Based on the overwhelming participation in our recent Google + Hangout, we know you have lots of questions about local food in your community and what USDA can do to help.  Some of your questions may be like these:

I’m in Wisconsin and know USDA funded a grocery store featuring local food in Connecticut. How can I find out more?

How many local food projects does USDA fund in Wyoming?

I live in Maine. Who grows local produce in the winter here?

Where is the closest food hub that can help me with distributing my produce into my local school? Read more »

Ronnie (left), Gloria and Will Bowling are recognized for conservation on their farm, in the Appalachian region of Ky.

Clay County, located in eastern Kentucky in Appalachia, is one of the last places most folks would look for a grazing operation, but that’s exactly what Ronnie Bowling and his family is doing with their farm.  The Bowlings live on a 91-acre property, and are managing about 60 acres of it for grazing. Their goal is to provide for their family in a sustainable way.Working with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Bowlings recently installed fencing and watering systems and planted forage for the cattle.  Read more »

4-H campers enjoy incorporating fitness into a healthy lifestyle. Here, participants work to complete an obstacle course.

The Louisiana State 4-H Food and Fitness Camp is joining the Let’s Move! initiative to combat childhood obesity through improved nutrition and increased physical activity.  As a camp for fourth and fifth graders designed and run by high school 4-H teens, the program motivates campers to eat healthier and move more. Read more »

Secretary Vilsack visited the Stoltzfus’ Pennwood Dairy Farms on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 to announce the United States Department of Agriculture’s energy efficiency programs and announced a new effort to help rural consumers make affordable, energy-efficient improvements to their homes and businesses. USDA photo by Bob Nichols.

On a muggy day in July, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited a Pennsylvania dairy farm that is using an anaerobic digester to convert manure into electricity and high quality bedding, cutting energy costs and providing a resting area for more contented cows.  The digester, which went on-line a year ago, was funded in part with the support of USDA Rural Development. Read more »