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The Ag Data Commons serves as a publicly accessible repository and catalog for scientific research data, specifically designed to facilitate information sharing and discovery within the agricultural research community. It is dedicated to housing research data that has received funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with Federal open access requirements.
Operated by the USDA National Agricultural Library (NAL), the Ag Data Commons offers a suite of services aimed at rendering USDA-funded research data systems and data products "Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable" (FAIR). Key functions provided by the Ag Data Commons include:
- Scientific Metadata Creation and Curation: The platform actively engages in the creation and curation of scientific metadata, enhancing the discoverability and comprehensibility of research data.
- Public Access to Data: Through a comprehensive catalog encompassing USDA-funded research, as well as public Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), the Ag Data Commons ensures that data is readily accessible to a wide audience of researchers and stakeholders.
- Data Repository for Long-Term Archiving: The platform serves as a robust data repository, offering long-term archiving capabilities in alignment with requirements for supporting Digital Object Identifier (DOI) services. This ensures the preservation and accessibility of valuable research data over time.
