Abstract:
An application for a system for tracking produce delivered to a consumer includes a source of produce and several end-customer containers for delivering the produce to the customer. The end-customer containers are filled with the produce and there is a mechanism for affixing a unique code on each of the end-customer containers. The unique codes are sequentially related to each other. There is a facility for capturing a first unique code and a last unique code and for relating the unique codes between and including the first unique code through to the last unique code with a produce origin and date of picking.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of to U.S. patent application Ser. No 12/060,734, filed Apr. 1, 2008, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to the field of tracking produce and more particularly to a system and method for tracking the origin of produce for health, safety and product feedback. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The delivery of safe produce is performed by many farms in the United States and elsewhere. There have been incidences in which a small amount of produce was contaminated. For example, in 2007, an  E. coli  outbreak was reported and traced back to spinach. This contamination killed three people and sickened more than 200. Authorities isolated the  E. coli  strain and found that it originated from cattle feces and wild pig feces in river water used to irrigate the effected spinach farm. Since the outbreak, lawmakers in Congress have pushed for regular inspection of processing plants. Additionally, the FDA has announced voluntary guidelines for preventing food poisoning in fresh produce. 
         [0004]    When such an outbreak occurs, produce from the entire farm is recalled, but often, only a portion of the produce is tainted. In the above example, all spinach from that farm and other farms was recalled and destroyed. There are many farms in which some fields are managed differently than other fields. For example, one field is irrigated with river water and another is irrigated with well water or water from a different source. Another example is one field having one set of pickers and another field having a different set of pickers. If one of the pickers contracts a contagious disease, there is no need to destroy crops from the fields that he or she didn&#39;t contact. 
         [0005]    Similarly, once the produce is picked, it becomes indistinguishable from similar produce picked by other pickers on the same field or different fields. There is no way for the consumer or distributor/store to provide feedback to the growers regarding product quality, etc. 
         [0006]    What is needed is a system and method for tracking produce back to a time/date of picking and the individual fields and/or pickers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In one embodiment, a system for tracking produce delivered to a consumer is disclosed including a source of produce, a plurality of end-customer containers for delivering the produce to the customer and a sequence of pre-printed labels. Each of the pre-printed labels has a unique code and the unique code on each label in sequence has a mathematically sequential value with relationship to the unique code on a previous label. A server (or other computer) and a scanner is used with software that captures a value of a first label of the sequence of pre-printed labels. The first label being affixed to a first end-customer container from the plurality of end-customer containers and the first end-customer container filed with some of the produce. Sequentially, the next label from the sequence of pre-printed labels is affixed to subsequent end-customer containers from the plurality of end-customer containers and each of the subsequent end-customer containers is filed with some of the produce. When finished, the software captures the unique code of a next label from the sequence of pre-printed labels or a last next label. The software then stores the value of the first label and the value of the next label/last label and the produce origin in a tracking database. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment, a method for tracking produce delivered to a consumer is disclosed including (a) providing an amount of produce, (b) providing a plurality of end-customer containers for delivering the produce to the customer and (c) providing a sequence of pre-printed labels. Each of the pre-printed labels has a unique code and the unique code on each label is in sequence having a mathematically sequential value with relationship to the unique code on a previous label. (d) The unique code from a first pre-printed label of the sequence of pre-printed labels is captured. (e) A next end-customer container of the plurality of end-customer containers is filled with some of the produce and (f) a next preprinted label from the sequence of pre-printed label is affixed to the next end-customer container. (g) Steps (e) and (f) are repeated until finished filling the end-customer containers at which time (h) the unique code from a remaining pre-printed label of the sequence of pre-printed labels is captured. (i) The unique code from a first pre-printed label, the unique code from a remaining pre-printed label and a produce origin to a server is transferred to a processor and (j) the unique code from a first pre-printed label, the unique code from a remaining pre-printed label and a produce origin is received by the processor and the unique code from a first pre-printed label, the unique code from a remaining pre-printed label and a produce origin is stored in a tracking database. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment, a system for tracking produce delivered to a consumer is disclosed including a source of produce and several end-customer containers for delivering the produce to the customer. A mechanism is provided for filling the end-customer containers with the produce along with a mechanism for affixing a unique code on each of the end-customer containers. The unique codes are sequentially related to each other. There is a facility for capturing a first unique code and a last unique code and for relating the unique codes between and including the first unique code through to the last unique code with a produce origin. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a plan view of a label system of the present invention on a field box. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a label system of the present invention in use. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of a system of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates a schematic view of a system of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  illustrates a first flow chart of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  illustrates a second flow chart of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  illustrates a typical user interface of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  illustrates a directed chart of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  illustrates a schematic view of a scanner of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  illustrates a perspective view of a second label system in use. 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  illustrates a schematic view of a second system for tracking produce. 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  illustrates a first flow chart of the second system for tracking produce. 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  illustrates a second flow chart of the second system for tracking produce. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a plan view of a label system of the present invention on a field box is shown. The label  42  is affixed to a surface of the field box  33 . The label  42  has a barcode  40  that includes a sequence of digital values (for example, numbers). The label  42  also includes a plurality of sub-labels or child labels  44 , in this example eight sub-labels  44 . Any number of sub-labels  44  is possible, one for each sub-container held within the over-box or field box  33 . Each sub-label  44  has a sub-label identifier that relates to the barcode  40 . In some embodiments, the sub-label identifier is a printed series of characters that relate to the sequence of digital values such as “5422187623.” In some embodiments, the sub-label identifier includes a barcode that relates to the sequence of digital values. There is at least one sub-label  44  for each sub-container and, in some embodiments, one or more spare sub-labels  44  are provided in case one does not stick or is destroyed. 
