Such innovation allows today’s farmer to feed over 150 people, each farmer producing five times as much as our grandparents, and doing it with less land, water, energy, and fewer emissions. Agriculture has advanced significantly over the 150-year history of the department charged with its support.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture was established by President Abraham Lincoln on May 15, 1862. Even in the midst of the Civil War, the darkest days of any American presidency, Lincoln viewed agriculture as a critically important component of his domestic policy. In addition to the Department of Agriculture Act, Lincoln signed into law the Homestead Act and the Morrill Act during the summer of 1862.

This collection of legislation, providing for the development and education of rural America, would prove to be the most transformative of any policies ever targeted towards rural Americans. Speaking optimistically about the affect education would have upon agriculture and rural America, Lincoln said, “…no other human occupation opens so wide a field for the profitable and agreeable combination of labor with cultivated thought, as agriculture.”

President Lincoln embraced technology and advocated for what he called “thorough cultivation”. Lincoln defined this and his vision for agriculture as “putting the soil to the top of its capacity – producing the largest crop possible from a given quantity of ground”. Lincoln’s vision manifested itself through USDA’s earliest work in agricultural research and education.

As our nation and technology developed, USDA continued to fulfill Lincoln’s vision by helping American farmers and ranchers access the latest technology and adapt to a changing economic and environmental landscape.

This support became most dramatically evident in Oklahoma during the 1930’s Dust Bowl, the greatest manmade disaster in our nation’s history. USDA scientists stepped forward with research to slow the unimaginable soil loss, and partner with local conservation districts to ensure such a disaster would never return to the Great Plains. Despite recent droughts that exceeded the severity of those during the Dust Bowl, this continued partnership between USDA and local landowners helped ensure this chapter of history did not repeat itself.

The 1930’s also saw dramatic USDA investment in rural Oklahoma’s infrastructure. While American cities had possessed electricity for decades, our nation’s electric infrastructure had bypassed rural America, and a mere 10 percent of farm homesteads had access. This was remedied by USDA partnering with local electric cooperatives to finance this essential infrastructure and bring electricity to the countryside.

As the years passed, USDA continued to partner with local communities and landowners to finance the infrastructure of a technologically evolving rural Oklahoma. Today a significant percentage of the housing, telephone systems, public water systems, sewer systems, and community facilities in rural Oklahoma are in place because of this partnership with USDA.

Recent years have produced greater technological investments on the part of USDA. Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and partnerships with numerous telecommunication cooperatives, Oklahoma was among the nation’s top awardees of USDA high-speed internet investment. USDA also partners with rural schools and hospitals through its Distance Learning and Telemedicine program to connect them with the state’s top medical specialists and higher education institutions.

These investments and partnerships help ensure that Oklahoma’s farm and ranch families, as well as their small town neighbors, have access to the essential infrastructure, technology, education, and healthcare of the 21^st Century.

As a man committed to progress, fascinated by new technologies, and a son of rural America, President Lincoln would be extremely proud of his creation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, on this, its 150^th anniversary.

In fact, last year through the program’s successful initiatives, more than 400 trees were planted in 22 communities. This year the program, which includes the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forestry Division, is expanding with the planting of more than 850 trees in 26 communities.

On May 24, to celebrate this success, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell and Green Bay Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy will be among the dignitaries planting trees during a media event at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI.

Through First Down for Trees, the Green Bay Packers have been reducing their carbon footprint and are helping the waters flowing into Green Bay to be cleaner. And more importantly, local community benefits from the social, economic and ecological well-being of healthy urban forests.

The impact of First Down for Trees is hoped to be extensive. Capturing stormwater runoff is a key component that positively impacts waters flowing into the Fox River and Green Bay. The trees filter and remove pollutants from stormwater runoff which impact aquatic habitats.

First Downs for Trees began in 2011 as a way to help the Green Bay Packers offset their carbon production when flying to away games. By donating trees to be planted based on first downs, the team reduced its carbon footprint and municipalities in Brown County were able to meet urban forestry and community goals.

Funding for this project was provided by the U.S. Forest Service Northeastern Area through a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forestry Division and through a financial donation from the Green Bay Packers.

