Topic: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Old barns get new attention

As barns fade from the rural American landscape, efforts are being made to preserve them.

Edible landscaping saves money, homeowners find

Flowers are giving way to vegetables – even in the front yard.

August lilies -- wallflowers worth noticing

Large flowers and a lush scent should make these hostas the belles of the horticultural ball.

Relief for consumers: prices falling

After soaring for months, prices for oil, rice, and other commodities are going down.

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Top tropicals for dazzling containers

Plants that thrive in summer's heat and humidity.

Government tells Britons to clean their plates

Britain's Cabinet Office released a sweeping report on the country's food policy, and determined that Britons are wasting too much food.

USA

House panel probes honeybee disappearances

A Congressional agriculture subcommittee is looking into colony collapse disorder, a mysterious phenomenon that is decimating beehive populations.

The Monitor's View: Biofuels put bucks over ducks

After the Midwest floods, the corn-ethanol lobby wants conserved land plowed up.

Can farmers salvage a soaked planting season?

Ebbing water, good weather brighten outlook in Midwest, but numerous obstacles remain.

U.S. wheat acreage rises – even in New England

Under the radar for 50 years, it stages a comeback in the region, due to rising demand.

Sticker shock at the supermarket

U.S. families use ingenuity and belt-tightening to save on mounting grocery bills.

Florida woman runs a sanctuary for big cats

Judy Berens takes in abandoned leopards, panthers, and other exotic animals at a conservation center on her home property.

USA

More signs of trouble for corn

A sluggish spring could mean a disappointing harvest on top of already-high corn prices.

Florida to pay $11.5 million for cutting citrus trees

The jury verdict comes in the first of five lawsuits seeking compensation for backyard trees destroyed in disease-prevention efforts.

Must Florida pay for felled citrus trees?

Homeowners suing the state say its disease-prevention efforts destroyed thousands of healthy trees.

Asia limits rice exports as prices and uncertainty rise

Top exporters are trading less of the staple food, hurting countries that rely on imports.

'Hormone-free' milk spurs labeling debate

Some say chemical company is behind efforts to sink 'rBGH-free' milk choice.

USA

Grain prices soar globally

Rice shortages are appearing across Asia. In Egypt, the Army is now baking bread to curb food riots.

Small fishermen borrow a page from small farmers

Community-supported fisheries, like community-supported farms, sell 'shares' in a catch directly to consumers.

USA

Wheat prices hit record high

The cost of March spring wheat hit $24 a bushel Monday, double its cost two months ago.