IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center Receives $3 Million Grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

CHICAGO – June 9, 2026 – IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center (GFTC), an internationally recognized leader in advancing end-to-end food traceability, has received a $3 million grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation that will support and accelerate the work GFTC is doing to help shape the future of traceability across food systems. The award will directly support the continued advancement of GFTC’s work in three key areas:

• Expanding the use of interoperable traceability standards across food systems.

• Developing novel tools and resources that support practical implementation and help reduce barriers to adoption at scale.

• Advancing advocacy and engagement with regulators, multilateral organizations, industry, technology providers, and other key stakeholder groups to encourage greater global alignment.

“Traceability is not just about compliance; it is about strengthening trust, collaboration, and resilience across the food system. With this support from the Moore Foundation, IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center aims to expand the tools, resources, and partnerships needed to make interoperable traceability more practical and scalable across commodities and supply chains,” said Blake Harris, Managing Director of IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center.

Here’s a glimpse inside the GFTC:

1. Helped launch the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability.

Nearly a decade ago, IFT’s GFTC, in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund, helped launch the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) to establish a common language for interoperable seafood traceability. GFTC continues to support GDST’s evolution by contributing technical expertise, implementation resources, and tools that help industry and technology providers put the standard into practice. Building on that experience, GFTC has been applying its traceability knowledge, resources, and tools to other commodities, including dairy as well as beef and leather. With this grant, GFTC will focus on expanding that work into additional commodities and supply chains.

2. Shaping modern food traceability practices.

IFT has long contributed to the advancement of stronger traceability practices across the U.S. food system, including through its early work with FDA on product tracing. IFT’s 2012 report, Pilot Projects for Improving Product Tracing Along the Food Supply System, was cited as the first reference in FDA’s final Food Traceability Rule under FSMA Section 204. Building on that foundation, IFT’s GFTC has developed educational resources, practical tools, and supports industry collaborations to help organizations understand traceability requirements, strengthen internal capabilities, and prepare for more interoperable supply chain data sharing. This includes the Enterprise Traceability Education Suite which helps organizations to train their employees in key traceability concepts, prepare them for regulatory expectations, and improve recall readiness. GFTC also partnered with other key organizations and associations to form the Food Industry FSMA 204 Collaboration, which is meant to support industry-wide awareness and alignment around implementation of the Food Traceability Rule.

3. Advancing global alignment on interoperable traceability.

GFTC works with international partners, standards bodies, and public-sector stakeholders to support greater alignment around interoperable, event-based traceability across food systems. Through engagement with regulators, industry associations, standards organizations, and multilateral initiatives across five continents, including observer status in Codex Alimentarius work through the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS), GFTC helps advance shared approaches to traceability and digital information exchange while supporting practical implementation in diverse regulatory and market contexts. Drawing on its deep traceability expertise and implementation experience, GFTC contributes practical tools, guidance, and resources that support traceability practices across countries, commodities, and supply chains.

To learn more about IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center, go to ift.org/gftc.

About the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

Gordon and Betty Moore established the foundation to create positive outcomes for future generations. In pursuit of that vision, we advance scientific discovery, environmental conservation, and the special character of the San Francisco Bay Area. Visit Moore.org and follow @MooreFound.

About IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center

IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center (GFTC) is an internationally recognized leader in food traceability, dedicated to advancing end-to-end tracking and data sharing throughout the global food supply chain. GFTC develops open-source, scalable tools and resources that drive digital transformation and enable comprehensive traceability for all actors in the food system – from producers and first-mile actors to processors, distributors, retailers, and regulators. GFTC collaborates with a diverse network of global partners – including industry, governments, NGOs, multilateral organizations, and technology providers – to advance best practices and accelerate the adoption of interoperable, digital traceability solutions

About Institute of Food Technologists

Since 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has served as the voice of the global food science community. IFT advocates for science, technology, and research to address the world’s greatest food challenges, guiding our community of more than 200,000. IFT convenes professionals from around the world – from producers and product developers to innovators and researchers across food, nutrition, and public health – with a shared mission to help create a global food supply that is sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible to all. IFT provides its growing community spanning academia, industry, and government with the resources, connections, and opportunities necessary to stay ahead of a rapidly evolving food system as IFT helps feed the minds that feed the world. For more information, please visit ift.org.