UMD Awarded $936K USDA Grant to Advance Agricultural Data Sharing

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded the University of Maryland a $936,310 grant to support the development of a new initiative designed to advance agricultural data sharing while protecting farmers’ privacy and data sovereignty. 

NASA Acres’ Confidential, Co-created, Collaborative Computational (4-C) System will establish a neutral, secure data cooperative where agricultural producers, land-grant and other universities, nonprofits and private companies can contribute, analyze and benefit from agricultural data and proprietary models without exposing sensitive information or surrendering control over their data and intellectual property.

“We’re building the 4-C System because producers shouldn’t have to choose between retaining sovereignty over their data and benefiting from it,” said geographical sciences Research Professor Alyssa Whitcraft, executive director of NASA Acres. “4-C creates a confidential computing space co-governed by farmers and the researchers that allows farm data, open satellite data and public-good science to combine only under mutual consent.”

The project builds on the work of NASA Acres, NASA’s consortium supporting American agriculture, led by UMD. Launched in 2023, NASA Acres brings together farmers, ranchers, researchers and agricultural organizations across the United States to translate Earth observation science and data into practical solutions that improve agricultural productivity, profitability and resilience. 

With more than 40 projects, 11 primary organizations and over 70 collaborating partners, the consortium connects scientific innovation with the needs and priorities of American agricultural producers.