AFBI Privacy Notice

Introduction

This privacy notice explains how the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) uses information about you and the ways in which we will safeguard your data.

The following is a broad description of the way AFBI as a data controller processes personal information and does not provide exhaustive detail of all aspects of AFBI’s collection and use of personal information. To understand how your own personal information is processed you may need to refer to any personal communications you have received, check any specific privacy notices we have provided, or contact the relevant area of the Institute to ask about your personal circumstances.

Who we are

AFBI is a Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and is the Northern Ireland Government’s main research and science provider in the areas of agri-food, fisheries and the environment. Our science plays a crucial role in providing the underpinning statutory and analytical testing, research and development work, emergency response and expert scientific advice required, to support the work of DAERA and the wider agri-food industry.

AFBI’s key science themes represent

• Leading improvements in the agri-food industry;
• Protecting animal, plant and human health; and
• Enhancing the natural and marine environments.

AFBI is often the data controller for the personal information we process, but may perform scientific research with joint data controllers. Where we uses contractors or third parties to deliver services they are usually acting as our data processor, and although they will have their own obligations under Article 28 of the GDPR, we are also responsible for how they handle your data.

Personal data we collect, purposes and legal basis for processing

We process your personal information to perform our services and maintain our accounts and records.

Visitors of our website

We do not collect your personal information when you visit this website, other than some site usage information using cookies. Please see the links below for ‘Cookies’ and ‘How we use Cookies’ for more information on this.

• Cookies
• How we use Cookies

Clients and customers

• Personal data collected: name, address, contact details, herd numbers, financial information, photographs/images
• Purpose: to deliver services and invoice for payment of such 
• Legal basis: 
  • Article 6(1)(b) Contract: the processing is necessary for a contract AFBI has with an individual, or because they have asked for specific steps to be taken before entering into a contract; or
  • Article 6(1)(f) Legitimate Interests: processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by us, for example to prevent fraud, to market AFBI’s services; or
  • Article 6(1)(a) Consent: the data subject has given consent to the processing of their personal data for one or more specific purposes.

Research project and survey participants

• Personal data collected:  dependent on nature of project or survey – collection of personal data is kept to a minimum and the project or survey-specific privacy notice will give further details
• Purpose: to support delivery of a scientific research and development project 
• Legal basis:
  • Article 6(1)(e) Public task: processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller; or
  • Article 6(1)(a) Consent: the data subject has given consent to the processing of their personal data for one or more specific purposes.

Research partners & collaborators

• Personal data collected:  dependent on nature of project – collection of personal data is kept to a minimum and the project/survey-specific privacy notice and/or data sharing agreement will give further details
• Purpose: to support delivery of a scientific research and development project 
• Legal basis:
  • Article 6(1)(e) Public task: processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller; or
  • Article 6(1)(b) Contract: the processing is necessary for a contract AFBI has with an individual, or because they have asked for specific steps to be taken before entering into a contract; or
  • Article 6(1)(f) Legitimate Interests: processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by us, for example to prevent fraud.

Suppliers and service providers

• Personal data collected: name, address, contact details, financial information
• Purpose: to purchase goods and services and ensure the safety of on-site contractors
• Legal basis:
  • Article 6(1)(b) Contract: the processing is necessary for a contract AFBI has with an individual, or because they have asked for specific steps to be taken before entering into a contract; or
  • Article 6(1)(c) Legal obligation: the processing is necessary for AFBI to comply with the law (not including contractual obligations); or
  • Article 6(1)(f) Legitimate Interests: processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by us, eg to prevent fraud.

Enquirers, complainants

• Personal data collected: name, address, contact details
• Purpose: to respond to enquiries or complaints 
• Legal basis:
  • Article 6(1)(c) Legal obligation: the processing is necessary for AFBI to comply with the law (not including contractual obligations) such as the Freedom of Information Act, GDPR/Data Protection Act and Environmental Information Regulations; or
  • Article 6(1)(f) Legitimate Interests: processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by us, eg to carry out tasks under our complaints process.

Consultants and professional advisors

• Personal data collected: name, address, contact details, financial information, photographs/images
• Purpose: to purchase services or obtain advice
• Legal basis: Article 6(1)(b) Contract: the processing is necessary for a contract AFBI has with an individual, or because they have asked for specific steps to be taken before entering into a contract.

AFBI's Public Task

The Institute has the authority to process personal information for the completion of its public task function (see AFBI Public Task Statement) of undertaking scientific work as legislated under The Agriculture (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 in the fields of:

• agriculture;
• animal health & welfare;
• food;
• fisheries;
• forestry;
• the nature environment; and
• rural development and enterprise.

The term “scientific work” includes:

• Research and development;
• The testing or analysis of any matter;
• The provision of advice and information on scientific matters; and
• The dissemination or application of the results of scientific research.

AFBI may use samples submitted for diagnostic testing for further disease surveillance or research work. This includes looking for new or emerging diseases and monitoring changes in disease or infectious agents; personal data such as geographical location/address may be processed as part of this.

