Gov. Pillen, Farmers, Ranchers and Ag Industry Supporters Celebrate Passage of LB 525

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Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Gov. Pillen, Farmers, Ranchers and Ag Industry Supporters Celebrate Passage of LB 525

GOTHENBURG, NE - Today, Governor Jim Pillen, Senator Mike Jacobson, and Sherry Vinton, director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, joined members of Nebraska's agricultural industry at the Machine Shed near Gothenburg to celebrate passage of a first of its kind bill for protecting agricultural data. LB 525 was introduced initially in the 2025 legislative session by Sen. Jacobson on behalf of Gov. Pillen and was passed this year. It establishes clear rules for the collection, processing and use of agricultural data in a way that best protects the privacy of farmers and ranchers who own the data.

"Nebraska has always been a leader when it comes to agricultural innovation. LB 525 represents critical, forward-thinking policy when it comes to preserving the future of our family farms," said Gov. Pillen. "Who better to lead the country in this space than us? Again, Nebraska is setting the standard - one that will add value and protect our state's key economic engine -- agriculture."

Over the past 30 years, agricultural production has been significantly transformed through advances in technology, just like many other industries. Farmers rely on GPS-guided steering in tractors, sprayers and combines, computerized seeding rate systems, variable-rate chemigation and irrigation technology, and real-time yield data captured during harvest. Every season, an incredible amount of information is collected that farmers and producers can capitalize on if properly it's protected.

"Agriculture is Nebraska's largest industry, and modern operations generate significant amounts of proprietary digital data that our producers rely on. I was proud to partner with Governor Pillen to pass LB 525 to establish clear legal protections for this valuable operational data, explicitly prohibiting its unauthorized sale and requiring reasonable security standards," said Sen. Jacobsen. "As the first state in the nation to enact these specific digital privacy safeguards, Nebraska is not waiting for federal regulations to address this issue. Instead, we have enacted a practical, state-level framework that protects the private business records of our farmers and ranchers while ensuring technology providers respect the privacy rights of our producers."

LB 525 addresses this digital evolution by clearly defining 'agricultural data' - a definition that previously did not exist in state statue. The legislation ensures that the unique expertise and production practices farmers develop through years of decision-making are legally protected under clear data ownership laws.

"This legislation brings important clarity for Nebraska farmers and ensures they maintain control of their data as agriculture continues to evolve," said Michael Dibbern, president of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association. "It is an important step in supporting producers as they adopt new technology and make decisions for their operations."

The heart of the legislation explicitly states that ag producers own the data originating from their farms and ranches. This puts them in the driver's seat, permitting them to decide how to use their data, whom to share it with, and how to derive further value from it. Additionally, the law mandates clear, conspicuous disclosure, requiring written consent from the producer before a third party can sell the data.

Under LB 525, all contracts and agreements involving agricultural data must be updated by January 1, 2027, to reflect these new statutory changes.

"Nebraska feeds the world and saves the planet," added Gov. Pillen. "It's a privilege to join the farmers and ranchers who do this work every day. By securing these data rights, we are securing the future of Nebraska agriculture."