The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA), the US Produce Marketing Association (PMA), and United Fresh Produce Association (United Fresh) have announced in a press release the launch of a new online resource to aid produce companies in the transition to new traceability measures proposed by the joint Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI).
Administered by CPMA, PMA, and United Fresh, the website includes resources and educational tools for those wanting to learn more about the PTI, a list of companies that support the PTI, a bulletin board and Q&A section for industry questions and discussion, a news and events section, a press room containing recent news releases, headshots of spokespersons, contact information and an art gallery.
“The website will be a great resource for any one who wants to know more about the PTI and how to meet the milestones that the steering committee recommended,” said PTI Steering Committee Chair and Food Lion, LLC Chief Operating Officer Cathy Green. “There are still important industry questions that need to be answered and we plan to use the website as an information forum.”
Since October 2008, more than 40 companies from throughout the produce supply chain have endorsed the recommendations developed by the PTI Steering Committee to move the supply chain to a common standard for electronic produce traceability by the end of 2012.
The plan involves adopting a standardized system of case barcoding for all produce sold in the US in order to allow product to be tracked throughout the distribution chain.
