/Institutions/Southern-University-System/json/2020-2021/Southern-University-and-A-and-M-College-Academic-Catalog-local.json

/Institutions/Southern-University-System/json/2020-2021/Southern-University-and-A-and-M-College-Academic-Catalog.json

Southern University and A&M College Academic Catalog > Southern University Agricultural, Research, and Extension Center --- Constituent Campus of The SU System > National Plant Data Center (Est. 1994)

National Plant Data Center (Est. 1994)

The National Plant Data Center (NPDC) was established by the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The NPDC focuses resources on acquiring and integrating standard plant data required for field office activities and automated conservation tools.

The data support natural resources information exchange throughout the NRCS and across Federal and State agencies. The center develops and maintains the PLANTS Web site<plants.usda.gov>, which serves to disseminate much of the developed information. The center ensures efficient development of plant data and non-duplication of effort. The center maintains a staff at the University of California-Davis and the Montana Plant Materials Center-Bridger. Automation support is provided by the NRCS-Information Technology Center, Ft. Collins, Colorado. The mission of the NPDC is to provide leadership for the design, prioritization, collection, quality control, development, management, access, dissemination, interpretation, and marketing of plant information for the agency. The center also participates in national and international projects to develop, standardize, and disseminate plant information. One project is the International Organization for Plant Information’s Global Plant Checklist <iopi.csu.edu.au/iopi/>. Some agencies and organizations involved in partnering projects include the following: Alcorn State University, Biota of North America Program, Bishop Museum-Honolulu, Botanischer Garten and Botanisches Museum-Berlin, Integrated Taxonomic Information System <www.itis.usda.gov>, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Southern University, University of Guam, University of Texas, University of Wyoming, USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA- Forest Service, and Utah State University.