Special categories of personal data

We will not collect special categories of personal data from you.

Where do you get my personal data from?

You may provide your personal data directly to us, or we may obtain it from a variety of public bodies and private sources: eg Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA); Private Veterinary Practitioners, Occupational Health Service and third party processors/suppliers.

AFBI uses Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) systems for maintaining the security of property and premises and for preventing and investigating crime; it may also be used to monitor staff when carrying out work duties. For these reasons the information processed may include visual images, personal appearance and behaviours. This information may be about staff, customers and clients, offenders and suspected offenders, members of the public and those inside, entering or in the immediate vicinity of the area under surveillance. Where appropriate and necessary, this information is shared with the individuals recorded, employees and agents, services providers, police forces, security organisations and persons making an enquiry.

Do you share my personal data with anyone else?

We may share your information with other bodies responsible for the audit or administration of public funds, in order to prevent and detect fraud. We may also share information with the Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) and other crime agencies for the prevention or detection of crime.

As a public body, we are obliged to comply with information requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 where such disclosure is in the public interest, but shall always ensure your rights under UK Data Protection legislation are respected.

Where necessary or required we share information with:

• you, (responding to a subject access request)
• family, associates and representatives of the person whose personal data we are processing (if appropriate under legislation)
• internal and external auditors
• financial organisations
• credit reference agencies
• debt collection and tracing agencies
• research organisations
• government departments, for example Department for Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs (DAERA)
• PSNI or other crime agencies
• business associates
• suppliers and service providers

Do you transfer my personal data to other countries?

Sometimes it may be necessary to transfer personal information overseas to share with partner research organisations. When this is necessary, information may be transferred to countries or territories around the world. Any transfers made will be in full compliance with all aspects of the UK Data Protection legislation and the EU General Data Protection Regulation.

How long do you keep my personal data?

We will retain your data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was gathered and, unless required to be held long-term for scientific research or statistical purposes, it will be held by AFBI for no longer than stipulated by legislation, or to a maximum of 20 years.

Under the UK Data Protection Act 2018, AFBI is allowed to hold your personal information indefinitely if required for scientific research or statistical purposes. If this is the case, we will ensure that the appropriate technical and organisational measures are in place to safeguard your data where necessary and respect the principle of data minimisation.

What rights do I have?

1. Access (Article 15, GDPR)

You have the right to obtain confirmation that your data is being processed, and request access to your personal data by contacting foi.officer@afbini.gov.uk (refer to https://www.afbini.gov.uk/access-information);

2. Rectification (Article 16, GDPR)

You are entitled to have personal data rectified if you believe what we hold is inaccurate or incomplete - please contact us on info.gov@afbini.gov.uk;

3. Erasure (‘right to be forgotten’) (Article 17, GDPR)

If you provided your personal data to us either under a contract or with your consent, you have a right to request to have your personal data erased and to prevent processing where your data is no longer required to fulfil the purpose for which is was collected, or where you have withdrawn your consent. Please be aware however, that under GDPR, we are able to continue to process your data if the erasure of such would render impossible or seriously impair the achievement of the objectives of the purposes for which is was collected (ie delivering of our public task or scientific research or statistical analysis).

4. Restriction (Article 18, GDPR)

You have the right to restrict or suppress our processing of your personal data, if you consider the data to be inaccurate or being processed unlawfully by us.

5. Data Portability (Article 20, GDPR)

Where you have provided your personal data to us either under a contract or with your consent, or we process your data using automated means, you have the right to receive the data from us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, and we will transfer this to another organisation at your request;

6. Objection (Article 21, GDPR)

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data if we use it for the purposes of delivering our public task or legitimate interests; however, we retain the right to continue to process the data for scientific research or statistical purposes if this is being carried out for reasons of public interest.

7. Automated decision-making/profiling (Article 22, GDPR)

You have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which produces legal effects on you, unless you have provided your personal data under a contract or with your explicit consent.

We have published a guide to Citizen’s Rights under GDPR/Data Protection Act 2018 which you can access here to get further information: https://www.afbini.gov.uk/publications/afbi-guide-citizens-rights-under-gdprdata-protection-act-2018

Failure to provide information

Where you fail to provide certain information when requested, AFBI will not be able to fulfil its legal obligation or deliver the service requested.

How do I complain if I am not happy?

If you are unhappy with any aspect of this privacy notice, or how your personal information is being processed, please contact AFBI’s Data Protection Officer at:

If you are still not happy, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

Tel: 0303 123 1113
Email: casework@ico.org.uk

Other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites. This privacy policy only applies to this website so when you link to other websites you should read their privacy policies.

Modification of this notice

We keep this Privacy Notice under regular review and would advise that you regularly revisit this page to see updates. If we have your contact details, we may inform you of significant changes to this privacy notice by email.

You can download a hard copy of this notice using this link: AFBI Privacy Notice