The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) CEO Ted McKinney and NASDA staff recently met with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to discuss the benefits of using satellite technology in agriculture. Through NASA’s Earth-observing satellites such as Landsat, MODIS, and SMAP, critical data on crop conditions, field usage, yield analysis, and soil moisture levels is collected. This information, combined with field data gathered by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) enumerators, is used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to produce more accurate and timely agricultural reports.
The collaboration between NASDA and NASA is essential in providing farmers, researchers, and policymakers with the necessary tools to make informed decisions that impact agricultural productivity and sustainability. The Cropland Data Layer maps crop locations precisely, while Crop Progress and Condition Reports offer real-time updates on crop health, soil conditions, and drought status.
Since 1972, the NASDA-NASS partnership has relied on a team of enumerators to collect high-quality data, ensuring that farmers and ranchers have a say in shaping agricultural policies. By incorporating NASA’s satellite technology into their reporting processes, NASS has improved its ability to forecast yields and monitor environmental conditions effectively.
This collaboration exemplifies the ongoing effort to modernize agricultural data collection. By leveraging advanced technology, NASS is continuously enhancing its reporting processes to adopt a more efficient and data-driven approach to agricultural decision-making.
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