Just imagine if the USDA could tap into all of the real-time "data" that is being collected and sent to the cloud by the various precision ag software gadgets we are currently using....  

Just imagine if they could mine the data and publish it in real time every single day (or maybe even hourly updates??) No more waiting for weekly reports, no more yield guesstimates, no more farmer surveys, no more wild market moves based off week old data, no more backyarditis, no more guessing. If they did have access to all this data in real time, the USDA could probably cut a bunch of their staff and reduce the number of USDA Service Centers around the country too! That'd save a bunch of money for the taxpayers - fewer salaries, fewer benefits, fewer office buildings and office equipment, etc....

Just imagine if someday it will be a requirement to have some kind of software installed on whatever system you use that sends the data to the USDA servers?   Just imagine what it will be like when it is a requirement for everyone participating in farm programs or federal crop insurance or ARC/PLC or whatever to send your data in real time to the USDA! I think it's coming boys..... errrr...... I mean comrades!