New Technology Tool: OMS

The USDA Agricultural Research Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service have combined their efforts to produce the Object-Modeling System (OMS). The OMS is a java-based program that combines the useful aspects of existing models such as SWAT, AGNPS, REMM to streamline the development of computer models and decision-support tools. OMS will especially benefit agricultural producers and others in natural resource analysis and conservation planning. One simple advantage of the OMS is that it reduces the amount of time that is required to answer model-related research questions. There is less need to run duplicate models. Another advantage of this new technology is greater model consistency. Models that are developed to answer a certain type of research question will have similar characteristics that will make it easier to compare the research and the results.