         [0026]    The field box  33  is a container that holds two or more sub-boxes or sub-containers. For example purposes, the term “clamshell” is used throughout this application to refer to the sub-boxes or sub-containers. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a perspective view of a label system of the present invention in use is shown. Before or after filling the clamshell boxes  34  with produce, the sub-labels  44  are peeled from the master label  42  and, each sub-label  44  is affixed to each of the clamshell boxes  34  and the clamshell boxes  34  are placed in the field box  33 . Note that the barcode  40  on the master label  42  is the same as or related to the sub-label identifier (e.g., barcode  43  or printed digits) on each of the sub-labels  44 . In one embodiment, the barcode  40  on the master label  42  has the same numerical value as the sub-label identifier (e.g., barcode  43  or printed digits) on each of the sub-labels  44 . In alternate embodiments, some of the numerical values are the same and some differ to distinguish the individual sub-labels. In all embodiments, the barcode  40  is unique, in that, no two sets of labels have the same barcode so as to permit identification of the produce by the barcode. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a perspective view of a system of the present invention is shown. In this example, the picker  38  delivers the field box  33  to a harvest manager or foreman  8  who uses a scanner  22  to scan the barcode  42 . In some embodiments, an employee badge barcode  37  on an employee badge  36  of the produce picker  38  is scanned to relate the barcode  40  of the produce to the employee badge barcode  37  (e.g., employ identification number) of the employee. 
         [0029]    Any known scanner  22  is anticipated including, but not limited to, hand-held, self-contained portable scanners and tethered scanners, as known in the industry. In embodiments in which the scanner is portable, the data collected is either sent by wireless methods or stored internally to the scanner  22  and sent or transferred at a later time. In embodiments in which the scanner is tethered (connected to a fixed computer base), the data collected is either sent by wired methods, wireless methods or stored internally to the scanner  22  or its associated fixed computer base and sent or transferred at a later time. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a schematic view of a system of the present invention is shown. When the field box  33  is distributed to the picker  38 , the barcode  40  on the label  42  and the barcode  37  on the picker&#39;s badge  36  are scanned by a portable scanner. In some embodiments, these barcodes  40 / 37  are stored and held at the scanner (field scanner)  22  until the scanner is connected to the server  30  for data capture  20 . There are many ways to connect the scanner(s)  22  to the server  30  including, but not limited to, a wireless connection (e.g., 802.11, IRDA, other IR link), a wired connection (e.g., USB, DB9 Serial Port) and a wired connection within a cradle (e.g., USB, Serial) whereas the cradle also provides power for charging the scanner  22 . In some embodiments, the server  30  is located remote to the scanners  22  and the data capture  22  is transmitted to the server  30  through a wide area network such as the internet  10 . 
         [0031]    The uploaded data contains a data record for each field box. The data record contains at least the barcode  40  of the field box  33  and an identification of the origin (e.g., a specific plot, field, row, etc). In some embodiments, the identification of the origin is defined by the barcode  37  of the picker  38  since the picker is assigned to a specific field, plot, etc. In some embodiments, the origin emanates from a stored value in the scanner  22 . In some embodiments, the origin is keyed in or scanned into the scanner  22 . In addition, in some embodiments, the data record also includes the barcode of the picker  37 . 
