Modeling traceability information in soybean value chains

Identification of the information to be recorded is the most important requirement for developing an effective traceability system. In this paper, we present a soybean value chain and model the information capture by three links in the chain including the farming, bulk handling and processing sectors. Internal information capture points were identified for each sector and the corresponding traceability information to be recorded was determined. In-depth analyses were conducted for a soybean elevator and an oil and meal processor to determine the importance of traceability information from their perspective. A lot of information is available at different links in the soybean value chain. The method presented here can be used to create a standardized list of data elements that need to be recorded internally or exchanged with other links in the chain. A UML class diagram is developed to represent a method for modeling the product, process, quality and transformation information at any link in the chain. Finally, some suitable technologies for electronic information exchange within the food supply chains are presented. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.