Coalition work on big data is crucial to ag’s success

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana Farm Bureau president Don Villwock is proud to have participated in what may be one of the most important milestones the agriculture sector has seen in decades.

A coalition of major farm organizations and technology providers has announced an agreement on data privacy and security principles that will encourage the use and development of a full range of innovative, technology-driven tools and services.

“Farm data is the next big thing on the agricultural horizon, and if done right it could have more impact on yield and profitability than anything I’ve seen in my farming career,” said Villwock.  “As an AFBF board member, I feel privileged to have been involved in the early discussions.  As a farmer, I hope to use the fruits of the coalition’s labor to grow more food using fewer resources, while protecting farmers’ ownership of the data.”

The principles adopted by the coalition promise to greatly accelerate the move to the next generation of agricultural data technology, which includes in-cab displays, mobile devices and wireless-enabled precision agriculture that has already begun to boost farm productivity across the United States.

As a farmer member of the big data working group, Villwock worked closely with a number of prominent agribusinesses, including Indiana-based Beck’s Hybrids and Dow AgroSciences LLC. 

Others involved in developing the data standards include American Soybean Association, DuPont Pioneer, John Deere, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, Raven Industries, The Climate Corporation (a division of Monsanto), and USA Rice Federation.

“Privacy and security is and always has been important to farmers, and that is especially true of the data generated with each new crop,” said Villwock. “While farmers are excited about the new tools available, how that data is gathered, protected and shared must be transparent and secure.  This has been a very collaborative and productive process.”

The “Privacy and Security Principles for Farm Data” can be found here: http://bit.ly/1zjQ4Sk.