USDA Grants Protection to 25 New Plant Varieties
by USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued certificates of protection to developers of 25 varieties of seed-reproduced and tuber-propagated plants.

Veneman Announces Availability of Electronic "Customer Service" Statement
by United States Department of Agriculture

Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman recently announced the availability of an electronic Customer Statement, as part of USDA's electronic government (eGovernment) initiative.

“Sewing” the Soil: A Quicker Way to Measure Soil Compaction
by David Elstein, Agricultural Research Service

A new device developed by an Agricultural Research Service scientist may be the best yet for measuring soil compaction, which causes problems for farmers by preventing moisture from seeping down to plant roots.

10th Case of BSE Reported in Japan
by Various Sources

On February 22, Japanese authorities confirmed the nation’s 10th case of mad cow disease since the first sick animal was discovered in September, 2001.

A Human Fungicide . . . for Plants?
by USDA-ARS

A naturally occurring compound called sampangine, patented in 1990 to treat human fungal infections, has been patented again for another use.

A One-Time Plowing May Not Hurt Carbon Credits
by Don Comis

A one-time tillage will not cause great soil carbon loss, even though major damage is caused to soil structure. That's the finding of Lloyd Owens, a soil scientist with the Agricultural Research Service in Coshocton, Ohio, after a study comparing soil carbon in the top foot of soil under a meadow with the carbon level in soil under cornfields with various levels of tillage.

Adjusting Fertilizer to Create Low-Phytate Crops
by Don Comis

Giving too much phosphorus to wheat and barley plants has been shown to raise the amount stored as phytate, rather than as more digestible forms of phosphorus.

Afla-Guard® Also Protects Corn Crops
by Sharon Durham, ARS

Afla-Guard®, a biological control used to thwart the growth of fungi on peanuts, can also be used on corn.

Agencies Team Up to Protect Food Supply
by FDA News

The Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have launched a new joint effort to protect the nation's food supply. Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in December 2003, thousands of Customs agents are now authorized to inspect foods imported into the United States.

Agricultural Baseline Projections
by USDA Economic Research Service

USDA Agricultural Projections for 2009-18 provides longrun projections for the farm sector for the next 10 years.