Part III:Report on IDTechEx Food Traceability 2006
2006 2월22일
RFID - Tracking, Tracing and Managing Sheep and Sheep Products in Australia was covered by Professor James Rowe, of the Australian Sheep Industries Cooperative Research Centre, Australia. Australia is the largest wool producer in the world and its large cattle population is being RFID tagged by law - mainly at LF but with a few HF tags. He worked through:
- The value of using RFID for 'track-and-trace' in small livestock such as sheep is increased by improved management efficiency
- Rapid improvement of RFID technology is occurring in parallel with developments in computer-based animal handling equipment. Put the two together and the enhanced functionality is set to benefit production and the value chain
- This paper describes practical details of automated RFID data collection in live animals and in an abattoir environment
- A pilot project to link animal production data with meat traceability aims to provide the desired product authenticity as well as feedback for more efficient production and processing.We are making good progress in building the management systems that add value while ensuring safe food
- The 'e-$heep' story provides updates on recent technical developments and new information on the value case combining animal and meat traceability with more profitable management systems.
Prof Rowe is happy with LF tagging, one benefit being that the same readers can be used for both sheep and cattle.




William Pape, CEO, AgInfoLink Global, USA covered traceability experience: real-world learnings, because his company has extensive experience from across the world in managing traceability schemes taking inputs from all manner of identity and data carriers. He was all for moving beyond compliance to "value traceability" and he spelt out what are the real-world "value traceability" costs and benefits
Jerry Horne, Solutions Key Account Manager of lead sponsor Markem, USA/Europe gave a lucid presentation of "Implementing Traceability in the Production Environment: Lessons Learned" including
- Challenges of production
- How to gain visibility into product flow
- Tracking versus tracing: creating downstream and upstream linkages
- Barcode or RFID? Which solution, where
- Benefits beyond regulatory compliance



The IDTechEx conference Food Traceability 2006, held on February 1-2 2006 in Dallas, USA, was a great success with attendance from 13 countries. There was a consensus that track, trace and identify are merging as both sciences and needs. Requirements and executions before and after the farm gate are also becoming seamless. These barriers are rapidly breaking down. New sources of data such as RFID, 2D barcodes and widespread DNA analysis are creating a challenge in the sheer volume of data generated. www.trackingfood.com 
Miss the event? Don't miss out! Purchase the presentations and audio records at www.trackingfood.com 
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