The document outlines Ontario's food safety and traceability initiatives, focusing on funding of $12 million to support producers and processors through reimbursement for implementing food safety programs and traceability systems. It highlights collaborative opportunities for improved visibility in the food supply chain and showcases a successful traceability pilot program in Hawaii using RFID technology to enhance food safety. Additionally, it emphasizes training offerings from GS1 Ontario to aid small and medium enterprises in adopting advanced technologies linked to productivity growth.

1. FOOD TRACEABILITY IN ONTARIO Approach? Solutions? Funding?

2. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Food Safety and Traceability Initiative – Funding $12M Ontario FSTI provides 50% reimbursement of eligible expenses up to a maximum of $25,000 to: implement written food safety programs implement a working traceability system assist in the purchase and installation of equipment that improves food safety or traceability train staff to increase the adoption of food safety and traceability Growing Forward FSTI proactively manages risks and responds to market demands by providing cost-share funding to individual producer and processing facilities to support the implementation of written food safety programs and working traceability systems. DESCRIPTION: This funding, part of Growing Forward , will help facilities adopt food safety and traceability practices. These practices help producers and processors respond to market demands for safe food and improve product tracking. FSTI provides reimbursement of eligible expenses to: implement written food safety programs implement a working traceability system assist in the purchase and installation of equipment that improves food safety or traceability train staff to increase the adoption of food safety and traceability OPPORTUNITY: 1. Food Traceability ACTION Help channel partners , identify, apply and win project grants to position future Motorola solution technology. Contact Ministry of Rural Affairs to help Motorola organize an industry-leading initiative for Ontario growers, distributors and retailers to collaborate on a “gate-to-plate” traceability pilot.

3. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs “ Gate-to-Plate” FOOD TRACEABILITY Ontario's Agri-food sector is one of the province's leading industries, contributing more than $33 billion to the economy every year. In its first three years, the Premier's Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence has attracted more than 550 applications highlighting on-farm innovations. DESCRIPTION: This funding, part of Growing Forward , will help facilities adopt food safety and traceability practices. These practices help producers and processors respond to market demands for safe food and improve product tracking. FSTI provides reimbursement of eligible expenses to: implement written food safety programs implement a working traceability system assist in the purchase and installation of equipment that improves food safety or traceability train staff to increase the adoption of food safety and traceability OPPORTUNITY: 1. Food Traceability ACTION Work with the Ministry to create visibility around rural wireless for “gate-to-plate” farming applications” that enable “real-time” process and inventory control. Work with application ISV’s who can create these kind of applications

4. The State of Hawaii Department of Agriculture and the Hawaii Farm Bureau FOOD TRACEABILITY - SOLUTION In the first phase Lowry Computer Products developed an RFID solution leveraging hardware from Motorola and Symbol Technologies , and Globe Ranger system software. The system pairs waterproof labels with UPM Raflatac Short Dipole UHF inlays with the Lowry Computer Products’ Fresh Harvest Solution to provide real-time supply chain data of when boxed produce is planted and harvested, what pesticides are used and when and where RFID-tagged boxes are scanned. Many of Hawaii’s leading growers, distributors and retailers, including Sugarland Farms, Hamakua Heritage Farms, Kula Country Farms, Maui Pineapple, Twin Bridge Farms, Kahuku Brand, Armstrong Produce and Foodland Stores have chosen to participate in this voluntary program. The initiative tracked several types of fresh produce including e.g. asparagus, eggplants, pineapples and tomatoes. Funding for the pilot program was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Development Alliance of Hawaii, Federal State Marketing Improvement Program, and Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation. The pilot has been awarded with a Computerworld Laureate Gold Medal for using information technology to benefit society. DESCRIPTION: The Hawaii Produce Traceability initiative uses UPM Raflatac RFID inlays to track and trace fresh produce throughout the State’s food supply chain. The innovative initiative, the first of its kind in the US, is designed to promote food safety by providing product visibility down to the farm or even field level. WIRELESS PROJECTS: MC9000 devices RFID WLAN OPPORTUNITY: Food Traceability Reference: Lowry Secure Visibility™ Food Safety is a set of electronic food safety documents designed and customized for mobile computing applications to support food safety plans. 1. What vendor solutions exist in Ontario?

5. GS1 in Ontario According to a recent Statistics Canada report, there is a close link between productivity growth in Canadian businesses - particularly manufacturers - and the use of advanced technologies. The report indicates that companies that adopt technology gain improvements in productivity and market share relative to their peers, making their organization more efficient and competitive. GS1 Canada, in partnership with the Government of Ontario, has designed 12 online modules to meet the business needs - and busy schedules - of small and medium enterprise (SME) owners and their staff. Courses include: The business case for Electronic Product Code/Radio Frequency Identification (EPC/RFID) Track and trace technology Technology: choosing the right tools for trade Commercialization: application groupings and use cases Processes: linking information flow and work flow GS1 Knowledge Centre website at http://www.gs1ca.org/home.asp Who are the organizations participating in GS1 training?