Producer information theft couldn't happen here says ACC chief

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

by BETTER FARMING STAFF

A representative of the company that administers the federal advance payments program in Ontario for crops ranging from grains and oilseeds to fruit, vegetables and greenhouse products says the information of farmers who apply to the program is kept on a fixed computer system and hard copies are located in a secured room.

“Nothing we have is on a laptop,” says Brian Stover, manager of lending operations at ACC Financial.

Stover made the comments after learning on Wednesday of the recent theft of a laptop containing financial information from farmers in Western Canada.

The laptop belonged to the Canadian Canola Growers. The organization administers advance payment programs for several western provinces connected to grain and oilseed commodities such as canola, canary seed, flax, mustard seed, oats and rye.

The theft occurred while the computer was off-site for maintenance.

News reports estimate the financial information of up to 32,000 farmers in Western Canada has been put at risk from the heist.

Stover says he is surprised and shocked that such information would be carried on a laptop.

“It doesn’t seem to be a secure system at all,” he says.

He notes that ACC has its own in-house computer system, “which we had for our own program since 1992 so it has certain firewalls. I’m not sure it’s as secure as a major chartered bank but we’ve never had any problems.” 

Stover says he hasn’t received any phone calls from farmers concerned about the issue.

Carrie James, the general manager of the Canola Growers of Ontario says her phones have been quiet too. A representative from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs was the only inquiry she has received so far about the issue.

James emphasized the theft “doesn’t touch Ontario farmers at all.”

“It has no relation at all to our farmers here.” BF