Hello there!
Welcome to our January Newsletter! In this issue, we are bringing you the latest updates and insights from the NASA Acres Consortium.
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Getting Farmers the Most From Their Data: Ag Data Transparent and Farm Journal's Trust In Food Join Forces with NASA Acres to Move the Needle on Farm Research
Over the last decade, the potential of satellite-based Earth observation (EO) data for farmers is growing with the rich information it can reveal - frequently, and over large areas - about the conditions of vegetation, water, and soil that the naked eye cannot see. However, the direct value that it brings to farmers within their own operations is mediated by the degree to which farmers share their on-farm data with EO innovators and analysts. At the same time, collecting and sharing farmer data for research projects raises concerns about privacy and security for farmers, as they may worry about how their personal and operational information will be used and protected, and whether it might be vulnerable to breaches or misuse. This is why Ag Data Transparent (ADT) has partnered with NASA Acres to develop a set of guiding principles to be used for managing farm data in their research. These principles aim to promote beneficial and safe data collection, sharing, and use that prioritize farmers' well-being while unlocking the value of satellite data for farmers.
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The Chesapeake Bay Region Leads the Nation in Winter Cover Crop Implementation |
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Data source: from the 2017 Census of Agriculture with
Map production by Rob Myers, University of Missouri, inset map prepared by W. Dean Hively, USGS
Winter cover crops, which can include cereal grains, legumes, or brassicas, are planted in the autumn following harvest of summer row crops such as corn and soybeans, and are terminated in the spring, prior to planting of the subsequent summer crop. By providing living vegetated cover on agricultural fields that would otherwise be fallow over the winter season they can scavenge soil nitrogen and prevent its loss to groundwater. Additional environmental benefits can include reduced soil erosion, improved soil structure and infiltration, increased soil health and carbon storage, and reduced runoff.
The above map, provided by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), displays the percent of commodity acres that implement winter cover crops by state, ranging from a low of 2.6% (white) to a high of 43.1% (dark blue). The Chesapeake Bay region, shown in the darkest blue, leads the nation in the adoption of winter cover crops, owing largely to a sustained focus on implementation of agricultural conservation practices to achieve water quality targets, achieved through a mixture of incentives, regulation, and voluntary conservation adoption. Adoption is highest in the state of Maryland, with winter cover crops planted on about 43% of row-crop acreage. On-farm performance of winter cover crops is variable, ranging from minimal biomass due to poor agronomy and weather conditions, low biomass due to limited soil nutrients and late planting dates, medium biomass under typical growing conditions, and high biomass due to good agronomy, favorable weather, and abundant availability of soil nutrients.
Satellite remote sensing can be used to measure cover crop performance throughout the agricultural landscape, linking performance measures to environmental outcomes. Under NASA Acres, Dr. Alison Thieme of United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), Dr. Steven Mirsky of USDA-ARS, and Dr. W. Dean Hively of USGS, are working together to develop new frameworks to improve Earth observation-based methods for monitoring climate smart agriculture practices, like winter cover crops, and model their impact on soil erosion.
Excerpt Provided By W. Dean Hively and Brian T. Lamb of USGS
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Dr. Hannah Kerner of ASU is developing AI models to address global issues |
Dr. Hannah Kerner is an assistant professor of computer science at Arizona State University and she believes artificial intelligence (AI) is a means to address global challenges, like climate change and resource management. Dr. Kerner is the AI Lead for the NASA Acres and NASA Harvest consortia.
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Celebrating Dr. Skakun's Promotion at UMD |
We would like to congratulate Dr. Sergii Skakun, a scientist with NASA Acres, who has been granted tenure at the University of Maryland. He is an Associate Professor with a joint appointment at the Department of Geographical Sciences and the College of Information Studies. His current research focus is to advance methods, models and emerging technologies in the area of data science for heterogeneous remote sensing data fusion, processing and analysis, and their applications to Earth System Science and areas of societal benefit.
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Check out this recap of our sessions at AGU 2023! |
It's 2024... but we still can't stop thinking about AGU23! If you're like us or if you missed our sessions on Earth observation (EO) applications for agriculture in the U.S. then check out our AGU23 Recap blog post highlighting our sessions on topics spanning EO applications for Crop Type and Yield Mapping, Tillage and Cover Crops, Agriculture and the Atmosphere, Ranching, Nutrient Management, Pest and Disease Detection, and more!
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The University of Arkansas is hiring a Postdoctoral Fellow on greenhouse Gas Emissions and soil biogeochemistry in rice production systems. The position will contribute to a funded research and technical assistance project on measuring environmental outcomes of different rice production practices. The project will investigate the impacts of land cover and management practices on biophysical properties, carbon uptake, and greenhouse gas emissions, and may involve novel tools and instrumentation.
*This position is not affiliated with NASA Acres
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Feb. 15-16, 2024 | Arlington, Virgina
Hybrid
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Registration is open for USDA's 100th Annual Agricultural Outlook Forum Feb 15-16! This hybrid event will offer insights on topics such as commodity & food price outlooks, ag trade developments, ag innovations, climate change, the bioeconomy, & more.
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Feb. 28-Mar. 2, 2024 | Houston, Texas
In-Person
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NASA Acres, will once again attend the annual Commodity Classic, America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused, agricultural & educational conference. Check out presentations, panels, and other activities at the NASA booth to learn more about how NASA technology can support farmers and the agriculture industry, at large!
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March 5 - March 19
Online
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The NASA ARSET (Applied Remote Sensing Training) program is hosting a free online training on how to access and utilize various Earth observation datasets for the monitoring and analysis of global agricultural patterns. Participants will become familiar with data format and quality considerations, tools, and techniques to process remote sensing imagery at large scale from publicly available satellite sources, using various cloud tools.
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Please take a moment to fill out this brief survey to let us know what kind of content you would like to see in the monthly NASA Acres Newsletter. |
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