May 3, 2012

PTI survey shows most companies at some level of instituting traceability

A majority of produce industry companies responding to a recent survey conducted by the United Fresh Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) indicate that they are at various stages of initiating traceability programs.Speaking during an educational session at United Fresh 2012 in Dallas, Texas, today, United Fresh Vice President of Supply Chain Management Dan Vache said the survey results were about what he expected.

More than 225 companies representing all produce industry sectors responded, with four leading categories including growers, packers/repackers, shippers and distributors. Twenty-three percent of the respondents were composed of distributors, retailers, foodservice operators and wholesalers or terminal markets.

The survey showed that 85 percent of responding suppliers reported they are communicating GS1 Global Trade Item Numbers to receivers, while 77 percent of brand owners said they have assigned GTINs to some or all of their produce cases.

In addition, 88 percent of receivers report that they are receiving cases with incoming GTINs – unique numbers assigned to each product within a company – and 75 percent report reading or planning on reading data on some or all inbound cases.

Of the total, seven percent of brand owners said they do not plan to meet the entry-level milestones laid out by PTI.

“Relatively few companies responding declared an unwillingness to comply with PTI,” Vache said. “We’ve got those ready to pull the trigger.”

“And we have some, as in every industry, that will sit on the sidelines” until they are forced to comply, Vache added.

PTI is currently voluntary, but Vache said the FDA has been watching and that it wouldn’t be a stretch to anticipate the guildelines PTI has outlined will be mirrored by eventual government action.

“They want electronic traceability,” Vache said. “The ultimate goal here is that customers have confidence.”

The Produce Traceability Initiative is a cooperative effort of the Produce Marketing Association, United Fresh Produce Association, Canadian Produce Marketing Association and GS1 US to implement a standard industry approach that will help speed traceability.

 

 





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