         [0032]    The uploaded data records are entered into a barcode tracking database  32  for future access and analysis. One use of the data records in the barcode tracking database  32  is to determine how many field boxes  33  were picked by a particular picker  38 . Another use of the data records in the barcode tracking database  32  is to determine the origin of a given field box  33  for tracing to origin and/or for providing feedback to the grower regarding customer feedback. 
         [0033]    In some embodiments, the server  30  is networked to the Internet  10  (WWW) and one or more customers  12 / 14 / 16  have access to an application in which the customers  12 / 14 / 16  enter the barcode  40  from a purchased clamshell box  34  and provide feedback regarding the quality, freshness, taste, etc. The feedback is added to the barcode tracking database  32  and is then accessible to the owner/manager of the originating farm(s). 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a first flow chart of the present invention is shown. The tracking process begins with providing  50  a master label  42 . In some embodiments, the master label  42  is provided on a roll. The master label  42  has a plurality of sub-labels  44 . The barcode  40  on the master label  42  matches or relates to the sub-label identifier (e.g., barcode  43 ) on each of the sub-labels  44  and, the barcode is unique, in that, no other master label has the same barcode (at least statistically or during the expected life of the barcode). 
         [0035]    The tracking process continues with affixing  52  a master label  42  to each field box  33  as the field box  33  is built or remanufactured/cleaned. In the preferred embodiment, the master label  42  is a peel-and-stick label and peeled from a backing and affixed to the field box  33 , although other methods are well known in the industry, all of which are hereby included. 
         [0036]    When the field box  33  is ready to be filled, the child stickers or sub-labels  44  are peeled off  54  and each one is affixed to a clamshell or sub-carton  34 . Although the term “clamshell” is used throughout this description for simplicity, any carton or container is possible. For example, for strawberries, clear plastic clamshells  34  are often used, but alternately, a one-pint or two-pint wooden or plastic basket is sometimes used. The present invention is intended for any produce that is distributed in a plurality of containers and a subset of the plurality of containers is shipped in an over box (or field box as described above). 
         [0037]    Next, the picker fills the clamshells with produce  56 . In some embodiments, the picker fills the clamshells  34  with produce and later affixes the label, etc. The clamshells  34  are then loaded  58  into the field box  33 . 
         [0038]    Once the field box is filled with clamshells  34 , the master label barcode  40  is scanned  60 . In the preferred embodiment, a barcode  37  from the picker&#39;s badge  36  is also scanned to correlate the produce in the clamshells  34 /field box  33  with the picker  38 . In some embodiments, the scanner  22  is preprogrammed with an identification of the origin of the produce (e.g., field, row, plot, etc.). In some embodiments, the location of the field is entered on the scanner  22  to indicate the origin of the produce (e.g., field, row, plot, etc.). In some embodiments, the barcode from the picker&#39;s badge  37  is used to determine the origin of the produce (e.g., field, row, plot, etc.), being that the picker  38  is assigned to a particular field, row, plot, etc. 
         [0039]    A data record is created  64  including the barcode  40  of from the label  42  and the origin of the produce. Preferably, the origin of the produce is determined from the badge barcode  37  and, therefore, the data record includes the badge barcode  37 . In some embodiments, the data record includes an identifier uniquely identifying the origin of the produce (field, row, plot, etc.). 
