I have to admit I didn't see this coming: the House farm bill had included language about NAIP at one point, but not its final form; and the Senate never included it. But the language coming out of conference committee does! Also note the language ensuring that this imagery be available to the kinds of parties that depend on NAIP.

Although it's not yet law, the sense in DC is that with a new Congress and possible shutdown looming, everyone wants to get the farm bill done quickly. You can track the bill's progress here.

I'm told that credit for this goes to the advocacy efforts of the folks at MAPPS--if you find a chance to thank them for their great work, please do!

SEC. 12612. NATIONAL AGRICULTURE IMAGERY PROGRAM.

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Administrator of the Farm Service Agency, shall carry out a national agriculture imagery program to annually acquire aerial imagery during agricultural growing seasons from the continental United States. 

(b) DATA.—The aerial imagery acquired under this section shall—

(1) consist of high resolution processed digital imagery;

(2) be made available in a format that can be provided to Federal, State, and private sector entities;

(3) be technologically compatible with geospatial information technology; and

(4) be consistent with the standards established by the Federal Geographic Data Committee.

(c) SUPPLEMENTAL SATELLITE IMAGERY.—The Secretary of Agriculture may supplement the aerial imagery collected under this section with satellite imagery.

(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $23,000,000 for fiscal year 2019 and each fiscal year thereafter.

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