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Agricultural Science

Online Information

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • The USDA providex leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on public policy, the best available science, and effective management. We have a vision to provide economic opportunity through innovation, helping rural America to thrive; to promote agriculture production that better nourishes Americans while also helping feed others throughout the world; and to preserve our Nation's natural resources through conservation, restored forests, improved watersheds, and healthy private working lands.

Plant Hardiness Zone Map - USDA

  • The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location.

Rural Development Online - USDA

  • Provides consultations, assistance and funding opportunities for, individuals and businesses located in rural communities.

USDA's Census of Agriculture

  • The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts hundreds of surveys every year and prepares reports covering virtually every aspect of U.S. agriculture. Production and supplies of food and fiber, prices paid and received by farmers, farm labor and wages, farm finances, chemical use, and changes in the demographics of U.S. producers are only a few examples!

ATTRA: National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service

  • Free publications and searchable databases on topics in Sustainable Agriculture

Environmental News Network (ENN): Agriculture 

  • A newsroom of agricultural topics focused on "present and future environmental issues facing the health of our planet and the people it supports."

National Agricultural Library (NAL)

  • The National Agricultural Library is one of four national libraries of the United States and houses one of the world's largest collections devoted to agriculture and its related sciences.

National Integrated Pest Management Network

  • Provides information about commodities, pests and pest management practices, people and issues in the U.S.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

  • NRCS helps America’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners conserve the nation’s soil, water, air and other natural resources. All programs are voluntary and offer science-based solutions that benefit both the landowner and the environment. 

Plants Database 

  • "The PLANTS Database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories."

Science.gov 

  • "The portal offers free access to research and development (R&D) results and scientific and technical information from scientific organizations across 13 federal agencies."

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)

  • Since 1988, the SARE grants and education program has advanced agricultural innovation that promotes profitability, stewardship of the land, air and water, and quality of life for farmers, ranchers and their communities.

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

  • The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) administers programs that create domestic and international marketing opportunities for U.S. producers of food, fiber, and specialty crops.

Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

  • The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Our job is finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table.

Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC)

  • The Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC) specializes in identifying resources about sustainable food systems and practices in support of USDA's effort to ensure a sustainable future for agriculture and farmers worldwide.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

  • The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is a multi-faceted Agency with a broad mission area that includes protecting and promoting U.S. agricultural health, regulating genetically engineered organisms, administering the Animal Welfare Act and carrying out wildlife damage management activities. These efforts support the overall mission of USDA, which is to protect and promote food, agriculture, natural resources and related issues.

eXtension

  • Developed with the mission to help Cooperative Extension System professionals increase their impact, this website offers: Knowledge resources from America’s land-grant universities and the Cooperative Extension System & Answers to questions by university experts around the country

Farm Service Agency (FSA)

  • Farm Service Agency is equitably serving all farmers, ranchers, and agricultural partners through the delivery of effective, efficient agricultural programs for all Americans.

Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

  • The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring that the nation's commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.

Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)

  • The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) links U.S. agriculture to the world to enhance export opportunities and global food security.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

  • The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) provides leadership and funding for programs that advance agriculture-related sciences. We invest in and support initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture.

U.S. Forest Service

  • A multi-faceted agency that manages and protects 154 national forests and 20 grasslands in 44 states and Puerto Rico. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.