).  This was been driven by a […]

Read more

Environmental sustainability of U.S. crops continues to improve

The sustainability of commodity crop production in the United States continues to demonstrate improved environmental outcomes in energy use efficiency, irrigation water use efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, land use efficiency, […]

Read more

Technology, Sustainability and Food Security

by Dr. Jayson Lusk, Oklahoma State University In 1970, Jules Billard penned a feature article for National Geographic entitled “The Revolution in American Agriculture” with the subheading, “more food for our […]

Read more

U.S. Organic Food Production Up From 2014

Sales of organic food in the United States in 2015 rose by 13 percent from 2014 to more than $6 billion. A survey report on 2015 organic food production and […]

Read more

One Farmer’s Journey to Better Soil Health

Steve Siverling plants corn, soybeans and a few small grains on 350 acres in northern Wisconsin.  Some might call him a corn farmer or a soybean grower, but Steve considers […]

Read more

U.S. Rice Farmer on Balancing Nature and Commerce

Jeff Rutledge is a third generation Arkansas rice farmer. Working today in fields first cleared by his grandfather, Rutledge’s ties to the land started when he was a little boy, just old enough to pull weeds.

Read more

Organic farmer’s plea for coexistence: Sustainability benefits using conventional and organics

As a small organic farmer, I got a kick out of of a recent article Janna with big tractor advertising ‘Farming Camp’ for little ones. We used to go to

Read more

U.S. Wheat Sustainability is In the Details

When it comes to analyzing the sustainability of agricultural crops there is a tendency to apply generalized metrics or standards to a wide swath of scenarios.

Read more

Study: Negative Impact on the Environment and Food Prices if GMOs Banned

A significant increase in GHG emissions and a major loss of forest and pasture land would be some of the results if GMOs were banned in the U.S.

Read more

FAO Releases Book to Guide Sustainable Cereal Production

The book describes the practical application of the FAO’s model of sustainable crop production that is being successfully employed to produce staple grain.

Read more

Insights and Opinion

Can the Feed Industry Provide the Solutions Agriculture Needs?

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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Meet Dairy Farmers the Beck Brothers – Sustainability Champions and TV Stars!

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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Sharing Stories to Counter Misinformation about Biotechnology

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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Meet Larry Santos, Organic Farmer of the Year

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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Latest Reports

2023 United States Agricultural Export Yearbook

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.

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U.S. Sustainable Agriculture (Soil Health): Laws, Policies, and Programs

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

U.S. Sustainable Agriculture (Biodiversity): Laws, Policies, and Programs

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

U.S. Sustainable Agriculture (Water): Laws, Policies, and Programs

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

Latest News Articles

USSA Newsletter: June 2024

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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Updated Climate Adaptation Plans Seeks to Build Resilience Nationwide

To mitigate climate risks and their impacts on their operations, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and more than 20 other federal agencies have released updated climate adaptation plans.

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National Strategy Aims to Halve Food Loss and Waste by 2030

Every year, one-third of all available food in the United States goes uneaten through loss or waste, and EPA research shows that this waste produces greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 60 coal-fired power plants.

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Innovation Challenge Aims to Spark Transformative Agricultural Research

The global search is on for breakthrough research projects in food and agriculture! USDA and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) are offering up to $2 million to multiple teams and projects to pursue high-risk, high-reward research.

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Policies and Regulations

U.S. LAWS AND REGULATIONS

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.

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U.S. CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

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.

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U.S. SUSTAINABILITY LAWS

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.

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Latest Podcasts

EP8- FARMING HERITAGE: RESPECTING TRADITION, EMBRACING CHANGE

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.

EP7- FORESTS AND THEIR ROLE AS A NATURAL CLIMATE SOLUTION

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.

EP6- FROM JET FUEL TO BEER: NEW USSA PODCAST UNCOVERS INNOVATIVE USES FOR FOOD WASTE

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.

Recent Videos

American Lobster Harvesting & Sustainability

Hear directly from noted seafood chef and author Barton Seaver about the sustainability of the American lobster industry.

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L&HCA Documentary Series Establishes Leather as a Sustainable Material

The 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.

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USMEF Sustainability Video

This 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.

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