I recently came across traceablecoffee.org, a program that allows consumers, through a code on the bag, to identify their coffee grower. There are over 100 small growers on the site and for each one there is a brief description of their farm. Here, traceability is all about boosting the farmers' income. If you particularly like your cup of joe in the morning, you can send a tip directly their way.
It seems like a great program, but it raises some big questions about the state of our domestic traceability. If we can trace a bag of coffee from a small farm across continents, why can't I check if the carton of eggs in my fridge has been affected by the recent recall? The truth is, there just isn't much incentive for firms to do it. While thinking about my coffee being handpicked on a small farm in Peru might make it more appealing, nothing damages a brand like a daily contamination check. That's not to say there no benefit to domestic companies. Traceability can mean a lot to supply management, allow for product differentiation and better marketing, but it just doesn't offer a payoff for producers when it comes to food safety.
There are three primary causes for shifts in traceability. The first, as we already discussed, is the individual producer, who is usually motivated by product differentiation. The second common cause are industry groups. When industry groups create mandates for traceability, it is usually motivated by food safety. Contaminations that make the news affect the whole market, but fast identification of a source can reduce consumers' mistrust of a product. Finally, the government can change the traceability standards either through mandates or incentives.
