United States Department of Agriculture federal executive department established in 1862, whose head was made a cabinet member in 1889. The department administers federal programs related to food production and rural life. The department's principal duty is to aid farmers, but it also serves consumers through its food assistance and food inspection programs. The department is responsible for many different programs, including research, food aid such as Food Stamps and school meal supplements, the promotion of conservation, and the administration of the national forests and grasslands. It also stabilizes commodity markets through price supports, diversion of acreage to conservation use, and the disposal of commodities. Its Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services division includes the Farm Service Agency, which provides farmers credit at favorable rates, and its Rural Development division includes the Rural Utilities Service, which extends telephone, electrical, water, and sewer services (see Rural Electrification Administration ); finally, its regulatory functions include inspections of meat, dairy, and poultry products, the administration of animal quarantines, and the eradication of animal diseases. The department also runs a graduate school for government employees. The publications of the department are of great value to farmers, horticulturists, and others.
Bibliography: See U.S. Department of Agriculture, Century of Service (1963); study by J. U. Terrell (1966).
Author not available, AGRICULTURE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF.,
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition 2008
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United States of America Department of Agriculture obtains United States patent.(U.S. patent in immunization of animals against cyptosporidiosis)(Brief Article)
BIOTECH Patent News; 8/1/2001; 27 words;
United States of America Department of Agriculture (Washington, DC) has patented recombinant proteins for the immunization of animals against cryptosporidiosis. (US 6277973)
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The United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service.(Brief Article)
Cosmetics International; 11/25/2001; 40 words;
* The United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service has reported that the US imported essential oils worth $238,000 from Vietnam for the first eight months of the year. This compares with $82,00 the year before for the same period.
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USDA's organic standards rejected but the fight's not over. (United States Department of Agriculture)
Earth Island Journal; 6/22/1998; Colby, Michael; 1037 words;
The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) unseemly foray into the world of organic agriculture became official last December with the release ... the further industrialization of organic agriculture. These proposed new standards are grounded ...
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USDA to purchase cherries.(United States Department of Agriculture)(Brief Article)
Economic Opportunity Report; 2/23/2004; 62 words;
USDA to Purchase Cherries. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is planning to purchase up to 3 million pounds of dried red tart cherries for donation to child nutrition and other domestic ...
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Chemists at the Agricultural Research Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture, have created an eco-friendly hydraulic fluid.(POSTSCRIPTS)(Brief article)
Nutrition Health Review; 9/22/2005; 118 words;
... at the Agricultural Research Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture, have created an eco-friendly hydraulic fluid that ... of Liberty on Liberty Island in New York. (Source: United States Department of Agriculture.)
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States win USDA funds for outreach.(United States. Department of Agriculture)(Brief article)
Report on Preschool Programs; 6/7/2006; 109 words;
Nine states will get new U.S. Agriculture Department grants to promote seamless ... Under the program, states will work to ensure ... programs. With the funds, states will be able to certify ... food stamp program. States receiving funds are ...
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USDA: Granite State bucks trend by adding farms.(United States Department of Agriculture)(Brief article)
New Hampshire Business Review; 8/17/2007; 131 words;
Federal agriculture officials say farmers in New ... effectively. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 1985 New Hampshire had 3 ... Those numbers mean the future of agriculture in the Northeast may lay in small ...
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USDA rural grants.(United States Department of Agriculture)(Brief Article)
Economic Opportunity Report; 4/26/2004; 80 words;
... Rural Grants: Aiming to spur economic development in rural areas, the U.S. Agriculture Department has awarded $10.9 million in loans and grants to 34 agencies in 17 states. Funds can be used to boost community facilities and infrastructure, improve ...
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USDA SETS ORGANIC LABELING RULES.(United States Department of Agriculture)(Brief Article)
Chemical Week; 1/3/2001; FRANZ, NEIL; 106 words;
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established national standards for farmers and processors who wish to label their products as organically grown, which ...
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USDA Moves for Better GMO Tracking.(United States Department of Agriculture, genetically modified crops tracking and detection)(Brief Article)
Chemical Market Reporter; 12/11/2000; 225 words;
US DEPARTMENT of Agriculture is considering ways to improve the tracking and detection of genetically ... says a top official. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman says his department will seek public comment on a number of steps to facilitate the ...
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Yulex, Carlsbad, CA, has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA) to considerably increase the rubber latex yield of guayule, the world's only commercial source of natural rubber latex that is safe for people with Type I latex allergy.(Contracts, licenses)
Rubber World; 11/1/2006; 78 words;
Yulex, Carlsbad, CA, has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA) to considerably increase the rubber latex yield of guayule, the ...
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USDA/tribal watershed forestry assistance.(Federal Register)(United States Department of Agriculture)(Brief Article)
Native American Report; 6/11/2004; 116 words;
USDA/Tribal Watershed Forestry Assistance. Notice. The Department of Agriculture's Forest Service is preparing an interim final guideline, in consultation with Indian tribes, for the Tribal Watershed Forestry ...
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USDA to investigate if meat packers violated Packers and Stockyards Act.(United States Department of Agriculture)(Brief Article)
Food & Drink Weekly; 3/31/2003; 224 words;
The Agriculture Department is considering a complaint that meat packers may have violated the Packers and Stockyards Act with their campaign against the new ... lower and asked GIPSA to issue an order telling the companies to cease-and-desist sending the letters and flyers. A spokeswoman for Agriculture ...
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USDA error means lower drought relief payments.(USA)(Kansas Livestock Association)(United States department of Agriculture)(Brief article)
Agra Europe; 9/15/2006; 291 words;
The US department of agriculture (USDA) is due to pay out only around 20% of what it had promised ... the Farm Service Agency said on Monday. Adrian Polansky, Kansas Agriculture Secretary described the funds the state is due to receive as ...
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United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service.(Brief Article)
Cosmetics International; 3/10/2002; 29 words;
* The United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service says that Hungarian and US officials have agreed that Hungary will reduce import duties on US-made products.
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