Through the smart integration of data in production processes stakeholders in the meat industry can add value for both themselves and other stakeholders in the value chain. Good examples of this are the developments in the ‘’Meat Transparency and Traceability’’ and ‘’Decision-Making Optimization in Beef Supply Chain’’ use cases. In these cases, the development is aimed at creating integrated data collection, processing and distribution processes that do not stop at the farmer’s driveway or the slaughterhouse’s front door. Instead, by bundling the data of multiple stakeholders all stakeholders can benefit: consumers can learn more about where their products come from, whilst farmers and suppliers can streamline their production processes and add value to their end product by offering consumers a transparent, retraceable alternative to other products.

Of course, many obstacles are yet to be overcome. Some of these obstacles are already known by most of us, such as the lacking reliability of internet connections in rural environments. Other obstacles get less attention. Farmers for example need to become more aware of what data brings with it: Who owns it? What does it have to offer? And how do you use it? Increasing the farmers’ understanding of these questions, and of their possible answer, will help further the integration of IoT in the meat industry. Only through collaboration among stakeholders, and through the creation of a shared understanding of the answers to these fundamental questions about IoT solutions, will we be able to achieve our goal: realizing the full potential of data in the meat industry.

- Jarissa Maselyne Meat Trial Ecosystem Chair