A "GOLDMINE" of data is to be released by Defra to transform the world of food and farming.

Elizabeth Truss, Environment Secretary, said it will be the single biggest government data giveaway the UK has ever seen.

Speaking in Tech City, London, she said that over the next year virtually all the data Defra holds—at least 8,000 sets—will be made freely available.

She said: "Defra is the most data-rich department in Whitehall, though much of it—millions and millions of files—is hidden away. It is worth billions of pounds to British people, businesses and our rural economy, and it can be used to improve the quality of our natural environment."

It would create countless new opportunities for people who make their living from food, farming and the environment.

Mrs Truss said: "It will allow UK farmers to apply cutting-edge techniques to boost efficiency and productivity, and allow better monitoring and management of environmental risks."

Imagery from the Copernicus satellite system will pinpoint which places have the best soil and microclimates and assess the health of crops and their performance under different conditions from space.

The data will also enable the government to use satellite data to see what crops are growing in which fields doing away with the need for farmers to report on every piece of land.

Mrs Truss said: "We will be able to survey the country’s crops without tramping the fields, meaning farmers get less bother from government inspectors.

"It means we can cut down on red tape and save money both for businesses and taxpayers. We are already doing that by reducing the number of farm inspections. We will cut duplication, ensuring farmers only have to deal with a single inspection force rather than numerous overlapping bodies."

The new data could also be shared with organisations such as the RSPB and Wildlife Trusts to help them monitor the health of precious environmental areas.

Mrs Truss said she wants "food and farming to be a top destination for high-flying graduates, as prestigious as medicine, as fun and stimulating as the gaming industry and as cutting-edge as Tech City."