Abstract:
Various embodiments of the present disclosure include methods and apparatus for tracking and reporting agricultural-producer information. In an example embodiment, an apparatus comprises a hand-held device including a display and one or more input devices to sense product identification indicia associated with or affixed to a food product that is grown or raised in an agricultural operation. The hand-held device includes at least one processor to determine a machine-readable identification code from the product identification indicia; send the identification code to at least one remote server; receive, from the at least one remote server, information that is associated with the product, the information including agricultural producer-specific information that is associated with the production of the food product; and display at least some of the received agricultural producer-specific information on the display in human readable form.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to Jeffrey W. Dlott et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/705,373, entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY TO CERTIFY AN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT,” filed on Nov. 2, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to information systems (IS) technology and information appliances for, inter alia, agricultural certification compliance, agricultural regulatory compliance, agricultural process management, and agricultural product marketing. More particularly, the present invention relates to capturing and providing data about agricultural products, practices and conditions with high integrity and credibility to consumers, regulatory agencies and certification authorities, agricultural process managers and agricultural product developers, processors and handlers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Consumers and purchasers of food and other agricultural products are becoming increasingly concerned about the exact natures of the foods that they are eating and the effect of agricultural practices on the environment. The public is directing the government to establish and enforce increasingly stringent regulations on the practices of farmers, ranchers, and food processors. Independent certification organizations with progressive agendas for environmental stewardship are gaining significant momentum and influence in the marketplace. The predominance of agriculture as the primary cause of surface water pollution in the United States is fueling the concerns of the voting public and consumers in general about the good environmental stewardship aspects and obligations of agricultural operations. The contribution of pollution to rivers, lakes and estuaries by agricultural operations, via the generation and/or introduction into the environment of pesticides, nutrients, siltation, pathogens and organic enrichment, is becoming more evident in the public and commercial discourse. 
     The work of M. Tetrault and D. Grandbois, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,461, issued 23 Mar. 1997, “Process and system for treatment of pig and swine manure for environmental enhancement”, is an example of inventive efforts to reduce the environmental impact of agricultural operations. Tetrault and Grandbois developed a protocol to remove water and sludge from animal waste of such a composition that the water and the sludge may be safely returned to the external environment and thus reduce pollution of animal manure, both liquid and solid, as generated by domestic animal farms. The efforts disclosed by Tetrault and Grandbois are biological and chemical in concept and in application and do not employ the value of information technology to the challenges of reducing pollution generation on farms. 
     R. Hargrove and C. Zind, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,619, issued Apr. 27, 1999, “Farm management system”, present a technique of using an interactive information technology to, quoting here from the Abstract, “acquire, portray, and process field related data to thereby set rates on a field by field basis, verify that each policy complies with company, state, and federal regulations, verify that the configuration of each field allows the field to be insurable, and provide a method to validate claims of crop damage caused by weather.” 
     Looking in developments outside the scope of agricultural practices, U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,909, issued 7 Dec. 1999, “Methods for establishing certifiable informed consent for a procedure”, A. Rakshit and W. Judd, reports in the Abstract that, “a method for establishing certifiable patient informed consent for a medical procedure, where, in one embodiment, the patient interacts with a video training system until mastery of all required information is successfully achieved. Training techniques which permit elicitation of measurable behaviors from a patient as a guide to discerning the level of knowledge of the patient are utilized. Certification is only granted when the measurable behavior approximately coincide with the legal and medical standards for establishing informed consent.” Rakshit and Judd thereby use an information technology system to correlate a statistical probability of subjective understanding of a respondent in a particular instant with the behavior of this sole respondent and upon the bases of earlier comprehensive studies of the association of numerous respondents&#39; behaviors with their contemporaneous levels of understanding. 
     Conventional approaches have attempted to thoughtfully empower agricultural process managers with tools and techniques efficiently and effectively to address the concerns of consumers, certifying bodies and governmental agencies. The existing suites of environmental certification standards (e.g., Federal and State organic food laws and non-governmental eco-label certification programs) neither require nor prescribe real-time certified monitoring of agricultural production practices. There presently exists a mismatch between the methods and tools of prior art data collection, as well as conventional automated analysis systems, and the informational needs and demands of the agricultural process manager, public and regulatory and certifying agencies, agricultural product processing, transportation and distribution agents, and consumers. In addition, there is a rapidly increasing concern on the part of the public and dedicated environmental organizations about the over use of pesticides and any resulting degradation of the environment by agricultural operations. 
     Much of the raw data required by an agricultural manager to make critical decisions is obtained in the field. In particular, agricultural managers spend significant portions of their budgets on pesticide acquisition and application. Decisions made in pesticide use are largely based upon field data describing pest population detection and counts, and this data is managed outside of any formal reporting and documenting structure. 
     The external pressures upon agricultural managers to justify pesticide use and to document the integrity of their pesticide decision-making is rapidly growing. Most agricultural managers are as concerned about the environment as other citizens, and actively seek to improve the quality of their decision-making and to demonstrate their sincerity to the public. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, there is provided a method of automatically certifying an agricultural product. Agricultural product data relating to an agricultural product is received at a management information system. The agricultural product data is automatically compared against compliance requirements stored by the management information system. A compliance result is automatically generated based on the automatic comparison of the agricultural product data against the compliance requirements. 
     Other features of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description which follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic representation of an exemplary agricultural system within which the present invention may be deployed. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic illustration of how seasonal production systems can be managed as long-term production systems, and seasonal production systems may deliver seasonal production impacts and long-term productions impacts. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart providing an overview of a method, according to the present invention, of capturing, managing, processing and outputting data pertaining an agricultural product. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic representation of the capture of data at multiple units that together constitute a chain of custody, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic representation of a data record, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, that may be generated by a data capture device at each of the units of a chain of custody and thereafter communicated to the agricultural information system. 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating a compliance and chain of custody system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present, that includes a chain of custody constituted by a collection of custodians, each of which provides input to the agricultural management information system. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic representation illustrating a plurality of data capture devices, connected via a network to each other and to an agricultural management information system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 5A-8D  are diagrams illustrating details regarding the operation of an exemplary hand-held device that includes a barcode reader. 
         FIG. 8E  illustrates an exemplary chart on which may be printed a collection of barcodes, each of which represents product data that may be ready by a barcode reader. 
         FIG. 9  is a block diagram illustrating the hardware components of a hand-held device, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a block diagram illustrating system components implemented, for example, in software within a hand-held device. 
         FIG. 11  is a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, of capturing data pertaining to an agricultural product. 
         FIG. 12  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary collection of data records that may be maintained within a database in an agricultural management information system. 
         FIG. 13  is a block diagram illustrating further architectural details of an agricultural management information system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, of automatically generating a compliance result based on the automated comparison of agricultural product data against compliance requirements in the form of certification requirements. 
         FIG. 15  is a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, of communicating agricultural product information to a user. 
         FIG. 16A  illustrates the communication of a user interface by an agricultural management information system, via a network, to a computer system for display. 
         FIG. 16B  illustrates exemplary labels, each bearing a respective barcode, as applied to an assortment of agricultural products. 
         FIG. 17A  illustrates exemplary seasonal reports and historic reports of a number of leafhoppers identified within a particular trap both seasonally and over a number of years, the reports being generated by the agricultural management information system. 
         FIG. 17B  illustrates an example of a weekly pest management monitoring report, as generated by the agricultural management information system. 
         FIG. 17C  illustrates an exemplary aggregate report that graphically illustrates water use efficiency per year measured in acre/feet for a group of wine grape growers, the aggregate report being generated by the agricultural management information system. 
         FIG. 17D  illustrates an exemplary pesticide use report, as generated by the agricultural management information system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A method and system automatically to certify an agricultural product are described. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. 
     Agricultural System—Overview and Terminology 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary agricultural system  10  that includes an agricultural production system  15  and agricultural production outputs  16 . The production system  15  may in turn conceptually be viewed as including one or more components that contribute towards the agricultural production outputs  16 . These components may include production units  18 , production practices  20 , inputs  22 , biological processes  24 , and time  26 . The outputs  16  may include agricultural products  28  and impacts  30  on environmental, economic and social systems. 
