By Scout Nelson
Faculty from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) is at the forefront of a crucial initiative aimed at developing a national system for agricultural data management.
This project, supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture since 2021, recently progressed during a strategic visioning session at a national planning conference held on UNL’s East Campus from August 8-9, 2024.
“The main takeaway is we are solving and will continue to solve problems for producers around data,” explained Jennifer Clarke, a key faculty member involved in the initiative.
The conference brought together a diverse group of academics, industry experts, and producer representatives to discuss the future of agricultural data management.
The primary focus of the initiative is to provide farmers with advanced tools and services for managing their agricultural data, ensuring both privacy and accessibility. This conference highlighted the critical need for useful data that can directly benefit the agricultural community.
According to Matt Spangler, a professor of animal science at UNL, sustainability in data sharing in the industry hinges on tangible benefits for the stakeholders involved. Meanwhile, Joe Luck noted the tangible outcomes observed in pilot projects across the country, demonstrating the practical benefits of data utilization in agriculture.
The conference concluded with plans to create a strategic white paper that outlines the development of this data ecosystem over the next three to five years. Jennifer Clarke emphasized the importance of building on the feedback and collaborations initiated during the conference to ensure the long-term value of these efforts to producers.
Photo Credit: usda
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