Graham Diedrich
M.S. Data Science Candidate
Underserved Farmers Index (UFI)
About
Historically underserved farmers and ranchers—including those who are beginning, socially disadvantaged, veterans, and limited resource farmers—have long faced barriers to accessing resources. While there is a growing body of research and federal initiatives aimed at addressing these inequities, no tool has been developed to quantify or assess the geographic concentration and reach of underserved farmers and ranchers at the county level. The Underserved Farmers Index (UFI) seeks to fill this gap by creating a comprehensive, nationally applicable index that uses principal component analysis to analyze socio-demographic, farm operation, and financial characteristics data from the 2022 Census of Agriculture.
Download
To download the UFI ArcGIS layer, please click here. To download an Excel version of the UFI database, please click here. Raw data and Python scripts used to construct the index are available on GitHub.
Terms of Use
The UFI and associated materials (code, data, web viewer, and documentation) are provided under the following terms:
1. Attribution:
Users of the UFI must provide proper attribution by citing the tool in any publications, presentations, or derivative works. Please use the following citation:
Diedrich, G. (2024). Underserved Farmers Index (UFI). https://www.grahamdiedrich.com/data/ufi
2. Non-Commercial Use Only:
The UFI is made available for educational, research, and non-commercial purposes only. Commercial use of the UFI, including but not limited to integration into for-profit products or services, is strictly prohibited.
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3. Modification and Redistribution:
Users may modify and redistribute the UFI, provided that proper attribution is maintained, the redistributed version includes a clear statement of modifications, and it remains non-commercial.
4. Prohibited Uses:
Users may not use the UFI or its derivatives for any purpose that violates these terms or applicable laws. By downloading or using the UFI, you agree to abide by the terms of this license.