LACIE: A look to the future

The Large Area Crop Inventory Experiment (LACIE) is a 'proof of concept' project designed to demonstrate the applicability of remote sensing technology to the global monitoring of wheat. This paper discusses the need for more timely and reliable monitoring of food and fiber supplies, reviews the monitoring systems currently utilized by the USDA and United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in the United States and in foreign countries, and elucidates the fundamentals involved in assessing the impact of variable weather and economic conditions on wheat acreage, yield, and production. The experiment's approach to production monitoring is described briefly, and its status is reviewed as of the conclusion of 2 years of successful operation. Examples of acreage and yield monitoring in the Soviet Union are used to illustrate the experiment's approach.