...USDA emphasizes its “Transparency” and reaches out to agriculture community in the development of new farm bill Washington D.C. – The USDA will be conducting nationwide listening sessions, Secretary of Agriculture John Doe announced Saturday to The National Association of Farm Broadcasters. The secretary opened his speech by opening his doors and ears to fellow farmers and ranchers across the country. “It is important that we operate in the open, important that we do that to fulfill our mission here at the USDA. Transparency is essential to serve our farmers and ranchers across this country.” "Respect, dignity and equality is also about listening. My door will always be open. We may not always agree, but I will always offer the opportunity for people to offer their opinion, and we will respect their viewpoint. The new farm bill will affect America's entire agriculture community. I feel strongly that America's entire agriculture community should have a say in the process.” I want to ask farmers and ranchers how our farm policy is affecting them and how we might make that policy better, Doe said. The secretary went on to point out several specific questions that the USDA is particularly interested in hearing about. • Are we doing enough to encourage and support the next generation of farmers and people who are interested in starting out in production agriculture? • Are we fostering the right kind of atmosphere for farmers and ranchers, one in which the opportunity...
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...As identified by the USDA, current nutritional guidelines were created to help Americans balance physical activity along with amount of calorie intake in order to maintain a healthy weight, consume more of specific types of foods high in nutritional value and consume less of the foods high in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat, refined grains, cholesterol and added sugars. The most current version of the USDA guidelines produced in 2010 was generated during a time of high concern for the American population’s overall health. The epidemic of overweight and obese people that this generation is seeing is due to two factors alone; poor diet and inactivity. Even when looking past the obvious high number of obese people in our country poor diet and...
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...USDA is an acronym for the U.S department of agricultural. The USDA is a nutrient guide for anyone to use to have an idea about the type of food that should be consumed and what should not be consumed. According to the USDA and my results, there are a few similarities and differences. One of the similarities that my results and the USDA nutrient guide have in common is the grain category. The USDA nutrient guide suggested that the average person should consume at least 6oz of grains daily. My average in the grain category was an exact consumption of 6oz. Therefore, my grain is exactly of what the USDA advises because I maintain a stable consumption of 6oz a day by eating sandwich for lunch instead of eating pizza, hamburger, and other non-nutrient...
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...The Impact of Broader Internet and Multimedia effects on the USDA Animal Care Department Teany D. Gerkin Capella University Abstract This paper explorer the impact that broader internet and multimedia effect on the USDA Animal Care. As of now the USDA Animal Care department is working under limited capabilities, by expanding its internet functions the department would grant its customer better and faster service. Introduction If you wanted to start business that sold or bread pets you must be license by the United States government and renew that application every year. How much time, money and effort would you think it would take if that process was done only by mail. What if you wanted to find out how well a pet store did on its annual inspections prior purchase but you had to mail in an application and wait for it to return. This is how the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) works. If the USDA was to improve and centralize its internet access and retool its website it would increase profits and reduce overhead costs. In order to understand why the USDA needs to improve its web-based serviced one must understand the mission of the USDA and what it currently provides. USDA Animal Care background information The, USDA is governed by the Animal Warfare Act (AWA) and Horse Protections Act. There are 18 agencies assigned to be under the USDA. The animal care department falls under the Animal and Plant...
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...All Daily Reports A variety of reports and information combined into one document. Profile Info Personal: Jacki Bush Female 36 yrs 5 ft 7 in 165 lb Day(s): Day 4 Activity Level: Low Active Strive for an Active activity level. Weight Change: Lose 1 lb per week Best not to exceed 2 lbs per week. BMI: 25.8 Normal is 18.5 to 25. Clinically Obese is 30 or higher. Actual Intakes -vs- Recommended Intakes The actual intakes -vs- recommended intakes report displays the amount of nutrients consumed as they compare to your dietary intake recommendations in a bar graph format. Nutrient Percent 0 Actual Rec. 1,888.83 373.96 147.38 60.36 331.75 190.34 24.22 0.84 5.87 41.55 16.38 0.20 2.05 1.33 64.98 1,827.61 1,873.62 524.61 168.63 59.87 257.62 398.29 122.35 1.02 1.75 10.12 1.16 4.33 274.72 9.44 1.38 288.78 700.00 1.10 1.10 14.00 1.30 2.40 75.00 15.00 15.00 400.00 92 159 72 89 180 366 63 9 72 % % % % % % % % % Minerals Calcium (mg) Iron (mg) Magnesium (mg) Phosphorus (mg) Potassium (mg) Selenium (mcg) 1,535.44 12.69 201.23 925.96 2,356.96 10.69 1,000.00 18.00 320.00 700.00 4,700.00 154 70 63 132 50 % % % % % Sodium (mg) Zinc (mg) 2,046.39 7.95 1,500.00 8.00 136 % 99 % Basic Components Calories Calories from Fat Calories from SatFat Protein (g) Carbohydrates (g) Sugar (g) Dietary Fiber (g) Soluble Fiber (g) InSoluble Fiber (g) Fat...