         [0040]    At some time, one or more data records are uploaded  66  to the server  30  and the server  30  stores  68  the data record(s) in the barcode tracking database  32 . 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a second flow chart of the present invention is shown. After a customer purchases the produce  70  and is either happy or unhappy with the produce  72 , they are now able to provide feedback directly to the farm, picker and/or manager down to the package or plot level. In one embodiment, there is a web address (e.g., http://www.wishfarms.com) printed on the sub-label  44 . The customer accesses the web address  74  and is presented with a user interface (such as that in  FIG. 7 ). The customer enters the sub-label identifier (e.g., barcode  43  or series of characters) of from the sub-label  44  on the produce  76  into the user interface  76  then provides their evaluation of the produce  78 . For example, the customer is unhappy because the produce is spoiled. Once the evaluation is completed by the customer, it is stored and available for delivery to the farm manager  80  or other person so that they can act upon the evaluation. 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , a typical user interface of the present invention is shown. In this sample user interface  90 , the customer enters contact information, including, in this example, their name, email address and phone number. In this example, the customer also indicates where they purchased the produce. The barcode  43  from the produce is entered in the appropriate fields and the customer has a field to enter a comment or simply check a box if their concern is covered by one of the bullet point  92 . The fields shown are examples of one possible user interface. Many alternate user interfaces are known and included in the present application. 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , a directed chart of the present invention is shown. The label barcode  40  is captured by the scanner  22 . In some embodiments, the badge barcode  37  is also captured by the scanner  22 . In some embodiments, a field identification  106  is either entered on the scanner&#39;s  22  user interface or stored within the scanner&#39;s  22  memory. In some embodiments, the data collected is stored in local storage  225  for later transmission. Once the data is captured or at some time in the future, a data record for each field box  33  is transferred to the server, preferably over a communications link  120 . In alternate embodiments, the data records are transferred by transferring a memory device such as a compact flash card or USB memory stick. The communications link  120  is any transmission link known in the industry, wired or wireless, such as 802.11, USB, Ethernet, Firewire, etc. 
         [0044]    After the data records arrive at the server  30 , they are stored in the barcode tracking database  32  for access in providing customer feedback, for determining picker performance and/or for tracking the origin of produce back to the field, row, plot, etc. For customer feedback, the server  30  is connected to the Internet  10  by a communications link  122 . The communications link  122  is any transmission link known in the industry, wired or wireless, such as 802.11, USB, Ethernet, Firewire, etc. Likewise, the customer(s) is/are connected to the Internet by a communications link  124 . This communications link  124  is any transmission link known in the industry, wired or wireless, such as 802.11, USB, Ethernet, Fire wire, DOCSIS, Cable, FIOS, DSL, etc. 
         [0045]    Referring now to  FIG. 9 , a schematic view of a barcode scanner of all embodiments of the present invention is shown. The barcode scanner  22  is shown for completeness and the device shown is a simplified example of a typical processor-based scanner that has a processor  210  and associated memory  220  and storage  225 . The storage is, for example, Flash memory, battery-backed SRAM or a hard disk. This is an exemplary system and any suitable processor, memory and persistent storage can be substituted including microcontrollers such as the Intel® 80C51, processors such as the Intel® Pentium IV, memory such as SDRAM and DDR and persistent storage such as ROM, EPROM, hard disks, etc. The operating program, data parameters and scanned barcode containing records are typically stored in the persistent storage  225  A system bus  230  interfaces the processor to peripheral devices as discussed below. 
         [0046]    The scanner  22  displays information, alerts, prompts, etc., on a display  260 . In some embodiments, the display  260  is a graphics display. In some embodiments, the display  260  is a LCD display. In other embodiments, the display is a numeric display, alpha-numeric display, set of lights or any combination thereof. Operation of the system is initiated by control inputs  270 . In some embodiments, the control inputs  270  include a keyboard. In other embodiments, the control  270  includes push buttons, switches, potentiometers and digital potentiometers, etc. 
         [0047]    The scanner  22  controls the optical scanning hardware through a scanner control output port  240  as known in the industry. There are many known barcode scanning technologies, usually employing a lasing LED to illuminate the barcode while a detector measures reflected light to determine the digits of the barcode. All known barcode technologies including, but not limited to, linear barcodes, two-dimensional barcodes, matrix barcodes, two-dimensional stacked barcodes, postal barcodes, postnet postal barcodes and onecode postal barcodes are included, here within. Likewise, all known encodings of barcodes are also included here within. 
         [0048]    Outputs from the scanning hardware are fed to the scanner processor  210  through a scanner input port  250 . 
         [0049]    The scanner interfaces to the server computer  30  through a network interface  280  connected to the system bus  230 . In some embodiments, the part or all of the storage  225  is removable (e.g. SD, memory stick or Compact Flash) and the data records are transferred on the removable storage to the server computer  30 . 
         [0050]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , a perspective view of a second label system in use is shown. In this label system, produce  312  such as blueberries, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, etc, are delivered from the field to a packing station/area in bulk, preferably in containers  310 , as known in the industry. In the packing area, the produce  310  is removed from the containers  310 , sorted, inspected and placed in end-customer containers  315 , as also known in the industry. In the past, a label was affixed to the end-customer containers  315  describing the product and having a UPC bar code for scanning at, for example, a grocery store. The UPC bar code label of the past for this type of produce  312  had no tracking data for either quality control/feedback or for health and safety reasons. 
