tom vilsack

“The biggest investment in rural electrification since the mid 1930s.”  That's how President Biden and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack are describing a newly announced $7 billion investment in rural clean energy projects in nearly two dozen states.   “To bring th...

The USDA joined the Education Department and other education, parent, and school meal partner groups last week to celebrate new school meal options as the school year started.  The organizations held a virtual pep rally to celebrate the back-to-school season and thank the champions that educate and nourish our nation’s school children.   “Healt...

Last week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the latest funds dolled out by the USDA's Fertilizer Production Expansion Program, or F-PEP.    “We're announcing an additional 7 projects that we're funding in seven states, an investment of about $35 million in expanded fertilizer capacity.”   The p...

Earlier this week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack updated farm country in ongoing efforts to develop an H5N1 vaccine for dairy cattle.   “We have a number of companies that have been working on vaccine and one company has now presented sufficient information to the USDA to allow me to authorize what they did this week," Vilsack said.  "The fir...

The USDA says it is working to make connections between farmers as well as providers and verifiers of carbon credits.   “We announced the opening of positions on an advisory committee that we're instructed to develop under the Climate Solutions Act that was passed by Congress.  It's a l...

A bipartisan group of Senators recently launched an effort to get USDA to improve the accuracy of foreign-owned farmland data.  The group, led by Chuck Grassley, Joni Ernst and John Fetterman wrote Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack that FSA data on foreign holdings of U.S. farmla...

Senate Ag Committee members Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) are asking the USDA to improve its process for foreign-owned farmland disclosures.  The letter follows alleged inaccuracies posted online by the Farm Service Agency under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act.   “...

“What really underpinned our efforts at USDA is to improve equity and keep all farmers farming," noted Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack as he recently announced that USDA is making scores of changes in every single agency in an effort to boost equity and fairness.  Vilsack ...

The Department of Ag seeks nominations for individuals to serve on the Advisory Committee on Minority Farmers.  The committee will recommend solutions to challenges faced by minority farmers and ranchers and is part of USDA's commitment to advance equity for all, especially for farmers and producers in underserved communities.  The com...

Earlier this week, the USDA announced new investments to provide healthy school meals to students.  The Department announced several actions to expand support and access to the school meal program including $50 million in grants to increase collaboration between schools, food producers and suppliers.   ...