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...Code of Ethics HCS/335 BY Madeline Bonilla The USDA stands for an organization called United States Department of Agriculture. One may know the USDA for their role in the agriculture, and food policies in the United States. The USDA also supports a program called WIC, which stands for women, infant, and children. This program “provides federal grants to states for supplemental food, education, health care referrals, and well checkups for pregnant, non-pregnant women and their children five years old and under.”(Congressional Digest, 2010). The introduction of this paper will provide non personal information about the USDA, and how the organization supports the WIC program. First this paper will discuss how the USDA describes their goal in supporting the WIC program, and how these goals are described. Then at the same time discuss how these goals are tied to the USDA’S ethical principles. All the while will also describe the importance of the ethical values of the USDA supporting the WIC program. Second this paper will discuss how the USDA’S relationship between the WIC program, and how the USDA makes their ethical decision making geared toward the WIC program. Third this paper will describe the importance of the USDA, and the ethical values, and how the USDA supporting the WIC program supports the ethical values of the authors who participate in writing this paper. Last but not least this paper will discuss the social responsibility...
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...Agriculture USDA Accomplishments 2009-2012 Secretary Tom Vilsack Global Food Security Today, 870 million people around the world do not have access to a sufficient supply of nutritious and safe food. Tackling this problem to help establish global food security is important not only to hundreds of millions of hungry people, but also to the sustainable economic growth of these nations and the long-term economic prosperity of the United States. As we help countries become more food secure and raise incomes, we also expand markets for American producers • For example, over the past five years U.S. agricultural exports to developing countries in Southeast Asia, Central America, and SubSaharan Africa have grown at more than twice the annual rate as compared to developed countries. U.S. poultry meat exports to Sub-Saharan Africa expanded 180 percent from 2009 to 2011. • Given population growth and rising incomes, it is estimated that the demand for food will rise by 70 to 100 percent by 2050. To meet this need, the United Nations estimates that production in developing countries will need to almost double. • In 2010, the U.S. helped launch the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program, an international, multilateral trust fund that has already awarded $658 million to finance country development plans in 18 low-income countries, with 8.2 million beneficiaries. Building Local Capacity, Increasing Productivity, and Improving Markets and Trade • Since 2010, USDA has aligned appropriate...
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...necessity for our survival. Ever walked into a grocery store and gotten a headache from the bombardment of food certifications. USDA Organic, Certified Humane Raised & Handled, Natural, Fair Trade Certified, Non-GMO Project Verified, and Food Alliance are just a few of the dizzying array of food certifications circling around. The simple truth only two of the multitudes of certifications around should warrant your attention. Some will contend that Fair Trade has its merits, really? The Fair Trade association developed from the need to offer protection and security for coffee farmers. Fair Trade exists to provide premiums to farmers to ensure the farmers gets a standardized price and were not exploited for labor. Sounds fair right? Fair Trade lacks any governmental branch, its criteria is created from within its own walls. Where does the money really go? To the laborers? Better farming conditions? Or in someone’s bank account? There is unfortunately no way to trace the funds making Fair Trade hard to trust and impossible to verify. This leaves only USDA organic and Non-GMO Project Verified as the real top two contenders each with their own subtle flaws. Unlike every other certification USDA Organic is regulated by U.S. Department of Agriculture (Hence the name USDA) and verified by a third party. In order for food to bare the USDA Organic label a strict set of qualifications must be adhered/followed this certification...
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...and sugars I should consume daily. Even now I know that I am supposed to eat oils, sweets, and fats sparingly, and have three to five servings of vegetables each day. A year after engraining these numbers into my brain, I learned that all of my studying was in vain. During my eighth grade year the USDA introduced a new online program called MyPyramid. That program was only used for five years, and in 2010 (before I had even graduated from high school) the USDA slightly modified their food patterns. This is when the new MyPyramid was shaped into the newer and “better” MyPlate. My mind was bewildered as to how there could be so much change in an area that should have remained constant throughout one’s life. I began to wonder to myself “Are the current guides actually helping us, and should we be following them?” In order for the food guides to help us they should be more focused on three things: scientific basis, consistency, and personalization towards the individuals following the guides. The USDA has debated on the topic of nutritional foods and guidelines for the last century. This national debate started when Wilbur Olin Atwater (the first to create a dietary guideline by the USDA) published a bulletin titled “Foods, Nutritive Value, and Cost” in 1894. Atwater’s diet was aimed towards men and suggested that their diet...
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...Would it not be nice eating food that will not only have health benefits, but also taste better while knowing that with each bite taken, it is playing a part in preserving the environment for future generations? Maybe people do not try organic produce for fear of change, lack of availability, it is too “pricey”, or they are just unaware. Even though organic produce is so similar some cannot tell them apart by eye, they really are very different. The main differences between organic and non-organic produce lie in the use of chemical treatment, environmental methods used, and the final taste of each product. Organic produce has gradually risen in popularity since the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began to regulate organically produced goods in 1990, determining if they are USDA criteria approved, then allowing the produce...
