2021 Symposium Videos

WELCOME & KEYNOTE REMARKS

Opening Remarks & Recognitions: Mike Thielke, F3 Tech Accelerator

Introduction of Keynote Speaker: Senior Vice President of Technology and Strategic Partnerships, MidAtlantic Farm Credit

Keynote Remarks: Boyd Rutherford, Lieutenant Governor, State of Maryland

Precision Ag: A Supply Chain of Connected Technologies

Introduction by: Tasha Cornish, Executive Director, Cybersecurity Association of Maryland
Presentation by: Chris Haak, Consultant, HDS Technologies

Precision agriculture is a network of embedded and connected technologies that includes distributed sensor networks, global positioning systems, farm information systems, autonomous farm equipment, automated chemical sprayers and smart devices, all connected by the Internet. The Department of Homeland Security regards precision agriculture as uniquely vulnerable, because it’s added a highly mechanical industry and connected it online, dramatically increasing the attack space. To understand the cybersecurity risk to this critical sector, Chris Haak, a former co-founder of the Skyward App Company, explains the digital ag landscape and supply chain.

Finding a Balance Between Producer and Agtech Company in Data Usage

Presentation by: Michael Ott, CEO, Rantizo and Connie Bowen, Director of Innovation and Investment, AgLaunch

An agricultural drone-spraying platform, and an agtech entrepreneurial support organization with farmers at its core discuss data usage and ownership in the context of agtech companies and on-farm usage. They explore the delicate balance between optimizing data acquisition for startup growth and farmer data ownership and control.

Farm Management & Cyber Security : The Value of Farm Generated Data

Introduction by: John Torres, Executive Director, Maryland Farm Bureau
Presentation by: Harold Larimer, Head of Information Security, Granular Farm Management Software and Dr. Patrick Watkins, Agronomist, Pioneer Hi-Bred International

As farms and farmers continue to work to maximize profitability, maximize production, and minimize input costs; more are turning to advanced technologies to help gain a competitive edge. Many technologies being deployed on the farm today are part of the Internet of Things which places large amounts of farm-generated data up into the cloud for analysis and storage. The focus of this session was to introduce Symposium attendees to some of the latest farm management technologies that are being used on the ground today. In addition, also demonstrating the great lengths that industry is taking to protect the valuable farm-generated data that farmers are relying on to make sound business decisions that allow them to be more competitive in the marketplace. This session is where on-farm technology and the need for cyber security awareness meet.

FBI Panel – Cyber Threats in Food and Agriculture

Moderator: Kyle Waggoner, Director Information Security, Perdue Farms
Panelists: David Ring, Cyber Division Section Chief, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Thomas Breeden, Supervisory Special Agent, Baltimore Field Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation

According to the FBI, cybercrime in 2020 alone cost businesses $4.1 billion in losses stemming from ransomware, phishing, and business email compromise attacks. Personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Division and Baltimore Field Office provided information on current and projected cyber threats, with examples specific to the Food and Agriculture industry. Topics included ransomware, business email compromise, insider threats, and how companies and individuals can protect themselves.