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Tools


The tools presented below represent a portion of the tools available for the climate, agriculture and forestry sectors. The tools range from specialized calculators to maps, models and datasets estimating a variety of outputs (e.g., crop production, greenhouse gas flux, and species distribution). Certain tools may be more relevant to land managers to aid in year-to-year decision-making, while others are more useful for researchers studying agriculture and climate change. Keep in mind that all tools have limitations and make assumptions that may not be appropriate for an entity’s climate/region/crop/soil type. USDA does not endorse the tools presented below. The tool list is provided for informational purposes only, and is not exhaustive.

    • Energy Estimator: Tillage

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      This tool was developed to calculate annual diesel costs associated with tillage and planting practices of select crops. It is useful in comparing costs associated with conventional and alternative tillage methods and…

    • Energy Estimator for Nitrogen

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      This tool calculates energy costs of nitrogen fertilizer application. Current rates and methods are compared to alternative cost-saving methods and difference in cost is calculated and reported.

    • Energy Estimator: Animal Housing

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      This tool provides an estimated annual energy cost associated with housing livestock based on location, animal type, and operational information.

    • Web Soil Survey (WSS)

      Welcome to Web Soil Survey

      This tool allows you to explore USDA-NCSS soil survey data for locations throughout most of the U.S. It is compatible with smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers.