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Social and ethical implications of data and technology use on farms: a qualitative study of Swedish dairy and pig farmers

Doidge, Charlotte; Frössling, Jenny; C. Dórea, Fernanda; Ordell, Anna; Vidal, Gema; Kaler, Jasmeet

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Authors

Jenny Frössling

Fernanda C. Dórea

Anna Ordell

Gema Vidal



Abstract

Introduction:

Livestock farmers are being increasingly encouraged to adopt digital health technologies on their farms. Digital innovations may have unintended consequences, but there tends to be a pro-innovation bias in previous literature. This has led to a movement towards “responsible innovation,” an approach that questions the social and ethical challenges of research and innovation. This paper explores the social and ethical issues of data and technologies on Swedish dairy and pig farms from a critical perspective.

Methods:

Six focus groups were conducted with thirteen dairy and thirteen pig farmers. The data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and a digital critical health lens, which focuses on concepts of identity and power.

Results and discussion:

The analysis generated four themes: extending the self, sense of agency, quantifying animals, and managing human labour. The findings suggest that technologies can change and form the identities of farmers, their workers, and animals by increasing the visibility of behaviours and bodies through data collection. Technologies can also facilitate techniques of power such as conforming to norms, hierarchical surveillance, and segregation of populations based on data. There were many contradictions in the way that technology was used on farms which suggests that farmers cannot be dichotomised into those who are opposed to and those that support adoption of technologies. Emotions and morality played an important role in the way animals were managed and technologies were used by farmers. Thus, when developing innovations, we need to consider users’ feelings and attachments towards the technologies. Technologies have different impacts on farmers and farm workers which suggests that we need to ensure that we understand the perspectives of multiple user groups when developing innovations, including those that might be least empowered.

Citation

Doidge, C., Frössling, J., C. Dórea, F., Ordell, A., Vidal, G., & Kaler, J. (2023). Social and ethical implications of data and technology use on farms: a qualitative study of Swedish dairy and pig farmers. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 10, Article 1171107. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1171107

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Aug 8, 2023
Online Publication Date Aug 22, 2023
Publication Date Aug 22, 2023
Deposit Date Jan 2, 2024
Publicly Available Date Jan 2, 2024
Journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science
Electronic ISSN 2297-1769
Publisher Frontiers Media
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 10
Article Number 1171107
DOI https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1171107
Keywords responsible innovation, precision livestock farming, power, identity, focus groups, pig farmers, dairy farmers
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/26261678
Publisher URL https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1171107/full
Additional Information © 2023 Doidge, Frössling, Dórea, Ordell, Vidal and Kaler. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

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