National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth satellite observing systems are being used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) to improve the accuracy and timeliness of information they provide about crops around the world. FAS information is used in decisions affecting U.S. agriculture, trade policy, and food aid.

NASA and the University of Maryland are providing FAS with observations and data products from instruments on NASA’s Aqua and Terra satellites and from the TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellites.