Digital grain passports set to launch in 2023

The UK’s first digital grain passports could be implemented as soon as June next year, according to a proposed AHDB timeline.

A prototype system is being developed following an industry-wide consultation.

The system is due to be presented to the grain chain in September, with further consultations taking place in October, before the build phase begins.

See also: Futures contracts: Farmer views wanted

The AHDB is heading the project and holding regular meetings with the Cereals Liaison Group, which is made up of a range of trade associations, including the NFU, Agricultural Industries Confederation, the Road Haulage Association and UK Flour Millers.

The proposed timeline would see the digital grain passports tested and launched in June 2023 for wheat, and then for all crops in September 2023.

Old-style paper passports are due to be gradually replaced from September 2023 until the end of the transition in September 2025, when paper passports use will cease.

The cost of the development and implementation of the digital passports is estimated at £1.64m over three years and will be funded through the AHDB’s cereals and oilseeds levy.

Derek Carless, AHDB head of farm economics, said: “A digital passport will mean the supply chain will no longer have to keep stocks of paper passports or worry about not having the correct stickers. Everything will be available at the touch of a button, digitally.

“It will create a two-way data flow for all combinable crop supply chains within the UK. For the first time ever, this will mean there is a universal system of returning weight and quality back to growers in a timely fashion.”

NFU combinable crops board appointee James Mills is part of the passport steering group and said the idea was initially put forward to drive supply chain efficiency.

Mr Mills said the NFU pushed for digital grain passports to feed back information from intake to the farm in a timely fashion, so that farmers can make decisions about the quality and potential for rejections at intakes before more lorries leave the farm.

“That feedback of information has to be available on the farm from the word go, so anyone using the digital passport must receive that feedback, otherwise the wider benefits are probably more limited on farm,” said Mr Mills.

“The wider benefits for the rest of the supply chain vary from intake efficiency to knowing where lorries are at any one time,” he added.

How would it work?

Growers are due to have access to an online web portal to create batches of grain ahead of time.

On the day of grain collection, both grower and driver would complete a declaration and electronically sign the passport using a mobile app.

The grower would then be able to see when the grain is delivered and access weight and grain quality data.

Challenges

One challenge will be the requirement for digital technology to be used throughout the supply chain, which means there could be issues in terms of data security, system crashes and continuity.

The use of smartphones and the requirement for a data signal could also pose a challenge in some rural areas.

The overlap of paper and digital passports may create some issues, but with the project still in the consultation process, these issues may yet be resolved.