USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a new project Sept. 1 at the annual Farm Progress Show to upgrade farm information reporting.
Updated reporting systems, enhanced acreage and yield estimates, expanded data sharing capabilities and continuing to guard producer privacy were the four “pillars” of the plan.
At the Central Iowa Expo grounds event, Rollins discussed the importance of producers raising concerns about accuracy and timeliness among other data gathering issues.
“These changes will reduce the duplicative requests that you receive over and over and over again,” Rollins said during her announcement in a crowded tent. “It will limit the amount of time that our producers spend reporting information and get you back to what you do best, which is growing food and fuel for our country.”
Work to get information out and feedback on the project started in February and wrapped up during Rollins’ multiple visits to state fairs in Iowa and other stops across the country in August.
“America’s farmers and ranchers are the backbone of our food and agricultural system, and USDA should respect their time while delivering the reliable information they need,”
Rollins said.
During her speech she also discussed the EPA’s Aug. 31 announcement that grants exemptions to renewable fuel mixing requirements for certain small refineries.
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