Major changes made as revised Digital Passport (Combinable Crops) Business Case is published
Significant changes have been made to the Business Case for a Digital Passport (Combinable Crops) to take account of feedback around data, funding and accessibility, following an industry-wide consultation which closed in February 2024.
The Digital Passport Leadership Group, supported by the Development and Data Groups, has reviewed industry comments and almost 80 questions submitted during the consultation phase, amending the Business Case to consider these points.
The Leadership Group is chaired by the AHDB and consists of industry representative bodies, including the Agricultural Industries Confederation, National Farmers Union, Maltsters Association of Great Britain, UK Flour Millers, and National Farmers Union Scotland.
Main changes
In summary, the key changes to the revised Business Case are:
- Feedback of data is now an obligation. Agreed as core component of Digital Passport process (referred to as “Permission 3”), AHDB will use the data to enhance, replace and develop existing data sets such as:
- UK Cereal Supply and Demand Balance Sheets
- Monthly usage data for animal feed, human consumption, industrial purposes and brewing, malting and distilling
- AHDB Cereal Quality Survey
- AHDB would be the legal entity owning the Digital Passport system software and database. This arrangement would continue indefinitely.
- Financials have been honed, with additional upside if government funding for the development of the system is secured.
- Grant funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will be sought to cover the initial build, development, rollout and running costs. For the business-as-usual phase, agreement with the AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds sector council will be sought to use a combination of statutory AHDB levy and to continue pursuing further options for grant funding to cover the annual running costs.
- A process has been developed allowing growers with no computer or smartphone to use Digital Passports via the telephone helpdesk.
The revised Business Case and answers to all industry questions - of which a substantial number were submitted by AIC Members - can be found on the AHDB website.
While a further industry consultation phase is not planned, it is the position of AIC that time be given to allow its Members to review the changed Business Case and supporting information.
Review period
Robert Sheasby, AIC's Chief Executive, said: “Significant changes have been made to the Digital Passport Business Case since the industry last had the opportunity to review it - particularly around data feedback, governance, funding, and accessibility.
“That is why AIC insisted that there must now be a period for its Members to review the changes to the Business Case and digest the answers to key questions posed during the original industry-wide consultation.
“We received a wide range of feedback from AIC Members during the original consultation phase via our online Digital Passport hub, webinars and working group meetings, as well as through discussions at relevant AIC committee meetings.
“Having listened carefully to these complex and broad-ranging Member views, since February we have worked hard to reflect these in our engagement with the various Digital Passport groups AIC contributes to.”
A Leadership Group spokesperson said: “We appreciate industry’s invaluable feedback and patience while we’ve worked through and resolved what were often complex issues.
“Publication of the revised business case is an important milestone, which reflects the benefit of a collective development approach we have adopted. We will maintain dialogue with the supply chain as development work continues, with the key next steps securing funding and planning for system implementation.”
In a statement, the Leadership Group added: “The wide-ranging consultation brought the realisation that industry is not faced with a choice between paper or digital passports.
“Instead, the choice is whether it’s preferable to have a single, universal industry-wide Digital Passport, or several different Digital Passports introduced by processors and merchants to meet their individual requirements.”
Next steps
AIC encourages its Members to review the revised Business Case on the AHDB’s website, and share any comments and observations via its online Digital Passport hub.
This month AIC will convene a meeting of its Digital Passport Working Group to examine the revised Business Case and answers to industry questions.
The Business Case will also be discussed by AIC’s Feed Executive Committee, Combinable Crops Committee, and Seed Committee in the coming weeks.
Formal responses from industry bodies are expected in early summer, with work on the immediate priorities, funding, and long-term system ownership set to progress during summer 2024, with a post-harvest update to the industry due once these discussions conclude.
Work over the coming months includes securing grant funding to cover the build, rollout, and initial running costs of the Digital Passport.
There will also need to be agreement from the AHDB Cereals & Oilseed Sector Council that it is prepared to take on responsibility for long-term ownership, management, and funding on behalf of all levy payers.
AIC will keep its Members and scheme Participants updated on developments.
Authors
Oli Hill
As Head of Communications, Oli creates and oversees the content published on AIC's website, emails, Member briefings, print publications, and social media. A qualified multimedia journalist, he previously spent six years working at Farmers Weekly magazine as a Senior Reporter on the arable team, and latterly as Community Editor. More recently he was Communications Manager at Red Tractor.
Rose Riby
Rose Riby is Head of Combinable Crops and Seed. Having worked across these sectors for many years, she has a depth and breadth of experience in roles in grain trading, plant breeding and knowledge exchange at AHDB.
James McCulloch
Gillian Barrow
Gill Barrow is Technical Manager for AIC Services. Gill is based at AIC Head Office, Peterborough and is responsible for the management and coordination of the AIC assurance scheme TASCC.