Nebraska led initiative aims to secure farm data

By Scout Nelson

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) faculty is leading a novel, federally-funded project to establish a nationwide cyber-ecosystem for data on agricultural producers. The goal of this project, which has been supported since 2021 by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is to provide agricultural producers with the resources and instruments they require to safely handle and access their data.

The project took a significant step forward during a strategic visioning session at the National Agricultural Producers Data Cooperative conference, held on UNL’s East Campus on August 8-9. The event brought together academics, industry scientists, and representatives from producer groups to discuss key objectives, including outreach to agricultural producers, collaboration with existing data projects, and strategies to ensure the long-term viability of these initiatives.

A central focus of the conference was the importance of delivering "useful data" to farmers and ranchers across the country.

Matt Spangler, a professor of animal science and a beef genetics specialist involved in the project, emphasized the financial implications of data handling in the private sector, underscoring the need for secure and accessible data systems that benefit producers directly.

As this initiative progresses, it promises to play a pivotal role in enhancing the ability of U.S. farmers and ranchers to leverage data-driven insights while maintaining high standards of privacy and security.

Photo Credit:gettyimages-shotbydave