Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins Unveils USDA Data Modernization Plan at Farm Progress Show
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins introduced the USDA's proposed data modernization plan at the 2026 Farm Progress Show. This initiative aims to enhance technological advancements already in use across the USDA, including satellite-based crop monitoring, geospatial analysis, cloud-based platforms, and improved online reporting tools. The plan also seeks to better coordinate the use of existing administrative data. According to Secretary Rollins, a key objective is to build trust and transparency with farmers by safeguarding producer privacy, clearly explaining data requests and usage, and providing avenues for farmer feedback. Iowa farmer Lance Lillibridge expressed encouragement regarding the USDA's efforts, noting that farmers are actively involved in the process and that improvements to agricultural data collection have long been necessary due to a perceived lack of trust in current reporting methods. Lillibridge emphasized the importance of accurate reporting for food and national security, stating ...
