February 21, 2025

Organizing and Advancing Soil Data Interoperability with AgGateway’s Modus Soil Nomenclature

Modern agriculture is inherently data-driven, with farmers, researchers and industry professionals constantly being asked to collect information on everything from soil conditions to equipment usage. Surprisingly, despite the emphasis on data collection, there is a lack of emphasis on data interoperability. So while this data holds potential for improving yields, reducing environmental impact, and qualifying for incentive programs, a significant challenge remains: much of this valuable information stays siloed in incompatible systems and data formats, limiting the value of these digital investments. 

I had the opportunity to dig into a data interoperability solution through the creation of the Modus Method Library using AgGateway’s Modus Soil Nomenclature. The Modus Method Library represents a crucial step forward in agricultural data standardization, focusing specifically on soil and tissue lab test methods. By creating a library for soil test methods and results, we enable data translation between laboratories, decision support tools, and USDA NRCS programs. This tool will not only save time but also ensures that valuable soil data can be effectively utilized across different agricultural systems and applications.

The Modus project consists of two key components:

1. Data Schema: This is a structured data model that standardizes lab test methods, locations, and sampling protocols. By implementing a consistent framework, Modus enables labs to send data to decision support tools, Farm Management Information Systems (FMIS), and USDA programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to validate Conservation Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activity (CEMA) requirements.
   
2. Controlled Vocabulary (Nomenclature): This is a universally unique list of lab test methods for soil and tissue tests. It forms the backbone of the Modus Lab Method Library, ensuring consistency in how test methods are categorized and compared across different datasets. 

My work focused on point two, the controlled vocabulary of lab test methods. Using publicly available method information, I inventoried 24 labs and linked their methods to AgGateway’s V2 Modus IDs, reporting any newly discovered methods to AgGateway. To facilitate verification, Juliet Norton, Purdue University Open Ag Technology and Systems Group, and I developed two pathways for labs to confirm method ID matches: one through SurveyStack and the other via Airtable. Using these tools, we fully verified the methods of three labs.

Building the Modus Lab Method Library

In March 2022, I began the process of associating labs with Modus method IDs. We built an Airtable base where we imported AgGateway’s V2 Modus IDs and used publicly available lab method information to begin inventorying labs and associating methods with IDs.

We started with labs that were identified as conducting all the required soil health indicator tests for participation in USDA CEMA 216. These tests include Soil Organic Carbon, Aggregate Stability, Respiration, Active Carbon, and Bioavailable Nitrogen. 

This initial pass at populating the library came with some challenges: 

• Limited Public Method Information: Many labs do not publicly share detailed methodologies, making it difficult to accurately assign method IDs.
• Complexity of Lab Methods: Soil testing protocols are often written for lab staff or soil scientists, requiring careful interpretation.
• Inconsistent Nomenclature: Different labs use varying terminology for analytes, extraction methods, and measurement units, complicating efforts to standardize the data.

Creating Pathways for Labs to Contribute

We developed two verification pathways to allow lab scientists and managers to assign Modus IDs directly:

• Airtable – A structured interface that connects directly to the Modus ID library for tracking and verifying lab test methods. This system includes an automation feature that matches lab-submitted methods with existing Modus IDs when possible. Additionally, it allows our team to propose best-fit method IDs for lab staff to review and validate.

Thank you to our interface testers: Cornell Soil Health Lab and Bionutrient Institute lab.

Figure 1: Screenshot of the Airtable interface shows what a lab view looks like with some methods pre-filled.

• SurveyStack –  A user-friendly survey tool that enables labs to enter their method details from scratch. Testers preferred this approach, as it avoided the need to clean pre-filled, potentially incorrect data. SurveyStack also requires less instruction due to its intuitive design and streamlined workflow.

Thank you to our interface testers: Soil Health Institute (SHI) and the Bionutrient Institute. 

Figure 2 and 3: Screenshots of the SurveyStack method input survey. The survey allows the lab to select analytes in Step 1, and Step 2 prompts for the method details in a matrix style question, similar to a spreadsheet.

• Impact of These Tools:
  • Enabled labs to directly contribute to and refine the Modus Library.
  • Increased accuracy and efficiency in associating lab test methods with Modus IDs.

After method entry using either of the interfaces, any methods that don’t correspond to an existing Modus ID are submitted to AgGateway via their Modus Soil Addition / Change Request Form. 

The Future of Modus

The Modus project has made significant progress, but there is still work to be done. The SurveyStack tool appears to be the most effective interface for collecting method data from labs, offering a streamlined way to validate and organize lab test methods. However, a key next step is to build a CSV upload tool that can read value names and format them appropriately for Airtable. Once this tool is developed, we will be able to automate the matching of entries from SurveyStack to existing Modus IDs, making the process more efficient and scalable.

While funding for this work is not yet secured, there is a clear and growing need for lab method data translation across the industry. Many stakeholders have expressed interest and need, highlighting the importance of continued collaboration and investment in data interoperability solutions.

The Bigger Picture

Our Sci’s work with Modus aligns with a broader mission of facilitating collaborative projects that drive industry innovation. Key contributions include:

• Organizing and managing complex data standardization and interoperability efforts.
• Partnering with key stakeholders, including labs, USDA, and AgGateway, to ensure widespread adoption of best practices.
• Laying the groundwork for future developments in soil data interoperability, enabling better cross-lab data analysis and comparability.

Through my work on the Modus project, I have seen firsthand how Our Sci assembles a collaborative team and effectively identifies industry needs to build scalable solutions that drive progress. Looking ahead, we remain committed to fostering collaboration and innovation in agricultural data standardization. 

The Modus Lab Method Library represents a critical step toward making soil and tissue test data more interoperable and actionable across the industry. I encourage labs and industry stakeholders to reach out about the Modus Library and contribute to the ongoing effort to enhance soil data interoperability however possible. We hope to see this project continue forward, filling the need for standardized soil and tissue lab test methods to allow for better integration and usability of soil test results.

By taking projects like Modus to the next level, we are shaping the future of data-driven agriculture.