GIS Technology: Keeping Pennsylvania Agriculture One Step Ahead

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GIS Technology Keeping Pennsylvania Agriculture
One Step Ahead

• Sean E. CragerGIS Coordinator

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PDA GIS

• Currently PDA has a contract with Penn State
  through the College of Ag. Science under Dr. Rick
  Day of the Land Analysis Lab
• This contract provides PDA with a full time
  on-site GIS Coordinator
• GIS Coordinator fulfills all GIS needs for the
  Department
• Analyzing potential opportunities for GIS
  implementation, maintaining an enterprise GIS,
  develop web-based GIS applications, provide
  technical knowledge to users, training, represent
  the Department on GIS issues, partake in Homeland
  Security development, etc.

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Enterprise GIS _at_ PDA

• Currently have one dedicated GIS server
• Over half a terabyte of data storage
• 100 megabit network to deliver data
• ArcSDE delivers over 70 data layers to all PDA
  GIS users
• Data layers stored in MS SQL Server
• ArcIMS delivers web based applications to users
• Entire system is capable of delivering data and
  web based mapping services to all 7 PDA regional
  offices
• This allows for central maintenance and creation
  of data

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Enterprise GIS _at_ PDA

• How desktop users access data
• ArcGIS 8.3
• ArcMap
• ArcInfo
• ArcIMS
• Sites tailored to specific projects
• Internet browser access
• ArcPad

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Data Sources

• Currently PDA uses GDT Data
• Private vendor that provides road centerline,
  public place locations, demographic info,
  waterways, etc
• Other data is obtained from various sources
• PASDA
• National Atlas
• State Agencies
• National Agencies
• Vendors

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Data Creation

• Plum Pox
• Stone fruit orchard boundaries
• Plastic Pesticide Container Recycling
• Locations for recycling used pesticide container
• Dog Bites
• Statewide bites
• Dangerous Dogs
• Registered dogs
• Invasive weeds and plants
• Plant pests and insects
• Apiary locations

• Protected farmland
• Farm land entered into protection from
  development
• Dirt and gravel roads
• Line features of non-paved roads maintained by
  State Conservation Commission
• Weights and Measures
• Locations of all UPC scanners, gas stations,
  underground tanks, propane
• Farm Mapping
• Locations of livestock farms

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Data Collection

• PDA has over 50 GPS units currently in use
• CMT March II
• Garmin 76s
• Magellan SporTrak
• Field personnel such as plant inspectors and
  animal inspectors all carry GPS units

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Data Collection

• PDA is using online web mapping as one means
  to collect farm data from PSU ExtensionAgents
• Allows onlinemapping withoutvisiting site

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Data examples

• State Data Viewer
• Hosts an assortment of state data
• Plum Pox Viewer
• Allows the visualization of data for non-GIS
  users such as summer interns and other PDA
  personnel
• Farmland Preservation
• Users can print maps and view densities of
  protected farmland in any region
• Bureau of Animal Health Livestock Map
• Used to map livestock locations and to create
  buffers and quarantines in case of disease
  outbreak

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Other PDA GIS Projects

• AgMap www.agmap.psu.edu
• Land Analysis Lab
• Hosted at PSU in State College
• Allows for Agricultural and related businesses to
  register for free to a service that allows for
  potential customers to seek their products or
  services
• Uses ArcIMS technology to allow geographic
  searches to be made and distances given from
  buyer to seller
• Also allows for sellers to create an account to
  check site stats, hits on their listing, and send
  out emails via mailing list

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Homeland Security

• Critical data layers are being identified for HLS
  
• A current list is being developed by PDA
• Amusement parks
• Licensed kennels
• Farm markets and roadside stands
• Farms
• Fertilizer / Pesticide manufacturing and storage
  facilities
• Food processing facilities
• Land zoned for agriculture
• Veterinarians
• Zoos / petting zoos / animal preserves

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PDA GIS Problems

• Converting existing databases to GIS Ready
  databases
• Agriculture deals mainly with rural locations
• Many RR and PO Boxes
• Makes geocoding less efficient
• Locating the Ag in PA
• PDA does not know where all the Ag is
• No licensing system in place in order to raise /
  sell livestock or crops
• Over 56,000 farms in PA
• This number does not account for back yard
  farmers
• Dealing with Ag community
• Very protective of their information
• Not always the most high tech community

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Future of GIS at PDA

• Farmer with a Dell
• Today about half of the 2 million farms in the US
  are internet enabled
• Triple from 1997
• Farmers can become more involved in Geospatial
  technologies
• Precision farming
• Cooperative Extension
• Allows for a more one-on-one relationship to be
  developed
• More resources than PDA alone
• Improving technology
• Allows for improved mapping and data retrieval
• Improved addressing
• E911 in counties will enable increased geocoding
  results
• Also will be used to denote which addresses are
  agriculture

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A career in GIS?

• Why?
• Exploding industry
• Many new jobs being created in this field due to
  advanced technologies in computer hardware and
  GPS improvements
• Average starting salary for new hires is over
  30k
• Can provide a mix of field work with office
  analysis
• Enhances your marketability
• High tech skills are in demand right now
• Rewarding work with a cool WOW factor!
• People get excited when you can show them a
  picture of their house from outer space

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A career in GIS?

• According to a survey from GISjobs.com
• Only 4.9 years on average in experience
• 40 have a B.S.
• 15 with M.S.
• 80 use ESRI software
• 23 use Intergraph
• 64 use MS Windows
• 28 use UNIX
• 38 know Visual Basic
• 10 know Java
• 57 use MS Access
• 26 use dBASE
• 22 use GPS

• What does all of this mean to you?
• Its a new industry
• Youre already getting a B.S. or M.S.
• Ship uses ESRI products
• We ALL work on Windows
• Take a programming class
• Know a database and how it works
• Learn to use GPS and understand how it operates

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Preparing yourself for a career in GIS

• Obviously take as many courses as possible in GIS
  and related topics
• Remote sensing, Map and Air photo, GIS Intro and
  Advanced, Computer Mapping, Field Techniques
  etc..
• Get the GIS Certificate here at Ship
• Many disciplines use GIS not just
  Geoenvironmental and Geography
• Biology, Business and Marketing, Computer science
  etc..

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Preparing yourself for a career in GIS

• Take a programming class
• Whether you are a desktop or power user,
  understanding a computer language will really
  make you advanced
• Do an internship
• Many local companies offer internships
• State Government is a great way to do an
  internship
• They pay!
• Lots of exposure to a variety of people and
  programs
• Use this time to NETWORK

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Preparing yourself for a career in GIS

• Begin a portfolio
• Use GIS to enhance your reports and projects for
  class
• Save them and put into a portfolio for an
  potential employer to view

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Join a GIS related organization

• Many offer reduced membership fees for students
• Allows for networking
• Keeps you current of events

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Where to look for a career in GIS

• http//gislounge.com/library/career.shtml
• http//www.geojobsource.com/homepage.htm
• http//careers.geocomm.com/
• www.esri.com
• www.aag.org

• http//www.scgis.org/GISjobs.html
• http//www.aag.org/
• http//gti.hrdpt.com/
• http//www.gjc.org/
• http//www.geosearch.com
• www.urisa.org

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Questions?

• I will be available afterwards to speak with
  anyone interested in GIS or related topics.
• I will also have information regarding
  internships at the Department of Ag in Harrisburg