What is going on with gatekeeper at the minute?

Badshot

Member
Location
Kent
Last recs were coming in with no ability to add machinery cost, now this one has come in with no pricing against the chems FFS, what are farmers weekly playing at? never had any issues like this before. Anyone else having trouble or is it my agonomist pressing something wrong.
 

llamedos

New Member
I hope I am ok posting this! @Clive please delete if not.
But I saw this earlier on Twitter, I wont id who posted it as they may use a different name elsewhere.
From what I gather, as I know nothing of the system, you have 14 days to opt out

upload_2015-4-21_20-32-34.png
 
Last recs were coming in with no ability to add machinery cost, now this one has come in with no pricing against the chems FFS, what are farmers weekly playing at? never had any issues like this before. Anyone else having trouble or is it my agonomist pressing something wrong.

I've been noticing glitches appearing over the last couple of months. Some functionality not working as it used to, slower to start up. They are charging a lot for ongoing support and if they want to keep doing so, it has to be at least as good as before the takeover imo.
 

Badshot

Member
Location
Kent
I've been noticing glitches appearing over the last couple of months. Some functionality not working as it used to, slower to start up. They are charging a lot for ongoing support and if they want to keep doing so, it has to be at least as good as before the takeover imo.
It's doing my head in tonight, buggering about with things that they don't need to. yes much slower to start up. I'm slightly annoyed as it is making a lot of work that needn't be.
 
I hope I am ok posting this! @Clive please delete if not.
But I saw this earlier on Twitter, I wont id who posted it as they may use a different name elsewhere.
From what I gather, as I know nothing of the system, you have 14 days to opt out

View attachment 142424

I rang in today and apparently they are starting to mail all data secure users in alphabetical order. I gave them a barrel as I thought this default opt in with sensitive business information that we pay to generate for them to sell at a profit is scandalous. The attitude of the person I spoke to was that Google, Microsoft etc are all harvesting client information so it is nothing new ! Data remote users are not included but I wanted clarification they would not take data during synchronising. Going downhill fast.
 

Shutesy

Moderator
Arable Farmer
I rang in today and apparently they are starting to mail all data secure users in alphabetical order. I gave them a barrel as I thought this default opt in with sensitive business information that we pay to generate for them to sell at a profit is scandalous. The attitude of the person I spoke to was that Google, Microsoft etc are all harvesting client information so it is nothing new ! Data remote users are not included but I wanted clarification they would not take data during synchronising. Going downhill fast.
Did you manage to opt out then? Ive noticed it being slow on start up more recently but thought that was my computer, perhaps it isnt.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
I hope I am ok posting this! @Clive please delete if not.
But I saw this earlier on Twitter, I wont id who posted it as they may use a different name elsewhere.
From what I gather, as I know nothing of the system, you have 14 days to opt out

View attachment 142424

i think the above is a BIG concern and something all gatekeeper users should be aware of, I have been saying this would happen for a few years now and it looks like its now reality

they are making it default opt into spotlight and making it a phone call to opt out vs the very easy option of ticking a box - most users will miss this or not bother to pick up the phone I'm sure

there is only one reason a media company buys a software company - anon or not make no mistake the info that is harvested form GK users will be sold to the supply trade, it's extremely valuable information and it will not be used in the interest of us as farmers, quite the opposite in fact, its really not a good idea to furnish the supply trade with such detailed information about our businesses, suppliers, customers, stock levels and application plans and budgets

GK is already a very expensive bit of software to buy and use, It's very good and I've used it for years but this is enough for me to start questioning my continued use of it and to actively start looking for viable alternatives opt out or not I think the agenda is clear to see now
 

Badshot

Member
Location
Kent
I was only just getting my head round the basics on gatekeeper, now they have stuffed me well and truly. I will not be letting them harvest my data.
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
GK is already a very expensive bit of software to buy and use, It's very good and I've used it for years but this is enough for me to start questioning my continued use of it and to actively start looking for viable alternatives opt out or not I think the agenda is clear to see now

If I was paying for an expensive bit of software like that I certainly wouldn't be happy at the company selling my data on to profit from it themselves. As you say, GK isn't cheap (in fact the price stops me and probably many other smaller farmers from using it) and they should make enough money from that without stooping to skimming off further profit by selling data.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
If I was paying for an expensive bit of software like that I certainly wouldn't be happy at the company selling my data on to profit from it themselves. As you say, GK isn't cheap (in fact the price stops me and probably many other smaller farmers from using it) and they should make enough money from that without stooping to skimming off further profit by selling data.

the data is worth FAR more than the software
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
the data is worth FAR more than the software

I can imagine. It just annoys me when companies want to make money out of your twice. Either:

A: Pay for software, and they can't mine the data
B: Sell the data, but make the software free

Their current option of
C: Pay for the software and we'll use your data to profit from thank you very much unless you phone to opt out

is rather too sneaky and profiteering for my liking.
 

