Product tracking and rating system using DNA tags

1. A method of tracking a material in a supply chain comprising:

recording an application location of an application device at which the application device applies a DNA taggant set to a first batch of the material produced by a first supplier of the material, the DNA taggant set corresponding to a tag string corresponding to the first supplier;

receiving the first batch at a processing facility;

comparing the application location to a geographic coordinate to verify that the application location is expected;

selecting a sample from the first batch if the application location is verified to be expected; and

testing the sample to determine a sample DNA taggant set.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DNA taggant set is applied by spraying with the application device and the application device is capable of applying multiple DNA taggant sets.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

selecting a plurality of DNA taggants to determine the DNA taggant set.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

after applying the DNA taggant set to the first batch of the material, selecting a second plurality of DNA taggants to determine a second DNA taggant set and applying the second DNA taggant set to a second batch; and

receiving the second batch at the processing facility.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising labeling the sample selected from the first batch with a grade and associating the grade with the tag string.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DNA taggant set comprises a taggant material including at least N unique pieces of DNA, representing N digits of a bar code that identifies the first batch of the material and is associated with the tag string, N being a positive integer greater than 1, wherein each of the at least N unique pieces of DNA represents one value of a corresponding one of the N digits, the method further comprising:

detecting detected pieces of DNA applied to the first batch of the material;

deriving a derived bar code from the detected pieces of DNA; and

comparing the derived bar code to a predetermined bar code that identifies the first batch of the material.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DNA taggant set includes at least N unique specific target fragments of synthetic DNA, wherein each of the at least N unique specific target fragments of synthetic DNA corresponds to a first binary value of zero or a second binary value of one.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

recording a time at which the application device applies the DNA taggant set to the first batch of the material; and

verifying that the time is within an expected time range.

9. A method of tracking a product from a geographically defined location to a processing location:

providing an application device with an amount of issued DNA taggant set, based on an estimated amount of the product to be harvested from the geographically defined location;

applying the issued DNA taggant set, with the application device, to the product;

delivering the product to the processing location, with an applied DNA taggant set; and

verifying a bar code corresponding to the applied DNA taggant set matches an expected bar code.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the application device tracks a number of actuations, each actuation indicating issued DNA taggant set was dispensed.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the application device tracks a geographic location of a particular actuation.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the geographic location and a time of the particular actuation is stored, the method further comprising:

comparing the geographic location and the time of the particular actuation to an expected location and expected time.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the application device is wirelessly connected to a cellular device, the application device communicating the number of actuations to the cellular device.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein each DNA taggant set, of the issued and applied DNA taggant set, comprises a taggant material including at least N unique pieces of DNA, representing N digits of a bar code, N being a positive integer greater than 1, wherein each of the at least N unique pieces of DNA represents one value of a corresponding one of the N digits, and verifying the applied DNA taggant set comprises:

detecting applied pieces of DNA from the applied DNA taggant set;

deriving a derived bar code from the applied pieces of DNA; and

comparing the derived bar code to a bar code that corresponds to the issued DNA taggant set.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

processing the product to produce a liquid;

adding a second DNA taggant set to the liquid;

moving the liquid to a new location; and

sampling the liquid for a sample DNA taggant set to verify a second bar code of the sample DNA taggant set matches a bar code corresponding to the second DNA taggant set and matches an expected concentration of the second DNA taggant set.

16. A method of tracking an agricultural product from a geographically defined harvesting location to a processing facility using a DNA taggant set comprising a taggant material including at least N unique pieces of DNA, representing N digits of a bar code, N being a positive integer greater than 1, wherein each of the at least N unique pieces of DNA represents one value of a corresponding one of the N digits, the method comprising:

estimating an estimated amount of issued DNA taggant set based on an estimated amount of agricultural product to be harvested from the geographically defined harvesting location;

issuing a sprayer containing the estimated amount of issued DNA taggant set, the issued DNA taggant set having a corresponding issued bar code;

applying, by actuating the sprayer, the issued DNA taggant set to the agricultural product, the sprayer tracking a time and a location of an actuation of the sprayer by storing the time and location in a database;

verifying the location is within the geographically defined harvesting location;

verifying the time is within an expected time range;

delivering the agricultural product to a processing location, with an applied DNA taggant set; and

verifying a bar code corresponding to the applied DNA taggant set matches the issued bar code.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the sprayer uses a cellular device to transmit the time and location.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the sprayer is connected to the cellular device using a Bluetooth connection.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the agricultural product is palm fruit and the processing location is a mill which issues the sprayer.