A Wireless Electronic Monitoring System for Securing Milk from Farm to Processor

Phillip Womble*a, Lindsay Hoppera ,Chris Thompsonb, Suraj M. Alexanderc, William Cristb, Fred

Payneb, Tim Stombaughb, Jon Paschala, Ryan Moorea, Brian Luckb, Nasrin Tabayehnejabb

aApplied Physics Institute, Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Blvd, Bowling Green, KY, USA 42101-1077;

bUniversity of Kentucky, 220 Barnhart Bldg., Lexington, KY USA 40546-0276 cDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Speed School, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY USA

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ABSTRACT

The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services have targeted bulk food contamination as a focus for attention. The contamination of bulk food poses a high consequence threat to our society. Milk transport falls into three of the 17 targeted NIPP (National Infrastructure Protection Plan) sectors including agriculture-food, public health, and commercial facilities. Minimal security safeguards have been developed for bulk milk transport. The current manual methods of securing milk are paper intensive and prone to errors. The bulk milk transportation sector requires a security enhancement that will both reduce recording errors and enable normal transport activities to occur while providing security against unauthorized access. Milk transportation companies currently use voluntary seal programs that utilize plastic, numbered seals on milk transport tank openings. Our group has developed a Milk Transport Security System which is an electromechanical access control and communication system that assures the secure transport of milk, milk samples, milk data, and security data between locations and specifically between dairy farms, transfer stations, receiving stations, and milk plants. It includes a security monitoring system installed on the milk transport tank, a hand held device, optional printers, data server, and security evaluation software. The system operates automatically and requires minimal or no attention by the bulk milk hauler/sampler. The system is compatible with existing milk transport infrastructure, and has the support of the milk producers, milk transportation companies, milk marketing agencies, and dairy processors. The security protocol developed is applicable for transport of other bulk foods both nationally and internationally. This system adds significantly to the national security infrastructure for bulk food transport. We are currently demonstrating the system in central Kentucky and will report on the results of the demonstration.

Keywords: bulk food, milk transport, security monitoring system, national security infrastructure

1. INTRODUCTION The Bioterrorism Act (Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002) addresses threat assessments, technologies, and procedures for securing food processing and manufacturing facilities and modes of transportation. The development of security systems to prevent potential adulteration of foods, while still enabling routine food production and transportation activities to occur, is stated as “essential.” Key elements of the Bioterrorism Act focus on protection against adulteration of food and maintenance and inspection of records for foods.

The food safety and security of Grade A milk is under the purview of the FDA. Manufacture grade dairy products are regulated by the USDA. FDA has identified milk as a heightened food security concern and a priority in terms of national security1. Bulk milk’s large batch size, rapid turnaround at retail, rapid consumption, thorough mixing during processing, and high accessibility are the four consistent features of a high-risk food.

Sensors, and Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (C3I) Technologies for Homeland Securityand Homeland Defense VII, edited by Edward M. Carapezza,

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The bulk milk transportation industry lacks a uniform, formal security policy. Loaded and unloaded trucks and/or tankers are regularly left unattended and may be parked overnight in insecure and unsupervised areas. Many of these unattended, insecure locations are secluded and may include dairy farms, remote transfer points, hauling company property, and hauler residences.

Current security measures employed on farms are practically non-existent. Bulk milk transporters currently use voluntary seal programs that generally utilize plastic, numbered seals on tanker openings. Seal number identifiers are recorded as they are applied to openings (see Figure 1). As seals are broken during routine transportation activities, seal numbers are accumulated. Some companies require that broken seals be maintained. These sealing systems are problematic in that they are prone to record keeping errors and maintaining a broken seal is burdensome. It is not uncommon to have numerous broken seals for a single load of milk.

Current bulk milk records are primarily handwritten (Figure 1). The level of detail associated with records maintained on bulk milk manifests, bills of lading, etc. for each load of milk is inconsistent and prone to inaccuracies2. The maintenance of records is critical to provide for adequate trace-back of food and agricultural products when potential adulteration occurs. Most farms have a handwritten record in the milk house known as a “barn card.” Haulers typically maintain handwritten bulk milk manifests or load tickets. Pertinent information relating to each dairy farm is maintained within these records. Similar to the seal information, these records are error prone and legibility is often a concern. Recording mistakes, mathematical errors, and misplaced tickets are commonplace2.

2. PROJECT DESIGN Development of a milk transport security protocol required a systematic and comprehensive review of the transport system. A systems approach was used to review the transport of three items from the farm to the dairy processor: 1) milk, 2) milk samples, and 3) information (herd, milk, and security data). The systems analysis determined the minimum data required to provide the maximum security including the hauler’s name, time and place the tanker was accessed, time of milk pickup, and pickup farm name. The current milk security records have at most two attributes: the event (such as a broken seal) and the driver of the truck. In contrast, we have developed a security protocol that utilizes four attributes—who, what, when, and where—to track milk during transport from farm to processor.

The system was required to be flexible to accommodate varied tanker designs and diverse farm and plant systems. Also, a complete, integrated system was needed that would improve operational efficiencies as well as ensure food safety and defense measures for the dairy industry. The prototype system was developed based on input from producer groups, dairy processors, and transportation companies. The system includes a data server, a mobile handheld computer, and a computer processor installed on the tanker that operates the Security Monitoring System (SMS).

2.1 Security Monitoring System

The SMS includes a GPS unit, electronic locks on the tank access points, a key pad, and temperature sensors. These core components are critical to the system’s record keeping system that identify who, what, when, and where a tanker’s

Fig. 1. Elements of the current milk security procedures. From left to right, we show plastic numbered seals on tanker doors and hatches, a milk sample container, and the hand-written milk ticket.

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door, valve, or dome lid was accessed. Temperature sensors monitor milk in transit, the tanker’s wash cycle, and, when appropriate, milk samples in the storage cooler. All tanker events are captured and stored. The system may also potentially allow a producer’s dairy herd information to be downloaded with each farm pickup, which will provide near instant traceability from the processor to the individual cow.

2.2 Handheld Computer

The mobile, handheld computer is robust to handle the rigors associated with milk hauling. It is used by the hauler or other authorized user to enter information that is typically recorded on hand written documents such as the milk ticket or tanker wash tag. Data is validated in each field as it is entered by the user to ensure accuracy. The unit can also provide up-to-date information regarding items such as pick-up scheduling and logistics.

The handheld computer can be used in conjunction with a barcode scanner and label printer. This added feature allows for faster and more accurate accounting of milk samples and corresponds to laboratory procedures for the samples.

2.3 Data Server

The data server monitors, tracks, and stores information related to bulk milk transport activities such as the farm, plant, and trucking company information. Pertinent data includes GPS coordinates of truck and farm locations, Interstate Milk Shippers or state identification numbers, tanker capacities, and potentially farm attributes (such as organic) and herd status. This data is stored in the server and may be updated as needed by the appropriate users. The server is currently located at Western Kentucky University.

2.4 Communications

The SMS, mobile handheld computer, and the data server will interface as events occur (i.e. door is opened or data is entered into the handheld). All information is redundantly stored and updates are communicated across the system. The data stored on the server may be accessed only by authorized individuals and will restrict information displayed to only that which is applicable to that user.

The bulk milk transport security system will manage by exception, meaning activities exceeding specified criteria will be “red flagged” and quickly communicated to system users. Examples of potentially flagged items include inappropriate access to the tanker, tanker wash tag expiration, or an elevated milk cargo temperature. The security and traceability features of the system will enhance the dairy industry’s ability to respond quickly to an event. Detailed near real-time information relating to a load of milk in transit (i.e. location, volume, and temperature) has the potential to increase efficiencies and will benefit marketing agencies, processors, and transport companies.

3. IMPLEMENTATION 3.1 Driver Identification

Initial design called for the use of biometrics to identify truck drivers. Testing revealed that biometric devices such as fingerprint scanners consistently fail during routine milk transportation processes. Some were temperature sensitive; others failed if the driver’s finger was wet. Also, the solvents used to clean the tankers tended to wear away the driver’s fingerprints over time making fingerprint scanning difficult.

A second identification process tried was the use of passive RFID tags carried by the truck driver. It was envisioned that the RFID tag could be placed in the wallet rather than on a lanyard, aiding speed and efficiency. While the cost of the system was attractive, the range that the reader was able to detect the tag was not satisfactory. One tag reader with an advertised range of 40 cm turned out to have an actual range of 20 cm under field conditions. These tests indicated that not only would the tag have to be on a lanyard, it would also have to be waved in front of the reader in order to be detected. Thus, the system would not be hands-free, impacting the driver’s efficiency.

