Food security has never been higher on the government agenda or on consumers’ radars. When supply issues and shortages leave supermarket shelves empty, it hammers home just how finely balanced and global the UK food system is. While multiple factors affect global food imports, these supply shocks are a good reminder for us to look at how we’re producing food ‘at home’ as effectively and consistently as possible. By Jamie McInnes.

Technology is a big opportunity here, but to date innovation has focused rather heavily on the field. Innovations in production such as genetics and machinery have optimised production and driven sustainability in arable and livestock farming. But driving efficiency and sustainability in the post-production supply chain is too often overlooked; digitising the farm to factory supply chain is a huge untapped opportunity and is critical to assuring food security. And there are some easy wins to start with.

Increasing visibility and traceability is crucial

The quick wins in question are improving visibility - the ease of access to real-time information on the status of livestock or crop - and traceability - being able to trace the movement of livestock and crop from farms to the end consumer. Refining these main focus points will benefit the entire supply chain, but it all starts right at the beginning on the farm.

Optimised visibility on the farm leads to enhanced insights flowing from farm to factory, allowing better understanding of production as a whole and also providing insights back to farmers to guide the vital and often costly ‘bets’ they are placing on what they grow and rear each year.

So how can farming businesses boost their efficiency?

Admin is an essential, if time-consuming, part of any business, so making this process as streamlined and swift as possible can give back valuable time for those involved. Digitised inventory reporting, for example, could make it far easier for farm businesses to know just how much stock they have and where it’s going, as well as making information sharing within the business more straightforward. With inventory reports of the same detail and quality across the supply chain, admin communication can be one less headache for a famously busy industry.

Traceability is another big area of opportunity in digitising the post-production supply chain. For example, when grain leaves arable farms, key information such as when and where the crop has been harvested, the quality, how it’s been stored and so on can often be lost as it moves from farm to mill/port. This information can be critical for those in the supply chain and the demand for more detailed information about produce and the ability to help solve quality disputes will only increase as sustainability drives change from production to consumption.  

Trade is another ‘low hanging fruit’ in the digitisation drive. Having a central record of previous sales allows farm businesses to know their exact position and check their price performance is on track. This also makes it easier to build a clearer picture of food security during times when this is critical. With this level of insight always available, wherever they might be, farmers and farm businesses can more easily track where stock/produce is stored.

A final area of focus when crops and livestock leave the farm is in transportation. Better information can help farmers and buyers make smarter decisions about what they source from where, reducing food miles and increasing sustainability as well as making logistics easier for farmers. The haulage industry is rife with inefficiency and ‘empty miles’, but new tools are changing this and ‘Uberising’ how loads are moved. This means easier and faster haulage booking for farmers, getting stock where it is needed in the best condition and less stress on livestock, and a better more efficient business for hauliers – a win for all.   

A sustainable, digital farming future

Farming has been spoiled with in-field advances and innovation, but the ‘back office’ has been largely forgotten. It’s time to change that and to recognise the hidden inefficiencies that exist in the farm to factory supply chain. These inefficiencies hit farmers’ bottom lines and multiply-up across the UK food supply chain into significant food security and sustainability challenges. Making small and simple changes in farm businesses with the support of new digital tools, will go a long way to making farmers' lives easier, more profitable and to create a secure and sustainable food future for the UK.