More than 100 teachers attended the Statewide School Garden Teacher Conference in Ho 'Aina O Makaha, Oahu, last year as part of the Hawai‘i Island School Garden Network. Photo Credit: The Kohala Center

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.

Many teachers use creative methods to keep their students engaged in the curriculum they are teaching. Some methods work far better than others. For one group in Hawaii, teachers are using gardening to boost their science, technology and math classes, while placing an emphasis on Hawaii’s need for more experiential science learning related to agriculture and sustainability.

The Kohala Center is using funding from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture through the Secondary Higher Education and Ag in the Classroom Challenge grants program to organize the Hawai‘i Island School Garden Network. This network, consisting of 30 elementary, middle and high school teachers, will establish a School Learning Garden program that will integrate core curriculum and STEM education with hands-on, garden-based learning.

Over the course of one year, participating teachers will complete six learning modules that include a summer intensive, various school garden visits, a mentoring/teacher observation program and a garden-based research project. Each is designed to help them develop the skills and confidence needed to be a sustainability educator in a school garden setting.

As Hawaii is at the threshold of an agricultural renaissance, island residents understand the urgent need to return to more sustainable food and energy systems and to improve the state’s environment and human health. However, for this renaissance to be successful, the education pipeline needs to motivate students to gain the education needed for change to happen. School gardens are a logical place for experiential science learning and schooling for sustainability to start. The long-term goal of the project is to create an agricultural education program at the elementary and secondary levels that motivates and qualifies greater numbers of Hawai’i students to complete college-level agricultural science degree programs.

Food, water, energy, waste and economics play into the whole system of the garden every time a gardener goes out to work. Farming and gardening today have become a science with an emphasis on technology. The Hawai’i Island School Garden Network hopes to develop a team of educators who will bring science and the art of food production together in soil/seed to table programs.

Bill Wehry, State Executive Director for the Farm Service Agency, discussed the Conservation, Price Support, Disaster and Farm Loan Programs available through his agency. Denise Coleman, State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, discussed the Working Lands for Wildlife and Water Quality Initiative, while Thomas Williams, State Director, Rural Development, discussed the various Energy and Disaster Aid Programs, Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program, and Value Added and Community Facilities Programs.

Bill Wehry (left), Pennsylvania State Executive Director for the Farm Service Agency, Denise Coleman (center), State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Thomas Williams (right), State Director, Rural Development, discuss USDA programs during a recent Pennsylvania State Senate committee hearing.

The Senator’s resolution, which was introduced and adopted on May 9, says:

Recognizing May 15, 2012, as the 150th anniversary of the creation of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and commending the employees of the USDA for their stewardship and productivity which is relied upon daily by the citizens of this Commonwealth.

WHEREAS, On May 15, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the bill that created the United States Department of Agriculture; and

WHEREAS, The original goal of the USDA was “to acquire and to diffuse among the people of the United States useful information on subjects connected with agriculture in the most general and comprehensive sense of that word, and to procure, propagate, and distribute among the people new and valuable seeds and plants”; and

WHEREAS, The mission of the USDA over the past 150 years has expanded to encompass food, agriculture, natural resources and other related policy issues while still holding true to its ideal of helping farmers achieve the best product possible with utmost ease and opportunity; and

WHEREAS, The USDA has worked to make farmers key players in the American economy, promoted greater agriculture education, boosted proper nutrition and health and instituted stronger communication between the public and private sectors in an effort to better lead a constantly evolving agriculture system; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize May 15, 2012, as the 150th anniversary of the creation of the United States Department of Agriculture and commend the employees of the USDA for their stewardship and productivity which is relied upon daily by the citizens of this Commonwealth.

Baldwin County People’s Garden in Baldwin, Alabama is growing Tomato ‘Abraham Lincoln’ to celebrate USDA’s 150th Anniversary. Are you growing Tomato ‘Abraham Lincoln’ in your garden? Share photos with us via twitter #LincolnTomato

Today USDA commemorates its much talked about 150th Anniversary and there is no better way for the People’s Garden Initiative to celebrate than to plant history.

