Soil moisture variability is an important factor in many agricultural business processes. It is a valuable input into crop yield prediction models and helps in the determination of plant stress zones for the management of agricultural inputs. Moisture maps can be developed from satellite imagery, and RADARSAT-1's sensitivity to moisture makes it ideal for this application. Radar imagery can also be used for irrigation management as well as to monitor the effectiveness of central pivot irrigation systems. A further use in this area involves developing moisture level base maps for monitoring regions of high flood probability.

Satellite images can be used to distinguish between crop types and to determine the planted acreage of each crop type. This is accomplished by measuring the dimensions of selected areas with value- added tools available to the interpreter. Planted acreage is of great importance to food and seed companies involved in planning future output and in forecasting production yield. The information is also of value to commodity brokers, chemical companies, and government agencies. Insurance companies also have a vested interest in accurate determination of acreage planted for managing and verifying crop insurance policies and claims. Another value-added product that can be produced from acreage measurement is the crop map - agricultural producers are increasingly using geographic information systems (GIS) tools for farm management, and digital crop maps are a fundamental part of this process. Optical imagery is often used for these applications because of the wide range of added information it can provide about plant attributes. Accurate acreage determination may, in certain cases, require the higher resolution of the LANDSAT 7 panchromatic band, or the 8 m resolution RADARSAT-1 Fine Beam Mode. Crop discrimination can be achieved for all of the major crops such as wheat, corn, soybean, cotton, potatoes, sunflower, oat, sugar beet, barley, rice and canola.

Optical imagery is a valuable tool in determining varying levels of crop vigour within fields or agricultural management zones. Plant stress can be monitored and growth inputs applied in a more timely and efficient manner when the different areas of stress are available in a single image to the farm manager. Satellite imagery can therefore increase the efficiency of crop scouting practices by more precisely targeting areas that need to be examined or tested. Imagery can be used to produce vigour maps that can be linked to geospatial information and allow the farmer to determine the relative health of all planted areas at one time.

An increasing aspect of precision farming is the management of agricultural zones within fields. Soil type, crop vigour, and irrigation levels, as revealed by Earth-observation data, can be delivered to the customer and input into field management GIS to aid in the efficient application of fertilizer and other agricultural input chemicals.

Due to the sensitivity of the RADARSAT-1 sensor to surface roughness, RADARSAT-1 data is an ideal tool for monitoring hail damage to crops. For example, when hail hits a field of wheat, the damaged crop no longer stands vertical, but lies horizontal on the ground. The radar sensor can distinguish between the areas where the crop is damaged and those where it is not. This information is of significant benefit to insurance companies that face large numbers of claims each year, all of which have to be verified by ground personnel. Radar data can aid in the management of hail claims by allowing insurance adjusters to more quickly identify areas of hail damage and those where damage is most significant. This information allows the adjusters to prioritize claims for verification, and helps process claims more efficiently.