Big Data Considerations for Rural Property Professionals

The promise of “big data” has been praised by the popular media. Concepts and impediments surrounding big data are discussed relative to both the current status and anticipated direction of the industry. Rural property professionals, such as farm managers and rural appraisers, have an opportunity to position themselves and their clients to make effective use of big data. Topics relevant to big data in agriculture include farmland values, lease arrangements, data ownership, data as an asset and its valuation, and the ramifications of wireless connectivity. The challenges that rural property professionals may encounter when integrating big data into their portfolio of services are described.