Webinar Information and Registration
Information
The NAPDC webinars are intended to provide information relevant to developing a blueprint for a national data framework designed to support our agricultural producer communities. We will host webinars on a monthly basis with registration through the form below. After each webinar, a recording and associated materials will be posted to this page (when presenter permission is granted).
If you are interested in hosting a webinar please let us know by contacting us via the form here.
Webinar #23: Challenges, Solutions, and the Path Forward in Ensuring Fair and Ethical Data Governance Between Farmers and Agricultural Technology Providers
Presenter: Ziwen Yu, Assistant Professor, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida
March 24th, 2025
01:00 PM - 02:00PM Central Time (US and Canada)
via Zoom (link provided upon registration)
As agriculture becomes increasingly data-driven, effective data governance is essential to address the sector's pressing challenges, particularly in ensuring fair and ethical data practices. Issues like the "right to repair" case against John Deere’s smart tractors highlight the tensions between data ownership and accessibility. Social asymmetries—such as gaps in knowledge, understanding, and skills between farmers and Agricultural Technology Providers (ATPs)—further exacerbate the problem. Legal complexities in defining data as a property have led to convoluted contracts, creating additional barriers and disputes. With stakeholders ranging from farmers and ATPs to industrial agreements and government bodies holding diverse perspectives, harmonizing these interests is critical.
To tackle these challenges, a robust framework is needed to map the evolving logic landscape of stakeholder perspectives and activities, supported by advanced technologies like AI. AI can play a transformative role in surveying stakeholder perspectives and interpreting complex contract terms. Looking ahead, efforts should focus on building a comprehensive database of stakeholder practices, leveraging AI to inform communication among stakeholders and policymaking, drafting fair and ethical data rights terms to be adopted mainly by small ATPs. Additionally, technologies like blockchain can enhance supervision and operational traceability, ensuring accountability and enforcement. Together, these steps aim to create a more transparent, equitable, and efficient data governance ecosystem in agriculture, paving the way for sustainable innovation and collaboration.
Registration Form
Fill out the form below to receive a zoom link for the webinar.