Fundamentals of Farm Data


The farming and the wider agri-food sector is rich with data sources, something that is only increasing with the trend towards greater digitization. Data can help you gain a better understanding of every detail of your operation, whether it’s tracking each acre that’s been planted, analyzing yield, monitoring different crop treatments, measuring your cost of production, or making the decision to add a new piece of machinery to your farm.

We realize that you’ve likely heard a lot about data before. There are so many sources of information that it can often be difficult to separate what’s right from wrong. That’s why we’ve built the Fundamentals of Farm Data program. 

This program has been designed for farmers to provide you with accurate and trusted information about ag data so you can be more confident with this important topic. After working through this course, you will be able to actively participate in conversations related to data and digital technology. You will be ready to engage with your trusted advisors and vendors with the right questions to get the information you need to make decisions for your farm business. 

Before the program gets started, this page will give you some important background information. It will go over the purpose of the course and how you can best use the material. Although it’s tempting to jump right into the course content, we encourage you to start here to get a preview of what’s to come!


What is the Fundamentals of Farm Data Program?

This program is an introductory course designed for primary producers who are interested in learning about the fundamentals of farm data. This includes sources of farm data, data management, privacy, ownership, cybersecurity, and many other social and legal considerations. Taken together, these concepts can be used to build up a strong approach to data governance to support your farm operation.   

No prior knowledge is required to start the course. The content is non-technical, meaning we’ll be leaving detailed agronomic data analysis, or precision agriculture techniques,  and computer science, or software development, to others. 


What is the structure of the program?

The program consists of 10 modules that you can go through at your own pace. The size of each module varies, but you can expect to work through a module in one to three hours. And you do not have to complete a module in one sitting - just make a mental note of where you left off to pick up there when you come back at a future time. 

This course is offered free of charge and features the following ten modules, organized into three groups: 

The Basics: The first three modules start with a general introduction to data - the different types of data, big data, aggregated data, metadata, and more. Module 2 will then look at the different types and sources of ag data and the challenges associated with data collection. Finally, Module 3 will walk you through the data lifecycle in a farm business, along with the potential role of trusted advisors and the importance of high-quality data.

Key Issues: This group of modules will address some hot-button topics - ownership, privacy, cybersecurity, and interoperability. Producers and other agriculture stakeholders are often asking critical questions about what happens to their data and how to protect it the right way.

Next Steps: To wrap up the course, this set of modules brings together all the concepts we’ve encountered earlier in the course. The data governance module will help you to kickstart data governance practices on your farm while the open data module will explore the opportunity and potential uses of open data in agriculture. Finally, Module 10 will identify artificial intelligence (AI) applications and help you define your role in assessing the outputs of AI systems. 


Why are only a few modules currently available?

We released an initial set of modules now because we want to start getting feedback from Canadian growers as we continue to build the other modules.


The remaining modules will be released gradually over the coming months. 

If you’d like to be alerted when we release another module, please  sign up here . We’ll send you an email when new content is live so you can continue your learning journey.


How do I use the material?

Each module is broken down into subsections that you can access through the sidebar on the left side your screen.

Within each module, you will be presented with a range of resources including videos, worksheets, quiz questions, and activities. You can save, or print any course material that you find valuable.

Check out the guide image below on how to navigate this content on Slite.

We recommend that you go through Module 1-3 in order as the content is designed to build up from one module to the next.

However, beyond the introductory group of modules you may choose to jump to any module that interests you. For instance, if cybersecurity is something that is top of mind for you at the moment you can jump directly to Module 6. 

In addition to the course modules, we have also created an additional resources section at the end of the program that you can check out at any time.



How much does it cost? 

There is no cost. This training program is completely free.


Do I need to login or setup my browser to view the course?

No. There is no need to login. The course is available without registration.

We strongly viewing the online course material using light mode. On the Slite platform we are using you can toggle between light and dark mode using the moon icon in the lower right corner of the screen. Slite may automatically go to  dark mode  if your browser or computer are setup to use dark mode by default.

Can I share this with others who might be interested?

Yes, of course! You can share this link with them:  https://bit.ly/FundamentalsofFarmData 

You can also direct them to the  EMILI Data Initiative website  to access the program from there:


Will the training be updated regularly?

Yes! We will be revisiting the modules on a regular basis to ensure the content is kept up to date. We also welcome  feedback  and look forward to revisiting the content based on what users think can be improved upon.


Is there a certification for completing the program?

No, there is no certification or badge for completing the modules or the entire course. This is more so meant to be an openly accessible resource that helps people learn and grow. 


Is this material available through in-person events or webinars?

We know that live delivery of training is incredibly valuable, especially because it allows people to ask real-time questions and engage with their peers. As a result, EMILI will be working with its partner organizations and agriculture associations to deliver this program both in-person and via online webinars. 

If you are interested in bringing this content to your organization, please reach out to  data-literacy@emilicanada.com . We would be pleased to work with you to develop an in-person event or online webinar to deliver content to your organization. We can also support and train you to deliver course content using PowerPoint slides we have created that summarize each module.


Who created this learning program?

