NASA, USDA Expand Partnership to Improve Crop Monitoring and Agricultural Data

NASA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have signed an agreement expanding cooperation on Earth observation and data analysis, with the goal of improving agricultural information for farmers, ranchers and policymakers.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins signed the memorandum of understanding October 24 at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa during NASA’s Inspiration Tour. NASA announced the agreement October 26.

The agreement supports USDA’s data modernization plan and builds on an existing partnership involving agricultural research and data sharing. Its focus includes integrating information more effectively and coordinating the use of Earth observation technology for agricultural purposes.

“NASA develops some of the most advanced sensing, computing, and analytical capabilities in the world, and we should put those tools to work wherever they can deliver meaningful outcomes for the American people,” Isaacman said.

He said combining NASA’s technical capabilities with USDA’s agricultural expertise could improve information available to producers and strengthen understanding of crop conditions and natural hazards.

Under the agreement, the agencies can explore work involving agricultural statistics, remote sensing, modeling, geographic data systems and advanced computing. Potential applications include monitoring crops, estimating planted acreage and yields, and assessing drought and other disasters.

The agencies also plan to examine ways to manage and analyze large datasets, aiming to strengthen USDA’s information systems and provide more timely and reliable agricultural data.

Rollins said the partnership would put additional federal research and technology capabilities to work for American agriculture.

“With this unprecedented partnership the Trump Administration is committing to a bright future of research and tech opportunities that will enhance USDA acreage and yield estimation and drive profitability for American agriculture,” she said.

NASA described the agreement as an expansion of longstanding cooperation between the agencies. Its announcement did not specify a funding amount, implementation schedule or timetable for delivering new tools to agricultural producers.

More information about NASA’s Earth observation research is available on its Earth science website.