The number and types of U.S. farms is growing. According to a new farm census, there are more small farms than there were five years ago. There are also more very large farms. The only size of farm that has decreased is the mid-sized farm. U.S. farms are run by increasingly more women and minorities since the 1992 census. The types of animals and crops being raised is also becoming more diverse. Organic farming in particularly has shown a dramatic increase with over a half million acres on nearly 12,000 farms having been converted to organic methods since the last census.
President Obama appointed a long-time supporter of sustainable, organic farming, Kathleen Merrigan, to be the Deputy Secretary of the USDA. If confirmed, she'll be a key player in developing USDA policies. When Merrigan was administrator of the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, she helped write and put into action the U.S. organic food law.
A People's Garden has been established at the USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was started by Tom Vilsack, the Agriculture Secretary. The purpose of the People's Garden is to showcase eco-friendly gardening practices, which include conservation of water and indigenous planting.
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