The USDA’s National Organic Program completed more complaint reviews and investigations that it received in 2017. It finished work on 462 reviews and investigations while receiving 379 incoming complaints during the fiscal year 2017 ending
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Head of USDA’s organic program steps down after 8 years
The USDA’s National Organic Program will have new leadership as of October when Miles McEvoy steps down after eight years at the helm.
McEvoy, who has been deputy administrator of the National Organic Program within
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USDA to Expand Group Food Safety Certification for Small Growers
Farmers who want to sell their produce in certain markets, such as big-box stores, have to get certain food safety certifications, but not everyone can afford to scale up. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is
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Scientists Studying Salmonella in Cattle Lymph Nodes
If you eat undercooked beef, it’s not just E. coli you have to worry about. Salmonella may be predominately associated with poultry, but beef can also be contaminated with the pathogen. According to the Centers
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Pesticide Data Program Shows Little Contamination in 2011
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) released its latest summary of the Pesticide Data Program (PDP) last month. In its 21st annual summary of the program, the AMS stated that for
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Ag Research Needs More Funding, Say Experts
The United States currently leads the world in food production; but in order for this to remain true, the government must invest more in agricultural research, says a committee of the nation’s leading scientists and
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Food Safety Wins Thumbs-Up in 2012 Specialty Crop Grants
It’s a green light for food safety from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2012 specialty crop grants, with 8.4 percent of the total number of grants going to food safety projects – among them
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Letter From The Editor: Produce Testing Saving Lives
In May, I wrote a column in this space suggesting that through its successful lobbying to “zero out” funding for the Microbiological Data Program in the fiscal year 2013 budget, that big fruit and vegetable
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USDA Budget Cut Could Slash 80 Percent of Produce Testing
Public testing for pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria on fresh produce will drop by more than 80 percent if a key U.S. Department of Agriculture testing program is eliminated, according to an analysis
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Lettuce Recall Prompts Call to Fund Microbiological Data Program
On the heels of Dole’s announcement that the company is recalling nearly 800 bags of lettuce after Salmonella was detected by state health officials conducting random sampling in New York state, U.S. PIRG (the federation
USDA Investing in Growth of Farmers Markets
In discussions about government and agriculture, attention tends to focus on issues such as the billions spent on commodity supports. But the Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) – a branch of the USDA – has a