The Evolving Use of Ag Data: ADT Announces Updated Core Principles

“Big data on the farm is more than just a catchphrase, it is on its way to becoming a reality.” This sentence written in 2014 about the growth of ag data has indeed proven true in 2024. A decade ago, the American Farm Bureau Federation convened leaders from ag technology providers and farmer groups to talk about the proliferation of data being generated on farm and how it was being used by those collecting it.

These discussions led to the creation of the Ag Data Core Principles, and ultimately the not-for profit organization Ag Data Transparent (ADT). Todd Janzen, ADT Administrator and founding partner of Janzen Schroeder Ag Law, recalls the initial discussions about forming the Core Principles. “These were very robust discussions among industry leaders about what principles of data use would increase farmer trust,” Janzen says. “It was a very deliberate process, looking sentence by sentence, word for word to craft the original core principles.” Ag companies were then called to pledge their willingness to abide by these principles.

As the leaders predicted, the use of ag data has grown exponentially, making it important to revisit the Core Principles. “The industry has evolved, and our ADT board decided in 2023 to revisit the Core Principles to ensure they were relevant to how data is used today,” Janzen said.

A group made up of ADT members took on the task of reviewing and updating the principles which were approved by the full board. Representing farmer-led organizations, tech companies and supporting members, the review team worked to simplify the language and adapt it to today’s market conditions.

“For example, the group decided to add a principle around Anonymization and Aggregation,” Janzen explains. “The industry has moved beyond basic benchmarking to evaluating trends. Farmers need to know that their data which is being used to identify overall trends won’t be used to single them out.”  

Over the next few months, ADT will provide details about each of the Core Principles that are designed to provide simplicity, transparency and trust for farmers about how their ag data is used.