“To be interested in food but not in food production is clearly absurd.” – Wendell Berry, (from Citizenship Papers: Essays (ed. Counterpoint Press, 2004)
The future of food, and food production isn’t simple, to say the least. That’s why it’s increasingly clear that every step of the food production journey requires transparency. It’s our firm belief that transparency nurtures trust — and in order to ensure trust, brands and their partners need to commit to supply chain transparency.
Why Supply Chain Transparency is Important to Agriculture
Supply chain transparency is what inspired Merge Impact. We developed this company because we understood the need for transparency in food production from every angle, and at every step of the journey, from farm field to dinner plate. And we created this supply chain transparency through a 21st century solution: blockchain.
So, what does supply chain transparency have to do with blockchain (and what exactly is blockchain), you may be wondering? Simply put, blockchain does not enhance transparency – it enhances the validity and integrity of transparency data by de-centralizing data storage and removing the likelihood of creating data silos – a situation where data is buried in a mess of other ag data and generates little to no value within the supply chain.. For Merge, blockchain is used to track the origin and history of food products, ensuring that consumers have access to accurate information about the products they purchase.
By tracking production through a blockchain network, you can maximize supply chain transparency, reduce risks associated with climate smart production and provide an opportunity to increase value to both the producer and consumer. Sharing each step in the food production process makes it easier to both boost trust and make sharing information more transparent, allowing for improved efficiencies.
Merge Impact is the first and only blockchain-powered agricultural measurement and data solution connecting brands to fully verified regenerative and organic supply chains. At the same time, Merge Impact is also providing regenerative and organic farmers with comprehensive field-level measurement and ecosystem services (we’ll get into all of those services in an upcoming post — stay tuned).
Not only is this process the right thing to do for farmers, it also benefits both the consumer and food and beverage brands. Every consumer has a right to know the full life cycle of their food, and what the ethics are behind each step. When brands can offer consumers supply chain transparency and insights into each step of the journey, consumer confidence is boosted, as is brand loyalty.
Supply Chain Transparency Solutions
Brands are becoming increasingly aware that a commitment to transparency results in a clear advantage over their competitors. Stringent corporate sustainability goals are here to stay — and with good reason— but these goals sometimes seem difficult to reach. However, Merge Impact can offer solutions for every existing regenerative requirement faced by brands, providing traceability to the farm along with data insights, meaningful narratives, and producer profiles that better connect consumers to their food. Merge makes it easy, at low cost, to track ingredient compliance for sustainability and labeling and can provide risk solutions and forecasts to mitigate supply shortages. (Get in touch with Merge Impact to discuss how we can help you reach your ESG goals.)
As Merge Impact’s founder and CEO Ben Adolph explains, “If you don’t know your farmers, you don’t know your impact. Most of the environmental impact of the supply chain lies at a crop’s origin, but up until now, it has been nearly impossible to provide the visibility into origin necessary for companies to make good on their sustainability commitments.”
As the first and only blockchain-powered agricultural measurement and data solution, Merge Impact is proud to connect brands to fully verified regenerative and organic supply chains while providing regenerative and organic farmers with comprehensive field-level measurement and ecosystem attainable. Thanks to Merge Impact’s tools that help to measure, validate, and monetize climate initiatives, sustainability goals are well within reach. Here at Merge Impact, we’re excited to go on this journey with you. Whether you’re a farmer, a brand, or a consumer, supply chain transparency and trust are the future of food.
