Modern farming in Canada is increasingly data-driven, with technology playing a pivotal role in operations. From variable rate and section control to yield monitors and bin sensors, data is integral to contemporary agricultural practices. Agronomy prescriptions are now fed by comprehensive soil test results and other on-farm data, leading to the emergence of companies specializing in farm data management. Major players in the seed, chemical, and machinery industries, such as BASF, Bayer, and John Deere, have developed their own digital platforms, systems, and apps, making data the lifeblood of farm operations.
However, as farmers are encouraged to embrace digital integration, questions about data ownership, security, and trust in technology have surfaced. A study by Emily Duncan, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Regina, sheds light on these concerns. Duncan’s research focuses on the social consequences of digital agriculture, including the benefits, challenges, and barriers to adopting digitalization on Canadian farms. Her findings, presented at the Digitalization in Crop and Beef Production conference in Edmonton, reveal a nuanced landscape of farmer attitudes towards big data.
Duncan’s cross-sector survey of 1,000 farmers, conducted in 2021, uncovered significant regional differences in comfort levels with data sharing. While 15 percent of Quebec farmers expressed extreme discomfort with data sharing, this figure rose to 30 percent among Saskatchewan farmers. These regional variations raise questions about how production types and the involvement of producer groups and co-operatives influence farmer trust in data sharing.
The survey also explored comfort levels with sharing different categories of data, such as weather, soil, inputs, and production information. Farmers were generally more comfortable sharing weather and soil data, which are often part of larger aggregated datasets. In contrast, they were less comfortable sharing information about inputs and production levels, which are seen as more personal and sensitive.
When asked about their preferred format for published data, farmers expressed strong discomfort with sharing raw production data. This suggests that implementing data governance mechanisms with varying levels of control over what is shared could help farmers feel more comfortable with data sharing.
The survey also gauged comfort with four data scenarios commonly found in commercial agricultural data platforms. These scenarios included direct access to farmers’ data by technology and service providers, perpetual access to data once a platform is used, businesses profiting from data without compensating farmers, and aggregated data being used to influence markets. Farmers expressed significant discomfort with all four scenarios, highlighting the need for transparent data governance policies and alternative options for farmers.
Interestingly, farmers were most comfortable sharing data with research institutions, with 37 percent expressing comfort compared to 35 percent who were uncomfortable and 28 percent who were neutral. This contrasts with the lower comfort levels associated with sharing data with technology and service providers, despite these being the primary platforms used by farmers.
A striking finding was that only 16 percent of farmers believed that producers benefit the most from aggregated farm data. This underscores the need for a farmer-first approach in developing agricultural data governance policies, ensuring that farmers are the primary beneficiaries of their data.
The discussion also touched on data trusts or co-operatives, which could allow farmers to own their data and better manage and benefit from their information. While there are opportunities for data co-operatives, challenges remain due to the diversity of platforms used by farmers and the lack of consistent standards or interoperability across closed-source data platforms.
Bill Oemichen from the University of Saskatchewan’s Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives noted that while interoperability is a worthy goal, it may limit competition and farmers’ ability to discover the platforms that work best for them. He emphasized the importance of farmers having choices based on data policies they are comfortable with, rather than being limited to a few options.
The implications of these findings are significant for the agricultural industry. As data becomes increasingly central to farming operations, addressing farmers’ concerns about data ownership, security, and trust is crucial. Developing transparent data governance policies and ensuring that farmers are the primary beneficiaries of their data will be key to fostering trust and encouraging the adoption of digital technologies in agriculture. Moreover, exploring data co-operatives and improving interoperability between platforms could provide farmers with more control and choice over their data, ultimately leading to a more farmer-centric approach to agricultural data management.