Up to 290 farmers in Northern Ireland (NI) have been written to by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) warning them their personal information has been released in error, following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

The request for information was made in early 2024 by an unnamed party and asked AFBI about “details and findings” of testing done for “antibiotic resistant pathogens” on farm animals, food products, feed, animal slurry and farm premises since November 2021.

Also requested was “as much detail as possible” on testing done for the likes of salmonella in cattle, pigs and poultry, as well as whether any other pathogens were found, such as E coli.

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AFBI is duty bound under FOI regulations to release this type of data, although it should not have been associated with personal information.

However, given salmonella is widely distributed in the environment, it is no surprise it can be found everywhere, including on farms.

Contacted

It is understood that the data breach has actually only recently come to light.

Last Friday, a number of media organisations, including the Irish Farmers Journal, were contacted by London-based animal rights campaigners Animal Justice Project about “a breaking investigation” into antibiotic use on pig farms.

Their press release highlighted “key findings” reported by AFBI following an FOI request in 2024 and went on to call for UK supermarkets to cut ties with pig processors.

Disclosed

The AFBI letter to NI farmers confirms that some personal data, to include names and addresses, along with results from salmonella testing, was disclosed in error within the response to the FoI request made in February 2024.

An investigation is under way within AFBI and the matter has been formally reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Anyone with concerns can contact AFBI at afbi.secretariat@afbini.gov.uk or phone 0044-(0)2890 255629.