Print PageUSDA has been embracing new technologies to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of program implementation and program delivery. Through this process, we are discovering ways to better connect people to science discovery and information management. Examples of the use of mobile devices will be presented, encompassing education, extension, research and development, and program implementation. A consideration of future applications will be explored.
Results/Conclusions
Our education and outreach programs, including 4 H and Ag in the Classroom, provide a mechanism to engage youth, communities and families at the local level. USDA scientists and managers in Colorado, partnership with CSU, have developed an “App” that allows a farmer to link a field site, via GPS, to conservation databases and models to identify in real time the needed agricultural management practices to reduce soil erosion and achieve other land conservation benefits. The National Agricultural Statistics Service is now incorporating iPad’s into the field data collection activities to rapidly gather information for the Census of Agriculture. We are continuing to explore how mobile devices and social media can better connect to the American public, providing tools to make better decisions in food choices and safer handling, in achieving conservation goals on our farms, rangelands and forests, and increasing science literacy by encouraging discovery.
