NASA Acres Connects with Farmers at Commodity Classic 2026

NASA Acres participated in Commodity Classic 2026 as part of the broader NASA Agriculture team, engaging directly with farmers, agritech leaders, researchers, and partners from across the United States. Over three days, the event provided an opportunity to highlight how NASA Earth observation data and tools are helping producers make more informed decisions, strengthen agricultural resilience, and support more prosperous farming operations.

A highlight of the week was the NASA Acres Farm Innovation Ambassador Team (FIAT) “What’s New” session, which drew a standing-room-only audience. The session, “From Satellites to Seeds,” featured a range of speakers representing NASA leadership, farmer partners, and members of the FIAT Steering Committee. Participants included Dr. Karen St. Germain, Director of NASA’s Earth Science Division; Dwane Roth, NASA Acres FIAT Steering Committee member; Brad Doyle, NASA Acres FIAT Steering Committee member; Tillery Timmons-Sims, Director of Operations at the Sandhills Area Research Association; Lance Lillibridge, FIAT Steering Committee Co-Chair; and Ray Flickner, NASA Acres FIAT Steering Committee member. Together, the speakers discussed new developments across the NASA Acres consortium and shared practical examples of how satellite data, remote sensing, and new analytics are being applied to address real challenges faced by producers across the country.

NASA Acres researchers and partners also hosted Hyperwall talks and panel discussions, offering attendees a closer look at how NASA science is being translated into tools and insights that can be used by farmers, agronomists, and agricultural organizations.

Beyond the formal sessions, the NASA Acres team spent much of the event engaging directly with farmers and attendees across the show floor. These conversations focused on producers’ day-to-day challenges, emerging opportunities for collaboration, and how satellite-based information can complement existing agricultural knowledge and decision-making.

The event also offered a chance for the team to experience a bit of local culture. After the day’s sessions concluded, some members of the NASA Agriculture team attended a rodeo show, enjoying a classic Texas tradition after a busy few days of outreach and collaboration.

Commodity Classic remains an important venue for NASA Acres to build relationships with the agricultural community and ensure that NASA Earth observation data is developed and applied in ways that directly support the needs of farmers across the United States.