Honeysuckle White, Cargill launch farmer-specific turkey traceability

Company uses first-to-market blockchain solution that allows consumers to see which farmer raised each turkey.

Starting this Thanksgiving, consumers can trace fresh Honeysuckle White brand turkeys from a family farm to their table by simply texting or entering an on-package code at HoneysuckleWhite.com. There, they’ll find the farm’s location by state and county, view the family farm story, see photos from the farm, and read a message from the farmer. Source: Honeysuckle White Brand

This Thanksgiving, consumers will be able to trace Honeysuckle White brand turkeys from a family farm to their table.

As part of a pilot project the company is doing with Cargill, consumers in select markets will be able to simply text or enter an on-package code at HoneysuckleWhite.com to access the farm's location by state and county, view the family farm story, see photos from the farm and read a message from the farmer.

"The Honeysuckle White brand is committed to food transparency and we're the only major turkey brand to exclusively provide family farm-raised turkey," says Deborah Socha, Honeysuckle White brand manager. "We know consumers are looking beyond farm-to-table marketing promises to better understand where their food comes from and how it is produced.”

The Honeysuckle White brand is the first and only major turkey brand to pilot a blockchain-based solution for traceable turkey, which is enabled by Cargill.

Blockchain models build a trusted, transparent food chain that integrate key stakeholders into the supply chain and create a distributed ledger with immutable records.

Because all participants inside the blockchain network must agree before a new record is added to a ledger, the technology also reduces the risk of fraud or human error, and cryptography within the network ensures security, authentication and integrity of transactions.

"At Cargill, we are becoming a better partner through digitalization and analytics, identifying opportunities to use technology to deliver real value for customers, partners and consumers," says Deb Bauler, Cargill chief information officer for North American Protein. "The transparency pilot with Honeysuckle White brand turkeys is one example of how we are using technology to shape the food system of the future and deliver on consumers' desire for transparency in food."

Cargill will use the pilot as an opportunity to learn more about the value of traceability in its turkey supply chain.

Honeysuckle White is the only leading turkey brand to exclusively work with family farmers to provide consumers family farm-raised turkey and is the first and only major turkey brand to pilot an effort to show consumers where their turkey was raised and the family who raised it.

"I'm honored that the Honeysuckle White brand asked me to be one of the first farmers to make it possible for families to trace their turkey back to my family's farm," says family farmer Darrell Glaser, of Milam County, Texas. "Everyone deserves to know more about the food they're eating, and I like feeling more connected to the people I'm raising these turkeys for. It's important for me that consumers understand the care my family puts in every day to provide quality turkeys for families across the country."

Turkeys that are part of the Honeysuckle White brand transparency pilot will be primarily available in retailers in the Texas market for the pilot year.

For more information: Cargill, visit Cargill.com.

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Crystal Lindell has more than 10 years of journalism experience, and worked primarily at daily newspapers before joining BNP Media 2010. Before joining Food Engineering as the Managing Editor, she was the managing editor of a sister publication, Candy Industry Magazine, where she learned first-hand the joys of eating chocolate for breakfast. Lindell holds a master’s degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois – Springfield and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Western Illinois University.