Agriculture Department’s New Data Strategy Focuses on Modernizing Analytics

The Department of Agriculture’s latest data strategy is focused on modernizing analytics operations with artificial intelligence.

Effective from 2024 to 2026, the new document, unveiled Thursday, indicates that the agency will utilize automation and machine learning and enhance data analytics with the ethical and responsible use of AI, Nextgov/FCW reported.

The strategy also prioritizes upskilling the USDA’s workforce and optimizing costs. Its five focus areas include common data and analytics, data governance, data workforce, open data architecture, and purposeful analytics.

Another agency goal is to enhance data transparency by providing new dashboards and resources to expand public access. In the document, USDA explained that the move could facilitate collaboration between the agency and the public and ensure that researchers have the necessary information to make decisions.

Christopher Alvares, the USDA’s chief data officer, said his organization has made strides toward becoming more data-driven and evidence-based since the first data strategy was published in 2020.