     For the purposes of the present specification, agricultural systems  10  shall be taken to include, but not be limited to, land-based (e.g., cropland, grassland, pasture and range, forest land, plantations, hen-house, etc.), water-based (e.g., oceans, lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, tanks, etc.), fermentation (e.g., winemaking, brewing, baking, etc.), biochemical (e.g. extraction or biosynthesis of proteins, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc.), chemical (e.g., distilling, etc.) or other production processes and actions to prepare agricultural products for ingestion or use by a human, animal, or plant. 
     Agricultural products  28  may be taken to include, but not be limited to, grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, meats, poultry, eggs, fish, seafood, herbs, beverages, wine, beer, distilled spirits, flowers, nursery plants, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, nutraceuticals, nutritional supplements, medicines, plant and animal derived oils, cotton, fiber, paper, milk, cheese, breads, leather, and other processed products. 
     Units  18  may include, but not limited to, a specified unit of cropland (e.g., agricultural field), forest land (e.g., natural forest, managed forests, plantations, etc.), grassland pasture and range used by grazing animals, animal rearing and processing facilities (e.g., feed-lot, slaughter-house, hen-house, etc.), a defined fresh or salt water area where fish, seafood and other plants and animals are captured or otherwise collected (e.g., specified length of ocean-front coast, lake-front coast, lake, river, stream, pond, bay, open-ocean, lake, aquaculture tank, etc.), processing facility (e.g., fermentation plant, dehydration plant, mixing plant, distillery, kitchen, bakery, bottling plant, canning plant, etc.) or tank, barrel, vat, or other fermentation, biochemical, or chemical chambers. A unit may also be a biologically meaningful unit (e.g., an ecosystem, watershed, biological community, habitat, or species population range), a politically meaningful unit (e.g., a country, state, region, county, city, town, village or other voting unit) or a geographically meaningful unit (e.g., a section, township, and range). 
     The terms agricultural product processing or food processing mean herein any operation or action made to prepare an agricultural product  28  for ingestion or use by a human, animal, or plant. 
     The terms farm, ranch, forest operation, fishing operation, and processing facility include herein an agricultural production venture, enterprise, operation, location, site or other point of origin, wherein or whereby an agricultural, chemical or biochemical process is sponsored, effected or managed and that produces an agricultural product  28  that is meant to be, or is likely to occasionally be, used or ingested by a human, animal, or plant or is meant to be combined with other materials in subsequent processes or mixtures, whereafter one or more resultant products or derivative products of a subsequent process, are meant to be, or are likely to be occasionally be, used or ingested by a human, animal, or plant. The meaning of the terms farm, ranch, forest operation, fishing operation, and processing facility further include an agricultural production venture, enterprise, operation, location, site or other point of origin, wherein or whereby an agricultural product  28  that is meant to be, or is likely to occasionally be, used in a subsequent agricultural, industrial, chemical, biochemical or commercial process or manufacture, is generated or sponsored. Examples of a farm, ranch, forest operation, fishing operation, and processing facility include vineyards, wineries, orchards, vegetable gardens, vegetable farms, ranches, pig farms, chicken farms, meat packing plants, fish cannery, vegetable cannery, freezing facilities, drying facilities, bakery, extraction facilities, biosynthesis facilities, egg farms, fish hatcheries, aquaculture facilities, tree and plant nurseries, forests, plantations, and fresh water and salt water fishing areas and locations. 
     The term lot is defined as two or more agricultural products  28  that originate from the same unit of production  18 . Further, agricultural products  28  of a lot may be harvested or processed in substantially the same way during substantially the same time period with substantially the same procedures and equipment. A unique alphanumeric identifier or other suitable designation known in the art is used to identify a lot. Examples of lots include, but are not limited to, two apples harvested from the same tree on the same field on the same day or during another designated time period, a volume or an amount of grapes harvested from a particular area of a specific vineyard during a certain time period, lettuce heads harvested from the same field during the same time period, a volume of wine fermented in a single barrel or vat, a volume of wine divided and placed into a plurality of bottles, canned fruit, vegetables, or meat manufactured on the same day or during another designated time period on the same assembly line, frozen fruit, vegetables, or meat manufactured on the same day or during another designated time period on the same assembly line. 
     Production practices  20  are practices employed, for example, by farm, ranch, forest operation, fishing operation, and processing facility managers to combine production units  18 , inputs  22 , biological processes  24 , and time  26  to produce the agricultural products  28 . Examples of production practices  20  may include, but are not limited to, crop residue management, cropping management, pest management, nutrient management, soil management, water management, human resource management, fermentation management, quality control management, biochemical process management, etc. 
     Inputs  22  may include but are not limited to production inputs (e.g., nutrients, pesticides, seeds, seedlings, bacterial strains, yeast strains, energy, machinery and other technologies, water, etc.), management inputs (e.g., farm managers, facility managers, boat or fleet managers, product line manager, quality control managers, pest managers, etc.), labor inputs (e.g., farm worker, ranch-hand, factory worker, production line worker, etc.), and capital inputs that are in any way used in the production of agricultural products  28 . 
     Biological processes  24  include, but are not limited to biologically meaningful physical, chemical, biochemical, individual organism, population, community, watershed, ecosystem, and biosphere processes that influence in a positive or negative manner the production of agricultural products  28  and impacts  30 . The biosphere is the largest biological unit and includes all parts of the earth where life exists. Several key nutrients and inorganic molecules essential for life cycle on a biosphere scale. Examples include the water cycle, nitrogen cycle, and carbon cycle. The term ecosystem refers to communities of interacting organisms and the physical environment in which they live. Example ecosystems include grassland, forest, freshwater, coastal, and agricultural. Ecosystem processes include such functions as air and water purification, evaporation, precipitation, soil production, soil erosion, climate control, ecosystem-level nutrient cycling, and the capture and flow of energy via food chains and food webs. 
     Ecosystems are composed of smaller biologically meaningful units including watersheds, communities, populations, and individual organisms. A watershed is a geographically defined area where water from streams, neighborhoods, agricultural areas, and rivers carries sediments and dissolved materials to a common outlet such as a wetland, estuary, lake, pond, sea or ocean. Communities are the assemblages of species populations that occur together in space and time. Species diversity, community biomass and productivity, succession, community-level nutrient cycling and energy flow, interspecific competition, decomposition, mutualism, predation, and parasitism are examples of community properties. Populations are composed of groups of actually or potentially interbreeding individuals at a given locality. Example population processes include reproduction, gene flow, intraspecific competition, and dispersal. Individual organism processes include growth, fitness, reproduction, maintenance, and survival. Biochemical processes include such examples as photosynthesis and metabolism. 
     Impacts  30  may include, but are not limited to, intended and unintended alternations to biological, economic and social processes and systems as a result of agricultural production system  15 . The term biological impact is herein defined as an unintended or intended impact of agricultural production system  15  on biological processes and conditions. The agricultural production system  15  can have impacts on air, water, and land from pollutants (e.g., sediment, dust and other particulate matter, nutrients, pesticides and their breakdown products, other organic and inorganic chemicals, salts, pathogens, etc.) and use patterns (e.g., cultivation, deforestation, wetland drainage, burning, changes to water flows, etc.) that may alter physical, chemical, biochemical, individual organism, population, community, watershed, ecosystem, and biosphere processes. Example physical impacts include alternations to soil, water, or air temperatures, changes in light intensity on land or water surfaces, water turbidity, etc. Example chemical impacts include alternations to soil or water pH, percent dissolved oxygen in water, concentration of particulate matter in air, concentration of minerals (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorous, selenium, etc.) in soil or water, and contamination of soils or water by inorganic or organic pollutants (e.g., pesticides, fertilizers, pesticide-breakdown products, etc.). Examples of impacts on individual organisms include altered growth, fitness, reproduction, maintenance, and survival. 
