With everyone pocketing a smartphone, data is expected in an instant. That includes market pricing information for the commodities industry.
The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has announced the launch of a web-based platform called Market Analysis and Reporting Services, which it hopes will deliver “data sets in a more customer-focused way to better support competitive markets for producers and help stabilize food prices for American families.”
USDA staff are using the latest technologies available to deliver the most effective, most efficient, customer-focused service in the federal government. MARS improves the transparency, speed and accuracy of USDA Market News, and facilitates the flow of data from more than 3,600 markets to AMS analysts and ultimately to producers, industry and the public.
On Feb. 2, Market News information for dairy products will be the first set of data and reports available through MARS, followed by cotton and tobacco, scheduled for April. Dates for livestock, poultry and grain and specialty crops will be announced on the new My Market News website. It is anticipated that all Market News data will be moved to the new system by March 2019. USDA’s existing Market News website will continue to post data until all commodities are available through MARS.
