US Department of Agriculture (USDA) plans to use satellite data and artificial intelligence more widely (NE) to determine the sown areas and forecast the yield. As part of the pilot project, the department will cooperate with NASA.
The goal is to improve the accuracy of agricultural statistics, which affects the global grain and oilseed markets. The need for changes is due to criticism of the discrepancies between the preliminary and final estimates in 2025-2026. High-resolution images will be used to define field boundaries, tracking the development of crops and assessing the impact of weather phenomena. The data will be processed by artificial intelligence and compared with digital growth models. Surveys of farmers will be kept mainly in online format.
USDA expects more frequent and more accurate forecast updates. The first results should be received before the end of the current presidential term.
Source: https://ukragroconsult.com