By: NATHAN STUEDLE
USDA is launching a new effort aimed at improving agricultural data while reducing the reporting burden on farmers and ranchers. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins unveiled the department’s Data Modernization Plan at the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa. The plan calls for modernizing how USDA collects information, improving acreage and yield estimates and making greater use of technology. USDA plans to expand the use of existing administrative data, improve mobile access to surveys and explore prefilled information so producers aren’t repeatedly asked for the same data.
The department will also test satellite imagery, geospatial technology and crop modeling to improve agricultural estimates. USDA special advisor Kip Tom says the goal is to eliminate information silos and allow the department to respond more quickly to changing conditions. Rollins says USDA needs reliable agricultural information while also respecting the time farmers and ranchers spend providing it.