Illustrations:

• A tiny parasitic wasp spells doom to a boll weevil larva. The notorious boll weevil costs the U.S. cotton industry $300 million a year.
• Imported fire ants native to South America have spoiled many farms and parklands in the South. In hopes of reducing pesticide use, scientists are befriending the ants' natural enemies.

DISCOVERING MORE for Today & Tomorrow

USDA spans the distance from the farm to your table -- every day!

To make sure you can count on high-quality food and other farm products, USDA performs agricultural research and economic analysis, and makes the resulting information available to everyone.

Farm productivity has grown enormously in this century, and USDA research is one reason for the growth. USDA researchers help to increase efficiency and quality in crops and livestock, improve human nutrition, develop new uses for agricultural products, support animal health, and conserve natural resources. USDA economists and statisticians monitor food costs from farm to table, measure the effects of Government farm programs, and identify the quantity and price of farm goods produced each year.

USDA uses electronic communications to give you instant access to information on gardening, financial management, food safety, nutrition, health, programs for children and families, and many other topics. And USDA is home to the world's largest agricultural research library, offering information access to the Nation--and the world.

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