NASA and USDA sign agreement on satellite data for US agriculture

NASA and the US Department of Agriculture signed a memorandum of understanding on October 24 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to expand cooperation on Earth observation and agricultural data. NASA announced the agreement on October 26.

The agreement supports USDA’s data modernisation plan. The agencies will examine how to connect Earth observation information and analytical tools with crop monitoring, acreage and yield estimates, and assessments of drought and other disasters. Areas for possible cooperation include remote sensing, agricultural statistics, modelling and geospatial data engineering.

The announcement describes an agreement and planned work. It does not report a completed new service, measured gains in crop yields or a programme for Indian farmers.

Source: NASA, original official release. KROV adaptation and Telugu translation; no NASA endorsement. https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-usda-sign-agreement-advancing-earth-science-agriculture/