Owning the Data

Today’s combines and tractors are equipped with sensors that can record and upload information about what happens in the field - from soil conditions to crop yields. This type of information can make or break a farming operation. Farmers are well aware of the benefits that can be gleaned from big data; they are also well aware of the privacy issues surrounding such data. A survey conducted by AFBF showed that 77% of farmers surveyed feared government entities might gain access to their private information without their knowledge or consent, and 76% were concerned such information could be used by others for commodity market speculation. This month a coalition of some of the biggest names in farm organizations and ag technology providers announced an agreement on principles governing the use of data collected from farms. According to American Farm Bureau Federation President, Bob Stallman, the new “Privacy and Security Principles for Farm Data” established by the coalition are meant to “provide a measure of needed certainty to farmers regarding the protection of their data”. Interestingly this document prohibits using any collected data to speculate in commodity markets; with all the companies agreeing that such an act would be illegal.