Knowing Your Roots

Posts tagged ‘Produce Traceability Initiative’

Dedicated to Quality with PTI

potatoesThere is no doubt that our industry is as constantly changing as any other. With the continual rise of technology in our modern age, it is of utmost importance that the agriculture industry keeps up with the new requirements, electronics, and software that help us stay connected to our customers.

With the implementation of PTI (the Produce Traceability Initiative), staying connected to our product – no matter where it may be – is more possible now than ever before. Since the installation of the PTI scanners, printers, and software in many of the packing sheds across the state of Wisconsin, consumers can rest assured that they would be able to trace their potatoes back to the exact field they were grown in, know the day they were planted, harvested, and everything in between. (more…)


Farm Perspectives – Produce Traceability Initiative


Many years ago there was a connection between the consumer and the farmer and that connection created a level of trust.  Before the days of large national retailers local produce was a way of life and it was likely that you knew the farmer that grew the food that was being sold at your corner grocery store.  If you didn’t know him, you knew of him and where he was from.

As retailers grew, so did farms.  Instead of selling produce locally the geography of markets expanded, national chains developed distribution centers and produce was shipped further and further away from where it was grown.  This expansion created a disconnect between the producer and the consumer despite the fact that the produce was just as healthy and just as good for you.

Traceability - Bushmans Inc BlogThe Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) is designed to do many things, but one of the most important is to help foster that connection between where the food is grown and the consumer.  By being able to trace food back to its place of birth a consumer has a much higher comfort level with that produce and in the consumer’s mind creates that connection back to the land, which is something we should support and embrace as producers.

Of course there are other practical reasons to embrace PTI, the least of which is quickly becoming mandatory when doing business with larger retailers. Being able to trace produce back to the field level is no longer a luxury.  It is quickly becoming a requirement to participate in the marketplace.  Growers who resist implementing PTI will ultimately find themselves on the outside looking in and will ultimately have difficulty finding outlets for their product.    (more…)

From Field to Fork: We all have a stake in a healthy food supply


Today’s consumers desire to understand the health and nutritional benefits of the produce they buy. That’s why the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI), an industry-wide effort aimed at creating a quick and efficient traceability process by electronically tracking produce from the farm fields to supermarket shelves, is vital.

The purpose of PTI is to protect overall consumer health and safety ― an initiative that we at Alsum Farms & Produce, Inc., are involved in and committed to as a Wisconsin potato farmer. The traceability system provides Alsum and other grower’s quick visibility from the packed product back to the farm and field through a lot numbering system to ensure a healthy and nutritious Wisconsin potato.

“As a Wisconsin potato and vegetable grower, we are embracing the new initiative and putting the technologies in place to provide consumers more knowledge and confidence in their potato offerings at the supermarket,” says Larry Alsum, President & CEO of Alsum Farms & Produce. “Alsum Farms & Produce became PTI compliant on December 1, 2013.”

The initiative utilizes GS1 system standards to standardize product information, case level tracking, and electronic recordkeeping to provide traceability from farm to store. The use of standards across the produce industry enhances the ability to narrow the impact of potential recalls or similar issues, protecting both consumers and supply chain members.

The good news is potatoes are rarely consumed raw and as a result, have been classified in the low-risk food-safety category. Yet, consumer health, safety, trust, satisfaction, and loyalty are necessary and important for every supplier to be proactive.

Like Alsum, Wisconsin potato growers, packers and shippers recognize this importance and have taken the Produce Traceability Initiative a step further. With the coordination and assistance of the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA), the Wisconsin potato industry has conducted education and training sessions to create a common understanding, utilizing a consistent software program and resources to share co-packer product information. This approach has allowed Wisconsin growers, packers and shippers to implement a standardize traceability process and best practices to meet the growing demand for value-added produce.

Consumer’s interest to connect with the farmer and understand today’s farming practices is growing. The Produce Traceability Initiative provides infrastructure, transparency and allows the industry to help provide consumers accurate information about the many health benefits of produce, the advances in technology and sound practices used in bringing wholesome produce to the market.

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