EMILI is an industry-led non-profit committed to accelerating Canada’s growth as a leader in digital agriculture by supporting projects that advance innovative technologies and increase skills and training opportunities in the sector. EMILI is based in Manitoba, with projects that span the country. We work with industry and academia to advance the adoption of intelligent technologies and provide people with the skills and training required to succeed in a digital economy.


This training course was created through the  EMILI Data Initiative  with funding provided by Protein Industries Canada’s  Capacity Building Program . The EMILI Data Initiative is focused on building the data governance capacity of the Canadian agri-food sector to use data and digital technology in a responsible manner that benefits all value chain participants. 

EMILI worked closely with key partners from the post-secondary and non-profit sectors to develop this data literacy program. Project partners involved in the development of the Fundamentals of Farm Data program include:


Read Our Collaborator's Bios

Assiniboine Community College:
Assiniboine Community College has been providing exceptional learning experiences for over 55 years. For staff and students alike, Assiniboine offers unparalleled learning environments and responds well to the demands and requirements of the Manitoba labour market. Instructors follow the philosophy of ‘learn by doing,’ combining theory with hands-on learning inside classrooms, labs, kitchens, shops, fields and the college’s Sustainable Greenhouse. The college offers over 50 unique certificate, diploma and advanced credential programs across a variety of disciplines including culinary arts and hospitality, business, agriculture and environment, health and human services, trades and technology. We also deliver apprenticeship programming in a range of skilled trade disciplines.

The Russ Edwards School of Agriculture and Environment offers 11 certificate, diploma and advanced diploma programs, along with significant agriculture extension programming and applied research.  The school is looking to the future with the proposed Prairie Innovation Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, a one-of-a-kind Canadian college project that will bring together collaborative learning space, applied research labs and multipurpose spaces that will serve both the college community and agriculture industry. The Centre will support new programs for labour market development, applied research and industry engagement and expand the capacity of agriculture related programming to more than 800 students annually.  

Lakeland College:
Established in 1913, Lakeland College serves more than 6,000 students every year at its campuses in Vermilion, AB., and Lloydminster, AB/SK, and through online and off-site programs and courses. Lakeland offers programming in the areas of agricultural sciences, business, energy, environmental sciences, fire and emergency services, health and wellness, human services, interior design technology, trades and technology, university transfer and foundational learning.
 
Lakeland has an extensive land base and multiple facilities at the Vermilion campus that support student learning and applied research, primarily in agricultural productivity and sustainability. This includes a 3,700-plus acre farm featuring beef, bison, dairy and equine herds, the Agriculture Technology Centre, Dairy Learning Centre, G.N. Sweet Livestock Research Facility, and land dedicated to crop trials. In addition, our scientists conduct research at various other sites across Alberta and Western Canada including on-farm projects in collaboration with producers.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic: 
Saskatchewan Polytechnic serves students through applied learning opportunities on Treaty 4 and Treaty 6 Territories and the homeland of the Métis. Learning takes place at campuses in Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon and through extensive distance education opportunities. Programs serve every economic and public service sector. As a polytechnic, the organization provides the depth of learning appropriate to employer and student need, including certificate, diploma and degree programs, and apprenticeship training. Saskatchewan Polytechnic engages in applied research, drawing on faculty expertise to support innovation by employers, and providing students the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills.

The Sustainability-Led Integrated Centres of Excellence (SLICE) is based in the School of Mining, Energy and Manufacturing and the School of Natural Resources and Built Environment. SLICE strives to solve complex sustainability challenges in collaboration with industry and community partners.

Community Safety Knowledge Alliance (CSKA):
The Community Safety Knowledge Alliance (CSKA) is a non-profit corporation that supports governments, organizations, communities and others in developing, implementing and assessing new approaches to improving community safety and well-being outcomes. This collaboration was led by Janos Botschner, PhD, who is a social scientist with deep experience in applied research, evaluation and strategic consulting across a range of contexts. He brings his commitment to building prosperous and resilient rural communities, and a desire to see Canada thrive as an engine of domestic and global food security, to his role as the lead of a national initiative focusing on understanding and enhancing cybersecurity across Canadian agriculture.

This work was also supported by contributions from Conor Russell and Ritesh Kotak.




References and Sourcing

In the text of each module you will find links that can connect you with many of the key sources that fed into the development of this training course.

A brief note about the images and illustrations: Many of the photos and illustrations were created for this course, or were provided by our project partners. In cases where an image was adapted or sourced from an external resource, we provide information on the original resource in the caption.

That being said, if you notice any issues with references and citations, please bring it to our attention. We'll be happy to make the correction and give credit where credit is due.


Privacy Policy

This program is hosted on the Slite platform and you are not required to sign up for an account on Slite to access the content. Slite is not collecting any personal information about you and you can view Slite’s privacy policy  here . 

Throughout course modules, we use  Typeform  to create interactive quizzes. You can view Typeform’s privacy policy  here .

In an effort to improve the course and provide notifications of new content there are a few instances where we ask you for your name, contact information, or other demographic information. This is completely optional.  In all cases, your personal information will never be shared outside of EMILI and our data literacy partners. You can view EMILI’s privacy policy  here .


Any other questions? 

If you have any other questions or run into any issues with the program content, please contact us at  data-literacy@emilicanada.com . 
We’re happy to help and hope you enjoy the content! 



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Memo The Modules



Books Additional Resources

Check out some additional resources at the page below!