Throughout 2012, in conjunction with the Department-wide celebration, People’s Gardens around the globe are growing Tomato ‘Abraham Lincoln’ as a living tribute to our founder – Abraham Lincoln. It’s an effort which reminds us that for generations, Americans have joined together to garden for a cause.

We’ve launched a new Tomato ‘Abraham Lincoln’ webpage that I hope you’ll visit often. It shares a mixture of USDA history, instructional videos from expert tomato growers, and recipe ideas for cooking with tomatoes – a favorite crop of gardeners. Please share with us your experiences growing Tomato ‘Abraham Lincoln’ by tweeting photos @PeoplesGarden #LincolnTomato

‘Abraham Lincoln’ is an heirloom variety of tomato introduced in 1923 by the W. H. Buckbee seed company of Rockford, Illinois – named in honor of Illinois’ Greatest Son. Seed packets were distributed to over 1,600 People’s Garden that had been registered in our database before April 2012. Did you know that USDA distributed seeds from 1850 to 1924? The seed packets distributed, up to 1.1 billion at the program’s height, were popular with farmers not only because seeds were free, but because government seeds were top quality. This effort connects back to that period in the Department’s history.

During the 45 minute chat, questions poured in for Secretary Vilsack across all issues and subject matters, and with each response, helped us to tell the story of the importance of USDA throughout history, and to paint a picture of the breadth of USDA’s vast portfolio. Our continued work on food, agriculture, economic development, science, natural resource conservation and many other issues will ensure USDA still fulfills Lincoln’s vision – touching the lives of every American, every day. 

As we reflect on the last century and a half, it’s amazing to think how in just a few short years, the web and social media have, and will continue to, change the landscape of our dialogue; breaking down walls and helping us open our doors to all who are interested.

And in that vein, USDA will be live broadcasting tomorrow’s celebration on our website! Join Secretary Vilsack and MSNBC Morning Joe’s Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzenzinski to kick off the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  Also joining the event will be conservationist Chuck Leavell, longtime keyboardist of the Rolling Stones and founder of Mother Nature Network; Art Monk, NFL Hall of Fame Wide Receiver; and LaVar Arrington, three time NFL Pro Bowl Linebacker. To watch the celebration live beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET, please visit www.usda.gov/live.

Tune in next month for the third installment of USDA’s Virtual Office Hours, and until then, Happy Birthday USDA. Here’s to 150 more.

For more information on the 150th anniversary celebration, please visit www.usda.gov/usda150. Additional information on USDA’s work to strengthen the American economy can be found at www.usda.gov/results.

Students from Madison Avenue Elementary plant a People’s Garden in Mississippi in honor of the upcoming 150th anniversary of USDA.

Students from Madison Avenue Elementary visited a new People’s Garden at an office of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and planted seeds of squash, watermelon, pumpkin, cucumber and, of course, the “Abraham Lincoln” tomato.

Earth Team volunteers joined employees from NRCS’ Science and Technology Center to teach the youngsters about growing fruits and vegetables and the history of USDA. They learned of USDA’s upcoming 150^th anniversary and its origins with President Lincoln.

The People’s Garden effort started three years ago, and this central Mississippi garden is one of more than 1,500 People’s Gardens across the nation. The garden’s star plant is the “Abraham Lincoln” tomato, an heirloom variety first introduced in 1923 by the W.H. Buckbee seed company.

Not only did they have a chance to get their hands dirty, but they had a party and sang “Happy Birthday” to USDA while enjoying a pumpkin cupcake.

Students from Madison Avenue Elementary plant a People’s Garden in Mississippi in honor of the upcoming 150th anniversary of USDA.

It would not be a party without conservation mascot Sammy Soil, who made a special appearance. Students also enjoyed meeting the garden’s guard – a scarecrow made from farmers’ clothes and recycled grocery bags.

Nancy Magee, an NRCS program expert, organized the event and sees the plantings as a great way to connect students to the origin of food and explain the role farmers play in their lives.

