Program Timeline
Jan    Feb    Mar    Apr    May    Jun    Jul    Aug    Sep    Oct    Nov    Dec
Seg Prep
Seg Digitizing
Scene Select
Seg Cleanup
Scene Process
Cluster/Classify
Estimation
Mosaic
The program methodology is a continuous process throughout the year.

•The first step “Seg Prep” establishes the training segments, digitizes the perimeters, and distributes software and data to the field offices, this goes from February to late May
•Seg digitizing begins during the JAS and continues until all fields and all segments are completely digitized, this may run thru July or even until mid-October in some states depending on human resource availability.
•Scene selection begins in early summer, and could run into the late fall depending on image availability.
•Seg cleanup analyzes the newly digitized segments with the newly acquired imagery.
•Fields that are bad either by digitizing or cover type are corrected or removed from training.
•Scene processing fits each segment onto a scene by shifting and cloud influenced segments are removed.
•The cluster/classification process runs in concert with the scene processing step, as segments are shifted they can be clustered.
•Estimation can be performed as early as August, once an entire state is finished classification, and the outputs are satisfactory.
•The mosaic process runs once estimation is completed. The mosaic for a particular state is released once the county estimates are released for that state.