Full USDA press release: https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2022/06/01/usda-announces-framework-shoring-food-supply-chain-and-transforming. Goals of USDA’s Food System Transformation framework include: Building a more resilient food supply chain that provides more and better market options for consumers and producers while reducing carbon pollution Creating a fairer food system that combats market dominance and helps producers and consumers gain more power in the marketplace by...

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NCRS) has created an outreach opportunity in collaboration with partners to expand conservation assistance to historically underserved producers and underserved communities and to provide opportunities for students to pursue careers in agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences. The following is a list of priority areas that NRCS will consider. Addressing local natural resource issues, promoting potential conservation career opportunities,...

Presented by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the National Agricultural Library Join a new webinar series highlighting opportunities and challenges of transdisciplinary approaches within agricultural research! Together we will examine strategies for implementing transdisciplinary approaches, team-building, and overcoming challenges to encourage the adoption of and training in transdisciplinary systems. Upcoming Transdisciplinary Approaches Webinars What They Are and Why...

USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA ) connects agricultural producers with high-quality and affordable crop insurance sold by approved insurance providers. This includes the specific needs of urban and innovative producers, who may have smaller and more specialized operations. In this Ask the Expert, Economist Claire White answers questions about RMA programs and opportunities for urban and innovative producers, including the new Controlled Environment crop insurance program. This new option...

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The introduction of the Controlled Environment crop insurance program underscores the USDA's commitment to the Front Porch Cracker Barrel supporting urban agriculture and fostering new markets for American producers.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2024 – Urban and innovative agriculture producers will be able to more easily participate in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs as a result of acreage reporting improvements. These improvements, implemented by USDA’s Farm Service Agency, provide more flexibility for reporting acreage on a smaller scale and identifying innovative planting practices like multi-level planting or vertical farming practices. READ MORE HERE

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2024— The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it has invested a total of $124 million in Business Builder grants to support small and mid-sized farm and food businesses by funding projects that increase business viability, develop regional market opportunities, and expand value chain capacity. The Business Builder grants are being offered through USDA’s 12 Regional Food Business Centers (RFBC) and is a part of their work to support a more resilient,...

Thanks to those who were able to join the Transdisciplinary Approaches Series webinar, Reviewing and Evaluating Transdisciplinary and Engaged Research Projects: Perspectives from Funding Programs . For those who weren’t – we’ll share the recording link as soon as it’s posted. Next Transdisciplinary Webinar: Webinar Title: Transdisciplinary approaches for sustainable landscapes: International perspectives Registration : You can register here Date : March 25, 2025 Time : 7am to 8:30am Pacific...

The Farm2Facts.org 2.0 platform will soon be available. For 10 years this product of the Kaufman lab for the Study and Design of Marketplaces and Food Systems at the University of Wisconsin Madison has been the leading toolkit supporting farmers market managers, government, and local organizations interested in measuring the impact of farmers markets on communities. It operationalizes all the metrics of the USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program grant application as well as the Local Foods...