The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched a pilot project using satellite imagery and AI to assess cultivated areas and forecast crop yields, following farmer criticism that government figures were inaccurate and affected crop prices. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the plan at the Farm Progress Show in Iowa, in collaboration with NASA and other federal agencies, to improve data accuracy. Discontent erupted after the USDA released its final estimates in January 2026, causing grain prices to drop by more than 5%, and the 2025 corn planting area figures were unusually inaccurate. The project will use geospatial tools and crop models alongside farmer surveys, and will also study AI and machine learning. Deputy Secretary Scott Hutchins said they would push to see results before the end of the term, although no clear timeline has been set. Some farmers view the initiative positively but note there are still limitations, while the Secretary acknowledged the need to urgently restore confidence in the government's statistical data.
USDA project aims to improve crop yield forecasts, potentially affecting price volatility but outcome uncertain.