     Examples of impacts on species populations include significant reduction in overall numbers (e.g., endangered or threatened species status), significant increases in overall numbers and range (e.g., invasive species), and alternation of population age, genetic structure and diversity. Examples of community impacts include alterations of species diversity and abundance (e.g., invasive species, loss of wild populations, etc.), changes in the structure and functioning of food chains and food webs, and changes in nutrient cycling and energy flows. Examples of ecosystem impacts include alternations in water quality, water quantity, water duration, and water seasonal timing, large-scale changes in species diversity and abundance, decreases in total biomass and productivity, and alternations in nutrient cycling and energy flow. Examples of biosphere impacts include alternations to the carbon cycle (e.g., increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere), nitrogen cycle (e.g., increased nitrates in deep ground water) and global climate change. 
     The term economic impact is herein defined as an unintended or intended impact of an agricultural production system  15  not accounted for in the trade value or sale price of agricultural product  28 . The term social impact is herein defined as an unintended or intended impact of an agricultural production system  15  on the health, safety, educational, and standard of living conditions and opportunities of individuals and communities and the treatment of animals. Example economic impacts resulting from agricultural production systems  15  include the individual, community, and government cost of additional water treatment to remove agricultural pollutes (e.g., sediments, nutrients, pesticides, pathogens, etc.), increased health care costs associated with pesticide poisonings, increased taxes to pay for air quality and water quality regulatory oversight and clean-up. Examples of social impacts that may result from agricultural production system  15  include poverty from low paying and season jobs, limited availability of affordable and safe housing, dangerous working conditions (e.g., exposure to pesticides), limited opportunities for education or training, decreased consumer confidence in safe and affordable agricultural products  28 , inhumane treatment of animals, and increased regulatory oversight. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates how seasonal production systems  15  can be managed as long-term production systems  17  and seasonal production systems  15  deliver seasonal production impacts  30  and long-term production impacts  31 . Examples of long term production systems  17  include crop rotation, changes in cropping patterns, etc. Examples of long term production impacts  31  include accumulated environmental, economic and social impacts such as siltation of water courses, groundwater pollution, decreases in biodiversity, and decreases in quality of life for individuals and communities. 
     Overview—Methodology 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart providing an overview of an exemplary method  40  of capturing, managing, processing and outputting data pertaining to an agricultural product. At a high level, the method  40  may conceptually be viewed as composing a data capture and chain of custody record creation component  42 , a certification/accreditation/compliance component  44  and a reporting component  46 . Contributors, processors and users of the data concerning the agricultural product include custodians  48  of the agricultural product, an agricultural management information system  50 , a regulatory/certification/accreditation authorities  52 , consumers  54  of the agricultural product  28 , and agricultural managers  56 . 
     The method  40  commences at block  58  with the capture, by custodians  48  of an agricultural product  28 , of product data pertaining to the agricultural product, the product data reflecting a condition pertaining to the product at a custodial location. In one embodiment, as will be described in further detail below, a series of custodians, each controlling a custodial location along a chain of custody, perform data capture operations to capture product data reflecting conditions pertaining to the product at each of the respective custodial locations. 
     At block  60 , a data record is created by each custodian  48 , the record embodying the product data captured at block  58 . 
     At block  62 , the created data record is communicated from a respective custodian  48  to the agricultural management information system  50  that, at block  62 , proceeds to store the received data record together with an internal identifier  64 . 
     At block  66 , the agricultural management information system  50  performs a certification process to create and store a certification record indicating that a particular agricultural product, for which data has been received from one or more custodians  48 , complies to one or more certification or accreditation standards specified by one or more certification or accreditation authorities. This certification record may, at block  68 , be communicated to the relevant certification or accreditation authority, that, at block  70 , may optionally generate a certification or accreditation report. 
     At block  72 , the agricultural management information system  50  may optionally perform a regulatory compliance process to create and store a compliance record. At block  74 , this compliance record may optionally be transmitted to a regulatory compliance authority that then generates, at block  76 , a regulatory compliance report. 
     At block  78 , a consumer  54  may generate a request for certain information regarding an agricultural product (e.g., whether the product complies with certain certification standards). As will be described in further detail below, this request may be inputted into a network communication device (e.g., a network-coupled personal computer) which is then communicated to the agricultural management information system  50 . 
     At block  80 , the agricultural management information system  50  retrieves data pertaining to one or more agricultural products identified in the consumer request and, at block  82 , transmits the received data to the consumer  54  as a response to the initial request. At block  84 , the consumer  54  may then view the product data including, for example, certification/accreditation/compliance information as well as custodial history information as derived from the data originally captured by the custodians  48  at block  58 . 
     In a similar manner, at block  86 , an agricultural manager  56  may generate a report request for a report pertaining to one or more agricultural products, this request being transmitted to the agricultural management information system  50  at block  88 . At block  90 , the agricultural management information system  50  retrieves one or more reports and other pertinent data and, at block  92 , transmits the retrieved report data to the agricultural manager  56 . At block  94 , the agricultural manager  56  is then able to view one or more management reports derived from the management data. 
       FIG. 3  provides a high-level overview of the method  40 . Further details regarding each of the operations, as well as the systems underlying such operations, will now be discussed. 
     Data Capture and Chain of Custody 
       FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic representation of the exemplary capture of data at multiple units  100  that together constitute a chain of custody. The submission, by each of such units  100 , to the agricultural management information system  50  for storage within a database  103 , of records  102  that embody the captured data pertaining to the agricultural product. The units  100  may conceptually be viewed as comprising units of production  104 , and units of processing, storage and distribution  106 . Within the context of each unit, data may be captured regarding each of a number of operations to generate individual data records of product data reflecting conditions pertaining to a relevant agricultural product at a respective unit. For example, a unit of production  104 , as defined above with reference to  FIG. 1 , may include pre-production operations  108 , production operations  110  and processing operations  112 . According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, data pertaining to agricultural products at the relevant unit of production  104  may be gathered as part of the operations  108 - 112  to compose the data records  102 . The exemplary records  102  are shown to include location data to indicate the location of the relevant unit of production, measured data reflecting a measured or otherwise ascertained metric, time and date information, and authentication information. 
     Similarly, each of a number of units of processing, storage and distribution  106  may include combinations and permutations of processing operations  112 , storage operations  114  and transport operations  116 , agricultural product data being captured as part of such operations. 
     While the described operations are illustrated in  FIG. 4  as being performed at various units, it will be appreciated that any permutation, variation or combination of the described operations may occur at any of the described units, and that the data capture need not necessarily be performed as part of the described operations. 
     By implementing the capture of product data at each of a chain of units that constitute a chain of custody of an agricultural product and the submission of such product data to the agricultural management information system  50 , for example in the form of the records  102 , it will be appreciated that the agricultural management information system  50  is able to provide a global view of a chain of custody and conditions pertaining to the agricultural product at each custodial location constituting the chain of custody. 
       FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic representation of a data record  102 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, that may be generated by a data capture device at each of the units  100  of a chain of custody and communicated to the agricultural management information system  50 . In one embodiment, the record  102  may be constructed by the data capture device at the custodial location, and communicated to the agricultural management information system  50  as a record. In an alternative embodiment, the agricultural product data, as captured by the data capture device, may simply be communicated to the agricultural management information system  50 , which then formats the received data as the record  102 . 
     A unique identification field  120  stores, for each record, a unique identifier for the particular record that also serves to identify the relevant agricultural product for which the record  120  pertains. In one exemplary embodiment, a unique identifier for a record stored in a field  120  may comprise a Universal Product Code (UPC), or a derivative thereof. 
     A time field  122 , for each record  102 , stores a time at which the agricultural product data included within the record  102  was captured. A date field  124  similarly stores a date on which the relevant data was captured. A place field  126  stores location data indicating a location (e.g., any one of the units  100  discussed above with reference to  FIG. 4 ) at which the agricultural product data was captured. In one embodiment, the data in the place field  126  indicates one of multiple custodial locations for a particular agricultural product. 
