FOIA Does Not Apply to All USDA Farm Data
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requires all governmental agencies to provide information that is requested under FOIA. However, there is many exceptions to what information is required to be provided.
Telematch, Inc. dba Farm Market iD obtains data that it then provides to agricultural input providers. In the past USDA had provided a fair amount of detail that allowed Farm Market iD to easily match up farms with acres, etc.
Telematch, Inc. had argued that USDA had provided this data in prior years but stopped providing it in 2019 since USDA indicated this was “geospatial” information that is exempt from the FOIA.
The 2008 Farm Bill had prohibited certain information under the FOIA and USDA finally started implementing this rule in 2019. Therefore, Telematch, Inc. was cut off from the information they needed and sued USDA.
The Court indicated that the USDA could exclude this data under the FOIA which I think most farmers appreciate.
Paul Neiffer is a certified public accountant and business advisor specializing in income taxation, accounting services, and succession planning for farmers and agribusiness processors. Paul is a principal with CliftonLarsonAllen in Walla Walla, Washington, as well as a regular speaker at national conferences and contributor at agweb.com. Raised on a farm in central Washington, he has been immersed in the ag industry his entire life, including the last 30 years professionally. Paul and his wife purchase an 180 acre ranch in 2016 and enjoy keeping it full of animals.
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