IPO approves Farm Data Safe Certification Mark for Good Farm Data Governance

The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO, also known as the Patents Office) has approved the use of Farm Data Safe as the official certification mark for the farm data governance scheme being run by Farm Data Principles Ltd.

The mark can now be used by certified organisations to demonstrate that they deal with farm data responsibly in line with the Farm Data Principles scheme.

As Chair of the independent, not-for-profit group, Farm Data Principles, Professor Tina Barsby OBE said, “This is a significant milestone. We are delighted to receive confirmation from the IPO that our processes for certifying organisations are rigorous, robust and appropriate. With this in place, farmers should be confident they can distinguish companies and organisations that have the Farm Data Safe mark from those that do not, and be likewise confident that good farm data governance measures are in place”.

The IPO’s approval puts the Farm Data Principles scheme on a formal footing from a regulatory point of view and confirms that the four principles (below) are a suitable approach for the certification standard:

·       Ownership and control of the data

·       Clarity about the value and benefit of data sharing

·       Keeping farm data safe

·       Making data easy

Professor Barsby concluded, “With this recognition and a certification mark now in place, and with a growing number of certified organisations, we are really optimistic that the principles of good farm data governance are taking root here in the UK, and we urge those companies interested in certification to come and talk to us.”

For more information on certification please take a look at the Farm Data Principles Certification webpage.

For other information, please contact Dr Julian Little, Coordinator for Farm Data Principles at
julianlittlecommunications@gmail.com or 07900 276999