The USDA, NASS Cropland Data Layer (CDL) is a raster, geo-referenced, crop-specific land cover data layer with a ground resolution of 56 meters. The CDL is produced using satellite imagery from the Indian Remote Sensing RESOURCESAT-1 (IRS-P6) Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS) collected during the current growing season. Ancillary classification inputs include: the United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Elevation Dataset (NED), the USGS National Land Cover Dataset 2001 (NLCD 2001), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 250 meter 16 day Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) composites. Agricultural training and validation data are derived from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) Common Land Unit (CLU) Program. The NLCD 2001 is used as non-agricultural training and validation data. The strength and emphasis of the CDL is agricultural land cover. Please note that no farmer reported data are derivable from the Cropland Data Layer.
Constraints:
Users of our Cropland Data Layer (CDL) and associated raster and vector data files are solely responsible for interpretations made from these products. The CDL is provided "as is". USDA-NASS does not warrant results you may obtain by using the Cropland Data Layer. Feel free to contact our staff at (HQ_RD_OD@nass.usda.gov) if technical questions arise in the use of our Cropland Data Layer. NASS does provide considerable metadata and substantial statistical performance measures in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) section on the CDL website and on the CD-ROM and/or DVD. Not to be used for navigation, for informational purposes only. See full disclaimer for more information.
