QR Codes to Aid Cut Flower Biosecurity Initiative

Canada: Floriculture turning on traceability

Ontario's floriculture industry is implementing a traceability system that links products to farmers. Flowers Canada (Ontario) says the members' only website and traceability QR code opens the opportunity for products to be scanned and origins to be located.  A QR (quick read) code is a machine-readable code of black and white squares, typically used for storing URLs or other information that is read by the camera on a smartphone. FCO's QR codes, that are unique with each participant, will be available for use on stickers, packaging, business cards, labels and signs.

Implementation of the QR codes is part of FCO’s biosecurity project, called B-Fast B-Secure. The traceability and biosecurity project will provide floricultural producers in Ontario with the tools they need to respond quickly to any quarantine issues, the association says. The traceability system has been developed in a comprehensive traceability strategy for the movement of all plants and plant materials.

Along with a traceability system, the QR coding will also allow the FCO to create a single source of plant information, says Nikki Gomes, FCO’s Director of Marketing. “Our members have been waiting for a unified portal where they can promote their greenhouse products, provide plant care tips and track results, which will all be driven by efficient and unique QR codes" Gomes says. "This is a great way to assist growers in the development of an innovative information share application.”

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