Aug 9, 2023

USDA app upgrade eases access to organic prices

The USDA has released an update of its Market News app that includes easier access to organic fruit and vegetable price data, and consumer retail marketing and international market reports.

The app, which was launched in February 2022, provides access to current market information. New reports will be identified and visible as the first items in searches, commodity and report lists will be grouped and identified more clearly, and user subscription and favorite lists will be paired together to allow them to be managed more easily.

“The USDA Market News Mobile App allows producers and others in the ag supply chain to access market data effectively, efficiently and on demand when and where they need the information,” Jenny Lester Moffitt, USDA under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs, said in a news release. “USDA is focused on building new, fairer, and more resilient markets for our farmers, ranchers, and producers and this updated version of the app expands USDA’s tools and resources to ensure producers benefit from the vast amount of market information available.”

The app allows users to search for current and historical reports by location, state or commodity. Users can also add reports to their favorites for easier access, share reports via text or email, subscribe to reports, and share the aggregated data behind reports via email for additional analysis. The app provides notifications when a new report is published.

Since its launch, the USDA Market News app has been downloaded by over 14,500 users with over 320,000 unique report views to date at an average view rate of 1,400 unique views per weekday.

Both iOS and Android versions of the app are available at the Apple and Google Play stores by searching for “USDA Market News Mobile Application.”