(RFID World Canada) Federal funding of over $110,000 has been granted to Quebec’s maple syrup producing federation so that they can test and examine the traceability of RFID (radio frequency identification) chips.
The Federal Canadian Integrated Food Safety Initiative (CIFSI) granted the Federation des producteurs acericoles due Quebec (FPAQ) a funding of $110,620 in total for the study.
In a release, the government stated that the funding has been granted to study the use of RFID chips on maple syrup barrels. The FPAQ believes that the RFID tracking system will provide better readability and identification capacity in addition to making the movement of the syrup at various stages transparent. The government further added that with the barrels being traceable, the quality of the syrup will also be improved because of a higher level of monitoring.
Each year 160,00 to 225,000 barrels of syrup are made and sold each year in Quebec and due to the high number of stakeholders, the RFID system will only enhance the follow-up procedure of sales, according to the FFAQ president, Serge Beaulieu.
The CIFSI supports national organizations to initiate traceability systems.
In a release, Quebec’s MP, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, who is the federal minister of state for agriculture, said that the funding will aid in improving the quality of syrup that is sold across Canada and it will strengthen the traceability of maple syrup. The origin dates of the maple syrup will also be more traceable because of the ability to keep track of origin labels using RFID chips.
