SYSTEM FOR TRACKING AND PROVIDING VISIBILITY OF ORIGIN OF FOOD ELEMENTS

摘要

A method and apparatus which facilitates the application of GPS or other location-specific information directly to discrete units of food products. In one embodiment, a tractor pulls a harvesting apparatus which facilitates not only the harvesting and packaging of discrete food product units but also the application of location-specific time-stamped data directly onto the food product units or their packaging. Food product units planted in substantially parallel rows are cut from the ground by cutter personnel walking behind the moving apparatus, whereupon the cutters pass the food product to a cut product station atop the harvesting apparatus. The food product units are picked and packed by packer personnel situated atop the harvesting apparatus; during this step indicia is applied to the packaging (or the food product) which provides the association of GPS or other location-specific information with the discrete units of food products.