If the early months of the pandemic taught us anything about the supply chain, it is that Americans want to know where their food comes from.
So, how can we use data to help throughout the ag supply chain? That is the question ag leaders are asking as they set sustainability goals and as more and more producers use technology and “the cloud” on farm machinery.
Consumers not only want to know where their food comes from, but how it got to them. The Produce Marketing Association says that some of the data being shared revolves around food safety.
According to Ed Treacy, the VP for the association, “If companies can provide information around the product, from the time it’s harvested all the way through the supply chain, complete supply chain visibility, and in our world temperature is critical, and storing and maintaining the ideal storage temperature for each product goes along way in extending the shelf life and getting the taste and flavor experience that the consumers expect.”
Currently, harvesting data on that scale can be expensive, but producer groups say that if they can collaborate on what data needs to be shared, then a software package could be introduced down the line to connect it all together.