Badshot

Member
Location
Kent
Sooooo, my issues will sort themselves apparently:rolleyes:, we'll see when I finish this current rec.
The benchmarking is being rolled out alphabetically slowly, not many refusing it apparently:cautious:, but then it is a message within gatekeeper that if you just close automatically enrols you in the system so no great surprise there really.
I won't be doing it, and if things keep going wrong I will look at other options anyway, life is too short.
 

llamedos

New Member
A reply from Farm Plan to your questions.
farmplan.JPG





We now want to offer new services designed to help farmers and suppliers improve their performance and products. These will be based on aggregated, anonymous data from the thousands of records held in GateKeeper.

I'm a GateKeeper user - what are you planning to do for me?
As part of your GateKeeper subscription we will be able to give you useful data and analysis to help you understand what is happening on other farms across the country and how you compare with them. You can use this with your agronomist to see if there are any practices you could tweak which could improve your performance. We would love to include you in this.

What else will you do with the data?
Suppliers would receive information on, for example, total crop planted in an area of the country, helping them to improve products, distribution and supply. One result of this could be to reduce the risk of shortages of key products in particular regions. We will also run articles in farming media giving tips and good practice ideas for the good of the industry based on this aggregated data.

What is aggregated data?
Aggregated data is data created by bringing thousands of anonymous records together to show trends based on historical information. Your records are combined with thousands of others so you and your individual data can't be identified.

So my individual data is safe?
You will not be identifiable at all, and we will never pass on information about an individual farm or farm business as part of this process.

What do you need to do?
Over the next few weeks, you will receive a message when you sync in GateKeeper. When you receive this, if you are happy to be included and get access to our new services, do nothing and we will automatically include you. If you want to be excluded, call us on 01594 545032 and we will opt you out.

If I opt out, does this alter my services from GateKeeper?
We are delighted to have you as a GateKeeper customer. All the services and support you receive from GateKeeper will continue. But when we introduce the new data and analysis services you will not be able to use them, as we will not be able to use your data to compare your farm with others.

If you have any questions, please call us on 01594 545032.

Piers Costley
Farmplan Director
GateKeeper Data
For more than fifteen years FarmPlan has produced the best workflow office tools such as Cattle Manager, Business Manager and recently GateKeeper (which we took ownership of last year) to help farms with compliance and help them get the best from crops and livestock.

We now want to offer new services designed to help farmers and suppliers improve their performance and products. These will be based on aggregated, anonymous data from the thousands of records held in GateKeeper.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
What else will you do with the data?
Suppliers would receive information on, for example, total crop planted in an area of the country, helping them to improve products, distribution and supply. One result of this could be to reduce the risk of shortages of key products in particular regions. .

of course it won't help them work out how high they can set prices, adjust production saving them fortunes, look who farmers are buying off instead of them, or what products they are using from competitors or help merchants set grain price based on farm stock areas planted etc


This data does not want sharing with our suppliers and buyers - its is in NO WAY in any farmers interest to share it and I urge ALL GK users to opt out

The value of this data is massive, it will be being sold for a fortune and not a penny of that being passed back to those that bought the software or subscribe to its support etc
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
The way they've worded it makes it sound like they're doing it out of the goodness of their hearts to share information freely purely to help farmers and suppliers.....the wonders of marketing/press releases.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
The way they've worded it makes it sound like they're doing it out of the goodness of their hearts to share information freely purely to help farmers and suppliers.....the wonders of marketing/press releases.

ask them directly who they are selling it too and for how much, its your data so surely you have a right to know ?

I did on twitter ...................they haven't answered !
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
ask them directly who they are selling it too and for how much, its your data so surely you have a right to know ?

I did on twitter ...................they haven't answered !


I would....if it was my data. As per my previous post, the cost of Gatekeeper makes it prohibitive for smaller farms like us. Hence my point that I think they make enough out of the software without selling on the data.....or that if they do this they should reduce the price of the software. Would get more users and therefore data that way! ;)
 

harvestyield

New Member
'Big data' will definitely be the next big revolution in farming, and I do think its analysis will be a facilitator to improve yields.

However, there are significant challenges for farmers:

1. Ownership of data. Whilst it is important for the end user to read the Terms and Conditions of Software, I believe it will be critical for a company to be transparent and clear about who owns the data, how it will be used, and who it can be shared with. This is a good blog on farm data ownership by a lawyer in the US that provides good analysis on the topic (http://www.janzenaglaw.com/2014/11/a-closer-look-at-farm-data-ownership.html).

2. Privacy of data. Aggregating data into large subsets does provide anonymity for the individual user. Where there are social or sharing features in the software, it is critical for the software provider to make it clear and transparent the extent of the sharing of non aggregated data.

3. The impact of accessibility of this data to the industry. On the optimistic side, analysis of big data could help smaller farming operations with greater insight, like a scaled up version of traditional benchmarking. On the negative here is a potential for the large forces in the market (i.e. the agri chemical companies, commodity merchants / traders) to get an even tighter grasp on it, at the expense of the producer.

I am personally optimistic about what 'big-data' will bring to agriculture, and there is an opportunity now to ensure that farming software solutions are made to empower the producer, rather than the ancillary interests.

Edit: Here is an interesting document put together by industry bodies in the US outlining their guidelines http://www.fb.org/tmp/uploads/PrivacyAndSecurityPrinciplesForFarmData.pdf
 
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