USDA announces Data Modernization Plan to improve agricultural reporting

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has announced the USDA’s Data Modernization Plan, aimed at improving the accuracy of agricultural reporting while reducing the administrative burden on farmers. Unveiled at the Farm Progress Show in Iowa, the plan is built on four primary pillars: updating reporting experiences, enhancing acreage and yield estimates, expanding data-sharing capabilities, and protecting producer privacy.

To modernize the process, the USDA intends to allow farmers to respond to surveys via mobile devices and reduce duplicative information requests. The agency will also launch a pilot program to evaluate how satellite imagery, geospatial tools, and precision agriculture technology can complement producer-reported data. Rollins noted that the department will collaborate with NASA and other federal agencies to refine these methods.

Additionally, the plan includes updating technological infrastructure and evaluating the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning. The initiative seeks to increase transparency by clearly explaining how data is used and providing more opportunities for producer feedback. Implementation of the plan is expected to begin immediately.