NASS Web Site Projected to launch in December 2005, this will satisfy a USDA initiative to standardize the “look and feel” of the Department’s agency web presence. NASS has used this as an opportunity to address numerous usability concerns with our current web site. Today’s Reports and Quick Stats have been promoted to the main page for current site users. Sections have been added discussing our surveys and education and outreach programs. All of our field office web site have been incorporated as landing pages from the NASS home page.

Statistics by Commodity System The new NASS web site, will also feature a Statistics by Commodity System that will allow users to choose specific item, such as Corn or Hogs. The results for that commodity will display Quick Stats data, links to NASS reports, links to Charts and Graphs, as well as contact info for the specific commodity specialist to that data item. This tool will act as a starting point for users to find everything NASS offers for each specific commodity. It’s the first time in NASS history that reports and data have been connected in one system. By using JAVA and XML, we will have flexibility to expand and adjust this system in the future in response.

Interactive Mapping of Census Data SVG technology employed to create vector maps of all U.S. State and Counties Displays 2002 Census of Agriculture data in an interactive, user-friendly format Includes downloadable CSV and XML files of all of the data. In the future, will work with entire Quick Stats system and possibly report releases. In 2006 we’ll also begin investing SVG charts and graphs for such items as demographic data.

Google Search Appliance In Fall of 2004, USDA purchased a Google Search Appliance for all of the Agencies external web pages. Google will be available from NASS with the launch of the new site projected for December 2005. Users will be able to specifically query Census Data, the Cornell University Mann Library Archive, or information indexed regarding a specific state, such as New Mexico, or Washington. Search results are expected to be far more relevant than what are received using our current First Gov search tool

RSS Dissemination Feeds NASS created its first RSS feed in November of 2004 for our News and Coming Events announcements. By next Spring, we expect to have RSS for all of our report releases, as part of the new Today’s Report system that will be implemented into the new NASS web site. If resources are available, we are discussing looking into text messaging and other outlets some time in 2006.