         [0051]    In an improved method of tracking produce, a tracking label is affixed to each of the end-customer containers  315  from a sequential source  320  such as a roll of labels  320  or sheets of labels in which the labels are used in order. The labels  314 / 316 / 318  have a known sequence of symbols such that, given a first set of symbols and a last set of symbols, all intermediate symbols are known. The simplest such sequence is a linear sequence such as 535601, 535602, 535603 . . . 535650. In such, knowing the first in the sequence (535601) and the last in the sequence (535650) all intermediate symbols are known such as 535647, etc. More complex sequences of symbols are also anticipated such as pseudo-random number sequences or sequences in which each symbol is separated from the previous symbol by a known distance such as 535600, 535701, 535802 . . . . It is preferred that each symbol be unique so that no two containers have the same symbol and that each symbol is mathematically related to the prior symbol such that given the prior symbol, an algorithm will determine the value of the next symbol. In the simplest case, the algorithm is, “add one.” In this, if the prior symbol is 120098, then adding one produces 120099. Many such algorithms are anticipated and, in some examples, the algorithm produces symbols that do not appear to be related to each other as when the algorithm includes, for example, a pseudo-random sequence. In such, by using the prior number as the seed to a pseudo-random function, the next number is determined, etc. In some embodiments, the true index number or symbols is hidden within a larger set of numbers/symbols. For example, “4895 8952 8432 3311” might be on the label, but the corresponding index number might be parts of this taken, perhaps, out of sequence, for example, 1158432895. Other parts of the number/symbol are anticipated to be either filler, an identification of a company, check digits, etc. With such, software that receives the digits/symbols from the customer is better able to determine if the customer mistyped the sequence, etc. 
         [0052]    In this improved method of tracking produce, at the beginning of a processing batch (e.g. the first run in the morning or when a first bulk container  310  from a given field is processed), the first label  314  in the sequence is captured, preferably by a scanner  322  (see  FIG. 11 ) into the computing system (e.g. scanner  322  or server  30 ) or alternately by placing a sacrificial label  314 / 316 / 318  on a report sheet, etc. As end-customer containers  315  are filed, the next label  316  in the sequence is affixed to the end-customer containers  315  until the batch is complete (e.g. last run of the day, the bulk container  310  is empty or all bulk containers  310  from a given location are empty, etc). Now the last label  316  or next label  318  from the sequential labels  320  is captured, preferably by a scanner  322  into the computing system (e.g. scanner  322  or server  30 ) or alternately by placing a sacrificial label  314 / 316 / 318  on a report sheet, etc. Now information regarding the batch of produce  312  is captured and/or entered into the computing system (e.g. scanner  322  or server  30 ) and associated with the sequence of labels  314 / 316 / 318 . The information includes any data related to the produce  312  such as field of origin, date picked, picker(s), harvest crew, harvest event, time picked, packing station, etc. 
         [0053]    Referring to  FIG. 11 , a schematic view of a second system for tracking produce is shown. At the beginning of the day or at the start of a batch, the first label  314  (or first remaining label  314 ) of a roll  320  (registration label) is scanned by a packing scanner  322 . In some embodiments, the code (e.g. barcodes) is stored and held at the scanner (packing scanner)  322  until the scanner  322  is connected to the server  30 , while in other embodiments, the code (e.g. barcodes) is transferred to the server  30 . There are many ways to connect the scanner(s)  322  to the server  30  including, but not limited to, a wireless connection (e.g., 802.11, IRDA, other IR link), a wired connection (e.g., USB, DB9 Serial Port) and a wired connection within a cradle (e.g., USB, Serial) whereas the cradle also provides power for charging the scanner  322 . In some embodiments, the server  30  is located remote to the scanners  322  and the code is transmitted to the server  30  through a wide area network such as the internet  10 . 
         [0054]    The uploaded data contains a data record for the first code (e.g. barcode) in a sequence of codes (e.g. barcodes). The data record contains at least the code (e.g. barcode) of the first label  314  and an identification of the origin (e.g., a specific plot, field, etc). Optional data in the record includes picker information, dates, times, etc. In some embodiments, the origin emanates from a stored value in the scanner  322 . In some embodiments, the origin is keyed in or scanned into the scanner  322 . In some embodiments, the origin is keyed into the server  30  or another computer (not shown) as known for entering data. 
