Title: Raising a matter in risk assessment: IT in factory farming

Authors: Ralf Mock, Eva Kollmann

Addresses: University of Technology Zurich HSZ-T, Lagerstrasse 45, P.O. Box 1568, 8021 Zurich, Switzerland. ' University of Technology Zurich HSZ-T, Lagerstrasse 45, P.O. Box 1568, 8021 Zurich, Switzerland

Abstract: Farms increasingly use and depend on information technology. However, agriculture is not well prepared in terms of risk assessment: risk analysis and risk evaluation does not reach the standards as common in other industries and SME. The paper structures the implementation of risk assessment in factory farming and defines work areas and levels. IT is considered as an important interface between farms and CI. The significance of IT in factory farming of heavy livestock in Switzerland is assessed. The paper encompasses the usage of IT infrastructures, herd management by RFID and track and tracing systems. The role of reporting centres and emergency preparedness are shortly discussed. Risk figures (on-site and in terms of critical infrastructures) are roughly estimated and evaluated.

Keywords: critical infrastructures; factory farming; risk assessment; information technology; agriculture; agricultural IT; farms; heavy livestock; Switzerland; IT infrastructures; herd management; radio frequency identification; RFID; livestock tracking; livestock transport; livestock tracing; reporting centres; emergency preparedness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCIS.2011.041535

International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, 2011 Vol.7 No.2, pp.117 - 128

Published online: 21 Oct 2014 *

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