The food and beverage industry is constantly evolving, driven by trends in food manufacturing, processing technology, distribution, consumer preferences, and sustainability practices. One critical and untapped asset for the meat farming sector is data. Accessing and sharing research data can lead to significant improvements within the industry. To achieve this, a robust data infrastructure is necessary, and solutions are rapidly being developed.
One noteworthy project is SmartCow, supported by Horizon 2020, the EU’s research and innovation funding program. SmartCow aims to enhance sustainability in the cattle industry by creating a shared research data platform. By integrating datasets from 14 research groups across Europe, the platform enables improved access to data and the ability to combine and analyze it more effectively. For example, the project has allowed researchers to study how diet affects the release of methane gas from dairy farms by combining data from different methane emission sensors. This has led to the development of new predictors for feed efficiency, methane emissions, and animal health status.
Agrimetrics, the UK ag-tech start-up behind the data platform, is committed to making data more accessible and usable for the food system’s challenges. Richard Tiffin, Agrimetrics Chief Scientist, states, “The SmartCow project enabled us to understand how we can make livestock data available beyond research projects.” Although the SmartCow project has ended, Agrimetrics continues to host the platform and anticipates further insights and improvements to the social, environmental, and financial sustainability of cattle farming as more datasets are added. The platform will also be used in the UK government agency Defra’s new Data Services Platform, openly sharing environmental data with a wide range of users.
Furthermore, Agrimetrics has launched the ForestMind project to assist food producers and retailers in assessing deforestation risks in their supply chains. By using a data exchange system, ForestMind analysts can visualize various data combinations, such as farm locations, land use, protected biodiversity areas, and deforestation detection data from multiple satellites. Through automated reports, the project identifies instances of illegal deforestation. One notable application was its use by UK supermarket Sainsbury’s in 2022, leveraging remote sensing techniques to identify unlicensed deforestation related to soy production.
The need for supply chain intelligence, such as that provided by these projects, is expected to become invaluable for the food and drinks industry. Companies are increasingly seeking to leverage data banks to enhance supply chain traceability and provenance in response to consumer, investor, and governmental pressures. Oritain, a New Zealand-based technology company, offers a solution by tracing product origins using geochemical fingerprints. This forensic science approach verifies supply chains, prevents fraud and counterfeiting, and protects products in international markets. Oritain’s technology has been successfully used across various sectors, including meat, honey, milk, coffee, and wine.
Transparency and provenance data are especially crucial in light of recent scandals that have shaken the meat industry. Oritain’s Global Head of Corporate Affairs, Freddie Duffield, emphasizes the importance of data in meeting legislative requirements and avoiding reputational damage caused by fraud. Consumers are also demanding more information about the origin of their food, and the industry must provide unambiguous details. Duffield concludes, “The technology is available now; it’s not science fiction. It doesn’t cost the earth but will help us protect it.”
In summary, the food and beverage industry is embracing data-driven solutions to address challenges and drive innovation. Projects like SmartCow and ForestMind demonstrate the power of integrated datasets in improving sustainability and traceability. Additionally, technology companies like Oritain offer valuable tools to verify supply chains and protect against fraud. As the industry continues to evolve, leveraging data and embracing transparency will be essential for long-term success.
