AgrStak is built to meet USDA Digital Strategy mandates — so our platform earns the trust of federal institutional partners and serves the full spectrum of the agricultural community.
Overview
The USDA Digital Strategy sets clear expectations for digital products serving the
agricultural community. AgrStak actively audits against these standards — not only
to qualify for federal institutional partnerships, but because these mandates reflect
genuinely good platform design for farmers and researchers.
14
Complete
16
In Progress
6
Planned
Priority Key
Critical — required for federal institutional partnership eligibility. | High — strongly recommended for USDA alignment and professional credibility.
♿
1. Accessibility — Section 508 / WCAG 2.1 AA
8 items
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies and their contractors to make electronic information accessible to people with disabilities. AgrStak is actively auditing against WCAG 2.1 AA across all 14 storefronts.
#
Requirement
Priority
Status
1.1
Keyboard NavigationAll interactive elements operable via keyboard alone, with visible focus indicators
Critical
In Progress
1.2
Screen Reader CompatibilityARIA labels, roles, and landmarks implemented across all calculator inputs and outputs
Critical
In Progress
1.3
Color ContrastMinimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio for text; 3:1 for large text and UI components
Critical
Complete
1.4
Alt Text for ImagesAll meaningful images have descriptive alt text; decorative images marked as presentational
Critical
Complete
1.5
Form LabelsAll form inputs have associated visible labels; error messages are descriptive and accessible
Critical
In Progress
1.6
Responsive / Mobile-FirstAll pages fully functional on mobile devices; no horizontal scrolling on mobile viewports
Critical
Complete
1.7
Skip Navigation LinkSkip-to-main-content link available for keyboard and screen reader users
High
Planned Q2 2026
1.8
Formal 508 AuditThird-party WCAG 2.1 AA audit completed across all 14 storefronts
Critical
Planned Q2 2026
📊
2. Analytics — GA4 Standards
6 items
Federal digital properties are expected to implement analytics that generate actionable insight without capturing PII. AgrStak uses Google Analytics 4 configured to USDA standards.
#
Requirement
Priority
Status
2.1
GA4 ImplementationGoogle Analytics 4 installed across all storefronts with consistent tracking ID
Critical
Complete
2.2
No PII in AnalyticsGA4 configured to exclude all personally identifiable information from all data streams
Critical
Complete
2.3
Calculator Event TrackingCustom events for calculator inputs, calculations run, and exports completed
High
In Progress
2.4
Conversion GoalsKey actions defined as conversion events: calculator completion, export, partner inquiry
High
In Progress
2.5
Privacy ComplianceGA4 data retention set to 26 months; IP anonymization enabled; opt-out path available
Critical
Complete
2.6
Monthly Analytics ReviewRegular review of GA4 data quality, anomalies, and actionable insights
High
Complete
📝
3. Content — Plain Writing Act
7 items
The Plain Writing Act requires federal agencies and their partners to write in clear, accessible language. AgrStak's mission depends on making USDA research comprehensible to working farmers and researchers who are not policy specialists.
#
Requirement
Priority
Status
3.1
Reading LevelCalculator descriptions and help text target 8th grade reading level
Critical
In Progress
3.2
Jargon GlossaryTechnical USDA terms and scientific vocabulary explained in plain language tooltips or glossary
High
In Progress
3.3
SEO MetadataAll pages have unique, descriptive title tags and meta descriptions under 160 characters
High
Complete
3.4
Structured HeadingsLogical H1–H3 hierarchy on all pages; no skipped heading levels
Critical
Complete
3.5
Content Audit ScheduleQuarterly review of all calculator content for accuracy, clarity, and research currency
High
In Progress
3.6
AI DisclaimerClear disclaimer on every AI-assisted output: decision support only, not professional advice
Critical
Complete
3.7
Source AttributionUSDA source publication cited on all calculator pages that use research models
Critical
In Progress
🎨
4. Design & Brand — USWDS Alignment
4 items
The US Web Design System provides a shared visual language for federal digital services. AgrStak draws on USWDS principles to signal credibility and consistency to institutional partners while maintaining AgrStak's distinct brand identity.
#
Requirement
Priority
Status
4.1
Mobile-First DesignAll storefronts designed and tested on mobile viewports first; responsive breakpoints implemented
Critical
Complete
4.2
Consistent Design SystemCommon nav, footer, color tokens, and typography across all 14 storefronts
High
In Progress
4.3
USWDS Component AlignmentKey interface components reviewed for alignment with USWDS design patterns
High
Planned Q3 2026
4.4
Print StylesheetCalculator results pages print cleanly without navigation, ads, or extraneous UI elements
High
In Progress
⚙️
5. Development — 21st Century IDEA Act
6 items
The 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act mandates modern, secure, and user-centered federal digital experiences. AgrStak's Vercel-hosted infrastructure meets the technical baseline requirements.
#
Requirement
Priority
Status
5.1
HTTPS EnforcedAll pages served over HTTPS; HTTP connections automatically redirected to HTTPS
Critical
Complete
5.2
Page Load PerformanceCore Web Vitals targets met: LCP under 2.5s, FID under 100ms, CLS under 0.1
High
In Progress
5.3
API SecurityAll API keys stored as environment variables; no credentials exposed in client-side code
Critical
Complete
5.4
Error HandlingUser-friendly error messages on all calculator pages; 404 and 500 error pages implemented
High
In Progress
5.5
Open Graph TagsOG title, description, and image tags on all storefronts for social sharing previews
High
Complete
5.6
Sitemap & robots.txtXML sitemap submitted to search engines; robots.txt configured for proper crawling
High
In Progress
🔬
6. User Research & Testing
3 items
Federal digital services are expected to be designed with and for their users. AgrStak conducts ongoing customer discovery with USDA researchers, farmers, and extension agents.
#
Requirement
Priority
Status
6.1
USDA Researcher TestingCalculators validated with USDA-ARS researchers prior to institutional deployment
Critical
In Progress
6.2
Farmer Usability TestingRepresentative farmers test calculator usability before each major storefront launch
High
In Progress
6.3
Feedback MechanismIn-platform feedback button on every calculator page for users to report errors or inaccuracies
High
In Progress
📣
7. Social Media & SEO
2 items
#
Requirement
Priority
Status
7.1
Social Sharing TagsTwitter Card and Open Graph metadata on all public pages for consistent social previews
High
Complete
7.2
Canonical URLsCanonical link tags on all pages to prevent duplicate content indexing across storefronts
7. Social Media & SEO
2 items