NASA to Share Tools, Resources at Upcoming Agriculture Conference

Nevada farmer Denise Moyle will use OpenET to plan irrigation of her alfalfa fields. Open ET is a web-based platform putting NASA data in the hands of farmers, water managers and conservation groups to accelerate improvements and innovations in water management.

Credits: Glow by G Photography

NASA will participate in the 2022 Commodity Classic conference, America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused educational and agricultural experience.

Agency representatives will discuss information, tools, and resources, drawn from the NASA’s Earth observation satellites and science research. Farmers and others regularly make decisions about water management, planting, and market decisions based on NASA data delivered by partner agencies and organizations, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Collaboration is at the core of NASA’s efforts, and that's why we’re participating in the Commodity Classic,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “The game-changing work we do gets our data into the hands of key decision-makers, so they get results. And learning more about what our agriculture communities need firsthand helps us design better tools to make better decisions in the future.”

Throughout the conference, Karen St. Germain, NASA’s Earth Science Division director, will participate in various speaking events and meetings and present at the NASA Hyperwall, an interactive visual display of NASA imagery and data. Nelson will participate in the conference virtually.

NASA’s vantage point from space gives the agency a unique view of our home planet. For more than 50 years, NASA satellites have provided open-source and publicly available data on Earth’s land, water, temperature, weather, and climate. By engaging with an agricultural community adapting to changes in weather and water cycles, NASA can learn about emerging needs and demands to shape future missions.

The NASA Hyperwall will have presentations about various topics, including how NASA data can help inform crop conditions and how the data can provide information to prepare for changes such as longer and deeper drought, as well as more intense and severe weather. NASA will host both virtual and in-person exhibits, which will feature demonstrations and science applications. The virtual exhibit will be open to the public throughout the week of the meeting