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January 23, 2015 CapitalPress.com 3 ‘Big data’ panel will address farmer-generated info By MATTHEW WEAVER during the panel discussion where companies differ in con- tractual agreements — how the data is kept, shared, owned or protected. Wesley cautioned farmers to look carefully at the legal agree- ments when they sign up for on- line applications, or apps, to de- termine where and how the data may be used. “Put this up a little bit higher on your radar, maybe have an idea of where this data is going and how it’s going to be used,” Capital Press Farmers will learn from ex- perts about the potential opportu- nities and dangers of “big data” during a presentation at the Spo- kane Ag Expo and Pacific North- west Farm Forum. The discussion will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, in the DoubleTree Hotel Ball- room. Panelists will talk about farmer-generated data to guide production and business deci- sions, how that data is used by service providers, who owns the data and managing risks when a farmer shares his data. “The goal for the program will be to help farmers start think- ing about (these) questions and how the data revolution could affect their own farming prac- tices in the future,” said Myrna O’Leary, director of the Spokane Ag Expo and Pacific Northwest Farm Forum. The panelists will include Kirk Wesley, national and key accounts manager for CNH In- dustrial in Burr Ridge, Ill.; Barrie Robison, associate director of the University of Idaho Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies; and Elizabeth Telless- en, an attorney with Winston & Cashatt in Spokane. Each speaker will have 30 Wesley said. Successful farmers could end up sharing their techniques with competing growers and putting their own operation at risk, Wes- ley said. Farmers could also find that they are inadvertently sharing private information under a li- censing agreement with a seed company, he said. “All the players you’re bring- ing to this table, you need to un- derstand what their stance is,” he said. GO NUMBER ONE! GO SCHULTE! Tellessen Robison Wesley minutes, with time for a ques- tion-and-answer session. “Big data” refers to the col- lection and storage of informa- tion from machinery, companies working in agriculture and regu- latory agencies, Wesley said. Telematics connect opera- tions in the field to data ware- houses, or silos, he said. CNH Industrial is careful to inform customers that they con- trol any sharing or use of their data, Wesley said. The company removes identifying factors to look at data on a broader scale to find potential areas for improve- ment, he said. Wesley likened this approach to the financial and health industries. CNH is the maker of agricultural equipment. “We can tell you in the coun- ty you’re sitting in right now how many cancer cases (there are), but the door slams shut when we want the names of those people,” he said as an example. “We don’t care where any of this equip- ment is running, we just want to know the performance issues that might be going on and make a better product in the future.” Robison said “big data” cov- ers an array of data sets from growers worldwide. The infor- mation could answer questions that were previously impossible to answer by showing what kind of steps have been used else- where to address challenges, he said. “The idea is to get to solutions that can actually be implement- ed,” Robison said. Tellessen recommends farm- ers who are using computerized technology look over their agree- ment before attending the discus- sion. Technology is changing so quickly that farmers need to know both the opportunities and the risks, Tellessen said. One of the concerns is who owns a farmer’s data and who has access to it, she said. Tellessen hopes to convey SEE SEE US US AT AT THE THE SHOW SHOW - - BOOTH BOOTH #122 #122 2015 Spokane Ag Expo and Pacific Northwest Farm Forum Visit us at Spokane Ag Expo! 5026 ROTARY CUTTER 26’ cutting width virtually does the job of two 15’ cutters without the extra operating costs. Round skid pans. FX 530 30’ MOWER Excellent shredding and distribution capabilities on Fixed Knife units 30”, 32”, 36” 38” row spacings. FX742 42’ MOWER Replace 2-3 cutters while reducing the numbers of tractors & fuel. RS320 ROCK PICKER Large 3.2 cu yard hopper / T-iron tapered grate / Picks 2” to 28” rocks / Large flotation tires. During Ag Week in Spokane, Washington Your hosts are: Greater Spokane FX 1800 180” MOWER Continuously welded deck makes the cutter extremely easy to clean. Weighs less than double decks. Incorporated & AgriBusiness Council Linda Elkins U.S. Bank Chairman of the Board of Greater Spokane Incorporated Jay Allert Aslin-Finch Company Chairman, AgriBusiness Council SPAE15-2/#14 Steve Stevens President/CEO Greater Spokane Incorporated SRW1400 WINDROWER Windrows 2” to 25” rocks Fully enclosed final drive chain. Patented floating drum. Walter Implement Inc. Odessa, Washington 509-982-2644 Toll Free: 1-800-572-5939 SPAE15-2/#14
