P.PSH.2200 - Connecting the red meat and livestock data ecosystem through the Pure Farming platform
Did you know that people want to get more from their farm data but sometimes don't know how?
| Project start date: | 26 June 2022 |
| Project end date: | 12 October 2023 |
| Publication date: | 10 April 2024 |
| Project status: | Terminated |
| Livestock species: | Grain-fed Cattle, Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Goat, Lamb, Grass-fed Beef |
| Relevant regions: | National |
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Summary
This project set out to explore the mechanism and benefits of using an existing cloud-based data integration platform (Pure Farming) to connect, permission, and transform data from the Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) Group Data Platform. The intention was for data to be permissioned and controlled by producers, within the bounds of agreements between producers, MLA, and Rezare Systems (as operator of Pure Farming).
Objectives
The project investigated the appetite for use and potential benefits for producers by delivering them relevant insights leveraging multiple data sets, supporting product claims and assurance for producers' supply-chain partners and customers, and providing data to software solutions and models used by producers. It also explored the feasibility for producers to control and re-use data that is held in industry systems (such as NLIS and eNVD) and on-farm software applications, and for data to be received and turned into insights by software vendors and supply chain organisations.
Key findings
The project found that it was difficult for individual producers to request access to their data held in industry traceability systems databases. At the time the research was conducted, the database was limited to its core functionality of providing industry traceability and any individual data requests beyond core functionality were not being considered. The governance systems in place constrained the use of industry traceability data for individual producers. There are appropriate mechanisms to grant access to data for research and industry good purposes, but these do not scale to granular control by producers.
Benefits to industry
Outcomes of the project that could benefit the red meat industry include:
• Identifying and confirming the importance of data access policies and regulations that support a framework for producers to access and re-use their data.
• Demonstrating the broad interest in applying farm-level data in farm software products and decision support tools, and to support supply chain information.
• Proposing data access approaches that could be considered by MLA to support producer re-use of data.
• Developing an understanding of the barriers to the use of farm-level data in supply chains, specifically confidence in communicating data access, and in supporting technologies.
MLA action
MLA will take the learnings from this project to help develop governance processes and principles that support producer's ability to use data to make decisions with confidence.
Future research
The following recommendations have been informed by the activities carried out and learning captured in this project:
1. Address barriers to data integration with MLA systems.
2. Consider how MLA products could capture or link additional data points that would benefit supply programs and livestock genetics.
3. Support producers and other industry participants to learn the principles and vocabulary of farm data exchange, including best practices for control, security, and terms.
More information
| Project manager: | Hayley Robinson |
| Contact email: | reports@mla.com.au |
| Primary researcher: | Map of Ag Australia Pty Ltd |
