USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Rebecca Blue, speaks with attendees of the Women in Agriculture roundtable in Bailey, CO.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of participating in a “Women in Agriculture” roundtable in Bailey, Col. The participants were from across the United States with a variety of agricultural backgrounds.  Some were just beginning while others had years of experience under their belts.  These women came together as part of the National Farmers Union-Women’s Conference and it was inspiring to watch as they shared concerns and found answers in one another’s experiences and knowledge. Read more »

Taylor Hamilton, a Forest Service recreation trails tech, guides students from Union County Middle School on a trek to Springer Mountain as part of the Trails to Every Classroom program (May 16, 2012). Springer Mountain is the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail located within miles of the school. (USDA Forest Service photo/Donnie Kelley)

Summer brings to an end an incredible school year for Union County Middle School students in North Georgia who have been immersed in learning about a famous 2,181 mile-long trail. Read more »

Virginia Tech student Stefanie Pagano weighs a mouse as part of a research study on work level and food taste. Photo courtesy of Jim Stroup.

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from the USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

A national study of 70 land-grant universities found that undergraduate women enrolled in agriculture programs outnumber undergraduate men by more than 2,900 students. This study, conducted by the Food and Agricultural Education Information System, explored trends in the gender of undergraduate students enrolled in 14 agriculture academic areas at land-grant institutions from 2004 to 2011. Read more »

Under Secretary Dallas Tonsager visits with North Vernon, Indiana residents as they celebrate their new water system, thanks to USDA Rural Development.

U. S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development, Dallas Tonsager, was in Indiana July 19 and 20, reviewing how the agency’s programs and services are helping create jobs and improve the quality of life in the Hoosier state. Read more »

As USDA’s Chief Scientist I oversee a team of world class scientists, economists, statisticians, and support staff working to solve some of the biggest challenges facing us all – a changing climate, uncertain energy sources, rising childhood obesity rates, food insecurity around the globe – and making sure our solutions are safe and sustainable.

In 2010, one of my first initiatives as Chief Scientist was to ask this group of food, agricultural, and natural resource science professionals to develop an Action Plan for USDA Science.  The Action Plan provides an in depth analysis of these challenges and identifies the roles of USDA’s science agencies in addressing them. Read more »