How AGIIS Helps You with Traceability, Visibility and Product Movement

AGIIS Update

How AGIIS Helps You with Traceability, Visibility and Product Movement

By Josh Wall, AGIIS Product Manager

First, some information to share. Then some thoughts on why that information is more valuable than ever.

Consider joining us for a one-hour product training webinar this month on AgGateway’s Ag Industry Identification System (AGIIS). This training — which I’ll be leading — provides an overview on product identification and why it is essential in your eConnectivity efforts. You’ll learn about the many benefits for your company and your trading partners from having products in the AGIIS directory. I’ll also review the basics on how to create a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) and how to load products into AGIIS. The webinar will focus on the business value and business process of uploading products, and will not be very technical in nature.

Who Should Attend?

Companies that are looking for operational efficiencies through product identification and standardization; Companies that are considering future product traceability projects using barcoding or blockchain; Companies that are considering loading products into AGIIS and would like a better understanding of what it entails; and Companies that have loaded products in AGIIS but would like a refresher on how to update products or add new products.

The webinar (which was first held September 13 – just as this newsletter was being issued), will be repeated Wednesday, September 19 at 3:00 PM CDT; and Thursday, September 27 at 10:00 AM CDT. You can register here.

Traceability, Visibility, Product Movement

If your company is considering projects such as traceability, visibility, and product movement, all of which may improve operational efficiency and improved customer satisfaction, I would ask the question “Has your company built a strong foundation using unique identifiers and standards”? If you do not know the answer to this question, it’s time to check out the many resources AgGateway has available.

Consider how important the issue of food safety is to today’s consumers. When I browse the news or stroll through the supermarket aisles, food safety is a repeated theme. Or in layman’s terms, “Where does our food come from, and is it safe to eat?” As someone raised on a family farm and who knows several farmers and livestock producers, I haven’t had to ponder this question too much myself. The farmers I know take pride in their work, and their top priority is taking care of the land, their animals and bringing a quality, safe product to consumers. After all, their families and neighbors are consumers too!

Still, it’s no surprise that consumers as a whole have made this a top priority. Food recalls are not that uncommon, and sustainability is an ongoing concern. We are bombarded by trendy slogans such as “Non-GMO” or “GMO Free”. People wonder, are these products any safer? How do we move forward with facts – and with good, hard data?

With the onset of precision ag technology, the availability of high-speed broadband Internet, and the technology available to capture input and harvest data in farm equipment, it’s becoming possible to take strong hold on these questions. As you begin to look at the supply chain, the use of barcoding and radio frequency identification technology has transformed many industries. We are starting to see several companies initiating traceability projects using blockchain technology; Starbucks pilot “Bean to Cup” and Cargill’s “Traceable Turkey for Thanksgiving” pilot, are just a few projects that are beginning to pioneer the path to answering these questions.

We need to make sure that these technologies clarify the issue, and provide good information that is easy to understand and manage. And the first step is to build a solid foundation using industry standards and unique identifiers, so that everyone throughout the supply chain is speaking a common language, and there is no ambiguity in what the data means.

This is where AgGateway plays a role in the digital transformation of the agriculture industry. AgGateway’s AGIIS provides the unique identifiers and common data elements that allow companies to “sync” and set the stage for fluid, eBusiness transactions. The unique identifiers in AGIIS are assigned to agricultural entities, products and locations and are based on GS1 standards. Use of the GS1 standards allows data created and shared in AgGateway members’ processes to be exchanged with those in downstream food processing, food service and retail grocery – completing the chain of traceability and transparency, should it be needed.

If you have questions on how to get started or would like to know more information about AGIIS, AgGateway standards or more information on the product training webinars, contact Member Services at Member.Services@AgGateway.org, or call +1 (866) 251-8618.