     A person field  128  stores an identifier for a person, or operator, at a custodial location who was responsible for the capture of the agricultural product data. An activity field  130  may store information identifying an activity (e.g., any one of the operations  108 - 116  described above with reference to  FIG. 4 ) pertaining to the agricultural product and to which the captured data pertains. For example, an activity indicated in the activity field  130  may be the application of a fertilizer to a unit of production, the applying of the pesticide at a unit of production, the harvesting of an agricultural product, the packaging of an agricultural product, etc. 
     An equipment serial number field  132  stores an identifier for data capture equipment utilized in the capture of the data embodied within the record  102 . For example, the equipment may comprise a hand-held device, examples of which are provided below. A custodian field  134  stores an identifier of a custodian  48  that operates or manages a particular custodial location in a chain of custody (e.g., a unit  100 ). 
     The record  102  may also include a number of optional verification identifiers. More specifically, a digital signature field  136  may store a digital signature utilized to encrypt the record  102  for secure and confidential transmission. A witness field  138  may include a digital witness identifier that provides a further level of authentication for the digital signature  138 . A Global Positioning System (GPS) field  140  may include longitudinal and latitudinal location information, in one embodiment, to be utilized to authenticate place information stored within the place field  126 . The contents of the GPS field  140  may also be utilized to enhance reports generated by the agricultural management information system  50 , by providing a further level of detail regarding location of a custodial location. 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating a compliance and chain of custody system  150  that includes a chain of custody constituted by a collection of custodians  48 , each of which provides input, for example in the form of a record  102 , to the agricultural management information system  50 . The system  150  is also shown to include a collection of regulatory/certification/accreditation authorities  52  that interact with the agricultural management information system  50  to at least partially automate regulatory compliance, certification or an accreditation processes. The exemplary custodians  48  include an agricultural production system  15 , a packaging custodian  152 , a transportation custodian  154 , a processor custodian  156 , a wholesale custodian  158  and a retail custodian  160 . Outside the chain of custody, a consumer  54  is also shown to interact with the agricultural management information system  50 . 
     Each of the custodians  48  is further shown to access one or more data capture devices  170  that are utilized to capture product data at the respective custodial locations  48 . Each data capture device  170  is furthermore shown to be in communication with the agricultural management information system  50 , so as to facilitate the communication of the captured product data from the data capture device  170  to the agricultural management information system  50 . 
     A data capture device  170  utilized by a custodian  48  may be a hand-held device (e.g., a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a mobile telephone, or any other known hand-held device), or a fully-functional computer system (e.g., a desktop Personal Computer (PC) or a notebook computer system). Further, as described in further detail below, the data capture device  170 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, may be equipped to perform read and/or write operations of an external information source. In one embodiment, the data capture device  170  may be connectable to an external data source associated with a particular custodial location. In alternative embodiments, the data capture device  170  may be constructed to perform a wireless read of information associated with a custodial location utilizing any electromagnetic frequency communications (e.g., optical, infrared (IR) or radio frequency (RF) communications). 
     The agricultural management information system  50 , as will be described in further detail below, comprises one or more applications executing on one or more computer systems, as well as one or more databases maintained on one or more data storage systems. 
     The data capture devices  170  communicate with the agricultural management information system  50  utilizing a communications network, such as the Internet, the Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), cellular telephone networks, a Wide Area Network (WAN) or a Local Area Network (LAN). 
     A collection of authorities  52  are also shown to interact with the agricultural management information system  50 . Such authorities  52  include, merely for example, a certification authority  162  (e.g., The Food Alliance, California Certified Organic Farmers, etc.), an accreditation authority  164  (Marine Stewardship Council, Forest Stewardship Council, etc.), a non-profit organization  166  (e.g., an environmental watchdog, social, economic organization, or universities), and federal, state, and local public agencies  168  (e.g., The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The Food And Drug Agency (FDA), The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), etc.). The interaction of the authorities  52  with the agricultural management information system  50  will also be described in further detail below. 
     Data Capture 
     Further details regarding exemplary embodiments of the capture  42  of data concerning an agricultural product will now be described. 
       FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic representation illustrating a plurality of data capture devices  170 , connected via a network  180  (e.g., the Internet) to each other and to the agricultural management information system  50 . Each of the data capture devices  170  is located at a respective custodial location  48  within a chain of custody to capture pertinent data. The data capture devices  170  also include a stand-alone computer system  184  that communicates agricultural product information on a data storage media  186  (e.g., a CD ROM or any other optical, magnetic or opto-magnetic storage medium) that is provided to the agricultural management information system  50 . Accordingly, the computer system  184  is not required to be coupled to the network  180 . 
     One of the data capture devices  170  is shown to comprise a hand-held device  182  that communicates utilizing radio-frequency communications  190  with a base computer system  192 . The hand-held device  182  is also shown to communicate directly with the network  180  via radio-frequency communications  190 . The hand-held device  182  is utilized by an operator conveniently to record data concerning an agricultural product at various locations within a chain of custody and production cycle through which the agricultural product proceeds. The hand-held device  182  may be utilized by any of the custodians  48 , described above with reference to  FIG. 6 , at any one of the custodial locations  48 . For example, farmers, transporters (e.g., truckers and railroad freight handlers) processors, distributors, retailers, insurers, marketers, resellers, regulatory agents, inspectors, environmentalists and any third party may utilize a hand-held device  182  to capture appropriate data. 
     The hand-held device  182 , and also the computer systems  181 , includes a data reader in the exemplary form of a barcode reader  194 . An alternative embodiment of the present invention, the data reader may include any optical, infrared, radio frequency, magnetic or opto-magnetic reader or a network device before receiving communications or information via a network. 
       FIGS. 8A-8D  are diagrams illustrating further details regarding the operation of an exemplary hand-held device  182 , that receives input from a barcode reader  194 . Data capture at an exemplary custodial location in the form of a production unit will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8A-8D . 
     Turning firstly to  FIG. 7 , the present invention proposes a method by which product data, reflecting a condition pertaining to an agricultural product, be associated with location data identifying a location within the chain of custody. Further, the present invention proposes that a product identifier may also be associated with the captured location and product data. Referring specifically to  FIG. 7 , at a specific custodial location  201 , location data in the form of location code  202 , encoded as a barcode, is shown to be physically associated with the custodial location  201 . For example, as shown in more detail in  FIG. 8B , the location code  202  may be printed on a weather-resistant tag  210  that is fixed to a physical structure in the exemplary form of a post  212  located at the custodial location  201 . Accordingly, the post  212  may be positioned at a specific location at a custodial location  201  to provide a reference location for the capture of product data. 
       FIG. 8C  illustrates an exemplary situation in which a tag  210 , on which the location code  202  is again represented in the form of a barcode, is attached to an insect trap  214 . 
     It will be appreciated that, utilizing the barcode reader  194 , the hand-held device  182  may be utilized conveniently and reliably to capture a location code  202  from a location identifier (e.g., the tag  210 ) that is physically associated with a custodial location  201  by being attached to a post or trap, or being otherwise secured at the custodial location  201 . 
     Having captured location data utilizing the hand-held device  182 , the present invention proposes allowing a custodian  48  to capture product data, reflecting a condition pertaining to an agricultural product, at the relevant custodial location  201 . To this end,  FIG. 8A  shows the hand-held device  182  to include a keypad  216  via which a custodian  48  may enter product data reflecting a condition pertaining to the product at the first location identified by the relevant location code  202 . For example, with reference to  FIG. 5C , a display screen  218  of the hand-held device  182  may present a user interface via which, utilizing the keypad  216 , or touch-sensitive functionality provided by the screen  218  itself, the custodian  48  may enter an indication of the number of bugs  220  captured in the trap  214  at a particular time. It will be appreciated that, within different environments and at different custodial locations  201 , a wide variety of agricultural product data may be captured. Accordingly, a wide variety of data capture applications may be executed by the data capture device (e.g., the hand-held device  182 ) to prompt a custodian  48  for appropriate data in a convenient and reliable manner. Such prompting may occur via a user interface presented on the display screen  218 . The data input may be via the keypad  216 , or via a touch screen functionality. 
