USDA announced the funding of 12 USDA Regional Food Business Centers. These Centers will support a more resilient, diverse, and competitive food system by providing localized assistance to access local and regional supply chains, including linking producers to wholesalers and distributors. They will also provide technical assistance needed to access new markets, access to federal, state, and local resources, and will assist small- and mid-sized producers in overcoming barriers to market access, with a focus on underserved farmers, ranchers, and food businesses.

Volume, velocity, variety, and veracity are descriptors of big data. Remote sensing, geospatial, Census and supermarket scanner data are only a few examples of big data. Accessibility, quality and security are challenges associated with big data. Higher yields and better matching of product to consumer demand are two outcomes from research using big data.