The garden is nearby Strawberry Park, a city green space with a busy walking trail. Magee said the garden’s location informs passersby about USDA and the People’s Garden. Plus, it is a beautiful asset to the office, she said.

As children were boarding the school bus, after their visit to the new garden, she heard one student tell another, “I’m going to come back in a week and see how they’re growing.” That is exactly what Magee wanted to hear.

NRCS Science and Technology Center employee Nancy Magee helps students each plant their own “Abraham Lincoln” tomato seed.

Solon Springs and the Solon Springs School District commemorated the completion of a new and expanded wastewater treatment facility with ceremonies at both the Solon Springs School, and the site of the new treatment facility.

“The Upper St. Croix watershed impacts the quality of water resources from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico,” said Stan Gruszynski, USDA Rural Development State Director.  “The citizens of Solon Springs deserve to be commended for their civic-mindedness and willingness to make the investment in a clean environment and responsible stewardship of one of our most critical resources….water!”

Village President Mike Blaylock said the village worked with USDA Rural Development, the Solon Springs School District, Ayers Engineering, education and community leaders, and others to use the occasion as a way to teach the importance of environmental protection and a way to reflect on the history and heritage of Earth Day in Wisconsin.

The celebration featured Earth Day and conservation demonstrations and exhibits created by the students, and a school assembly recognizing 33 students who have shown outstanding efforts and leadership in environmental stewardship.  Children also participated in an Earth Day logo drawing contest, with third grader Elijah Molina creating the winning design.  The logo will be used as next year’s USDA Rural Development Wisconsin Earth Day logo.

The Upper St. Croix Watershed and the focus on the need to protect the environment moved former U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, of Wisconsin, to initiate the formation of Earth Day in 1970. It was following the first Earth Day celebration, which demonstrated widespread grassroots support for environmental legislation.

The Upper St. Croix Watershed is environmentally sensitive as the St. Croix River has origins from the springs and waterways that are located in the area.  The St. Croix River is classified as a wild and scenic area and the construction and operation of a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Solon Springs is a desired method to protect the valuable water resource that originates there.

Wisconsin children participated in an Earth Day logo drawing contest, with third grader Elijah Molina creating the winning design. The logo will be used as next year’s USDA Rural Development Wisconsin Earth Day logo.

To meet existing and future wastewater treatment requirements of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), it was necessary to do major renovations to the existing wastewater treatment plant. The needs were funded with an Army Corps of Engineers grant and by USDA Rural Development with a loan and a grant.  Funding from USDA Rural Development was provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The upgrades bring the plant into compliance with WDNR requirements, prevent contamination to surrounding groundwater, and protect the nearby headwaters of the St. Croix System and Watershed.

To learn more about the watershed click here. To learn more about USDA water and environmental programs click here.

Mobile Ask Karen makes food safety tips available whenever and wherever you need them. Look up information about safely preparing tonight’s dinner while making purchases at the meat counter.

One year ago, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service made our first leap into the world of mobile technology, bringing practical information about food safety literally to Americans’ fingertips. With the launch of our Mobile Ask Karen smartphone app, consumers are now able to ask questions like “To what temperature should I cook beef?” whenever and wherever they need the answers.

Ask Karen is the virtual food safety representative who has been answering consumers’ questions from desktop browsers since 2004. FSIS put Ask Karen “on-the-go” as a mobile app last May, making her much more accessible. Since Ask Karen was converted into a mobile app, traffic to the site has increased 15 fold. More people now visit the site through their mobile devices alone than previously visited the site from their computers, and they are getting the food safety tips they need according to Ask Karen’s 99 percent self-service rate.

FSIS public affairs specialist Donna Karlsons demonstrates the Mobile Ask Karen food safety app to a shopper at Whole Foods Market in Logan Circle, Washington, D.C.

It is no accident that Mobile Ask Karen’s “birthday” falls right at the start of summer. Barbecues and outdoor parties are the type of places Mobile Ask Karen is intended to be used. On Monday, May 7, FSIS took Mobile Ask Karen to the Whole Foods Market in Logan Circle, Washington, D.C. to celebrate the anniversary and spread awareness of the app among shoppers in the meat department. One shopper was surprised to learn from the app that he had been overcooking pork, and another joked about a friend who could use Ask Karen’s help when entertaining.

