Farming Connect Benchmarking Programme Privacy Notice
Introduction/Background
Farming Connect provides a support package for benchmarking incorporating a suite of user-friendly tools, tailored according to sector and which enable a progressive approach to incorporating benchmarking into farm management practices and which will enable the measurement, recording and management of physical, environmental, and financial data. The tool should allow businesses to review the strengths and weaknesses of their business over time, often by comparison against similar businesses.
In order to receive support from Farming Connect you will need to provide us with some personal data. Participation in the Farming Connect Benchmarking Programme is at your own discretion. The farm data you input into the tool will be collected and used to compare and benchmark your business performance against other farms. The tool can only be accessed through the Farming Connect Benchmarking Programme platform. All data entered on the Farming Connect Benchmarking Programme will be held on your individual account. You will be able to participate in the Farming Connect Benchmarking Programme at any time of your choosing during the lifetime of the current Farming Connect programme.
The Welsh Government will be the Data Controller for the personal data you provide on the Farming Connect Benchmarking Programme tool.
The Data Processors are Menter a Busnes, who are third party contractors, delivering the Farming Connect Programme on behalf of Welsh Government.
What is the Lawful Basis for processing?
The lawful basis for processing the personal data collected is that it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the exercise of official authority vested in the Welsh Government.
What personal information do we need to process?
We will need to collect and process your full name, address, email address and telephone number to establish the benchmarking baseline data.
Why do we need to process your personal data?
The data collected will be used for the purpose of:
- Contact you to offer further support you may require once registered with the Farming Connect Benchmarking Programme
- Programme Monitoring and Reporting.
From time-to-time Welsh Government will appoint evaluators and researchers to help us assess the performance of the Farming Connect Programme. To do this effectively Welsh Government will share personal data securely with these contractors to allow them to undertake interviews or surveys of current and former participants as part of these formal evaluations. You may be contacted and asked to take part in an evaluation of your personal experience of a learning activity. If you are contacted, the purpose of the interview or survey will be explained to you, and you will be given the option to say yes or no to taking part. Contractors will use your details only for the purpose of carrying out the evaluation and in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Your details will then be deleted once the evaluation contract is complete.
How long will we keep your personal information?
We will hold your personal information in relation to the registration/application for 7 years, after which time we will ensure that it is securely disposed of in line with the Welsh Government Retention & Disposal Policy.
The Farming Connect programme is due to be reviewed in 2025. If it is replaced by another Welsh Government programme that delivers support services to the farming industry, we will continue to process your personal data in the way established in this Privacy Notice (where it is appropriate to do so) to enable us to continue to support you and your business.
Will your personal information be shared?
The personal data on this form will be shared with Menter a Busnes who are contracted by Welsh Government to solely deliver the Farming Connect Benchmarking Programme requirement of the Farming Connect Programme
Selected Sub Contractors will have access to anonymised data only for the purpose of verifying the data you submit and preparing a final industry level report. No personal data will be shared with them.
The personal data on this form will be accessible by Audit teams, Welsh Government internal audit and Welsh Audit Office; the information will only be used to verify the administration of the Farming Connect Programme.
Organisations working on behalf of or in association with Welsh Government will have access to anonymised data, only, for the purpose of supporting and/or delivering relevant Farming Connect interventions and services.
The personal data on this form will be accessible to Welsh Government Knowledge and Analytical Services (KAS) for research, statistical analysis, equal opportunities monitoring and completion of reports of aggregated data to be made publicly available, via the Welsh Government internet pages. Any information made public will not allow individuals to be identified.
Your rights:
Under the UK GDPR you have the following rights;
- To access a copy of your own data;
- For us to rectify inaccuracies in that data;
- To object to or restrict processing (in certain circumstances);
- For your data to be ‘erased’ (in certain circumstances); and
- To lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) who is our independent regulator for data protection.
Contact Information
The contact details for the Information Commissioner’s Office Wales are:
Information Commissioner’s Office – Wales, 2nd Floor, Churchill House, Churchill Way, Cardiff, CF10 2HH. Phone 0330 414 6421. Email: wales@ico.org.uk Website: www.ico.gov.uk
Menter a Busnes on behalf of the Welsh Government is processing the benchmarking data. For further information on how Menter a Busnes process your data, you can contact them directly:
Menter a Busnes
Uned 3
Parc Gwyddoniaeth
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 3AH
If you have any questions relating to this privacy notice or about how Welsh Government handle your personal information, please contact our Data Protection Officer:
Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ,