Data ‘silos’ coming down at USDA

Compartmentalized information on the nation’s farmers in USDA’s database has historically meant filling out redundant paperwork and many delays in action. Siloed systems within the agency number more than 500, according to a recent press release hailing USDA’s new “One Farmer, One File” initiative, which will streamline the producer experience as well as better leverage tax dollars. A centralized data hub will allow for prefilling of miscellaneous applications, as well as a more personalized experience with recommendations based on each farmer’s experiences and history with the agency. At the recent San Antonio, Texas, Commodity Classic event, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins unveiled the ambitious agenda for the One Farmer, One File program. She followed up on that announcement with an op-ed in the Des Moines Register on March 9, noting that the goal is to create a unified system that will more efficiently deliver program funds to the nation’s farmers. The lack of a digital sign-up system has been a particularly onerous contributor to delays, Rollins stated in the op-ed, adding that while this will be addressed, she also understands the importance of “in‑person support, paper applications, and traditional acreage reporting.” Rollins said, “This is not a mandate to digitize but an expansion of farmers’ options. And when this initiative is complete, producers will be able to access their USDA data in a single, modern, secure system built to today’s cybersecurity standards.”

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Jessica Miller

hoards.com

March 16, 2026