1MG FlippingBooks
Blockchain to boost food security and provenance
Staff writers
Blockchain has become a bit of a buzzword of late but it is a technology few understand. How can it actually help Australian farmers and agribusinesses? We spoke with Shahid Saiyad, a blockchain expert working for IBM in New Zealand, to get to the bottom of the blockchain puzzle.
Blockchain, invented in 2008 to serve as the public ledger of bitcoin, is most simply explained as a shared, unchangeable list of records that automates the process of tracking transactions, interactions and assets in a business network.
While it was originally developed for cryptocurrencies, innovative companies and people are using blockchain for purposes as diverse as tracking music distribution, online electoral voting, selling their own healthcare data to insurers and faster financial transactions. It is even being used in developing nations to reduce corruption and encourage co-operatives in the food supply chain.
While Australian farmers may not suffer the pain of corruption and food contamination like their counterparts in developing nations, blockchain still offers a potentially important boost to our food industry.
“When Australian or New Zealand farmers are exporting specialty or premium products such as honey, beef or wool, they want to preserve the brand in foreign markets and make sure the supply chain has been well-managed,” says Shahid. “A blockchain platform gives an assurance to your consumers that you have provenance.
“I’m not saying provenance is impossible in today’s world, but with blockchain it becomes more transparent and easier to prove to a customer.”
This also extends to domestic markets where blockchain has an important role to play in a society that is becoming increasingly conscious and selective about the ethical sourcing of food products.
“Blockchain technology can build trust and consumer awareness in your product,” says Shahid. “Rather than just trusting the food chain to deliver them the right stuff, customers could scan the label on a punnet of strawberries to instantly discover where they were grown, when they were packaged and how they were transported.”
IBM was one of the first companies to come up with a global food integrity platform using blockchain – the IBM Food Trust. The Food Trust connects its participants via a permanent and shared record of details (food origin, processing data, shipping details, etc.) to provide transparency and accountability in each step of the supply chain.
While the genesis of the platform was to tackle issues with meat contamination in China, the opportunities to integrate the supply chain saw growers, processors, distributors, packing companies and food companies from around the world get involved.
And although the technology might sound complex, the barriers to entry for your average farmer are very low.
“We are not expecting farmers to invest in technology to be able use blockchain – a platform could be accessed via something as simple as a smartphone app,” says Shahid. “The key for farmers is that, with the right blockchain platform, they can turn their product into a premium product simply through proof of compliance and conditions.
“It’s about maximising profitability, first and foremost. But if you have a problem with a food-borne illness or an issue with quality, then the faster you can detect that issue, the more you’re going to minimise loss. That’s what a blockchain platform in agriculture can offer.”
A blockchain platform for agriculture may sound like a futuristic ideal, but in this case the future is here now. IBM’s Food Trust platform has already seen over one million food data transactions and that number is growing by the second. It may not be long at all until this technology is the norm for the Australian food supply chain.
NEWS
Prodoz, a Proudly Australian and family-owned agribusiness, based in Melbourne, is strengthening its positions as national/international leader in advanced crop – science solutions through a growing portfolio of global innovation partners and a distribution footprint supported by all major distributors - includes Nutrien Ag, Elders, Lindsay Rural and Independent Rural stores.
Australia’s climate is tougher than ever. Heat spikes, dry periods, salinity, waterlogging and sudden frost events are becoming an everyday part of farmers lives.
Trace minerals are required for optimal growth, reproduction, and immunity. Optimising trace mineral status relying solely on oral supplements across a herd may fail because of variation in individual intake and reduced absorption due to antagonism of other ration components and minerals. The use of injectable trace mineral supplements has been associated with positive reproductive outcomes including improved conception rate, increased odds of pregnancy and greater final in calf rate. A study conducted on 2,168 dairy cows, administered injectable trace minerals, four weeks prior to calving and again four weeks prior to the start of mating showed treated animals had a 3.3 per cent greater final in-calf rate, and a reduced time from start of mating to conception, compared to control animals 1 . The Importance of B12 Dr Carl Eden, Technical Services Veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim says “Vitamin B12 is sometimes referred to as a ‘super vitamin’ because it is only required in very small amounts but vital to many essential metabolic pathways. However, demand for B12 can vary considerably during the year and we see serum levels of B12 fall at critical times, such as the first few months after calving.” Vitamin B12 contains cobalt, so deficiency in cobalt can lead to deficiency in vitamin B12 because ruminants get most of their B12 as a byproduct of ruminal fermentation where the bacteria in their rumen assemble B12 from cobalt for use by the cow. Sub-optimal trace mineral and vitamin B12 status at calving, mating, and drying off has been shown to negatively impact growth, reproduction, and immunity. Using a trace mineral injectable containing vitamin B12 can improve trace mineral and vitamin B12 status at these critical times. Marks-Min with Vitamin B12 – The Evidence In the largest trace element study to date, Marks-Min Injectable Trace Mineral with Vitamin B12 demonstrated remarkable results when compared to a reference trace mineral injection. “Given the differences between Marks-Min and other products on the market, we wanted to generate a compelling data set to demonstrate how effective it was compared to the pioneer product. We entrusted this work to a third-party research company” says Dr Eden. “We chose farms that were at the top of their game from a reproductive perspective. We made sure that the farms had no evidence of trace element or vitamin B12 deficiencies or excess.” Across all outcomes of interest, Marks-Min demonstrated clear non-inferiority when compared to the reference product. Outcomes measured included submission, pregnancy and conception rates, and six week in-calf rate. Marks-Min demonstrated it is highly suited as an alternative treatment to the reference product. Reference: 1. Hawkins, D., and B. V. S. Franklin. New Zealand Dairy Veterinarians Newsletter 24 (2007): 12-16 Company website: livestockfirst.com.au Company email address: CustomerCare.Australia@boehringer-ingelheim.com Company video: https://vimeo.com/1138807630?fl=pl&fe=cm
Find out why the first summer drench can be so important in protecting your flock’s health, plus what to look for in your summer drench of choice.
A NSW-based innovator has developed a patent-pending, front-mounted firefighting and utility system for tractors, giving farmers instant, in-cab-controlled fire suppression, water and fuel on hand, and safer solo operations.
Barko Security is bringing drone technology to agriculture while building on a decade of security and a lifetime of agricultural know-how.