3.2 Communications

The communication system on the truck must be flexible in order to accommodate the numerous communications protocols possible at different locations. At the dairy, the truck could either download data from a cattle information system or download dairy records from a computer at the farm. At the milk processing plant, the truck must upload its

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information into the database of the plant. The truck must also be able to communicate with a transfer vessel such as another truck. Finally, the truck must also communicate with the data server.

For these communication scenarios, two types of communication have been determined: 1) short-range (< 0.5 km), high-speed data transfer (>1 Mbps) and 2) long-range (>2 km), low speed data (<56 kbps). Wireless communications using the IEEE 802.11x standard (“WiFi”) are excellent for the former, while cellular communications (through cellular modems) are sufficient for the latter. Other radio standards such as 802.15 (“Bluetooth”) are too short range and do not have sufficient bandwidth. While satellite communications would be a perfect solution to long-range communication, its cost and power requirements prohibit them.

Originally, as shown in Fig. 2, the handheld computer communicated directly with the data server. However, it has been determined that a more optimal solution was needed, especially when considering transfer operations. In the next truck design, we will implement both WiFi and cellular communications from the truck itself, using a cellular modem onboard. The handheld computer can upload its information to the truck’s SMS by first uploading to the truck and then issuing commands to the truck to send the data of interest to the database. The truck will act as a mobile server and facilitate communications between the handheld computer and the data server.

4. DEMONSTRATION A prototype was first demonstrated on a commercial milk truck in September 2007. Field-testing began in late October 2007, and system validation will continue through early 2008. A field test for a period of one week was conducted in November 2007. The truck was driven by a milk hauler from the firm of Slayback Hauling, Inc. In this field test, the milk hauler performed his normal duties at approximately ten farms and two milk processing plants. The test was a complete success. A demonstration of the initial system at the University of Kentucky Agriculture Complex is shown in Fig. 3.

Continued prototype field-testing in 2008 will include collecting milk on multiple routes with deliveries to multiple processors. During this second phase, researchers will gather feedback from users and fine-tune the system. In late 2008, a meeting is planned to demonstrate and discuss the improved system.

Fig. 2. Schematic view of data flow within the truck

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5. FUTURE WORK The key benefits of the milk transport security system are to: 1) improve the accuracy and speed at which pertinent records can be accessed and evaluated for trace-back, 2) reduce the scope and scale of any potential contamination or security breach, 3) enhance consumer confidence in the safety of our food supply, 4) provide a system of record keeping for the dairy industry, and 5) increase business process efficiency for all of the dairy industry. Future work will demonstrate these benefits.

Optimization of the electromechanical systems will be achieved by ongoing tests using a small fleet of trucks. This will provide the opportunity to eliminate protocol conflicts on a small scale and to mesh with the milk receiving operations at a dairy plant. The electromechanical technology optimization will assure that the most power efficient and cost effective approaches are used in the design of the Security Monitoring System. In addition, software is being developed for facilitating information input and output from the database, aiding in information trace-back. The programming operations for analyzing the security and milk data will increase the ability to trace milk and increase the efficiency of dairy operations.

These Milk Transport Security System enhancements will provide the complex dairy community (including farmers, transporters, marketing agencies, processors, and dairy regulatory officials) with a robust information gathering and communication tool that will provide the ability to quickly respond and minimize events. Additionally, these refinements will greatly assist the dairy and food processing communities’ capacity to rapidly adapt and adjust their operating systems in the event of a security breach or a food safety event.

6. CONCLUSIONS Our group has designed and implemented a milk security system which is 1) acceptable to farmers, milk haulers, processing plants, and government officials, 2) does not present an onerous financial burden to milk hauler, 3) provides an electronic record of the milk production and 4) records any security breaches as well as information about truck performance.

Our greatest achievement was the acceptance of the milk hauler and the farmer. Industry representatives not only approve of the demonstrated system, they have indicated an interest in adopting it. This was attained by showing the financial and time savings that are inherent in such a system to the milk hauler. For the farmer, this was accomplished by not placing any additional financial obligation to them.

Fig. 3. Demonstration of the milk security system to DHS officials on September 12, 2007.

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7. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This work is supported through Department of Homeland Security and the National Institute of Hometown Security.

REFERENCES

[1] FDA, “Security Surveillance Assignment for Periods of Increased Risk, Executive Summary,” Internal Report, (2004).

[2] DOT, “Security of Milk Transport in the United States Project,” DOT-VNTSC-TSWG-04-01, (2004).

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