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Scientists are studying the unique adaptations that help pollinators thrive.

The domesticated apple is an important fruit crop grown in most of the world.

Robots guided by advances in computer science and AI present an opportunity to ensure a growing U.S. agriculture.

Bees are essential to healthy, biodiverse ecosystems.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals", can persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in animals, humans, and plants.

ARS researchers are finding innovative ways to reduce food loss and waste – from farm to table.

Take a look at a sampling of ARS's innovative research solutions that could help reduce food loss and waste in America.

ARS researchers worked with the Quapaw tribe to create high-resolution digital maps of soil properties for their tribal lands.

ARS is safeguarding agriculture from the destructive fall armyworm.

Pollinators are essential to healthy, biodiverse ecosystems.

Careers for new scientists span a variety of disciplines in agriculture. Want to know more? Check out this page.

Feeding astronauts on long space missions requires more than just leafy greens and tomatoes.

A team of ARS researchers is providing farmers in Hawaii with new apps to help manage threats to their crops.

Does the future of farming include harvesting solar rays along with crops?

ARS scientists are working with NASA to develop sustainable farming techniques and technologies to grow fresh produce while in spaceflight.

Scientists at ARS are exploring solutions to help boost bees’ defenses and keep them buzzing.

Scientists are perfecting a technology to embed nanoparticles of silver – a known anti-microbial agent – inside of cotton fibers.

ARS scientists in Idaho are using cattle to promote ecological restoration of western rangelands overrun by invasive grasses.

ARS maintains an experimental orchard in Geneva, NY, devoted to bringing you even better apples for the future.

'Agrivoltaics' is a hot new idea that uses land for both growing food and making energy from the sun in states where there’s lots of sunshine and not much water.

ARS researchers developed a weather data model to predict EcO157 contamination trends in lettuce.

Did you know that fire ants are a menace to humans, animals, and agriculture? At ARS, we're working to stamp out fire ants!

ARS researchers have collected and identified 50 lady beetles that are beneficial, serving as champions of Hawaiian biological pest control.

Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening, poses the most serious threat that the Florida citrus industry has ever faced.

A team of USDA scientists is working on a double-cropping system as a way to improve a farmer’s profit margin by growing cattle feed between rows of a cash crop, in this case corn or soybean.

Researchers develop novel way to prevent the spread of plant disease.

One of the great challenges to sustainability today is plastics.

USDA is launching a "Grand Challenge" initiative to combat salmonella poisoning.

ARS researchers are examining how cattle, swine, and poultry are raised in an effort to improve their quality of life.

Researchers are collaborating to ensure that Alaska farmers have the best possible crops and practices for resilient and sustainable production in their changing condition.

Popular folk remedy witch hazel is an effective and natural alternative to conventional antibiotics.

The ARS Egg Safety and Quality Research Unit conducts research to protect both the health of consumers and the marketability of eggs.

Scientists at ARS's Eastern Regional Research Center in PA have identified a method to improve the safety of ready-to-eat foods while minimizing quality losses.

Scientists are working alongside industry and academia researchers to produce green jet fuel.

Nearly $8 billion per year is, literally, wasting away and there is currently no way to stop it. ARS scientists are on the case.

Researchers believe perennial grains could provide a number of crucial advantages for farmers and the environment.

ARS scientists are using non-traditional fish parts to make catfish more appealing to diners and increase profits for fish farmers.

Researchers here developed a dual-detection biosensor that is portable, enabling on-site testing of samples for mercury.

The Agricultural Research Service is helping ensure that native plants with cultural, historical, medicinal, and edible significance remain available for future generations.

A new process converts organic waste into nanocellulose, a brown, fibrous material that can be used in multiple products from cardboard boxes to food packaging.

A new biobased kitty litter developed by ARS scientists could be coming to a box near you—your cat's, that is.

ARS scientists developed a series of algorithms capable of effectively predicting the prevalence of Salmonella.

One approach to eliminating plastic packaging is to use plant-based fiber to create products that are environmentally harmless but provide similar results to plastic.

ARS scientists are analyzing spinach varieties to identify varieties that have low oxalate levels, which is sometimes linked to better health.

ARS scientists developed a new system for testing beef during processing.

