Department of Agriculture
What is the United States Department of Agriculture?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a governmental department that focuses primarily on commercial resources – such as farms – that are responsible for the natural growth, production, harvesting, and cultivation of agrarian food source(s).
Founded by Abraham Lincoln as a means to educate, protect, and substantiate the farming industry, the United States Department of Agriculture has since expanded its jurisdiction to include food safety, the protection of natural resources, and an overarching creation of a structured food production model. Currently, the United States Department of Agriculture employs upwards of 100,000 people and boasts over 7,000 individual locations throughout the United States
What is Food Safety?
Food Safety is a parameter that has been established by the United States Department of Agriculture that is comprised of general health guidelines to which farms – and other producers of natural food sources – must adhere. The United States Department of Agriculture institutes a regimen of inspection in which meat, poultry, vegetables, fruits, eggs, and dairy products are monitored in order to ensure healthful consumption on the part of the citizens of the United States; typically, these nature of products will be given a branding that reads ‘USDA Approved’ that alerts consumers that the products that are purchasing have been deemed safe for consumption.
The United States Department of Agriculturehas developed a ‘Food Pyramid’ with which they suggest the recommended amount – and types – of food to be consumed to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle
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