Legal Issues with Data (Big and Small)

Sponsored by the Agricultural and Food Law Consortium

Topic:

With the explosion of “Big Data” has come a lot of speculation about the benefits of new data tools, along with a lot of concerns.  This webinar will work to separate some fact from fiction by starting with an explanation of just exactly what “Big Data” means, and the legal framework for handling farmers’ ownership of the data they generate, and answer the question of whether data can even be “owned.”  The discussion will also cover the legal issues created from the interaction of farm-level data (“Small Data”) with Big Data systems and with everyday transactions like equipment purchases and land leases. To conclude, the webinar will look at the current legal and policy landscape to see what changes may be on the horizon for how producers manage their data.

Participation:

This webinar was recorded on October 5, 2017.  To listen to a recording of the webinar, please click here.

Presenters:

Dr. Shannon Ferrell
Oklahoma State University

Dr. Ferrell is an associate professor in the Oklahoma State University Department of Agricultural Economics. Since joining Oklahoma State University, he has provided over 300 extension seminars and workshops throughout North America with a cumulative audience in excess of nearly 19,000 while authoring over fifty extension publications, including five books and numerous journal articles.  His extension activities encompass all areas of agricultural law, and he also teaches the agricultural law courses at both Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma College of Law.  Shannon’s work on Big Data applications in agriculture includes articles in Drake Journal of Agricultural Law and the Journal of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers as well as numerous media appearances.  He has also testified before the House Committee on Agriculture regarding farm data ownership and privacy issues.

Research & Materials: