USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) recently hosted two examiners from China who were on hand to learn the U.S. system for examining new plant variety applications.

AMS’s Plant Variety Protection Office and the American Seed Trade Association invited Yang Yang and Lingo Gao from China’s Ministry of Agriculture to work to improve global intellectual property protection. The two countries are working toward harmonizing their respective plant variety protection systems. Read more »

The USDA National Farmers Market Directory in map mode. This screen shot shows 126 farmers markets in North Carolina

There have been many advances in opening government data for transparency and opportunities for collaboration. One dataset that we’re particularly excited about has immediate practical benefits and opportunities to stimulate business nationwide. Read more »