lettuce, tomatoes, and RFID

In the not-so-distant future, RFID and sensor technology could revolutionize the produce supply chain, making it possible for, say, a bag of lettuce to emit a signal if it becomes contaminated during its journey. More immediately, RFID is helping suppliers get fruits and vegetables to store shelves more quickly and efficiently.

In a pilot that began late last year, thousands of reusable containers equipped with multi-cycle RFID tags are being used in grower fields in Washington and California. During the trial, testers are monitoring the tags to see how well they stand up to abuse, beginning with exposure to mud, a range of weather conditions, and rough handling in the field.

From there, produce in the containers is shipped to Wal- Mart distribution centers, where it's cleaned. At the DCs, the containers and tags undergo washing, additional handling, refrigeration, and storage before being sent on to retail stores. Eventually, the containers in the pilot test are collapsed and sent back through the supply chain for more cleaning, handling, and storage. Each container is going through a minimum of three cycles of use.At the end of each cycle, the RFID tags are tested for viability and then re-encoded for the next cycle. The six-month field trial should end this spring.

"There has never been an RFID-related field trial of this magnitude in the United States with so many key supply chain partners," says Fred Heptinstall, senior vice president and general manager of IFCO Systems' Reusable Plastic Container Division and president of the Reusable Pallet & Container Coalition (RPCC). "The level of cooperation within the industry is truly remarkable. And if the field trial results mirror the data from the laboratory testing, we will prove unequivocally that reusables are the enabler to the cost-effective use of RFID technology."

Lab tests of 230 reusable containers conducted over the last year revealed 100 percent read rates, something that has never before been achieved in the industry. The research, which was conducted at Michigan State University, included more than 160 hours of testing and more than 14,000 tests. The three tags that performed best during the tests are being used in the field trial.

"The durability and readability of the RFID tags during the lab tests were superb," says Pat Kennedy of the Kennedy Group, who is the project leader for the RPCC. "The information gathered from these studies will help businesses make data-driven decisions about the cost effectiveness and feasibility of incorporating reusable containers into their supply chains from an enhanced track and trace perspective."