Topic: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Burger King McRib? Watch out, McDonald's.

Burger King’s new rib sandwich won’t be called the McRib, for obvious reasons. But with a national rollout of its own 'McRib' looming, Burger King is taking pointed aim at the McDonald’s cult favorite. 

Energy Voices Why the US military should continue biofuel research

The sequester should not excuse the US military from making the important investments into the future, Holland writes. It is strategically important for the military to develop new sources of energy like biofuels.

Pakistani fertilizer grows both Taliban bombs and Afghan crops

The Pakistani government is working with the US to make sure a key ingredient for bombs stays away from insurgents in Afghanistan, but that effort may be having an unintended casualty.

Frozen pizza: Plastic shards in CPK pizza trigger recall (+video)

Frozen pizza: Plastic shards found in California Pizza Kitchen and DiGiorno frozen pizza. One consumer reported a chipped tooth on plastic after biting into a California Pizza Kitchen pizza.

Nestlé recalls CPK, DiGiorno frozen pizzas nationwide (+video)

Nestlé has issued a recall of four brands of DiGiorno and California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizzas sold in the US. The recalled pizzas may contain fragments of plastic that came from spinach used in manufacturing. 

GMO, Organic, and seven other food labels you should know

A quick, easy guide to nine commonly seen (and misunderstood) food labels, from 'GMO' to 'grass-fed.'

How to join climate team

Meat recall expands to 13 states

Meat recall includes roast beef, ham, turkey breast, corned beef, and pastrami shipped to retailers. No illnesses have been linked to the meat recall.

Immigration reform: Farm-worker compromise brings bill a step closer to Senate floor

Farmer and labor groups are voicing support for a deal on farm workers, but it’s just one piece of the complicated effort by both political parties to craft an immigration reform bill this year.

Will we ever understand 2012 drought? Study blames 'random weather' (+video)

The drought of 2012 was more about unusual weather patterns than global warming, says a study. But its authors acknowledge the record-smashing event likely will be a puzzle for years to come.

Stir It Up! Michelle Obama invites kids to submit recipes for a state dinner

For the second Kids' State Dinner to be held in the summer of 2013, Michelle Obama and others invite American schoolchildren to submit healthy recipes to be served at the dinner.

For some farmers, a return to animal power

A nonprofit based in Michigan teaches animal-powered farming at home and abroad. Draft power, or animal traction, is a method smaller farmers still use because draft animals cost less than tractors and require no fuel.

Opinion: Proposals to ban purchase of sugary drink with food stamps won't work

The same flaws that caused a New York judge to overturn Mayor Bloomberg's ban on big sugary drinks are inherent in proposals to ban the purchase of sugary drinks using food stamps. Such bans are unlikely to help fight obesity and can do substantial damage to the safety net.

'Cous Cous' the lion innocent in death of handler, family says

The family of Dianna Hanson, who was killed by a 550-pound male lion named 'Cous Cous' on Wednesday, calls the incident a 'tragic accident' that was no one's fault, including the lion. 

Lion mauling death: How dangerous are private zoos? (+video)

Animal behavior experts called the mauling death of a young woman in California an unfortunately predictable tragedy. Conservationists say too many exotic animals are kept privately in the US.

Lion kills female volunteer at California zoo (+video)

Lion kills female volunteer, who was a new intern at Cat Haven, a private exotic animal park. Sheriff's deputies shot the lion after it had killed the female volunteer.

Robert Reich Why stocks are up while wages are down

Reich offers four reasons why the stock market is doing so well, while most Americans are doing so poorly.

'A Place at the Table' makes a persuasive case for why millions are going without food

'Place' supplies a somewhat simplistic history of hunger in America, but the documentary makes many good points about the situation.

Philadelphia schools offer new family-style lunches to students

As part of a new "Eatiquette" program, several Philadelphia schools are serving family-style lunches to students. The Philadelphia schools involved hope the family-style lunches will reinforce good manners and communication skills. 

Toxic mice air drop: Dead poisoned mice to target Guam tree snakes

Toxic mice air drop: The US government is about target invasive brown tree snakes in Guam by bombing the island with dead mice laced with acetaminophen, which is toxic to the reptiles.

Fewer bees in US threaten almond crop

Fewer bees are available to pollinate California's growing almond crop. Beekeepers in the US have fewer bees this year because of drought and ongoing colony collapse disorder. 

Is the South ready to say howdy to hemp?

Along with a federal bill, Kentucky is mulling the legalization of industrial hemp, marijuana's close cousin. Is it good business sense – or a Trojan horse for legalizing pot in the South?

Global warming: Yet another threat to Southwest's iconic pinyon pine?

Add to the long-studied global-warming perils of drought, insects, and wildfires, a new potential threat to the pinyon pine: dramatically lower production of seed-bearing cones.

House of Earth

Woody Guthrie's novel, 60 years in coming, offers a fresh window into the past – and into Guthrie himself.

Tear down this vending machine: US proposes school snack rules

Newly proposed rules would ban almost all sweet and greasy foods on school campuses with some exceptions, like bake sale fundraisers and a caloric limit on soft drinks instead of outright prohibition. Schools have 60 days to comment before the USDA finalizes the rules.