Project Players
lUSDA/NASS Research Division
–Spatial Analysis Research Section
lRemote sensing analysts
lSoftware developers
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lUSDA/Foreign Ag Service
–PECAD (Production Estimates & Crop Assessment Division)
–Landsat 5 & 7 imagery source
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lState/Federal Cooperators
–NASS Field Offices
lRemote sensing analysts
lDigitizers & ground truth editors
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•The Spatial Analysis Research Section (SARS) in Fairfax, VA has performed remote sensing research & development activities since the early 1970's. The program has undergone various phase changes during its existence, going from research to production mode depending on funding levels and sensor availability.  NASS is actively looking for cooperative partnerships to expand the program into other states.
•The Foreign Ag Service has provided imagery under a cooperative agreement for the program since 1997. Joint use of Landsat imagery for the continental U.S. and sharing of analysis/results benefited the programs of all Agencies and cooperating partners.  In 2004, SpaceImaging provided August 2004 imagery over all nine of the Cropland Data Layer states to begin the assessment of the AWiFS platform to supplement our program.
•A variety of cooperative partnerships have been established to perform the analytical duties associated with this program.  The NASS field offices operate through Federal-State cooperative agreements with State Departments of Agriculture and land grant universities. NASS conducted a search of these cooperators in the late 1990’s to identify those interested in joint ventures to provide products useful to both organizations through cost and resource sharing arrangements.  Details of the arrangements vary in each case, but the cooperating organization essentially provides extra staffing and/or hardware and peripherals and/or ground data for non-cropland areas.  The Spatial Analysis Research Section trains and provides technical support for all cooperator sites.