Botsford & Goodfellow Launches Traceability Initiative with HarvestMark®

Botsford & Goodfellow Launches Traceability Initiative with HarvestMark®

Oregon-based produce shipper employs both PTI and item-level traceability for its popular Hermiston watermelons

Redwood City, Calif. – June 15, 2010 – YottaMark, Inc., the leader in traceability and authentication solutions, today announced that Botsford & Goodfellow has selected its HarvestMark® solution for its watermelon traceability initiative. The Oregon-based company distributes both conventional and organic Hermiston watermelons across the Northwest. The company will work with five watermelon suppliers - Bellinger Farms, Pollock & Son Farms, Steve Walker Farms, Walchli Farms, and Walchli Ranches – to deploy PTI and item-level traceability program beginning this month.

“We decided to implement both PTI and item traceability because we saw the value in taking the lead and getting onboard now - ahead of the deadline - to comply with the industry initiative while also creating a new way to connect with consumers and promote our watermelons, our farmers and growing practices,” said Chris McNamee, vice president, Botsford & Goodfellow. “We selected HarvestMark as it is the most respected and widely deployed solution in the watermelon industry, and we knew that we would achieve the type of results we wanted quickly and efficiently.”

Botsford & Goodfellow will deploy HarvestMark PTI to simplify the GTIN assignment process, and easily apply PTI-compliant labels to each watermelon bin. HarvestMark PTI systems will be used at each packinghouse to meet the labeling requirements and automatically capture key harvest and packing data. Individual watermelons will also carry a unique HarvestMark traceability code, which links to specific harvest and packing information. The code can be entered at HarvestMark.com for instant access to product and traceability information. The HarvestMark-enabled watermelons can even be traced using an iPhone. Once the code is entered or scanned, users can retrieve key product and harvest attributes including brand profile, food safety notices, product distribution details and quality data. The system also provides growers feedback on time-to-market and distribution. Today, more than 150 produce brands are using the HarvestMark system for their traceability initiatives with more than 50 companies deploying the HarvestMark PTI solution.

“Botsford & Goodfellow’s decision to implement a comprehensive traceability program underscores their leadership and commitment to a safe and efficient supply chain,” said J. Scott Carr, president and CEO, YottaMark. “Recognizing the need to implement traceability across growers, harvest work flows, and regions, forward-thinking companies realize the benefits of starting their traceability programs now. Moms repeatedly share with us the value they place on connecting with the source of their products and learning more about the food they feed their families. We applaud Botsford & Goodfellow for taking this initiative and look forward to working with them to roll out a successful and valuable traceability program.”

The HarvestMark PTI suite of solutions provides packers and shippers easy-to-install and simple-to-use tools to print PTI compliant case labels either on-demand or in volume; at the packing shed, on a pack-out line, in the field, or at a cooler. Producers can also easily associate additional information with a case, such as logos, GPS coordinates, crew ID, or pallet ID. Each label is also printed with the VoiceCode™ and a unique HarvestMark Code that makes the case instantly traceable at HarvestMark.com. The HarvestMark item-level solutions are the food industry’s leading method for directly connecting with the consumer. Each of these products makes traceability and supply chain information available through the HarvestMark.com portal. Producers, produce buyers, and consumer at home can instantly access harvest and logistics data, food safety status, and details of the source and grower when and where it’s needed.