A Framework for Transparency in Precision Livestock Farming

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Technology
• Ethics in Technology
• Animal Science

Background:

• Precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies are advancing rapidly.
• Existing reviews focus on privacy, security, and welfare, neglecting transparency issues.
• Ethical considerations for PLF systems require a deeper examination of transparency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a framework for developing responsible transparency in PLF.
• To identify ethically important information for disclosure regarding PLF technologies.
• To explore challenges and strategies for achieving transparency among diverse stakeholders.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of PLF ethical issues.
• Analysis of information types relevant to PLF transparency (goals, operations, values, algorithms).
• Examination of stakeholder audiences (farmers, consumers, industry, regulators) and communication challenges.

Main Results:

• Identified key areas for transparency: system goals, operational details, embedded values, and algorithm characteristics.
• Highlighted difficulties in obtaining and communicating this information to relevant audiences.
• Proposed strategies include developer-user collaboration, improved information disclosure techniques, and exploring PLF with reduced transparency needs.

Conclusions:

• A structured framework is crucial for developing and evaluating transparency in PLF.
• Addressing transparency is essential for the responsible adoption and ethical governance of PLF technologies.
• Further research is needed to refine transparency strategies in the evolving field of PLF.