Leading organisations from across Scotland's agricultural sector have joined forces to advance plans for a farmer-governed, industry-owned data system designed to give farmers and crofters greater control over how their information is collected, shared and used.
The move follows a meeting convened by SAOS in May, where representatives from NFU Scotland, Scottish Quality Crops, Scottish Crofting Federation, Scottish Land & Estates, Scottish Pigs and the National Sheep Association (Scotland) agreed on the need to establish a Scottish Agri Data Partnership.
Additional partners include the National Beef Association, Quality Meat Scotland and AHDB Dairy.
The initiative comes amid growing concern over the increasing volume of data being requested from agricultural businesses and the lack of clarity around who benefits from its use. Industry leaders also highlighted the burden created by repeated data entry across multiple systems.
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The proposed partnership would explore the creation of a centralised data co-operative model governed by farmers and crofters themselves. Under the plans, producers would retain ownership of their information through a permissions-based system, allowing them to decide what data is shared, who can access it and how it is used.
The project builds on SAOS's experience developing and operating ScotEID and MyHerdStats, as well as data innovation work being undertaken through its SmartRural subsidiary. It also follows a pilot project exploring the required infrastructure, completed in 2025 with support from SAOS, Quality Meat Scotland and Scottish Pig Producers.
Tim Bailey, chief executive of SAOS, said: “Farmers and crofters are increasingly being asked for data, but often they see no benefit from providing it. This initiative is about ensuring they retain ownership and receive value from that data, while reducing duplication and administrative burden.”
Supporters of the proposal argue that a coordinated approach could improve efficiency across the sector while helping farmers derive greater value from the information they generate through day-to-day business activities.
George Noble of SmartRural said: “The technology to deliver this already exists and we’ve seen similar partnerships working elsewhere in the world. The real challenge - and opportunity - is building trust, governance and collaboration across the sector.”
Those involved in the discussions stressed the importance of developing a distinctly Scottish model that can work alongside UK and international systems while ensuring Scottish agricultural data remains under Scottish control.
A significant challenge identified by participants is overcoming scepticism among farmers and crofters about how their data could be used. Industry leaders acknowledged that transparency, robust governance and clear benefits would be essential to securing widespread support.
Pilot projects and demonstration initiatives are expected to be launched with early adopters to showcase the practical benefits of the proposed system and encourage wider participation across the industry.
Draft terms of reference and a data charter, informed by international best practice, have already been prepared for consideration by participating organisations.
The partnership is now seeking broad support from across the agricultural sector, including engagement with the Scottish Government and other stakeholders, as it looks to build momentum behind the initiative.
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