The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has announced that its Farm Data Exchange pilot has demonstrated a viable system that aims to reduce complexity across the food supply chain.
The completed proof-of-concept (PoC) reported how the Farm Data Exchange will aim to “securely draw core farm information” such as cattle movements, processor data and feed supply data, directly from existing databases.
AHDB said this would reduce the need for farmers to repeatedly enter the same information, while ensuring they retain full control over who can see their data and how it is used.
The data capability reportedly aligns with feedback from farmers, who face “growing requests for information” from governments, banks, assurance bodies and supply chains, often across multiple platforms that lead to duplication and inefficiency.
“Without a coordinated system, farmers risk losing control over the value of their own data.”
Adam Short, AHDB
Results from the PoC and a survey of 450 farmers indicated that there was “clear demand” for the Farm Data Exchange to move beyond the pilot stage. The majority of participating farmers described the benefits as practical and necessary, and more than 50% said they would use the system if developed by AHDB. Many highlighted how the automatic pulling of existing data had significantly reduced administrative effort and duplication, saving time and therefore money.
Trust in the system will be “central to enable its success”, said AHDB, while farmers surveyed reported AHDB as being a “trusted organisation” with a positive track record. Respondents said they desired a “secure platform” that reduced supply chain complexity, and processors identified the potential for lower costs and greater accuracy.
Adam Short, AHDB’s data programmes associate director, commented: “The pressing need for a solution is clear. Data is becoming central to modern agriculture and without a coordinated system, farmers risk losing control over the value of their own data.
“We’ve successfully demonstrated our ability to source primary farm data from existing databases and put farmers in full control of how their data is shared across the industry. The message from farmers is clear, they want AHDB to take this forward.”