     In a further alternative embodiment, referring to  FIG. 8D , a particular custodian  48  may be provided with a chart  222 , or handbook, of barcodes, each barcode embodying a product data code  204  that is associated with a particular chart  222 . For example, each product data code  204  contained within a particular chart  222  may reflect a unique condition that is observable or determinable by a custodian  48 . For example, a product data code  204  may reflect an observed condition pertaining to an agricultural product at a custodial location identified by the location code  202 . It will be appreciated that a wide variety of conditions may be of interest from an agricultural management perspective, and any one of these conditions may be associated with a particular product data code  204 .  FIG. 8E  illustrates an exemplary chart  222  on which are printed a collection of barcodes. The collection of barcodes includes product data codes  204  that in the illustrated embodiment provide product data in the form of a numeric count of pests that may be observed within a trap  214 , such as that illustrated in  FIG. 8C . Utilizing a barcode reader  194 , such as that illustrated in  FIG. 8A , a custodian  48  may conveniently input a numeric value to a hand-held device  182 . It will readily be appreciated that by selecting a sequence of the product data codes  204 , any numeric value may conveniently be entered into a hand-held device  182 . 
     In addition to the product data codes  204 , the chart  222  includes examples of location/data type codes  205 , each of which indicates both a data type (e.g., leafhopper count, mite count, thrips count, mildew levels) and a particular location at which the relevant data type was captured (e.g., the northwest, northeast, southwest or southeast region of a unit or production). Utilizing the location/data type codes  205 , a custodian  48  is conveniently able, by performing a single read of a code  205 , to input both location and data type information to a hand-held device  182 , whereafter a count, that comprises the indicated data type, may be entered utilizing the product data codes  204 . 
     It will of course be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments, the location and data type codes may be distinct. For example, the chart  222  may contain a first set of data type codes (e.g., leafhopper, mite, thrips, mildew), a second set of location codes (e.g., northwest, northeast, southwest and southeast) and a third set of product data codes  204 . In this embodiment, it will be appreciated, the number of barcodes printed on a chart  222  may be advantageously reduced. However, it will be appreciated that data input would, utilizing this embodiment, require the input of three codes, as opposed to the two codes that are advantageously required for a complete input utilizing the chart  222  illustrated in  FIG. 8E . 
     The chart  222  is also shown to include a collection of command codes  207  utilizing which a custodian  48  may conveniently input commands (e.g., “done with vineyard”) into a hand-held device  182 . It will be appreciated that any number of commands, applicable to a particular application or environment, may appear on a chart  222 . 
     Having captured the location data (e.g., the location code  202 ) and the product data (e.g., the product data code  204 ), a custodian  48  may where appropriate and possible capture product identification data as embodied within a product identification code  206  (e.g., a Universal Product Code (UPC)) embodied within a barcode associated with a particular agricultural product as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . It will be appreciated that a product identification code  206  may not be associated with an individual product at all locations along a chain of custody, and may only become associated with an individual product and during a packaging stage. For example, at a unit of production  18  (e.g., a farm unit producing thousands of lettuce heads), a product identification code  206  is not associated with each individual agricultural product. However, at a downstream packaging custodian  152 , such product identification codes  206  may be associated with each individual agricultural product. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the record  102  described above with reference to  FIG. 5  is composed by the hand-held device  182 . In an alternative embodiment, the information to compose the record  102  is communicated from the hand-held device  182  to a computer system  181 , that composes the record  102 . In a further embodiment, the information captured by the hand-held device  182  is simply relayed via the computer system  181  to the agricultural management information system  50  that then composes the record  102 . In a further embodiment, the information captured by the hand-held device  182  is communicated via wireless transmission directly to the agricultural management information system  50  that then composes the record  102 . In any event, it will be appreciated that, to compose the record  102 , information types to populate the various fields, should be captured. Accordingly, the hand-held device  182  is required to capture information to populate the fields of the record  102 , either automatically or by prompting input of the appropriate data. While the capture of the data for the record  102  is described as being performed by the hand-held device  182  above and below, it will be appreciated that the information could similarly be captured by any of the computer systems  181  illustrated in  FIG. 7  to which a reader (e.g., a barcode reader  194 ), may be attached, and into which information may be inputted via a keyboard or a cursor control device, responsive to prompting presented on a display screen of the computer screen  181 . However, for the purposes of illustration, the description herein shall be limited to data captured via the hand-held device  182 . 
       FIG. 9  is a block diagram illustrating the hardware components of the hand-held device  182 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A processor  230  is coupled via buses to a Random Access Memory (RAM)  232 , a static memory  234  and a storage device  236  (e.g., a disk drive or flash memory device). The display screen  218  also receives signals from the processor to generate a display (e.g., a user interface to receive agricultural product data). 
     The hand-held device  182  is powered by an internal power source  238  (e.g., batteries), and also has a digital signature module  240  to store a digital signature that uniquely identifies the hand-held device  182 . A network modem or port  242  (e.g., a USB or FireWire port) allows the hand-held device  182  to be coupled to a network. A receive/transmit module  244  enables the hand-held device to transmit and receive optical (e.g., infrared), radio frequency or any other electromagnetic frequency signals. 
     The hand-held device  182  is also shown to include at least one input module  246  via which a custodian may input data into the hand-held device  182 . The input module may comprise the keypad  216 , a touch-screen capability associated with the display  218 , a voice recorder, a video recorder, an optical code recognition (OCR) module or radio frequency module associated with the receive/transmit module  244 , the barcode reader  194  or any other hardware module that facilitates the input of data into the hand-held device  182 . 
     An external power source  248  may also be utilized to provide power to the hand-held device  182 . An optional GPS module  250  may provide longitudinal and latitudinal position information to the hand-held device  182 . In an alternative embodiment, the hand-held device  182  may include a relative position system (e.g., a three-point transponder) that detects the location of the hand-held device  182  relative to a base unit (e.g., associated with the computer system  192 ), the base computer system  192  including a GPS module. By combining the relative positioning information received from the hand-held device  182  with the location information derived by a GPS module of the base computer system  192 , position information for the hand-held device  182  may be derived. 
       FIG. 10  is a block diagram illustrating system components implemented, for example, in software within the hand-held device  182 . The hand-held device  182  is shown to include a number of subsystems, including an operating system  260 , a storage system  262  that controls the RAM  232 , the static memory  234  and the storage device  236 , and a verification system  264  that verifies data inputted into the hand-held device  182  via the input modules  246 . Specifically, the verification system  264  may verify location data, as represented by a location code  202 , inputted via the barcode reader  194 . To this end, the verification system  264  may receive input from the GPS module  250  or location transponder  252 . Further, the verification system  264  may operate to verify the authenticity and trustworthiness of the inputted data by receiving a witness confirmation  266  of the inputted data. In this embodiment, a witness with a unique identifier  138  confirms some or all data captured by the operator of the hand-held device  182  and adds a unique witness identifier  138  to the captured data or data report  102  prior to transmission to the agricultural management information system  50 . Such witnesses may include a second custodian, certification agent, accreditation agent, third-party representative, or government agent. A data capture system  268  controls the one or more input modules  246 , and may interface with a number of specific subsystems, namely a voice recognition system  270 , a handwriting recognition system  272 , an OCR system  274  and a IR or RF system  276 . Any one of the systems  270 - 276  may be dedicated at the controlling of a specific input module  246 . A processor and memory system  278  operates to control the processor  230  and the memory  234 . 
     A report generation system  280 , in one embodiment, operates to generate a report or record from the data received from the data capture system  268 , as well as data retrieved internally from other systems and subsystems of the hand-held device  182 . To this end, a date and time system  282  provides date and time information to the report generation system  280 . Further, the storage device  236 , in one embodiment, stores identification information identifying a person (or process) that is responsible for the input of the data via the one or more input modules  246  and also that stores an equipment serial number associated with the hand-held device. 
