About Crop Picker
Methodology, data sources, and the scoring framework behind the Crop Snowflake.
Our Mission
Crop Picker helps farmers make data-driven decisions about crop selection anywhere in the world. Comparing options across dozens of variables — markets, climate, infrastructure, economics, and risk — is overwhelming, so we aggregate publicly available agricultural data into a single, comparable framework. Set your location from the header to screen crops that fit your climate and markets.
The Crop Snowflake
Every crop is evaluated across 5 axes with 6 binary checks each, producing a score out of 30. The 5 axes are:
- Market Fit— Buyers, pricing, demand, channels, and growth potential
- Climate Fit— Hardiness zone, GDD, precipitation, frost, chill hours, and climate trends
- Infrastructure Fit— Equipment, storage, irrigation, layout, labor, and processing needs
- Financial Return— Revenue, costs, payback period, insurance, efficiency, and subsidies
- Risk Profile— Pests, market diversity, establishment risk, climate resilience, regulations
Each check is a pass/fail evaluation tailored to your selected region. The resulting pentagon radar chart — the "Snowflake" — gives an at-a-glance picture of a crop's strengths and weaknesses.
Data Sources
12 sources trackedEvery data point on Crop Picker is traceable. The complete registry of sources that feed the database is below — government agencies, university extensions, peer-reviewed research, industry reports, and market data providers.
Government & Statistical Agencies (7)
PRISM Climate Group
highHigh-resolution climate data - temperature, precipitation, GDD
USDA AgMRC
highUSDA Agricultural Marketing Resource Center commodity profiles. Hosted by Iowa State University with partial USDA Rural Development funding.
USDA ERS
highEconomic Research Service - farm income, commodity outlook, trade data
USDA NASS QuickStats
highNational Agricultural Statistics Service - crop prices, acreage, yields, production data
USDA PLANTS Database
highPlant characteristics, native ranges, hardiness zones
Industry Reports & Associations (2)
Johnny's Selected Seeds
moderateVariety-specific growing guides and performance data
University Extension & Research (3)
Crop budgets, growing guides, pest management for NY
Crop enterprise budgets and production guides for OH
Penn State Extension
highCrop production guides, budgets, and recommendations for PA
Recent Database Updates
A live feed of every change to the database — insertions, updates, and deletions across all crops and tables. Every entry is traceable to a source. Showing the most recent 50 of 2430 total changes.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 (50)
| Time | Action | Crop | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_ecosystem_services row: Drought-tolerant perennial for low-water systems (climate_adaptation/moderate) | University of Connecticut Extension — Lavender Water Needs |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_ecosystem_services row: Deer-resistant landscape component (pest_suppression/low) | US Lavender Growers Association — Deer Resistance |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_ecosystem_services row: Beneficial insect refugia (biodiversity/moderate) | Xerces Society — Conservation Biological Control |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_ecosystem_services row: Agritourism and landscape value (cultural_aesthetic/high) | US Lavender Growers Association — Agritourism |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_ecosystem_services row: High-value honeybee and bumblebee forage (pollinator_support/high) | Xerces Society — Pollinator Conservation Plants |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Agritourism Infrastructure (Parking, Signage) (general) cost=8000 | US Lavender Growers Association — Agritourism |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Drying Racks and Shed Space (post_harvest) cost=2000 | US Lavender Growers Association — Drying |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Steam Distillation Still (post_harvest) cost=8000 | US Lavender Growers Association — Distillation |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Mechanical Lavender Harvester (harvesting) cost=25000 | US Lavender Growers Association — Mechanical Harvest |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Hand Sickle and Twine (harvesting) cost=200 | US Lavender Growers Association — Harvest Methods |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Push Mower / Aisle Mower (cultivation) cost=800 | University of Connecticut Extension — Lavender Aisle Management |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Hedge Trimmer (Gas or Battery) (cultivation) cost=600 | US Lavender Growers Association — Pruning |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Drip Irrigation (Establishment Only) (irrigation) cost=1000 | US Lavender Growers Association — Irrigation |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Transplanter (Carousel-Style) (planting) cost=7000 | University of Connecticut Extension — Lavender Production |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Bed Shaper and Plastic Mulch Layer (planting) cost=4500 | US Lavender Growers Association — Planting Practices |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Compact Tractor (25-40 HP) (planting) cost=18000 | US Lavender Growers Association — Equipment |
