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Food tracking puts the consumer in control

The food industry is marked by issues around labelling – where does it come from? Is it really made in Australia if it's only packed here? Should GMO products be labelled?

Submissions close soon regarding the Government's proposed Australian Made labelling laws, however simple country-of-origin labelling doesn't protect consumers against issues like the 2015 hepatitis berry scare. And an increasingly discerning consumer means manufacturers have to face concerns about what's in the food we're eating, which also means transparency about ingredients.

One Australian food company has actively chosen transparency to stand out in the crowded marketplace.

Kialla Pure Foods, Australia's largest organic grain milling operation, has created the Plate2Farm tracker. Using existing technologies such as QR codes, mobile phones and the internet the consumer can trace the product in hand back to the actual farmer who grew it.

This information has to be accurate and reliable so it goes beyond marketing spin.

The tool that really puts the tracker ahead of other 'fork-to-farmer' features out in the market place is the traceability built into the organic certification system. All certified producers are audited regularly to check compliance with organic requirements. Any grains received at the Kialla mill must have a unique batch number, allowing full traceability from the product back to grower.

The motivation behind such business transparency is not just to let people know 'where it comes from', but also the 'how' and the 'why'.

The tracker not only provides videos, photos and locale maps, it also goes into some depth about organic farming practices. This means it's not simply a slick feel-good marketing tool reassuring shoppers that their produce really has been grown by Aussies. Organic certification ensures that consumers have accurate and reliable information.

Organics is now a $1.7 billion business in Australia and growing rapidly (13.9% annually).

It's rise is in large part due to people's increasing interest in health, with growing concerns about the role pesticides are allegedly playing in diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and Parkinsons, as well as birth defects.

The initiative has been well received by Kialla's local international clients. It means the product's consumers around the world are now able to interact with the tracker, using the batch number on each packet to find out about the farmer, and the company's processing methods.

Kialla's Managing Director, Quentin Kennedy says this tool provides consumers with the honesty and transparency they expect.

“We thought, why not use traceability inherent in organics to give people a genuine insight into where their food has come from and who was responsible for making it? Labelling and ingredients are an increasing concern. The more people know about food sources the more they can make informed choices.”

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