b'TRACEABILITYThe Blockchain Revolution BeginsA pilot project that followed soybeans from seed to the kitchen table shows how blockchain can be used to transform seed and all of agriculture. THE FUTURE IS NOW for farm-to-table traceability thanks to a pilot project that used blockchain technology to follow locally produced certified soybean seed through production and processing, ending with freshly packed tofu hitting grocery store shelves.And according to experts who played a key role in the project, blockchain technology could mean one thing for farmersmore revenue.The pilot was supported by an investment from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canadas Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (now the Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program) and through additional support from Grain Farmers of Ontario. A partnership between the Canadian Seed Growers Association (CSGA) and Grain Discovery, it represents the first time blockchain has been used in the seed industrysomething that CSGAs managing director of certification and technology services, Doug Miller, believes is going to change the seed sector forever.Miller is completing an MBA in business at the University ofCrosby Devitt serves as vice-president of the Grain Growers of Ontario. Guelph and his thesis centres around the use of blockchain in the seed industry. He was heavily involved in the pilot projectfarmer; the farmer who produced grain from the seed; the from start to finish. person who took the grain to the elevator; the elevator that We wanted something we could put in peoples hands thatstored it; the person who transported the grain to the tofu was tactile, that they could interact with and say, This looksmanufacturer; the manufacturer who made those soybeans into just like a normal app, but behind the scenes is the blockchainthe tofu product purchased at the grocery store; and finally the technology that has a lot of potential to bring next-levelcompany that distributed it to grocery stores in Ontario.traceability to market and really fundamentally change things,It provides an opportunity for the end user to dig into a Miller says. specific stage and learn more about the product, says Miller.Its been eye-opening to say the least. This is not a technologyTraditionally, consumers are told that a certain type of that should be feared, but one that should be embracedandsoybean or barley or what-have-you shows up on the scene people are now able to see that. and is then used to make a product. Thats a hugely condensed The pilot created an end-to-end solution to track Identityversion of the story. You cant make tofu with just any soybean, Preserved (IP) soybeans throughout the value chain, from theMiller notes. Thats why IP programs that preserve varietal breeding institution to tofu consumer. Every step the soybeanidentity through the value chain are important and desired by seed took was recorded onto one blockchain, creating a digitalend users.food passport that could be accessed by scanning a QR codeFrom the end users perspective, this provides a curated story. with a phone on the final packaged product. We can tell that farm-to-fork story in a way that resonates with The QR code takes the consumer to a website showing themthem without overloading them with too much data.the entire value chain from beginning to end: the variety ofThat farm-to-fork story is something consumers soybean seed used to produce the tofu; the seed grower whoincreasingly demand, research shows. A recent study provides grew that seed; the person who transported the seed to thefurther understanding into the tides of public opinion around 48seed.ab.ca'