WASHINGTON — At this year’s Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the USDA Data Modernization Plan designed to put farmers first, reduce unnecessary burdens on producers, and improve the timeliness, accuracy, and usefulness of the agricultural data that informs decisions across American agriculture.
Collecting and sharing dependable agricultural information has been integral to the USDA’s mission since its establishment. Today, USDA data informs crop and livestock estimates, risk-management tools, disaster assistance, and critical business decisions made by farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, researchers, and policymakers, USDA said in a statement.
“America’s farmers and ranchers are the backbone of our food and agricultural system, and USDA should respect their time while delivering the reliable information they need,” Rollins said. “This plan puts farmers first by cutting burdensome red tape, using modern tools, and ensuring producers have a stronger voice in how USDA collects and reports agricultural data. USDA is bringing agricultural data collection into the 21st century while protecting the privacy and trust of the people we serve.”
Earlier this year, Secretary Rollins issued a Request for Information, looking for feedback on the opportunities, challenges, and emerging areas in USDA data.
Additionally, she, and the USDA leadership, held a series of data modernization listening sessions at state fairs and farm shows across the country throughout August to hear directly from hundreds of producers and agricultural stakeholders, the department added.
The feedback and listening sessions resulted in the creation of the USDA Data Modernization Plan and its four pillars:
- Modernize the Data Reporting Experience: USDA will expand use of administrative data, improve mobile access to surveys, explore opportunities to use prefilled information where appropriate, and strengthen coordination across the department. These changes will reduce duplicative requests and limit the amount of time producers spend reporting information.
- Enhance Acreage and Yield Estimation: USDA will conduct a pilot to evaluate the use of improved satellite imagery, geospatial tools, crop models, and other emerging technologies combined with essential producer-reported information to enhance acreage and yield estimations. USDA will also assess the use of optional field inputs to enhance and ground truth yield estimates and continue advancing yield research through collaboration with agricultural partners and land-grant universities.
- Integrate Data and Technology Platforms: USDA will modernize its technology infrastructure, expand secure data-sharing capabilities, and evaluate the responsible use of tools such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. Better integrated systems will improve efficiency, reduce duplication, and allow USDA to produce more timely and useful information.
- Expand Trust and Transparency with Producers: USDA will protect producer privacy, clearly explain why information is requested and how it is used, and create additional opportunities for producers to provide feedback. USDA will also improve communication surrounding reports, methodologies, response rates, and data limitations.
“While American agriculture and USDA look vastly different than they did in 1862, the need for timely, accurate, and useful agricultural statistics remains constant,” Kip Tom, USDA’s special advisor for data modernization, said. “This plan brings USDA agencies together, breaks down outdated information silos, and applies modern technology to provide producers and rural communities with better service. By improving how information is collected and shared, we can respond more quickly to challenges facing American agriculture.”
This plan builds on technological advancements already underway across USDA, including satellite-based crop monitoring, geospatial analysis, cloud-based platforms, improved online reporting tools, and more coordinated use of existing administrative data, USDA noted.
The agency will continue to work with partners to assess new methods and improve the scientific foundation of its agricultural statistics.
“USDA’s agricultural statistics are only as strong as the trust and voluntary participation of America’s producers,” Dr. Scott Hutchins, USDA under secretary for research, education, and economics, said. “By combining producer knowledge with sound science and modern technology, USDA can reduce the reporting burden while improving the quality of the information farmers and policymakers rely on. This plan will help ensure American agriculture remains productive and resilient for generations to come.”
The actions under this plan will start being administered immediately, and the USDA will continue working with farmers, ranchers, and agricultural stakeholders throughout the process.
To learn more, view the full USDA Data Modernization Plan here.
