How do I get a USDA NASS API key?

Visit [**nass.usda.gov/developer**](https://www.nass.usda.gov/developer/index.php) and register for a free API key. The key is delivered instantly via the web form. It's completely free with no usage cost.

What crops and commodities are available?

The NASS Quick Stats database covers all major US agricultural commodities: CORN, SOYBEANS, WHEAT, COTTON, RICE, SORGHUM, OATS, BARLEY, HAY, PEANUTS, POTATOES for crops; CATTLE, HOGS, CHICKENS, TURKEYS, MILK, EGGS, HONEY for livestock; plus fruit, vegetables, nursery products and many more. Use `get_param_values` with param 'commodity' to see the complete list.

Can I filter data by state and year?

Yes! All query tools support optional state and year parameters. State can be the full name (e.g. 'IOWA') or abbreviation (e.g. 'IA'). Year accepts specific years (e.g. '2024') or ranges. The data returned includes the state, year, commodity, value and unit for each record.

What kind of economic data is available?

The ECONOMICS sector includes: prices received by farmers for crops and livestock, prices paid by farmers (inputs, feed, fuel), farm production expenses, farm real estate values, cash rent for cropland and pasture, and agricultural income data. Use `get_economics_data` to query by commodity, state and year.

USDA NASS MCP Server for VS Code Copilot 8 tools — connect in under 2 minutes

Name: USDA NASS
Availability: InStock
Author: Vinkius

code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/chat/mcp-servers

Built by Vinkius GDPR 8 Tools IDE

GitHub Copilot in VS Code is the most widely adopted AI coding assistant, embedded directly into the world's most popular code editor. With MCP support in Agent mode, Copilot can access external data and APIs to generate context-aware code grounded in real-time information.

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Classic Setup·json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "usda-nass": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

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About USDA NASS MCP Server

Connect to USDA NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service) APIs through any AI agent and explore American agriculture data through natural conversation.

GitHub Copilot Agent mode brings USDA NASS data directly into your VS Code workflow. With a project-scoped config, the entire team shares access to 8 tools. Copilot queries live data, generates typed code, and writes tests from actual API responses, all without leaving the editor.

What you can do

Crop Production — Query yield, production, harvested acres and price data for all major crops (corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice)
Livestock Data — Retrieve cattle inventory, hog production, poultry statistics, milk and egg production data
Agricultural Economics — Access prices received/paid by farmers, farm income, production expenses and land values
Farm Demographics — Explore Census of Agriculture data including operator age, experience, occupation and veteran status
Parameter Discovery — Discover valid values for any filter parameter (commodities, states, years, units)
Survey Metadata — Review information about all NASS surveys including frequencies and methodologies

The USDA NASS MCP Server exposes 8 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to VS Code Copilot in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.

How to Connect USDA NASS to VS Code Copilot via MCP

Follow these steps to integrate the USDA NASS MCP Server with VS Code Copilot.

Create MCP config

Create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your project root

Add the server config

Paste the JSON configuration above

Enable Agent mode

Open GitHub Copilot Chat and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown

Start using USDA NASS

Ask Copilot: "Using USDA NASS, help me...". 8 tools available

Why Use VS Code Copilot with the USDA NASS MCP Server

GitHub Copilot for Visual Studio Code provides unique advantages when paired with USDA NASS through the Model Context Protocol.

VS Code is used by over 70% of developers. adding MCP tools to Copilot means your team can leverage external data without leaving their primary editor

Project-scoped MCP configs (`.vscode/mcp.json`) let you commit server configurations to your repository, ensuring the entire team shares the same tool access

Copilot's Agent mode integrates MCP tools seamlessly with file editing, terminal commands, and workspace search in a single agentic loop

GitHub's enterprise compliance and audit features extend to MCP tool usage, providing visibility into how AI interacts with external services

USDA NASS + VS Code Copilot Use Cases

Practical scenarios where VS Code Copilot combined with the USDA NASS MCP Server delivers measurable value.

