1. Future Fare Alberta Lamb Traceability Pilot Project
Alberta Livestock & Meat Agency
June 14, 2010
Susan Hosford
Project Manager
Alberta Agriculture

2. Why … Global triggers …. globalized food supply chain
growing competition for resources
Regional triggers…
producer profitability, narrowing margins
consumer food safety fears
retail consolidation
cheap food, high value markets
legislation, regulations

3. The Alberta LTP project …
Project Goals
Find, adapt, develop and pilot a working traceability system for the lamb industry
Look for potential benefits to be gained by implementation of electronic technology for mandatory traceability:
costs / benefits
hands-on experience
enhanced industry buy-in, uptake
develop capacity of industry to utilize technology and to meet new requirements

4. A stakeholder approach …
Pilot project stakeholders
Farms, feedlots, buyers, shippers, truckers, auctions
Lamb processors – federal, provincial
Agriculture colleges
Provincial & national producer organizations
Commercial suppliers technical equipment; IT systems-software development and support; communication links, databases
Governments – program development, legislation, implementation and evaluation

5. A systems approach …
Technology ‘bits & pieces’ - very few ‘complete packages’ - new technology for agriculture, small market demand
A system = RF ID tags, tag readers, computers and management software. The ‘brain’ is the software
Supplementary equipment improves system efficiency and usefulness
The systems must be able to communicate across the whole supply chain – people and databases

6. Supply chain capacity …
Interest
Engagement
Training, leadership
‘Mental-shift’
Adaptation, development
Precision management

7. All the links in the chain …
Processor(s): existing infrastructure; small plant(s); multi species; electronic systems, grading, data verification; internal data transfer; data exchange between plant, producer, CCIA etc.
SheepCentral database for information exchange, data storage, carcass data, traceability components

8. Making it all work …
Innovation: new ideas, enhanced systems and support structure
Collaborative action: supply chains, organizations, governments
Commitment: program development, funding

9. And the future …
“The food market (including the tagging of farm animals and tracking of fresh produce throughout the supply chain) will rank as the largest RF ID market by The forecast is for worldwide sales of RF ID systems to rise from $531 million US in 2007 to $6.5 billion in 2017.”
(RF ID for Animals, Food and Farming , IdTechEx)