Questions “Karen” can answer range from the fairly simple, “What is food safety?” to the more complex, “How do you keep food safe during a power failure?” The questions and answers are updated based on real consumers’ concerns and recent public health news. If the answer to your question can’t be found in the extensive database, submit it by email and someone will answer it within a few days.

Postcards like this one were handed out to shoppers at the Logan Circle Whole Foods Market to get shoppers using the app “on-the-go” around Mobile Ask Karen’s first birthday and the start of the summer grilling season.

The app has had a successful first year, and we would like to see her keep growing. Download the app if you have an Android phone or add her to your homescreen if you have an iPhone. Type your question into the text box, or select “contact us” to email a question or chat with a live representative from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET on weekdays.

: A veteran and participant of the Veterans Sustainable Agriculture Training program handles living basil at an organic hydroponic farm, which grows plants in water as opposed to soil. The program, started by decorated Marine sergeant Colin Archipley, passes on agricultural knowledge to veterans to not only provide healing through farming but also to support them in starting their own agricultural enterprises.

Compost tea (a mixture of recycled organic matter soaked in water), hydroponic living basil, and organic certification are terms that, at first glance, may not have much of a connection to military veterans. Colin Archipley, a decorated Marine sergeant, and his wife Karen however saw the combination as a win-win when they founded the Veterans Sustainable Agriculture Training (VSAT) program outside San Diego, California.

Many veterans who have served our country have challenges transitioning to civilian life and struggle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and high unemployment rates.  After three tours in Iraq, Colin found his solace working on the Archipley’s newly-purchased, neglected avocado farm, which sat on 3 acres outside of Camp Pendleton, a Marine Corps base.

When the Archipleys received their first water bill, they determined their farm needed to be more sustainable. They decided to move to a water-efficient hydroponic system (roots placed in nutrient-rich water instead of soil) that reduces water use by up to 90%. They received a loan from the USDA Farm Service Administration to build a larger greenhouse, tripling their production.

They also were certified organic by California-based CCOF Certification Services (accredited and overseen by the USDA National Organic Program, part of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service) and used their hydroponic system to grow organic basil, tomatoes, and variety of greens and other herbs. Produce is delivered as living plants (with roots still attached) to local farmers markets and stores, which saves water and retains freshness.

Colin wanted to help other veterans heal their wounds through organic farming—and to use their acquired skills to start agricultural businesses of their own. The VSAT program has partnered with local community and state colleges to offer veterans an intensive six-week course to learn how to grow hydroponic crops from seed to market. Participants then take an exam and present their business plan to potential investors, produce buyers, and human resources personnel. At the end of the course, participants have a solid business plan and the know-how to start their own similar operation.

NOP Deputy Administrator Miles McEvoy and co-founder of the Veterans Sustainable Agriculture Training program, Karen Archipley, tour through the Archipleys’ organic basil garden. The garden moved to a hydroponic system when they determined the farm needed to be more sustainable. The switch helped reduce water use by up to 90%, and a loan from the USDA Farm Service Administration helped build a larger greenhouse to triple production.

I was able to attend the business plan presentations and graduation of a recent VSAT class, and it was very inspiring to see what the Archipleys have done–both how they have helped fellow combat veterans transition to civilian life and that they saw organic agriculture as part of that path.

The Veterans Sustainable Agriculture Training Program has helped over 100 military veterans transition to the civilian work force with other locations on the horizon. One memorable graduate is Mike Hanes, a decorated veteran. He went from being homeless and unable to re-engage in civilian life to creating his own organic hot sauce, DANG!!!, which is now for sale at grocery stores around the country.

Based on the last agricultural census, the average American farmer is 57 years of age, and nearly 30 percent of American farmers are over the age of 65. Nearly 45 percent of the military come from a rural background, and USDA is pushing for 100,000 new farmers. We applaud the Archipleys for continuing to serve their country by supporting our heroes and helping to build the next generation of organic farmers.