         [0055]    The uploaded data is entered into a barcode tracking database  32  for future access and analysis. Subsequent codes are then associated with the same data. At the end of the shift or other desired time (e.g. when changing to produce that originated at a different field), the last label used from the roll  316  or the next label to be used from the roll  318  is scanned by the scanner  322 . The code from this label  316 / 318  is also uploaded to the server  30 . The server then associates all sequential labels between the first label  314  scanned (registration label) and the last label  316 / 318  scanned (end label) with the same source and/or other information captured with the first label scanned (registration label). 
         [0056]    One use of the data records in the barcode tracking database  32  is to determine the origin of a given field end-user package  315  for tracing to origin and/or for providing feedback to the grower regarding customer feedback. 
         [0057]    In some embodiments, the server  30  is networked to the Internet  10  (WWW) and one or more customers  12 / 14 / 16  have access to an application in which the customers  12 / 14 / 16  enter a code  314 / 316 / 318  from a end-customer package  315  and provide feedback regarding the quality, freshness, taste, etc. In some embodiments, the feedback is added to the barcode tracking database  32  and is then accessible to the owner/manager of the originating farm(s). 
         [0058]    Referring to  FIG. 12 , a first flow chart of the second system for tracking produce is shown. First, a sequential source  320  such as a roll of labels  320  or sheets of labels in which the labels are used in order is provided  350 . It is preferred that the sequential source of labels  320  be pre-printed. The labels  314 / 316 / 318  have a known sequence of symbols such that, given a first set of symbols and a last set of symbols, all intermediate symbols are known. The simplest such sequence is a linear sequence such as 535601, 535602, 535603 . . . 535650. In such, knowing the first in the sequence (535601) and the last in the sequence (535650) all intermediate symbols are known such as 535647, etc. More complex sequences of symbols are also known such as pseudo-random number sequences or sequences in which each symbol is separated from the previous symbol by a known distance such as 535600, 535701, 5356802 . . . . 
         [0059]    At the beginning of the day or at the start of a batch, the first label  314  (or first remaining label  314 ) of a roll  320  (registration label) is scanned  352  by a packing scanner  322  or recorded in any way known in the industry. In some embodiments, the code (e.g. barcodes) is stored and held at the scanner (packing scanner)  322  until the scanner  322  is connected to the server  30 , while in other embodiments, the code (e.g. barcodes) is transferred to the server  30 . 
         [0060]    As each end-customer container  315  is filled  354 , the next label  314 / 316 / 318  is affixed  356  to the end-customer container  315 . These steps  354 / 356  are repeated  358  until an end point such as the produce  312  is depleted, the shift is over, etc. Now, the sequential code from the last label used  316  or the next label  318  on the sequential source  320  is scanned/recorded  360 . 
         [0061]    Data is then entered  362  and transferred  364  to the server  30 , associated  366  with the sequence of labels  314 / 316  and stored  368  in the barcode tracking database  32  for future access and analysis. The server associates  366  all sequential labels between the first label  314  scanned (registration label) and the last label  316 / 318  scanned (end label) with the data (e.g. source of produce  312  and/or other information captured with the first label scanned. The uploaded data contains a data record for the first code (e.g. barcode) in a sequence of codes (e.g. barcodes). The data record contains the code (e.g. barcode) of the first label  314  and an identification of the origin (e.g., a specific plot, field, etc). Optional data in the record includes picker information, dates, times, etc. In some embodiments, the origin emanates from a stored value in the scanner  322 . In some embodiments, the origin is keyed in or scanned into the scanner  322 . In some embodiments, the origin is keyed into the server  30  or another computer (not shown) as known for entering data. 
         [0062]    Referring to  FIG. 13 , a second flow chart of the second system for tracking produce is shown. After a customer purchases the produce  370  and is either happy or unhappy with the produce  372 , they are now able to provide feedback directly to the farm, picker and/or manager down to the package or plot level. In one embodiment, there is a web address (e.g., http://www.wishfarms.com) printed on the label  314 / 316 / 318 . The customer accesses the web address  374  and is presented with a user interface (such as that in  FIG. 7 ). The customer enters the label identification (e.g., code from label  314 / 316 / 318 )  376  into the user interface then provides their evaluation of the produce  378 . For example, the customer is unhappy because the produce is spoiled. Once the evaluation is completed by the customer, it is stored and available for delivery to the farm manager  380  or other person so that they can act upon the evaluation. 
         [0063]    Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result. 
         [0064]    It is believed that the system and method of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.