     A transmission system  284  is responsible for operating the network modem/port  242  and the receive/transmit module  244  to facilitate the output of information from the hand-held device  182 . In one embodiment, the transmission system  284  may transmit captured data utilizing RF communications to a base computer system  192  that then, via the Internet, communicates this data to the agricultural management information system  50 . In an alternative embodiment, the hand-held device  182  may be physically coupled to the base computer system  192  in order to transfer information to the base computer system  192  for propagation to the agricultural management information system  50 . In yet a further embodiment, the hand-held device  182  may be coupled directly to the Internet, and may itself communicate the captured data to the agricultural management information system  50 . 
     Data Capture—Methodology 
       FIG. 11  is a flow chart illustrating a method  300 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, of capturing data pertaining to an agricultural product. The method  300  commences at decision block  302 , with the determination as to whether a record or report generated by the report/record generation system  280 , and composed of the previously captured data pertaining to an agriculture product, is to be stored. If so, at block  304 , the report, or record, is stored. Following a negative determination at decision block  302 , at decision block  306 , a determination is made as to whether input data has been received via one of the input modules  246  of the hand-held device. If not, a wait state is entered at block  308 . 
     On the other hand, if input data is detected at decision block  306 , at block  310  the hand-held device accepts location data in the form, for example, of a location code captured from a location identifier (e.g., a tag  210  or a chart  222  having a printed barcode thereon). Alternatively, the location data may be automatically determined utilizing OCR technology, with a location code composing a numeric sequence read from a location identifier 
     In yet another alternative embodiment, a location code may be embedded in a transponder that is activated by the hand-held device  182 , so the location code is communicated as a radio frequency communication from the transponder to an appropriate receiver embedded within the hand-held device  182 . 
     It will of course be appreciated that the location data can be communicated to the hand-held device  182  in any one of a number of ways from media on which the location data is stored in such a way as to be physically associated with a location identified by the location data. By obtaining the location data from media that is physically associated with the relevant location, the integrity of this information and the reliability of the capture operation, may be increased. Furthermore, the convenience to a custodian  48  performing the location data capture is increased. By having the location data appear, or be stored, on a media at the relevant custodial location, a relatively low-tech and cost effective system for capturing the location data is provided. 
     At block  312 , the hand-held device  182  accepts agricultural product data, for example in the form of a product data code  204  as describe with reference to  FIGS. 8D and 8E . Alternatively, the product data may be inputted into the hand-held device via the keypad  216  or a touch- (or pressure) sensitive display  218 . At block  312 , product identification data  206 , as described above with reference to  FIG. 7 , may also optionally be inputted if such information is available. 
     At decision block  314 , a determination is made as to whether further external data input is required in order to complete a report or record to which the hand-held device  182  contributes. If so, the method  300  loops back to block  312  to receive further data. If not, at decision block  316 , the method  300  again loops back to block  312 . Alternatively, if the collection of information by the device  182  is deemed to be finished at decision block  316 , at block  318  the device  182  may append a digital signature to the data, at block  320  append time and date information to the captured data, at block  322  include a geographic position reference, such as a GPS value or other suitable geographic positioning identifier, to the data, and at block  324  append witness information to the data. It should be noted that the addition to the data of the digital signature, time and date stamp, geographic position reference and witness verification may optionally be performed, and serves to enhance the perceived credibility of the information as entered a custodian. Further, this optional data may serve to address or satisfy a certain regulatory, accreditation, or certification requirements. 
     At decision block  327 , a determination is made as to whether the report/record is to be transmitted. If so, a transmission occurs at block  328 . 
     At decision block  330 , a determination is made as to whether the record/report is to be stored. If so, a storage operation occurs at block  332 . 
     The acceptance of the location and product data at blocks  310  and  312 , as previously noted, may be through an optical, radio frequency, infrared, video, or audio signal read operation of an appropriate code. For example, a product or data code may be stored in a one, two or multi-dimensional barcode. Alternatively, a product or data code may be stored within a transponder, or by a radio frequency transmitter that communicates utilizing, for example, the BlueTooth protocol. In yet a further exemplary embodiment, a location or data code may be encoded as an audio signal. 
     The product data captured at block  312  may comprise any data pertaining to an agricultural product. For example, the product data may be environmental data, indicating environmental conditions associated with an agricultural product. Such environmental data may, for example, reflect growing environment and conditions (e.g., soil nutrient levels, atmospheric conditions, pesticide application, etc.). Environmental data may also include conditions such as water, air and land quality adjacent to the unit of production  18 . Environmental data may further comprise the health and status of species populations, a community, watershed, and ecosystem associated with the unit of production  18 . The product data may also include characteristic data indicating a specific characteristic of an agricultural product. For example, such characteristic data may indicate the size, weight, calorie, color, brix, or other observable or measurable characteristic of an agricultural product. The product data may also comprise activity data recording details of an activity performed with respect to an agricultural product. For example, the activity data may reflect the timing and volume of pesticides applied at a particular unit of production  18 . The activity data could also reflect data concerning any processing, distributing, packing, treating or handling of the agriculture product at any one of the custodial locations discussed above. 
     The product data may furthermore include economic data indicating costs of production associated with an agricultural product (e.g., material, water, energy, equipment, management, land, capital, and labor costs). Further, labor (or personnel) data may be captured at block  312  to identify personnel that contributed toward the production or processing of the agricultural product. Such personnel or data may include personnel identification, labor location and labor time, merely for example. 
     It should also be noted that the product data captured at block  312  may comprise audio or video data that is captured into a portable data capture device (e.g., an audio cassette recorder or a video recorder). Such captured audio or video may be digitized, and stored by the agricultural management information system  50  as part of the record  102 . 
     Chain of Custody—Database 
       FIG. 12  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary collection  400  of data records  102  that may be maintained within the database  103  of the agricultural management information system  50 .  FIG. 12  also illustrates that the collection  400  of records  102  may be indexed by a common product code (e.g., a Universal Product Code (UPC)  402  or a lot code  404 ). Specifically, the UPC  402  or the lot code  404  may comprise the unique identifier  120  of an agricultural product data record  102 , as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Each of the records  102  may be linked to further records and reports pertaining to a specific agricultural product, or agricultural product lot, so that a hierarchical data structure of records and reports that comprises the collection  400  is defined. An exemplary chain of custody  406  for an agricultural product is also illustrated in  FIG. 12 . 
     In addition to records  102  that are generated at various custodial locations along the chain of custody  406 , the collection  400  may also include reports  408  for various authorities (e.g., regulatory, accreditation, certification). For example, a first set of reports  410  may be generated for an organic certification authority based on information contained in the records. A further set of records  412  may be generated for a non-profit watchdog organization, and yet another set of reports  414  generated for a regulatory authority (e.g., the EPA). Each of the reports  408  may furthermore have one or more lot codes  404  and one or more UPCs  402  associated therewith. The generation of the exemplary reports  408  will be described in further detail below. 
     Architecture—Agricultural Management Information System  50   
       FIG. 13  is a block diagram illustrating further architectural details of the agricultural management information system  50 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The agricultural management information system  50  is shown to receive data records  102 , including at least location and product data, from custodians  48 , automated data capture mechanisms  450 , and other submitters  452 . In an alternative embodiment, raw data may be received at the agricultural management information system  50 , which then itself composes the record  102 . 
     The agricultural management information system  50  is shown to include a certification server  454  that is responsible for generating reports utilizing records, pertaining to an agricultural product, obtained from custodial locations constituting a chain of custody for the relevant agricultural product. To this end,  FIG. 13  illustrates a first database  103  storing a collection of records  102 , each of the multiple records  102  being associated with a unique identifier  120 , which may comprise a UPC, lot number, or Combination of UPC and lot number. Accordingly, a one-to-many mapping between the unique identifier  120  and multiple records  102  is maintained. 
