Cargill expands the blockchain for turkeys before Thanksgiving

Dive Brief:

• According to a press release, Cargill is expanding its traceability program based on blocks of turkeys to cover metropolitan areas in 30 states after receiving "huge interest" from farmers.
• The program was launched in a small pilot last year, offering consumers in Texas only more information about the 60,000 Honeysuckle White branded turkeys, either by text or the Honeysuckle White website.
• This year, the program will cover 200,000 turkeys from 70 farms, which account for one third of the turkeys sold under the Honeysuckle White brand.

Dive Insight:

Farm-to-consumer traceability is a much-discussed application for blockchain technology because the immutable record offered by distributed ledger technology can record every link in the food chain in one place – combining a multitude of digital and paper documents while the food changes hands on it way to the Thanksgiving table.

Walmart uses the blockchain to trace problem lettuces, for example. Indeed, traceability for the purpose of determining the origin of foodborne illnesses is perhaps the most important application of technology in the food system.

Consumers are increasingly curious to know where their food comes from and the traceability offered by blockchain technology can provide that information.

In a recent survey conducted by Label Insight and Food Marketing Institute, 75% of consumers said they were switching to a brand that provides more in-depth information on the product, as well as those provided on the physical label. In 2016 that number was 39%.

Cargill appoints farmers' interest as one of the main motivators for expanding the program, and it's no wonder that other parts of the supply chain have learned that blockchain initiatives can be effective only if all the interested players are on board.