U.S. Department of Agriculture

While agriculture primarily focuses on who runs USDA, people at other agencies are just as important.

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack has a new title: USDA secretary.

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack answers tough questions in this exclusive interview

The schism in the cattle industry is evident, and now wider, since the Department of Justice’s August hearing on competition in the livestock sector. More than 1,300 people crowded into an auditorium at Colorado State University to exchange views—and hoots, hisses, jeers and cheers—on what government should do to impact the way cattle are traded. Nearly 700 more people were herded into overflow rooms to watch the action on TV.

South Korean imports of U.S. beef more than doubled in the first half of the year from a year earlier, making it the fourth-largest market for American beef exporters, data showed Sunday.

Poultry contracts come under fire at workshop

Estimated Daily Livestock Slaughter under Federal Inspection

Corn Stocks Up 11 Percent from March 2009

But analysts disagree on action to take.

In an effort to “recharge America,” USDA announced this week it is developing a regional strategy to help achieve the U.S. Renewable Fuels Standards.