     The certification server  454  also has access to a second database  105 , which is shown to include product records  456  that include detailed information regarding agricultural products, guideline records  458  (e.g. organic certification guidelines, Marine Stewardship Council accreditation guidelines, EPA Clean Water Act standards, etc.), agricultural production system records  460  that include details regarding agricultural production systems  15  (e.g., such as those described with reference to  FIG. 1 ), custodian records  462  that contain records regarding various custodians in a chain of custody, lot records  464  that may contain additional information regarding a lot of agricultural products, and quality records  466  (e.g., size, color, purity, brix level, harvest date, etc.). 
     In summary, the certification server  454  receives raw data, or unprocessed records  102 , from the various submitters, and outputs a processed record  102  that is expanded to include further information derived from the above mentioned tables  456 - 468  of the database  105  and information that is generated by the certification server  454  itself. 
     The certification server  454  includes a control module system  470  that is responsible for coordinating the functioning of the various components of the certification server  454 . These components include a certification tool  472  that is responsible for automatically generating a compliance result based on the automatic comparison of product data, embodied in a record  102 , with compliance requirements as specified in a particular guideline record  458 . In one embodiment, the certification tool  472  may functionally operate to certify a particular product, identified by a UPC and/or a lot number, as complying with certification guidelines, as described in a guidelines record  458 , for any one of multiple certification authorities. Merely for example, The Food Alliance has issued a set of guidelines entitled “Commodity Specific Guidelines for Wine Grapes in the Pacific Northwest”, these guidelines specify cultural practices (e.g., cover crops, adjacent area management, stock selection, harvest and storage practices), crop nutrition guidelines (e.g., fertilizer applications and soil pH levels) insect/mite management guidelines, disease/nematodes management guidelines, and weed management guidelines that should be complied with in order to receive a wine grape certification from The Food Alliance. Similarly, the Conservation Agriculture Network has issued a banana standard entitled “Complete Standards for Banana Certification”, which specifies ecosystem conservation, wildlife conservation, fair treatment and good conditions for workers, community relations, agro-chemical management, waste management, water resource conservation, soil conservation and environmental planning and monitoring requirements that must be complied with in order to receive an appropriate certification from the Conservation Agriculture Network. Again, the compliance requirements for the above standards and guidelines may be embodied within one or more records within the guideline records  458  of the database  105 . The certification tool  472  operates automatically to compare agricultural product data, in the form of the records  102 , against the compliance requirements specified within such guidelines or standards, and to generate a compliance result based on this automatic comparison. The compliance result typically comprises a report  474 , which the certification server  454  may report to a user  451 . For example, the report  474  may be generated in real-time responsive to an inquiry from the user  451 . Alternatively, the report  474  may be generated once sufficient agricultural product data has been collected from the various submitters, and the report  474  may then be stored as part of the record  102  and accessed at any time. 
     The certification server  454  also includes a report tool  475  that operates to generate custom reports (e.g., daily, seasonal or yearly pest management reports) based on the agricultural product data received from various submitters. Further details regarding the report in process will be provided below. 
     An identification generator  476  operates to generate the unique identifier  120  which may be associated with multiple records within the database  103  of the system  50 . As described above, the unique identifier may be a UPC, a lot number, or the combination thereof (e.g., an encrypted identifier). 
     A custody tool  478  operates to include further custodial information within a record  102 , as extracted from the custodian records  462 . 
     A regulatory tool  480  operates substantially in the same way discussed above with respect to the certification tool  472 , but instead operates to generate a regulatory compliance certificate as a compliance result based on the comparison of the agricultural product data against regulatory compliance requirements as specified in one or more guideline records  458 . An accreditation tool  473  operates substantially in the same way discussed above. 
     An interface  482 , that accesses communication parameters  484 , facilitates access to the database  105 . For example, the interface  482  may be implemented by a Database Management System (DBMS) so as to enable the control module system  470  to issue secure queries against the database  103 . 
     Methodology—Creation of Compliance Result 
       FIG. 14  is a flow chart illustrating a method  500 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, of automatically generating a compliance result based on the automated comparison of agricultural product data against compliance requirements in the form of certification requirements. While the method  500  is described below as generating a certification record based on a comparison against certification guidelines, it will be appreciated that any compliance result may be generated using substantially the same methodology. For example, a compliance record (e.g., regulatory) or an accreditation record may be generated substantially in the same manner. 
     The method  500  commences with the submission at block  502  from a submitter (e.g., custodian  48 , an automated data capture mechanism  450  or other submitter  452 ) of a record  102 , such as for example, the record illustrated in  FIG. 5 . In addition to the information specified in  FIG. 5 , the record  102  may also specify a particular product, particular production practices/processes  20  applied to that product, inputs used to produce/process the product  22 , biological process  24  that influenced the production/processing of that product, the duration of time  26  that took place to produce/process the product, resultant impacts  30 , and a guideline specifier that may be utilized to locate a guideline record  458  within the database  103 . To this end, a custodian, for example, may when submitting agricultural product data specify that the record is contributing towards a determination as to whether a particular agricultural product complies with certain organic standards criteria. In a further embodiment, a witness may authenticate some or all the data submitted to add an additional level of credibility. 
     At block  504 , the certification server  454  receives the record  102  from the submitter and, at block  506 , the identification generator  476  adds an internal identifier  120  (or key) to the record  102 . Again, the internal identifier may comprise a UPC, a lot number, or a code derived from the UPC and/or the lot number. 
     At block  508 , the control module system  470  of the certification server  454  stores the original received record  102  in combination with the identifier  120  within the database  103 . 
     At block  510 , the certification tool  472  (or the regulatory tool  480  or accreditation tool  473 ) generates a compliance result in the exemplary form of a certification record (or regulatory compliance record or accreditation compliance record) by performing a comparison of compliance requirements against the captured agricultural product data. As described above, the compliance requirements for a specific certification record may be specified in a guideline record  458 . The creation of the certification record  510  may include generating a compliance report that provides metrics, derived from the agricultural data, against a number of factors specified by an certification/accreditation/regulatory authority. 
     Further, the certification record  510  may indicate an affirmative compliance result or negative compliance result. The affirmative compliance result may comprise a standard certification, a government regulatory compliance approval, or an accreditation. 
     At block  514 , the created certification record is then stored, either as an integral part of the product data record, or in a relational database as a distinct record that is keyed (or linked) to the agricultural product data record  102 . 
     Methodology—User Product Information Retrieval 
       FIG. 15  is a flow chart illustrating a method  520 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, of communicating agricultural product information to a user (e.g., a consumer, farmer or certification authority). 
     The method  520  commences at block  522  with the input of a serial number (e.g., a UPC) by an inquiring user  451  to the agricultural management information system  50 . In one exemplary embodiment, the input of the serial number to the system  50  may be via a computer system  532  coupled via a network  180  to the agricultural management information system  50 , as is illustrated in  FIG. 16A . In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 16A , a product identifier in the form of a UPC embodied in a barcode  536  printed on a label  534  is inputted to the computer system  532  via a barcode reader  194  that performs a read operation of the relevant barcode  536 . 
       FIG. 16A  also illustrates that the agricultural management information system  50  may communicate a user interface  538 , via the network  180 , to the computer system  532  for display on a display device  540  that forms part of the computer system  532 . The user interface  538  may include a serial number input field  542 . The serial number may be inputted into the input field  542  manually, utilizing a keyboard  544 , or automatically utilizing the barcode reader  194 . 
     The user interface  538  is also shown to present a menu of certification options  546 , each option  546  having an associated check box that may be utilized to prompt the user to identify certain certification standards, criteria or guidelines, merely by example. By selecting associated check boxes, a user is able to identify, for example, certain certification standards by which the user is interested. 
     In one embodiment, the user interface  538  comprises a markup language document (e.g., a hypertext markup language (HTML) document) that is generated by a web server that forms part of the agricultural management information system  50 . The input by the user to the interface  538  is communicated, via the network  180 , back to the agricultural management information system  50  as a request for agricultural product information. 
