In the US, the Department of Agriculture (the USDA) oversees and conducts an incredible amount of scientific research related to protecting and improving our agriculture, nutrition, food distribution, and our use of natural resources. The head of the USDA research division, known as the USDA Chief Scientist, is required to steer these many and varied scientific projects in the most effective direction. What scientific questions should we be asking? Which research projects are being run efficiently? What research-based evidence do we already have as opposed to what questions need further study?
The USDA improves agricultural productivity and sustainability while keeping our food supply safe.
The USDA conducts and supports research aimed at improving sustainability practices in US agriculture while also increasing productivity and mitigating animal and plant diseases. Their Research, Education, and Economics Action Plan highlighted seven priorities: global food supply and security, climate and energy needs, sustainable use of natural resources, nutrition and childhood obesity, food safety, education & science literacy, and rural-urban interdependence along with rural prosperity.
For example, USDA scientists and partners have worked toward sequencing the genomes of apples, beans, tomatoes and wheat which helps us better understand the best growing conditions for those crops and how resilient they will be, particularly in the face of a changing climate. Farmers often rely on the wide reach of statistics drawn from USDA data, like their animated crop progress and topsoil moisture maps, to make planting decisions about their own crops.
The USDA has also backed research into sequencing the genome for turkeys and pigs which helps us to understand their immune systems and thus how to prevent the spread of potentially threatening diseases like avian and swine flus. The turkeys and pigs also lead healthier lives as a bonus.
USDA-backed research improves our nutrition.
The research conducted and supported by the USDA and aimed at improving the nutritional value of the food we eat tackles the problem from many different directions. To start, USDA researchers investigate the daily nutritional needs for people of different ages, sizes, genders. That food pyramid we were introduced to as children? The accessible cartoon is backed by evidence-based science like that conducted at the USDA for understanding what our bodies need. For example, take a look at the USDA’s interactive tool that provides your recommended dietary intake for macronutrients (like carbs, protein and fat), vitamins, and minerals. They also provide an easily searchable nutrient database for a large variety of foods.
The USDA pushes for better nutrition through educational campaigns like the Team Nutrition program which provides free information on proper nutrition for children to caregivers, school food service managers, and even the children themselves. The materials include posters, games, online interactive activities, and lesson plans.
The USDA also has programs like their Food Desert Locator to assess access in the US to fresh, healthy foods by tracking urban and rural food deserts, or low income areas that do not have reliable access to affordable, fresh food. The Food and Nutrition Service under the USDA manages the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (or SNAP) which provides millions of low income households with nutritional support.
The USDA also leads research into how to boost the nutritional value of our food as its grown.
Finally, the USDA also leads research into how to boost the nutritional value of our food as its grown. For example, some agricultural practices like those that speed up the growth of vegetables have the unfortunate potential to reduce the amount of nutrients the produce absorbs from the soil before we eat it. Studies also suggest that the nutrient richness of the soil used in farming is decreasing. Thus, USDA researchers are investigating how nutritional value varies with farming and food storage practices and how nutrient content can be improved in our food.
USDA research is preparing farmers for the effects of climate change.
Research supported by the USDA provides evidence-based predictions for the type and extent of impacts on farming, forestry, and ranching due to climate change. For example, with an already-observed increase in extreme weather events linked to climate change, USDA researchers are investigating ways to make crops like rice and corn more drought- and flood-resistant. Users can use the VegScape tool to track extreme weather and its effects on crops in close to real time across the US. Since droughts and floods can also increase runoff, USDA scientists are also researching possibilities to limit pesticide use.
The budget for the USDA in the upcoming year is uncertain. The budget proposed by the White House back in March proposed a major 21% cut to the department’s discretionary budget although it is not entirely clear which programs will see the biggest reductions. The projects discussed here represent only a sampling of USDA-linked research. What are your favorites?
Until next time, this is Sabrina Stierwalt with Everyday Einstein’s Quick and Dirty Tips for helping you make sense of science. You can become a fan of Everyday Einstein on Facebook or follow me on Twitter, where I’m @QDTeinstein. If you have a question that you’d like to see on a future episode, send me an email at everydayeinstein@quickanddirtytips.com.
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