VegScape: a national crop condition monitoring system

Abstract: 

VegScape (http://nassgeodata.gmu.edu/VegScape/) is a national crop condition monitoring system collaboratively developed by the Center for Spatial Information Science and Systems of Georege Mason University and the National Agricultural Statistics Service of USDA. The system adoptes extensively OGC specifications in developing and implementing its components, including Web Coverage Service (WCS) for data/product servicing, Web Map Serivce (WMS) for data presentation, Web Feature Service (WFS) for geographic features. VegScape allows interactive access and visualize crop condition data and products. The expereinces on developing and implementing the system demonstrated open specifications facilitate agile re-development and wide interoperatiion across geospatial software packages in re-using the data accessible through the system.