EWR and Deere Simplifying RFID Data Use in the Cotton Supply Chain
September 6, 2019 
RFID technology is making a huge impact on the cotton supply chain, and gins and growers have been seeking a way to use the information embedded in the tags of round modules (rounds).
Agricultural technology firm EWR, Inc., in collaboration with John Deere, is providing gins and producers with the ability to do more with the information gathered and tracked through RFID.
While producers are looking for a way to capture their data created when using their John Deere harvester, gins are searching for an efficient way of handling rounds without paper tags. This new technology improves the transfer of data to allow the combining of the RFID data gathered on harvesters with the bale data. By modernizing the process, gins, producers, and manufacturers have greater confidence in the overall transparency and quality of the product they’re creating.
“For the past several seasons, we have created new applications and updated existing software products to better utilize the RFID number,” says Tom McCune, EWR Vice President.
EWR has updated its MyModules mobile app so that producers can register their modules in the field using the RFID or a paper tag. EWR’s Cottonhost website, which interfaces with the John Deere web portal, has been enhanced to allow the gin to obtain a producer’s Harvest ID data (with his permission) directly from the web portal into EWR’s eCotton Gin software.
Last season, EWR released an add-on product called Gin RFID, which allows the capturing of RFID numbers when a round module is received at the gin. This enables the gin to attach a series of RFID numbers with a specific load number or tag. Further changes are being made to give the gin the option to handle each round as an individual load.
EWR pioneered the use of electronic receipts and continues to develop technologies that are leading the cotton industry forward and helping the supply chain run seamlessly and efficiently from end to end. This collaboration with John Deere underscores the industry’s desire to create a trustworthy process that every stakeholder can depend on to increase visibility and transparency in the supply chain.
For the 2019-2020 crop year, EWR will be testing a new way of handling round modules with the RFID tag at the gin feeder line. These changes will be part of the eCotton Remote Bale Entry product. Enhancements include allowing the scale operator to see all rounds queued up for ginning as they are placed on the line and unwrapped. This also gives the ability to track the RFID number to the bale.
“All of these changes are part of an ongoing effort by EWR to improve the handling of RFID tags, while keeping the software adaptable for the different types of ginning processes,” said McCune.
For more information, visit the EWR website or call 901-753-5026.
Based on information provided by EWR, Inc.
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