Australian agriculture needs to be digital and data-ready to unlock its full potential according to a new report by Griffith Law School​’s Associate Professor Leanne Wiseman and ​Associate Professor ​Jay Sanderson from the University of the Sunshine Coast..
“Digital agriculture is transforming agri-food networks, and new technologies have been introduced and are embedded in many parts of the agri-food supply chains,’’ Dr Wiseman said.
“From GPS-enabled​ tractors, ​drones, sensors and ​other date-driven devices, producers and ​farmers have access to a vast array of data to help measure performance, and make better informed decisions and increase efficiency.”
“The absence of clear and consistent data governance within Australia’s rural industries has the potential to expose Australian producers to threats to their privacy, security and safety of their agricultural data.”
She said there was an urgent need for a genuine two-way ​dialogue between agri-businesses and Australian producers around who controls and accesses agricultural data.
“This will facilitate a willingness to supply and share agricultural data. To achieve this, third parties and agri-businesses should ensure that their terms governing data are more transparent and available, and that this is clearly communicated to producers.”
Dr Leanne Wiseman, Mr Bruce Finney (Executive Director of Cotton Research Development Corporation (CRDC),the Hon. David Littleproud MP, Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Jane Trindall R&D Manager CRDC and Mr Tim Lester, Executive Officer, Council of Rural Research and Development Corporations at the report launch.
The Legal Dimensions of Digital Agriculture ​in Australia, one of six technical reports produced as part of the ​Accelerating Precision Agriculture to Decision Agriculture research project launched by the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, David Littleproud, earlier this month, also recommended ​ the development of ​an Australian Agricultural Data Governance Strategy​ and a collaborative Data Management Collaborative Working Group.​
The Accelerating Precision Agriculture to Decision Agriculture projectwas ​funded ​by the Commonwealth Government’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources ​under the Federal Government’s ​R​ural R&D for Profit program and all 15 Rural and Development Corporations (RDCs), led by CRDC.
​
