Scott Kravetz participates in the Bird Health Awareness Week webinar. USDA photo.

As part of Bird Health Awareness Week, USDA recently hosted a webinar on “Growing Chicks into Healthy Chickens.”  Dr. Martin Smeltzer, Andy Schneider (aka the “Chicken Whisperer”) and Dr. Claudia Dunkley spent an hour helping backyard bird owners learn more about keeping their flocks healthy.  Around 300 people participated in the webinar, most of who are just getting started with backyard birds. Read more »

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Rural Utilities Service Administrator John Padalino, right, moderates Energizing Rural Economies breakout session of the 2013 Agricultural Outlook Forum held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, VA on Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. USDA photo by Lance Cheung.

We all like to save a buck.  But what if you not only saved a buck today, but one tomorrow, and the next day and for the rest of your life?

Hopefully, that’s a lot of bucks. Read more »

I am excited to report that Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will lead the U.S. delegation for an important conference at the end of April at the G-8 International Conference on Open Data for Agriculture in Washington.  I will join the Secretary at the conference to launch the G8 countries’ collaborative effort to make our agriculturally-relevant research and statistical data accessible to users in Africa and around the world. Read more »