Privacy Policy

Information we collect

The Plant Pests and Diseases Clinic Surveillance and Research Center (PPDCSRC) may collect information when you use this website or our services:

• Contact and identity information — name, email, institution, and phone number when you submit contact forms, service requests, or order forms.
• Request and usage data — details of your service requests (e.g. diagnosis search, fungal strain requests, soil calculator use) and how you interact with the site.
• Technical data — IP address, browser type, and similar data that helps us operate and secure the website (e.g. via cookies or server logs).

How we use information

We use the information we collect to:

• Process and respond to your inquiries, service requests, and order forms.
• Manage distribution and deposit of biological resources and related communications (e.g. confirmations, MTA follow-up).
• Improve our website, services, and research support; and for internal reporting and compliance.
• Send you relevant updates about our services where you have agreed or where we have a legitimate interest, in line with applicable law.

Data security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. This includes secure transmission (e.g. HTTPS), access controls, and appropriate handling of sensitive information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure; we encourage you to use strong credentials and to contact us if you have security concerns.

Data retention

We retain your information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, to comply with legal or institutional obligations (e.g. research records, MTA documentation), and to resolve disputes. When data is no longer needed, we delete or anonymize it in accordance with our retention practices and applicable law.

Your rights

Depending on applicable law, you may have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data, or to object to or restrict certain processing. You may also have the right to data portability or to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. To exercise these rights or ask questions about your data, please contact us via the Contact page. We will respond in line with our legal obligations.

Contact us

For privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights, please contact the PPDCSRC through our Contact page. We will handle your request in accordance with applicable data protection law.