Washington, DC - Agriculture in America remains overwhelmingly populated by family farms. A new report by the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) shows not only just how dependent America is on family farms, but also how many are independent of government.

West Lafayette, Indiana - Food stamp participants who participated in a supplemental nutrition education program were able to improve their food security by 25 percent, according to a study by Purdue University.

Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is alerting consumers that recalled ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken products produced by National Steak and Poultry, a Owasso, Okla. Establishment P-6010T, have been used or incorporated into other FSIS-regulated products. FSIS does not have confidence in the safety of any subsequently produced products that have used or incorporated the chicken products that were previously recalled by National Steak and Poultry on November 23, 2016, with an expanded recall occurring on December 4, 2016.

Brisbane, Australia - A two-day Biofutures Industry Forum hosted by the Queensland government and U.S. Navy at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre commenced in Brisbane, Australia.

Washington, DC - U.S. Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Samantha Power will launch the #FreeToBeHome campaign on International Human Rights Day, December 10. The campaign will draw attention to political prisoners around the world, all wrongfully imprisoned for speaking out against abuses of power, combating human rights violations, or serving as a voice for victims.

Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry met with a group of civil society activists from Europe and Central Asia in Hamburg, Germany on the margins of the 23rd Ministerial Council Meeting of the 57-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The activists were participants and leaders of a parallel civil society conference convened by the Civic Solidarity Platform, a network of more than 80 non-governmental organizations from the OSCE region.