Scanning the horizon

Produce growers have a lot of variables to deal with. Seed selection, weather conditions, spoilage, labor, inventory, billing and regulatory compliance are all factors they face on a daily basis; not to mention demands from distributors, wholesalers and retailers to get the process right.

Now more than ever, growers need reliable scanning and tracking methods to stay ahead of the curve and secure the bottom-line. However, for most large growers, it’s not a matter of making the choice to use scanning and tracking methods, but choosing the right software and devices at a price they can afford — and to keep up with the ever changing demands of technology.

“I think in general it’s safe to say that compared to traditional industries, wholesale manufacturers and distributors of, say, furniture, the horticulture industry is behind,” says Greg Lafferty of Practical Software Solutions.

“Growers have issues others don’t have,” he continues. “Not only are there some general adoption issues, they also have some environments and things that traditional manufacturers just don’t have. Most of the manufacturers I deal with don’t water their product. It’s just a naturally dirty, wet environment,” he says. In addition, the product also has to be tracked in the field under variable weather conditions and often far from a Wi-Fi connection.
 

Let’s get digital

A scanning and tracking system keeps things organized for growers, tracking things like ready dates, inputs, projected yields, costs and moving it through inventory to a wholesaler or retailer.

“It’s important from a recall perspective, and for trend analysis, what worked well, what didn’t,” says Lafferty of the use of scanning and tracking software. “A grower can anticipate bottom line impacts.”

To meet the everyday challenges of growers, at least two dozen software companies provide end-to-end tracking software and mobile technology that attempts to tackle these challenges. Of course, it comes with a price. Adopting a fully integrated scanning and tracking system is a pricey endeavor, says Lafferty, but one that also pays off in the long run.

“I look at what is to be gained more than cost,” he says. “When you scan, you minimize human error and increase speed and accuracy. Time equals money, and on a recall situation, accuracy equals a lot of money.”

The savings can end up in the millions. Ron Myers, executive vice-president of LINKFRESH, related one story of a farmer who needed help to stay on his farm and remain profitable. The farmer discovered that in the course of a year he’d lost a million dollars. He said there was no better time, in his opinion, to invest in a fully integrated scanning and tracking system.

And of course, the big wholesalers and retailers demand it. Stores like Walmart want to know, for instance, what different types of apples are coming, on how many carts or containers. If the order isn’t right, the grower gets docked for it.

Software companies continually work to keep up with the demands of the food production business. To this end, they both have tech behemoths behind them, ensuring they have the capabilities to keep up with the changing tech environment.

As for dealing with that “wet and dirty” product, Lafferty says correct positioning of tags in pots and cheat sheets that allow growers to scan in a product help a lot. Of course, it gets much easier when the produce gets into a bin or packaging box.

“The fun part about scanning is it’s as easy as using an ATM or viewing a webpage, the productivity of the user goes way up,” Myers says.
 

Phones, tablets and beyond

It’s not just adopting scanning methods in the field or better tracking of a product, but a total tech solution that integrates all aspects of a business.

“There are different levels of deployment,” Myers says. He says in Phase One or Two they may still be using pen and paper and spreadsheets. He adds they may have gotten along fine for years like this but it affects the profitability of a company to not be fully integrated."

Mobile is a buzzword in just about every sector these days, and it certainly applies to produce growers. Myers says employees can use their favorite device, whether it be iPhone, iPad, or a rugged tablet, to input necessary data in the field. That data can then be uploaded, preferably automatically, as a person gets close enough to a Wi-Fi connection.

While some growers struggle to keep up, the industry is already moving to a new phase: cloud technology — or storing data where it can be accessed from anywhere on any device. While it may all sound a bit overwhelming, many companies have the expertise to get a grower set up with the latest technology, which will make a grower’s life much easier and profitable.

Neil Moran is a horticulturist and freelance writer based in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.