Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/236106
The Process OF TRACEABILITY Each case of produce will have two pieces of information: • A Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), which will identify who the "manufacturer" is (the owner of the brand that appears on the case) • A lot number specifically identifying the lot from which that produce came This information will appear in both humanreadable form and machine-readable GS1 barcode. Once each handler of the product is given these two pieces of information, they can search their own internal traceability systems to retrieve the necessary information about the path of that case, one step forward and one step back. to communicate his onsite labeling to a central system via cellular, allowing for real-time visibility of what was being packed. This reduced daily over/under selling. Additionally, real-time tracking from the fields to coolers helped prioritize loads based on when the product was picked, rather than what arrived at the facility first. What steps should I take now? Traceability requirements are not complex and can be accomplished with just a few steps. The important thing to realize is that being proactive and initiating the program before your customer demands it is best for business. If you're a grower, your current food safety can be complemented by labeling cases and pallets with a barcode at the time of packing. That barcode should include the global trade identification number (GTIN) and batch number and can replace the manual tracking of who, how many and when. Who can help me? When a steering committee of 48 volunteer companies got together in 2007 to launch the PTI, creating the resources needed to make the requirements work for growers, packers and shippers became a top priority. The website producetraceability.org is a central resource that houses best practices, checklists, case studies and calculators to help accomplish implementation. PMA's website, www.pma.com, has a collection of webinars, podcasts and tutorials to answer your questions. PG Ashley Boucher is the public relations manager for the Produce Marketing Association. 42 Potato Grower | JANUARY 2014