ARS scientists are looking to turn the tables on mosquitoes and other insect pests like house flies by making them into lunch for other animals.

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest and most productive estuary in the United States and third largest in the world.

The United States began honoring women’s history in 1980, but ARS has a long tradition of celebrating the role of women in science.

ARS scientists use genetics to keep the Louisiana sugar industry vital.

Scientists are turning that waste into products that can refresh the soil. Two examples involve mill mud and bagasse.

Researchers may boost the cotton nonwoven industry and clean the environment.

Check out the videos in our "What Is" video series.

Rice, already the primary staple for half the world's population, is getting a makeover from a research team in New Orleans, LA. The results are a more healthful grain and many potential new products.

It's Mardi Gras season and we’re excited to feature some of the great research happening at the ARS Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans, LA!

ARS researchers are breeding new lines of tomatoes that are resistant to anthracnose disease which causes tomato fruit rot.

Vertical farming, the practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers, allows farmers to grow fresh produce indoors year-round.

Raising healthy chickens requires planning, attention to detail, and fastidiousness when it comes to completing daily chores.

A restless plant that thrives in several cemeteries in Mississippi could be linked to a royal Gypsy family.

Guidelines for properly cooking meats are well documented, but what about for plant-based products?

ARS researchers discovered a fuzzy gray bee that carves its nest into chunks of sandstone!

ARS researchers are using puled light as part of their approach toward combating food pathogens and diseases.

A pair of bald eagles and their eaglet live in a tree at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.

ARS researchers undertook a five-year study to improve control of the ticks that spread Lyme disease.

Are you eating ARS-developed French fries?

Composting is an excellent way to reduce waste that’s sent to landfills while providing soil in your gardens or fields with precious nutrients.

ARS scientists researched whether raising beef cattle without antibiotics would reduce antimicrobial resistance levels. Learn what they discovered.

The ARS Electron and Confocal Microscopy Unit is equipped with state-of-the-art microscopes capable of producing high-resolution, digital images.

Should you store eggs in the refrigerator or let them sit out in the kitchen at room temperature?

Learn how ARS researchers are turning to the sun to help fight a strawberry fungus.

Did you know that ARS scientists developed a tasty, nutrient-rich peanut butter alternative made from sunflower seeds?

Aeromonas hydrophila has ravaged the catfish farming industry in Alabama and other states since its discovery in 2009.

Microalgae could provide a strong, sustainably produced artificial diet for honeybees.

Scientists at the ARS Fruit and Tree Nut Research Station have developed a new way to protect pecans from diseases.

Consumers aren’t likely to clean their cantaloupes with a steam cleaner, but an ARS scientist did just that. Find out why.

ARS scientists found a way to make a valuable compound from bread waste.

ARS entomologist Tracey Leskey, who talks about stink bugs, ants, box elder bugs and other insects.

ARS researchers are evaluating ways to use gluten-free alternatives, like amaranth, in popular products like cookies and pasta.

ARS researchers help make oysters safer.

ARS scientists have come up with a very promising for peanut allergy treatment.

ARS study shows safest ways to cook meatballs to minimize health risks from Escherichia coli.

ARS scientists are helping farmers and ranchers convert farm and ranch leftovers and waste to sources of bioenergy (oil and gas), and high-value by-products.

Scientists are turning potentially wasted fruits and veggies into tasty, healthful products for you to enjoy.

The air potato vine introduced 115 years ago from Asia has multiplied and smothered native plant communities in all of Florida’s 67 counties.

ARS researchers helped formulate a tasty fruit-based bar with health-promoting ingredients.

Learn about photosynthesis and how plants use it to feed the planet.

ARS has bred "seedless" grape varieties with seeds so tiny that you can't even detect them.

ARS scientists are developing innovative methods to accurately detect mold contamination in crops and food.

What you eat at certain stages of life may determine your future health.

Great pizza needs great ingredients! Did you know that two of those were developed by ARS?

Did you know the way eggs are stored depends on where they’re produced?

Learn how ARS researchers are working to keep food safe to eat.

ARS researchers are keeping bagged leafy greens safe and nutritious for your consumption.

Seaweed farming is the fastest growing sector of American aquaculture and ARS scientists can help farmers cash in on stealthy commercial market.