In agriculture – both in animals and crops – it’s the generation of figures surrounding production that leads to decisions that increase productivity. On Tuesday, UCD held a day-long seminar on big data and how it can be used in agriculture and food.

Traditional breeding in animals and crops is based on collecting production data and systematically using this to produce more efficient farming. We see this most clearly in the ICBF where modern computing power has allowed the rapid identification of superior animals and, through genomics, the identification of superior genes without the need for expensive progeny tests.

We have made rapid progress in our national dairy herd; beef has the potential for similar progress. One of the key questions is: who should have access to fundamental data about individual animals? The ICBF was founded on the basis of public ownership of such data and it’s a principle that was highlighted as placing Ireland at the international forefront at the UCD conference.

Modern computers can gather and analyse previously unmanageable quantities of data and from this, informed decisions can be made. This is a growing part of the present and the future holds exciting promise. Who has access to such data, and on what terms, as it affects farmers, is too important to be left to a handful of large companies. The Government must have a coherent policy.