| 4:11 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_risks row: Niche Market with Branding Dependence (market/moderate) | US Lavender Growers Association — Business Models |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_risks row: Excessive Summer Rainfall (weather/moderate) | US Lavender Growers Association — Climate Tolerance |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_risks row: Winter Kill and Snow Damage (weather/high) | US Lavender Growers Association — Winter Hardiness |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_risks row: Browse by Deer and Rabbits (pest/low) | US Lavender Growers Association — Wildlife Management |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_risks row: Four-Lined Plant Bug (pest/moderate) | University of Connecticut IPM — Lavender Insects |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_risks row: Spittlebugs (Froghoppers) (pest/moderate) | US Lavender Growers Association — Pest Management |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_risks row: Alfalfa Mosaic Virus (AMV) (disease/moderate) | University of Connecticut IPM — Lavender Viruses |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_risks row: Shab Disease (Phomopsis) (disease/moderate) | US Lavender Growers Association — Disease Management |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_risks row: Septoria Leaf Spot (disease/moderate) | University of Connecticut IPM — Lavender Septoria |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Lavender | Added crop_risks row: Phytophthora Root and Crown Rot (disease/high) | University of Connecticut IPM — Lavender Diseases |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_ecosystem_services row: Heat- and drought-resilient crop option (climate_adaptation/high) | USDA ERS — Climate Resilience in Feed Grains |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_ecosystem_services row: Limited pollinator value (pollinator_support/negligible) | Xerces Society — Pollinators in Row-Crop Systems |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_ecosystem_services row: Persistent ground cover residue (erosion_control/moderate) | USDA PLANTS Database — Sorghum bicolor |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_ecosystem_services row: Drought-tolerant feed grain alternative (water_regulation/high) | USDA ERS — Sorghum Water Use Efficiency |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_ecosystem_services row: Conservation tillage compatibility (soil_health/moderate) | SARE — Sorghum Residue and Cover Cropping |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: On-Farm Grain Bins / Drying (post_harvest) cost=60000 | University of Nebraska CropWatch — Sorghum Storage |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Combine Aphid Modifications (harvesting) cost=1500 | Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — Combine Cleaning for SCA |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Combine with Grain Header (harvesting) cost=350000 | University of Nebraska CropWatch — Sorghum Combine Settings |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Field Cultivator (cultivation) cost=30000 | SARE — Conservation Tillage for Grain Crops |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: High-Clearance Sprayer for Late-Season Application (spraying) cost=250000 | University of Nebraska CropWatch — Late Season Spray Timing |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Self-Propelled or Pull Sprayer (60-90 ft boom) (spraying) cost=40000 | Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — Aphid Spray Equipment |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Center Pivot Irrigation (irrigation) cost=80000 | University of Nebraska CropWatch — Sorghum Irrigation |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Drill (Narrow Row Planting) (planting) cost=35000 | Kansas State University — Sorghum Planting Geometry |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Row Planter (30-inch rows) (planting) cost=50000 | University of Nebraska CropWatch — Sorghum Planting |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_equipment_requirements row: Row-Crop Tractor (80-150 HP) (planting) cost=75000 | University of Nebraska CropWatch — Sorghum Agronomy |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_risks row: Concentrated Export Market Risk (market/moderate) | USDA ERS — Feed Grains: Sorghum Trade |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_risks row: Pre-Harvest Sprouting and Weathering (weather/moderate) | University of Nebraska CropWatch — Sorghum Harvest |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_risks row: Drought Stress at Flowering (weather/high) | USDA ERS — Feed Grains: Sorghum Drought Risk |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_risks row: Corn Earworm / Fall Armyworm (pest/moderate) | Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — Fall Armyworm |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_risks row: Sorghum Midge (pest/moderate) | University of Nebraska CropWatch — Sorghum Insects |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_risks row: Sugarcane Aphid (pest/high) | Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — Sugarcane Aphid |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_risks row: Head Smut and Ergot (disease/moderate) | Kansas State University — Sorghum Head Smut |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_risks row: Fusarium Stalk Rot (disease/moderate) | University of Nebraska CropWatch — Sorghum Stalk Rots |
| 4:10 AM | insert | Sorghum (Grain) | Added crop_risks row: Sugarcane Aphid–Vectored Mosaic and Stress Diseases (disease/moderate) | Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — Sugarcane Aphid in Sorghum |
Regional Coverage
Crop Picker's snowflake scores are regionally specific — a crop that fits California's Central Valley is not the same as one suited to the UK's Midlands. Regional data is ingested progressively. Open the location picker in the header to see which regions currently have full coverage; more regions are added continuously as source data becomes available.
Disclaimer
Crop Picker is an informational tool and does not constitute agricultural, financial, or investment advice. All data is aggregated from public sources and may contain estimates or approximations. Actual crop performance depends on local conditions, management practices, and market dynamics. Always consult with local extension agents and agricultural professionals before making planting decisions.
Built by Every.Farm
Crop Picker is a project of Every.Farm, building tools to help farmers make better decisions with data. We believe that the same analytical rigor available to institutional investors should be accessible to the people growing our food.