Analysts Question USDA's Use of Artificial Intelligence in Crop Reporting
Market analysts have expressed concerns over the negative impacts of artificial intelligence use in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) crop reporting processes regarding data accuracy, transparency, and farmer trust.
Gathering at the 2026 Corn Belt Seed and Grain Conference, market analysts Shawn Hackett and David Widmar stated that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) use of artificial intelligence tools in crop reporting systems has led to reliability issues.
Shawn Hackett of Hackett Financial Advisors argued that artificial intelligence tools do not yet possess sufficient verification capabilities, stating that this situation could undermine farmers' trust in the agency. Recalling that erroneous data observed in September caused unfair fluctuations in the market, Hackett emphasized that the system must undergo rigorous auditing.
David Widmar of Agricultural Economic Insights pointed out that budget constraints and staff reductions experienced by the USDA have affected the agency's data collection capacity. Widmar stated that the lack of transparency in artificial intelligence usage needs to be addressed alongside broader structural issues such as low farmer participation.
Sources
- brownfieldagnews.com · Link