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...Whole Foods Market’s Position on “Organic” Personal Care Products November 20, 2009 The subject of “organic” label claims on personal care and cosmetic products has been a controversial one, and certain manufacturers and groups have accused some products of “cheating” by using the “organic” claim deceptively. This document clarifies the issues, the USDA’s role in regulating organic personal care products, and articulates Whole Foods Market’s position on the issue. We strongly support the development of Federal regulations for organic personal care products. The development of Federal organic standards for food has directly enabled increased consumer trust, substantial growth of the organic market, and integrity throughout the supply chain, and we believe that regulation of organic personal care products will result in the same benefits for consumers and the industry. What’s going on with organic personal care products? At its November meeting, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) passed a recommendation on “Solving the Problem of Mislabeled Personal Care Products,” which recommended that the USDA’s National Organic Standards explicitly recognize personal care products and allow them to be regulated just like food and agricultural products under the same standard. Whole Foods Market supports this recommendation, and delivered written and oral testimony to the board expressing our position on the issue (see comments below). Does this mean that personal care products now must be certified...
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...administrative cost (USDA, 2014).The United states Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2014) stated over 46 million people rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to feed individuals and families. The SNAP program has been in existence on a permanent basis since 1964. Under President Johnson it became a permanent fixture of our social welfare policy (Berg, 2008). The main goal of the program has stayed consistent over the years. The government wanted to improve levels of nutrition among low income families and strengthen the agricultural economy by expanding...
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...United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service Growth Patterns in the U.S. Organic Industry by Catherine Greene U.S. consumer demand for organically produced goods has grown continuously since USDA established national standards for organic production and processing in 2002. And, while Americans economized on their food purchases during the 2007-09 recession, including purchases of organic products, growth in demand for organic products rebounded quickly following the recession. Industry analysts estimate that U.S. organic food sales were $28 billion in 2012 (over 4 percent of total at-home food sales), up 11 percent from 2011. USDA has begun organic regulation of nonfood agricultural products—for example, laundry detergent with organic coconut oil, aloe vera, and other ingredients—which accounted for another $2.2 billion in organic sales in 2011, according to the Organic Trade Association. Although USDA does not maintain official statistics on U.S. organic food sales, industry data suggest that the market share of organic sales held by various food categories has been remarkably stable over the last decade. Produce (fruits and vegetables) and dairy are still the top two organic food categories, accounting for 43 and 15 percent of total organic sales in 2012; their standing has been relatively unchanged in recent years. Packaged foods, beverages (including soymilk), and breads/grains have 9-11 percent market shares, down slightly from a...
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...expense of small, family farmers: most farm subsidies are only paid for corn and soybean growers and leave out small farmers growing other crops while artificially lowering the price of these crops to sometimes below the actual cost of production, and the majority of farm subsidy payouts go to the top 10% of producers; some proposed solutions are to overhaul the current USDA farm subsidy programs to include farmers growing crops other than corn and soybeans, change the way the subsidies are paid to help bring the crop prices more in line with the cost of production, to put a cap on the amount of subsidies paid out to any individual farm or to just do away with the USDA farm subsidy program altogether. Problems Research shows that 90% of all USDA farm subsidies go to the growers of only 5 crops; corn, cotton, rice, wheat and soybeans (Monke, CSR Reports, 2006). There are currently restrictions in place for farmers that receive crop subsidies that they cannot plant other crops, namely fruits and vegetables, on their farms or they run the risk of losing their direct payments and counter-cyclical payments from the USDA (Monke, National Agriculture Law Center, 2008). This impacts small, family farmers the greatest...
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...Grass Fed vs. Corn Fed The health of America is steadily declining and poor diet is a contributing factor (Pollan, 2006). Meat has become a main staple in the American diet in the last century. In fact, the average American consumes about 180 pounds of meat consisting of beef, pork, chicken, and turkey each year (Pollan, 2006). What the average American may not know is that most of these meats were grain fed during production, which is detrimental to the diets of both the livestock and its consumers. Grain feeding of livestock on American farms should be eliminated because human consumption of these meat products contributes to the decline in the health of America; instead, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) should require farmers and producers to provide the healthiest diet for animals to eliminate the health risks of the consumers. Problems Studies indicate that grain fed meats lack key nutrients optimal to the health of America. For almost 50 years most American farmers have been using grain to feed his or her livestock (Pollan, 2006). Grain feeding became prevalent not long after World War II when there was an over-abundant supply of grain (McCluskey, Wahl, Li, & Wandschneider, 2005). Farmers rely heavily on grain feeding because it is a cheaper product, it shortens the growth process, and it expedites a profitable outcome. These farmers are not caring that their meat products are higher in saturated fat...
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