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Agricultural Data Rules: Enabling Best Practice

There isanurgentandcontinuingneedtobuildtrust inthewaythatagriculturaldata iscollected,managedandshared. For trust to be developed, Australian farmers and producersmust be confident that their data is beingmanagedinwaysthatprotecttheirprivacy,andbeassuredabouttheethicaluse,securityandsafetyofdataandthatriskandliabilityisallocatedappropriately.Thisrequiresthosewhocollect,manageandshareagriculturaldatatoengageinbestpracticeinrelationtothatdata.Establishing agricultural data rules is a crucial first step in ensuring the whole of the Australian AgriculturalIndustrydevelopsbestpracticeinthecollection,useandsharingofagriculturaldatawhileensuringfarmers’legal,ethicalandsecurityconcernsareaddressed.

What is Best Practice for Agricultural Data?WhatwillBestPracticeAchieve?

Agricultural Data rules require the organisation andimplementation of policies, procedures, structures,roles and responsibilities that outline rules ofengagement for the effective management ofagriculturaldataassets.

Best Practice Rules will create an enablingenvironmentinwhichinnovationoccursby:

• Establishing roles and responsibilities to beaccountablefordecisionsrelatedtoagriculturaldata;

• Establishing policies, procedures andinstitutional arrangements to manageagriculturaldata;

• Promoting sharing of agricultural data (wherepossible);

• Buildingtrust inthecollection,useandsharingofagriculturaldata;

• Ensuring appropriate safeguards to protectagainst risks associated with misuse ofagriculturaldata.

AgriculturalDataRules:EnablingBestPractice

A potential Data Rules Framework for AustralianAgricultureissetoutinFigure1.Asyouwillsee,thefoundation of best practice data rules are People,Responsibilities and Structures. Without the rightpeople–andclarityintheirrolesandresponsibilities-– best practice in the management of agriculturaldatawillnotbeachieved.

Further, identifying data roles, responsibilities andstructuresensures theefficient andeffectiveuseof

resources in managing data, and provides lines ofaccountability around data collection, use andsharing.

In addition to People, Responsibilities andStructures, there are three (3) crucial pillars tobuilding trust in the way that agricultural data iscollected,managedandshared.Theseare:

1. Policies&Procedures;

2. Capacity&Capability;and

3. Risk,Regulation&Compliance.

While the full details of Agricultural Data Rules:Enabling Best Practice can be found athttp://acipa.edu.au/growing-a-digital-future-home.html,someofthekeypointsare:

Pillar 1: Agricultural Data ManagementPrinciplesandPolicy

Data Management Principles and Policies arerequiredtoensurethecollection,useandsharingofagriculturaldataisdoneinaconsistentandeffectivemanner

Matters that should be addressed by DataManagementPrinciplesare:

• Ownership,controlandcustodyofdata;

• Sharing of data; particularly any third-partyaccess;

• Accessibility, usability and interoperability ofdata;

• Accuracyandsuitabilityofdata;

• Safety,securityandde-identification;and

• Mechanismforreview.

AgriculturalDataRules:EnablingBestPracticeFactSheet Sept2019

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Pillar2:CapacityandCapability

Training,educationandawarenessraisingwillensurethat best practice will become part of day-to-dayworkpractices.

Pillar3:Risk,regulationandcompliance

BestPracticeDataRulesmustconsiderissuesofrisk,regulationandcompliance.

For example, there are legal obligations, duties andresponsibilities around privacy and confidentialityaspects of data, particularlywhendata is shared orreleased.(SeetheusefulresourcesaboutthePrivacyAct 1988 (Cth) and the 13 Australian PrivacyPrinciples)

Figure1:DataRulesFramework

This Fact Sheet was prepared by the Australian Centre for Intellectual Property in Agriculture (ACIPA) members — AssociateProfessor LeanneWiseman,GriffithUniversityandProfessor JaySanderson,USC—through funding fromthe ‘GrowingaDigitalFutureforAustralianAgriculture’whichwasledbytheCottonResearchandDevelopmentCorporationandinvolvedfundingfrom10RDCs:Meat and LivestockAustralia; SugarResearchAustralia;AustralianWool Innovation; FisheriesResearchandDevelopmentCorporation; AgriFutures Australia; Wine Australia; Dairy Australia; Australian Pork Limited; Australian Eggs; and HorticultureInnovation Australia. This fact sheet is only for information purposes, and to assist you in understanding your legal rights andobligations inageneralsense. It isnottailoredtoanyfact,situationorspecificrequirements,andmustnotbereliedonas legaladvice.ItiscurrentasatSeptember2019.