       FIG. 16B  shows example labels  534 , each bearing a respective barcode  536 , as applied to an assortment of agricultural products. 
     Further, while  FIG. 16A  illustrates a personal computer system  532  as being an input device, it will be appreciated that the request for agricultural product information may be inputted, by user  451 , into any of a number of network-connected devices for communication via the network  180  to the agricultural management information system  50 . For example, an appropriate interface to harvest information to be included in such a request may be presented on a PDA, a mobile telephone, a hand-held computer, a pager, or a radio-based communication device. While the UPC is also described in  FIG. 16A  should be entered via a keyboard  544 , or utilizing a barcode reader  194 , it will be appreciated that multiple other input mechanisms may be utilized to input the UPC. Specifically, an optical, radio, infrared, audio or video input mechanisms associated with a computing device may be utilized. 
     Returning to the method  520 , illustrated in  FIG. 15 , at block  524 , the user may optionally input a lot number for a particular agricultural product. The lot number may be entered in any one of the ways described above for the input of the serial number. 
     At block  526 , the agricultural management information system  50 , having now received a serial number and/or a lot number, proceeds to locate records associated with the serial and/or lot numbers. To this end, reference is again made to  FIG. 12 , which illustrates a hierarchy of records  102  and reports  408  associated with a specific UPC  402  and lot code  404  within the collection  400  being maintained within the database  103  of the agricultural management information system  50 . 
     At block  528 , having identified the appropriate records  102 , the agricultural management information system  50 , and more specifically the certification tool  472  of the certification server  454 , proceeds to compare the identified records with certification criteria specified within an appropriate guideline record  458 . Similarly, in an alternative embodiment, at block  528 , the regulatory tool  480  may compare located records with regulatory criteria as specified within a guideline record  458 . In a further embodiment, at block  528 , the accreditation tool  473  may compare located records with accreditation criteria as specified within a guideline record  458 . Examples of certification criteria are provided in  FIG. 15 . 
     At block  530 , the results of the comparison operation performed at block  528  are reported to the user. In one exemplary embodiment, the comparison results may be reported in the form of a markup language document (e.g., a HTML document) that is generated by a web server of the agricultural management information system  50 , and communicated via a network  180  to a computer system  532  operated by the user. The certification results may, in one embodiment, simply comprise a list of standards (e.g., certification, regulatory, accreditation, etc.) with which the relevant agricultural product complies. This embodiment may be directed towards a consumer who is interested in only high-level information. In an alternative embodiment, more detailed information may be communicated as part of the comparison results. For example, the certification tool  472  may provide a listing of criteria, with a metric indicated for each of the relevant criteria. The metric may comprise a certification status (e.g., pass, fail) or a relative compliance label (e.g., a grade, percentage value, rating relative to a standard, grade in terms such as poor, fair, good or super, or a statistically derived confidence interval). The resolution of information displayed with respect to a standard, and the criteria that define that standard, are customized to accommodate the requirements of a particular user. 
     While the comparison of the records with the criteria, at block  528 , is described above as being performed responsive to the receipt of a request for agricultural product information, it will be appreciated that the comparison operation may be performed off-line, prior to the receipt of any request, and the results of the comparison stored as a report  408  within the collection  400  for later retrieval responsive to a request. 
     The method  520  discussed with reference to  FIG. 15  provides an example of reporting a level of compliance of an agricultural product, based on agricultural product data collected along the chain of custody, with a standard (e.g., a certification standard). It will nonetheless be appreciated that the information embodied in the records  102 , as stored by the database of the agricultural management information system  50 , is also very useful to a farmer (or producer, processor, etc.) for the purposes of evaluating performance of and reviewing of, an agricultural production system  15  over time (e.g., a season or one or more years as described in  FIG. 2 ). To this end, a user may, in a manner similarly described with reference to  FIG. 15 , input information pertaining to an agricultural production system (e.g., a unit of production identifier), responsive to which the report tool  474  of the certification server  454  locates records associated with the relevant agricultural production system  15  (e.g., a field of land). In addition to an identifier for an agricultural product system  15 , the request from the farmer may include a specific characteristic in which the user is interested. For example, the user may be interested in the number of pests (e.g., leafhoppers) observed at a particular trap within a particular season, or over a number of years. In this case, the report tool  475  is able to extract the appropriate data from the located records, and generate textual or graphic reports. To this end,  FIG. 17A  shows exemplary seasonal reports  600  and historic reports  602  of the number of leafhoppers identified within a particular trap both seasonally and over a number of years. Additionally, the report tool  475  generates graphs to provide a visual representation of observed or measured values for a particular characteristic. 
       FIG. 17B  provides a further example of a weekly pest management monitoring report  620  that may be generated by the report tool  474  responsive to a request from a user  451 . Once again, the information displayed in the report  620  is extracted from the connection  400  of records  102 , responsive to a user inquiry. 
     Individual reports may also rank, rate, and/or provide descriptive and inferential statistics so as to provide a meaningful comparative view of the captured agricultural product data. Such reports go beyond a mere “yes/no” compliance, and enable a user to differentiate between custodians of an agricultural product based on a selected one, or multiple, metrics (e.g., environmental conditions, quality, time to market, etc.). A user  451  (e.g., a consumer) is then able to perform a comparative selection based on one or more metrics. For example, a consumer may request information regarding “good”, “better” or “best” based on one or more metrics, or may elect to receive information regarding the top ten-percent of environmentally sound products, merely for example. 
     Similarly, at the end of a production cycle (e.g., a season) or a predefined time period (e.g., every six months, every twelve months, etc.), a user  451  (e.g., a farmer or other producer) may be presented with a summary report (or aggregation) of all compliance reports for the predetermined time period. Such a summary report may be utilized by the producer as a benchmark for future production cycles, to calculate end-of-cycle balances or for multiple other purposes. 
     To this end,  FIG. 17C  provides an example of an aggregate report  622  that graphically illustrates water use efficiency per year measured in acre/feet for a group of winegrape growers. In this example, a rating system is based on the most efficient growers determined by the top ten percent of growers along a water use efficiency scale. In one embodiment, the report  622  may be hyperlinked so as to allow a user conveniently to “click through” the illustrated graph to identify the names of the growers in, for example, the top ten-percent for water use efficiency. 
       FIG. 17D  illustrates a further exemplary report in the form of a pesticide use report  624  that provides a graphic depiction of pesticide use per year measured by pounds applied per acre. In this example, a rating system is based on a five-category scale that ranges from “best”  626  to “poor”  628 , with equal intervals defined at 20 lbs. per year. Accordingly, in contrast with the report  622  discussed with reference to  FIG. 17  which provides a percentage-based rating, the report  624  illustrated in  FIG. 17D  provides discrete, descriptive classifications or ratings of growers. Again, the report  624  may provide a “click through” functionality so as to enable a user  451  conveniently to identify growers falling within each of the respective categories. 
     Further, a request to user  451  may require that a sample population be limited according to specified criteria. For example, the user  451  may specify that only a specific type of custodian (e.g., a grower, processor, transporter) be considered within a specific biologically meaningful unit (e.g., ecosystem, watershed, biological community, habitat, species population range, etc.), politically meaningful unit (e.g. country, state, region, county, city, town, village, etc.), and/or geographic region (e.g., section, town, range, etc.). Furthermore, the user  451  may request that the report only consider growers involved in one or more certification programs (e.g., organic, sustainable, integrated pest management, genetically-modified organism free, etc.). While irrigation water and pesticide use have been provided as examples of metrics of interest above, it will be appreciated that any one of a predetermined set of metrics may be selected. For example, user  451  may wish to view a comparative rating of a custodian based on energy use, impacts on water quality, impacts on air quality, level of biodiversity found in and around the production unit, time to market, ripeness, etc. 
     The reports discussed above may, in one embodiment, be generated as markup language documents that are communicated from the agricultural management information system  50 , via the network  180 , to a computer system  532 . 
     Thus, a method and system to automatically certify an agricultural product, have been described. Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.