Dear Valued PTI Volunteer: As we begin the New Year, we would like to take a step back and reflect on the many accomplishments you and your organization have helped the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) achieve in 2013. Together, we have made great strides since 2008 when PTI was launched, and we couldn?t have done it without you. Thank you. We have seen more and more companies engaged in looking to understand and implement PTI recommendations to achieve whole chain traceability in our industry. To demonstrate this growth, we would like to encourage you to join the 37 companies already reporting their implementation status via PTI scorecards. And, if you have already completed the Scorecard, please take the time now to update your information. The Scorecard is easily accessible from the home page of the PTI website at
www.producetraceability.org. Our major accomplishments in 2013 included the following: ? In May of 2013 Wal-Mart and Sam?s Club announced they are requiring all fresh commodity produce to have standardized case labels, consistent with PTI best practices. This was an important step forward for the Initiative and in 2014 the PTI will continue to play an important role in providing education and best practices so the industry can be prepared when additional buyers execute vendor letters. ? In the fall of 2013, Whole Foods communicated to their produce suppliers their requirement of PTI compliant shipments using Advance Ship Notices (ASNs) effective June 2014. ? In May of 2013, the PTI Leadership Council agreed to provide joint comments to the Food and Drug Administration from the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, GS1 US, Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association on behalf of their members to express that PTI guidelines and best practices are in alignment with the Institute of Food Technologists? traceability recommendations. ? In response to the Leadership Council?s call to assess buyer-related implementation challenges and opportunities, the PTI Buyer Working Group formed early last year and developed several documents for our industry: the Best Practice for use of Hybrid Pallet Labels by Receivers and the Guidance on Benefits of Advance Ship Notice versus Hybrid Pallet Labels. These documents are meant to assist receivers in when and how to use or require the Hybrid Pallet Label and to provide more clarification on the differences between using the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Advance Ship Notice (ASN) transaction and the Hybrid Pallet Label. ? The Oppenheimer Group and Mother Earth Organic Mushrooms released case studies siting the benefits of using PTI Best Practices in their business operations. Again, congratulations and thank you! Your continued support of the PTI is critical to making 2014 the best year yet, as more trading partners move towards full implementation. With thanks and best wishes for the New Year, Michael Agostini and Doug Grant, co-chairs of the PTI Leadership Council