Opinion – Thomas Hall, Agtech and Logistics Hub Director

How fresh is the food on my plate? Is this piece of beef safe to eat? Is that bit of broccoli really organic? Am I making ethical food choices?

A growing number of consumers are questioning how food gets from the farm to their fork – they want to know where their fare has come from, how it has been produced and to be assured of its quality.

Sure, consumers can glean much of this information from food labels, but they often want proof of what is being claimed.

This is part of the reason why the push for stronger traceability systems is gaining momentum in the agrifood sector.

Far from an industry buzzword, traceability – the digital tracking of a product through all stages of production, processing and distribution – is something that is becoming more prominent in food markets across the globe.

Already, all parts of Australia’s agrifood supply chain are beginning to require traceability of some form. Our major retailers – Coles, Woolworths and Aldi – have traceability systems in place from their distribution systems to retail stores.

And soon growers and producers will be asked to step up to the plate as it’s only a matter of time until traceability is required further up the supply chain.

After all, if we don’t have data from growers and producers then organisations across the supply chain can’t validate the quality, provenance and safety of food products.

The demand for food traceability is increasing all over the world as more and more consumers seek information about the source and origin of what they eat. The US, for instance, has stated that all foods coming across its borders will require traceability from 2023 onwards.

Increasingly Australian exporters are being required to produce all the correct documentation, particularly when exporting goods to the US and countries within the European Union. These compliance measures are being put in place to curb the amount of food theft that is occurring amid global food shortages caused by the Ukraine conflict and Covid pandemic.

Already, Australia has started to move towards implementing stronger traceability frameworks and systems. Earlier this year, the Federal Government committed $68.4 million to improving traceability in Australian agricultural products and fund grants to improve industry tech.

Traceability technology has come a long way and the Agtech and Logistics Hub has been working closely with iTrazo, a cutting-edge traceability platform that provides real-time traceability and insights for products, services and assets.

The Hub is also actively engaging with growers on traceability through conversations and presentations about what is happening in this space and will soon embark on a traceability project in the meat and livestock sector.

This piece was originally published in the September 2022 edition of Queensland Farmer Today