CCTV Use – Benefits and Things to Watch Out For

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Mathew Beale & Max Sealy (FCG WhiteAvon)

A large number of clients now have CCTV cameras on their farms, and they are used for a wide variety of purposes. Some milk contracts insist on them. Many farms find them useful for observing stock, particularly around calving time in calving yards, calves, etc. They can also be useful when seeing what happens when something goes wrong – for example downer cows and how cows end up in some of the situations that they do.

CCTV cameras also help with the reporting of accidents and breakages on farm because most things are recorded. How they are used needs to be less of a “Big Brother” and more of a supportive function – with many farms giving access to employees to have the CCTV on their phones so that they can remotely monitor, especially for calving and sensitive animals.

A camera in the parlour pit can be useful from the point of view of tracking any issues that arise, and equally around handling areas and other high traffic areas.

With a large number of diversifications happening on farms now, cameras for access areas showing who is coming in and leaving the farm are useful. This can also help from a biosecurity point of view, tracking visitor behaviour, etc.

Cameras can save time; they create certainty and under FETF funding (next round tbc) they can be grant funded. They do however rely on good internet broadband connectivity or a good 5G network.

Legal Considerations, GDPR and Data Protection

Whilst CCTV can provide significant operational, welfare and security benefits, farms should remember that CCTV recordings may contain personal data and therefore fall within the scope of UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Where CCTV records employees, contractors, visitors or members of the public, the farm business must have a legitimate reason for capturing and retaining footage. Common lawful reasons include security, crime prevention, health and safety, livestock welfare, biosecurity and the protection of business assets. CCTV should not be installed solely to monitor employees without a clear and justifiable business reason.

To ensure CCTV footage can be relied upon if required for disciplinary matters, insurance claims, accident investigations or legal proceedings, farm businesses should:

  • Identify and document the purpose for each camera.
  • Ensure cameras are positioned appropriately and only cover areas necessary for the stated purpose.
  • Maintain systems so that footage is of sufficient quality and retained for an appropriate period.
  • Restrict access to recordings to authorised individuals only.
  • Ensure footage is stored securely and protected against unauthorised access, alteration or deletion.
  • Keep records of who has accessed footage and why.

Clear signage should be displayed at site entrances and where CCTV is operating. Signs should state that CCTV is in use, who operates the system and provide contact details where individuals can obtain further information about how their data is used.

Businesses should also update their employment and data protection documentation. Employees should be informed that CCTV is in operation, the reasons for its use, how long recordings will be retained and the circumstances in which footage may be reviewed. The same information should be made available to contractors, visitors and other individuals who may be recorded whilst on the premises.

In practice, farms operating CCTV should consider having:

  • A CCTV Policy explaining how the system is used and managed.
  • A Data Protection or Privacy Policy covering personal data collected by the business.
  • Employee privacy notices explaining how staff data is processed.
  • Visitor and contractor notices, either through signage or written privacy information.
  • Appropriate retention procedures for deleting footage once it is no longer required.

Good CCTV management is not just about installing cameras. Ensuring appropriate signage, staff communication, policies, and secure handling of footage can help protect the business and ensure recordings are available and usable when they are needed most.

It is important that the date and time settings on all cameras are accurate and regularly checked, as incorrect timestamps can significantly reduce the evidential value of CCTV footage in investigations, insurance claims and legal proceedings.

ICO Registration and Data Protection Requirements

Farm businesses operating CCTV should also consider whether they are required to pay the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Data Protection Fee. In many cases, where CCTV records identifiable employees, contractors, visitors or members of the public, the business will be processing personal data and will therefore be required to pay the relevant fee unless a specific exemption applies. Businesses should periodically review their ICO registration status and ensure that CCTV forms part of their overall data protection compliance arrangements, including privacy notices, record keeping and data security procedures.

Where a third-party contractor installs or manages the CCTV system, responsibility for complying with data protection legislation remains with the farm business and should not be assumed to sit with the installer.

For more information or to discuss if your CCTV system complies with regulations, please contact Mathew Beale at mathewbeale@fcgagric.com, Max Sealy at maxsealy@fcgagric.com, or your local FCG Office.

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