As the agricultural industry continues to evolve rapidly, data has become a cornerstone for refining strategies and improving outcomes year after year. From crop planning to equipment optimization, insights derived from data are shaping the future of farming. However, as reliance on digital tools increases, so do concerns around data security. It’s not just about preventing unauthorized access—farmers also need to understand exactly what information companies collect and how it’s used when they sign up for new technologies.
To shed more light on the importance of data in modern agriculture, we turn to law professor Bill Oemichen. He explains that farm data holds immense value, not just for farmers making crop decisions, but also for the companies providing ag tech services. According to Oemichen, this information is often just as critical to those companies as the data farmers use to build their crop plans.
So, who benefits from your farm data outside of your operation and the companies you trust to keep it safe?
So which companies can you trust, and who must you be wary of?
While companies are telling farmers that their data is protected, always read the fine print in your contracts, and ask who, if anyone, the company plans to sell your data to, and how you can opt out.
