The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs recently held a forum on traceability in the agriculture and agri-food sector. This forum highlighted the positive aspects of what traceability can do for the industry. There were many compelling arguments that were presented over the course of the day, and the key message was that traceability will be a key to maintaining trust with consumers in the ever-evolving information era.
There are growing trends that highlight how traceability will be a key to future market share. Futurist Richard Worzel argued that four trend-setting factors will help shape the future of consumer demands for food. The first was that age - particularly that of the baby-boomers - will create demands for more healthy food. The second was that as the cost of DNA sequencing drops, people will learn exactly which foods are best for them on a genetic level. Third, this will lead to customization of food products that meet the needs of those aging, DNA knowledge-wielding boomers. The fourth will be inevitable shifts in production practices that must shift as public awareness and perceptions shift and demands change.
The forum also featured a panel of producers and processers that were able to argue about the benefits of using a traceability system as a management tool. In the opinion of the panel members, traceability is not a matter decided by the challenge of cost, but rather one of opportunity. In the end, the ability to rapidly recall product or trace a problem to a section of a field could maintain consumer trust and minimize the impact of what could otherwise be a serious problem.
This rapidly changing world will be challenging for farmers. Adapting to changes in consumer trends and implementing detailed traceability systems is not an easy task. Many types of operations often require years of investment and patience before a return on investment can be seen. Some systems are very long-term in scope, such as a cow-calf operation or fruit production. Animals and trees take time to grow. Nevertheless, it was argued that in the world to come, enterprising farmers will need to find ways to use traceability to their advantage.
The issue of food safety and the level of reassurance that processors, retailers and consumers are demanding is not going to diminish anytime soon. The tremendous power of information technology is changing the demands of consumers. There may be new opportunities for farmers who can use traceability to maintain and grow trust with their business partners and ultimately with consumers.
Editor’s Note: Nathan Stevens is the Research and Policy Advisor for the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. The CFFO Commentary represents the opinions of the writer and does not necessarily represent CFFO policy. It can be heard weekly on CKNX Wingham and CFCO Chatham, Ontario and is archived on the CFFO website: www.christianfarmers.org/index.html. The CFFO is supported by 4,300 farm families across Ontario.