Improving Drought Monitoring Act

This bill, titled the "Improving Drought Monitoring Act," extends the program for improvements to the United States Drought Monitor from 2023 to 2030 , aiming to enhance the accuracy and reliability of drought monitoring data. It establishes an interagency working group , led by the Secretary of Agriculture, to improve data availability for the Drought Monitor. This group, comprising representatives from various federal agencies and state mesonet programs, will develop methods for including additional in-situ data, address barriers to existing data use, and create transparent methodologies for vetting remote sensing products. The working group must submit a report with recommendations for policy changes within one year, after which the Secretary of Agriculture must incorporate these recommendations to improve the Drought Monitor. Additionally, the bill mandates a memorandum of understanding between the Farm Service Agency and Forest Service to align their drought response activities and ensure consistent determinations using the United States Drought Monitor.