SMAP satellite to help Arizona ranchers, farmers

SMAP satellite will help farmers, ranchers and state planners make better informed decision. Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite, or SMAP, is successfully in orbit. Designed to measure moisture in the soil, SMAP will make a big difference in the way people around the world make decisions, including right here in southern Arizona. Ranchers and farmers across southern Arizona have been dealing with drought conditions for years. The SMAP satellite orbiting overhead will help map those drought conditions and help farmers with their day-to-day decisions. John Rueb owns and operates Forever Yong Farm near Arivaca, producing everything from carrots to garlic to be sold at local markets. “There isn't a day that goes by where I don't think about water, said Rueb. "It's my lifeline here growing in the desert.” Rueb checks the soil moisture content around his farm every day. This is vital to his daily operation. “That type of information would be important for me to know when to irrigate and when the moisture levels are proper for planting certain crops,” he said. SMAP's instruments will help farmers like Rueb by producing high-resolution global maps of soil moisture, while giving scientists a better understanding of Earth's carbon and water cycles. Susan Moran is on NASA's SMAP Science Team. She said that understanding these cycles are extremely important for daily life. “They are important because they are related to almost every application and decision that's made on the earth,” said Moran...more

This whole thing is being portrayed as primarily benefiting the private sector, but I'm doubtful.  It was all kicked off by a request from NASA, NOAA and the USGS, all government agencies.  Wikipedia says that users other than ag would be "climate scientists and...fire hazard and flood disaster managers, disease control and prevention managers, emergency planners and policy makers."  All those are positions or programs usually associated with government.

What really is the need for this?  Rueb doesn't need it, as he is already checking his soil moisture daily.  This would give him a map.  Please remember it was a government map that resulted in all livestock being removed from a national forest.

I'm all for science and a dynamic and growing economy, which I believe means the government should make not only better decisions but also fewer decisions.  No doubt this will be used to tout government expertise and justify more, not less, government planning and decision making.

The way things are going, you might just as well let them map your testicles while they're at it.