The goal of the national agricultural producers data cooperative (NAPDC) project is to gather essential information needed to inform a cross-domain and cross-community data framework that can…

The goal of the national agricultural producers data cooperative (NAPDC) project is to gather essential information needed to inform a cross-domain and cross-community data framework that can support a "grower data lake" across diverse national and regional agricultural systems. To access these systems, the project will ensure diverse participation including all types of agricultural research institutions, producers, small businesses, and representatives of all relevant data producer and consumer organizations - including 1862, 1890 and 1994 land grant institutions, USDA-ARS, and the national agricultural library - with attention to the costs and benefits for all sectors and with special attention to barriers and value for farmers and ranchers. The project will focus on the framework's development for initial use cases with a clear explanation of how these would be followed by platform growth and program development. The NAPDC is informed by an understanding that data and technology will drive the future of domestic agricultural production [10]. This future is predicated on advances in precision crop and livestock management, smart use of limited water resources and adoption of regenerative agricultural practices, such as cover crops and low- or no-till management, as we face the challenge of climate change and the need for increased carbon capture.bringing together growers and producers, commodity boards, land grant universities, research libraries and curation experts, non-profit entities, private industry partners, and federal agencies to explore regional and national opportunities, challenges, and needs regarding a data framework is both necessary and timely to address these – and other – grand challenges.