Arkansas farmers embrace provenance technology
Working with support from Heifer USA, suppliers of Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative are the first producers in the US to use blockchain technology to trace products from farm to fork. The aim of the initiative is to provide customers with more faith in where their food comes from.
“Americans have an increasing interest in better understanding what they are eating,” said Cody Hopkins, Grass Roots general manager and founding member.
“According to the 2016 Label Insight Study, 83% of consumers want more information about what’s in their food, and I totally believe it. When I learned about this technology, I thought ‘this is the solution’. It’s the perfect way for Grass Roots to offer folks total transparency. [UK-based technology company] Provenance has developed a platform that levels the playing field for small-scale farmers and puts information directly in consumers’ hands.”
Customers will be able to gain an insight into where their food comes from by scanning QR codes on Grass Roots’ products. It will provide information into the supply chain, from farmer through to butcher and tell them where their meat originates.
“Our farmers are innovative, always looking for ways to incorporate the latest technology and, ultimately, create real value to the consumer,” commented Pierre Ferrari, Heifer USA’s advisory board chair. “Partnering with Provenance and the Golden Gate Meat Company is another example of how proactive they are in wanting their customers to know where their food originates. It’s only a matter of time before this becomes ‘best practice’ throughout the industry.”
The first trial of the technology was tested by the Golden Gate Meat Company, a purveyor of Grass Roots products, on Wednesday, 2 August.