Live API integration: Copilot can query an MCP server, inspect the response schema, and generate typed API client code in the same step

DevSecOps workflows: security teams can give developers access to domain intelligence tools directly in their editor for real-time vulnerability assessment during code review

Data pipeline development: Copilot fetches sample data via MCP and generates transformation scripts, validators, and test fixtures from actual API responses

Documentation generation: Copilot queries available tools and auto-generates README sections, API reference docs, and usage examples

USDA NASS MCP Tools for VS Code Copilot (8)

These 8 tools become available when you connect USDA NASS to VS Code Copilot via MCP:

get_crop_summary

Requires a commodity name (e.g. CORN, SOYBEANS, WHEAT, COTTON). Optionally filter by state and year. Returns detailed statistics with units, geographic scope and time period. Get crop production summary from USDA NASS

get_demographics_data

Optionally filter by state and year. Sector is automatically set to DEMOGRAPHICS. Get farm demographics data from USDA NASS

get_economics_data

Optionally filter by commodity, state and year. Sector is automatically set to ECONOMICS. Get agricultural economics data from USDA NASS

get_livestock_summary

Requires a commodity name (e.g. CATTLE, HOGS, CHICKENS, MILK, EGGS). Optionally filter by state and year. Get livestock production summary from USDA NASS

get_param_values

Parameters include: sector, group, commodity, commodity_desc, short_desc, source_desc, util_desc, unit_desc, freq_desc, domain_desc, state, county. Use this to discover what values you can filter by before making queries. Get valid values for a Quick Stats parameter

get_quick_stats

Accepts parameters: sector (CROPS, ANIMALS & PRODUCTS, ECONOMICS, DEMOGRAPHICS), commodity, group, commodity_desc, state, year, freq (ANNUAL, MONTHLY), unit_desc, source_desc. Returns statistical data with value, unit, state, year and commodity information. Use get_param_values to discover valid parameter values before querying. Query USDA NASS Quick Stats database

get_survey_info

This is useful for understanding what data is available and how frequently it is collected. Get information about USDA NASS surveys

search_by_commodity

Optionally filter by state, year and sector. This is a broad search that returns all available data for the commodity, including production, price, inventory and acreage statistics. Search Quick Stats by commodity name

Example Prompts for USDA NASS in VS Code Copilot

Ready-to-use prompts you can give your VS Code Copilot agent to start working with USDA NASS immediately.

"Show me the corn production summary for Iowa in 2024."

"What are the current cattle inventory numbers for Texas?"

"Show me what commodity values are available for filtering."

Troubleshooting USDA NASS MCP Server with VS Code Copilot

Common issues when connecting USDA NASS to VS Code Copilot through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.

MCP tools not available

Ensure you are in Agent mode in Copilot Chat. MCP tools only appear in Agent mode.

USDA NASS + VS Code Copilot FAQ

Common questions about integrating USDA NASS MCP Server with VS Code Copilot.

Which VS Code version supports MCP?

MCP support requires VS Code 1.99 or later with the GitHub Copilot extension. Ensure both are updated to the latest version. Older versions of Copilot may not expose the Agent mode toggle.

How do I switch to Agent mode?

Open the Copilot Chat panel and look for two mode options: "Ask" and "Agent". Click "Agent" to enable autonomous tool calling. In Ask mode, Copilot provides conversational answers but cannot invoke MCP tools.

Can I restrict which MCP tools Copilot can access?

Yes. VS Code shows a tool consent dialog before any MCP tool is invoked for the first time. You can also configure tool access policies at the organization level through GitHub Copilot settings.

Does MCP work in VS Code Remote or Codespaces?

Yes. MCP servers configured via .vscode/mcp.json work in Remote SSH, WSL, and GitHub Codespaces environments. The MCP connection is established from the remote host, so ensure the server URL is accessible from that environment.