Though this pilot program links just three parties-a protein plant, a distribution center, and several quick-service restaurants-one day, GSF believes the program could be used to link the entire beef lifecycle, from the ranch to the restaurant.

Working together, the technologies render a level of transparency, safety, and trust the industry has never seen before. This summer, they began piloting a solution that combines radio-frequency identification (RFID) to automatically track fresh beef’s movement, IoT devices to monitor its temperature, and blockchain technology to orchestrate the business rules between parties in the supply chain.

GSF and IBM believe they can address the issue with a combination of advanced technologies. And those systems are not designed to track one of the most essential elements in the beef’s journey-the temperature at which it’s kept. Software systems designed to connect them, however, typically require a lot of manual inputs, are prone to errors, and encounter inherent delays. Each business along that product lifecycle keeps its own meticulous records. Before a hamburger lands on a customer’s plate, at least half a dozen businesses- ranches, feedlots, packers, processors, distribution centers, and restaurants- have had a hand in its creation and transportation. The beef supply chain, in particular, is highly segmented and only growing in complexity. They want to feel comfortable that the restaurants they’re walking into did everything they possibly could to protect the product and to ensure it’s being served over the counter safely,” said Gregg Tarlton, the East Coast Regional Operations Director for Quality Custom Distribution, a subsidiary of the protein product provider Golden State Foods (GSF).īut tracking exactly what happens to beef from farm to fork in near real- time is not easy for any company. “I think consumers are more educated today. For a long time, most people were fine with that. But for many Americans, how that beef gets to their plates is something of a mystery. In 2016, American beef consumption was the fourth highest in the world per capita, and four times higher than the world average.

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