The Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) has gathered volunteers from across the produce industry to join the Enhancing Traceability Through Technology Working Group. The group consists of professionals across the supply chain, regardless of technical expertise.

PTI is led by The International Fresh Produce Association, Canadian Produce Marketing Association, GS1 U.S., and GS1 Canada. With the new Working Group, PTI aims to improve and implement traceability solutions by taking advantage of the industry’s growing technological capabilities. The Working Group follows PTI’s recent consideration of recommendations to enhance traceability with a focus on technologies that support implementation. 

The Working Group will focus on:

• Two-dimensional barcodes on case labels
• Traceability data sharing best practices
• Radio-frequency identification guidance for implementing traceability
• Global Location Number guidance and education
• Potential repository for lot number definition schemas.

The PTI lead council hopes the new Working Group will leverage existing traceability efforts end explore how further implementation of traceability solutions can benefit the entire fresh produce sector.