The New GDPR and Farmers
Farmers are being reminded that they must be aware of the new data protection laws coming into effect in May.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force on 25th May 2018. The new laws are designed to ensure that businesses store any personal data safely and securely. This is any information which identifies a living individual.
For farming businesses, this will include details of employees, customers, contractors, suppliers or business partners.
The new law requires businesses to think about the data they hold. In basic terms, don’t take on more data than you need, don’t keep it for longer than you need and don’t use it for purposes beyond what you agreed.
While there are hefty fines for non-compliance, farmers should also consider reputational damage. In a digital world, trust is everything and your customers and suppliers need to know that you can be trusted with their data.
If you’re not sure where to start, have a look at our ‘Getting Started with GDPR‘ article we posted this week.
Please note: This article is a commentary on general principles and should not be interpreted as advice for your specific situation.
