U.S. farmers are at the sharp end of climate change, writes U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, but they are adapting and rising to the challenge.
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USDA has announced a new framework aimed at transforming the U.S. food system for the benefit of producers, consumers, and rural communities.
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This Earth Day, The U.S. Sustainability Alliance highlights some of the many American farmers and producers championing environmental sustainability.
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In California, they’re reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 20% on the farm and, he says, dairy digesters are the best solution to reduce methane today.
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Women play a vital role in American agriculture. More than half (51%) of all farming operations in the United States have at least one female operator, according to the 2019 Agricultural Resource Management Survey.
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Farming in the Texas Panhandle, the heart of America’s historic Dust Bowl, Barry has experienced the dangers of blowing topsoil first hand. We spoke to him about how he manages soil and water conservation in the resource-limited High Plains.
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RESILIENCE: The Whole Orchard Recycling Origin Story shows how the vision and determination of one individual – plant pathology graduate Brent Holtz – led to a new and sustainable solution to ag burning.
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He spoke to us about the precise cost, productivity and sustainability benefits of using the right amount of fertilizer where it’s needed and reducing tillage passes on his fields.
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Increasing urbanization, erosion, nutrient imbalance, intensive farming and climate change are placing huge demands on the availability and health of the world’s earth. In many croplands across the world, the layer of fertile topsoil is thinning, making it more difficult to grow crops for food.
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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addressed the EU Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development remotely on the most pressing issues in food and agriculture.
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U.S. farmers are at the sharp end of climate change, writes U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, but they are adapting and rising to the challenge.
Read more
USDA has announced a new framework aimed at transforming the U.S. food system for the benefit of producers, consumers, and rural communities.
Read more
This Earth Day, The U.S. Sustainability Alliance highlights some of the many American farmers and producers championing environmental sustainability.
Read more
In California, they’re reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 20% on the farm and, he says, dairy digesters are the best solution to reduce methane today.
Read more
Women play a vital role in American agriculture. More than half (51%) of all farming operations in the United States have at least one female operator, according to the 2019 Agricultural Resource Management Survey.
Read more
Farming in the Texas Panhandle, the heart of America’s historic Dust Bowl, Barry has experienced the dangers of blowing topsoil first hand. We spoke to him about how he manages soil and water conservation in the resource-limited High Plains.
Read more
RESILIENCE: The Whole Orchard Recycling Origin Story shows how the vision and determination of one individual – plant pathology graduate Brent Holtz – led to a new and sustainable solution to ag burning.
Read more
He spoke to us about the precise cost, productivity and sustainability benefits of using the right amount of fertilizer where it’s needed and reducing tillage passes on his fields.
Read more
Increasing urbanization, erosion, nutrient imbalance, intensive farming and climate change are placing huge demands on the availability and health of the world’s earth. In many croplands across the world, the layer of fertile topsoil is thinning, making it more difficult to grow crops for food.
Read more
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addressed the EU Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development remotely on the most pressing issues in food and agriculture.
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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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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This month, our lead story is the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture’s recent visit to the UK, following a historic trade deal. We also celebrate the 90th anniversary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service by exploring the agency’s history and evolution.
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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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