July 25, 2018

New blockchain platform used to improve supply chain transparency

In the south-eastern part of US, an advanced form of blockchain-based platform is being used to improve supply chain transparency of the meat industry.

Recently announced by US agribusiness company, Kelly Products, the platform is designed to help improve the transparency of the Georgia beef industry supply chain.

The way the system works for the meat industry is that each action is verified by all computers within a blockchain's network, before being stored in a 'chain' of blocks of data that cannot be amended at a later date, which ensures that the data about a product's source remains reliable and free from tampering or corruption.

"Utilising blockchain technology for our new tracking system gives producers the opportunity to streamline their protein tracking and making it extremely accessible and transparent," Stuart Edmonson, chief technology officer, Kelly Registration Systems, pointed out.

The technology will be of great assistance to those in the global meat industry, including partners, retailers and consumers that struggle with issues relating to supply chain transparency.

It enables them to access a trove of information, such as the animal's breed, sire and sex, alongside details of vaccinations, any antibiotics or growth hormones that has been given and its weight and rate of growth over time.

Additionally, it will also provide information about the animal's feed, the location of the farm and any previous owners as well as key details about the date it was slaughtered and processed.

While Kelly Products is starting the system relatively small, it has major plans for expanding the blockchain tool across the region.

Keith Kelly, president and chief executive officer of Kelly Products, shared:

"We plan to start the blockchain with our own animals and then expand it to other members of the meat processing and supply chain across the state of Georgia and the south-east. We believe transparency and food safety are top priorities, not only for our consumers at Farmview Market but for our state's entire food system."