Location: Cotton Ginning Research
Project Number: 6066-41440-009-020-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 29, 2024
End Date: Sep 28, 2025
Objective:
1. Develop a cloud-based knowledge management system for industrial hemp.
2. Develop and implement standardized data terminology standards.
3. Develop customized digital data collection tools for researchers and participating industry partners.
4. Develop semi-automated QA/QC (Quality Assurance/Quality Control) tools for incoming data (e.g., dashboards and online maps).
5. Develop high-level economic decision support tools.
6. Develop digital outreach (Extension) and educational tools.
Approach:
The Cooperator will employ a Geographic Information System (GIS) Analyst and a Data Coordinator (partially funded through this project), two graduate students and one undergraduate student workers to work directly with the ARS Engineers, hemp researchers, USDA-AMS, and commercial hemp producers to develop out a suite of digital data management tools. The cooperator will develop a cloud-based knowledge management system for hemp that is permissions controlled to provide researchers the ability to embargo their research data unit they are ready to publish or release their research data. This system will provide producers with the ability to anonymize their data if they choose to do so. The cooperator will rely heavily on the ARS researchers to establish the working groups needed to identify the types of data being collected by the various researchers working on hemp, producer groups, and USDA administrative groups. These working groups are essential and a critical component of developing digital tools that are functional, user friendly, and structured to promote data collection efficiencies. The cooperator will work with the ARS researchers to prioritize the development list for the various data collection tools, semi-automated processing tools, and visualization tools that will be developed. The cooperator (Co-PI Jessup) will further employ one graduate student to develop low-cost, rapid, handheld phenomic tools suitable for fiber (bast length, bast: hurd ratio, stem gum abundance) and seed (maturity, intactness, health) quality metrics. This project requires that the cooperator be flexible and willing to rearrange the development priority needed as new needs are identified by USDA AMS and hemp stakeholders.
