System and method for marking and identifying baled crop

A communication system tracking information related to a baled crop formed during a baling process by a harvesting machine, comprising:

• a control unit for controlling the harvesting machine;
• a sensing unit mounted to the harvesting machine for detecting a characteristic of the baled crop;
• a bale tag coupled to the baled crop, the bale tag including a bale tag identifier;
• a bale tag reader for reading the bale tag identifier on the bale tag;
• an electronic storage unit disposed in electrical communication with the control unit;
• a wireless communication network electrically coupling the control unit, the sensing unit, the bale tag reader, and the electronic storage unit to one another;
• wherein, during the baling process, the control unit assigns a unique bale identifier to each baled crop, and receives a characteristic detected by the sensing unit and the bale tag identifier from the bale tag reader via the wireless communication network;
• further wherein, the control unit communicates the bale identifier, characteristic, and bale tag identifier to the storage unit via the wireless communication network.

A communication system for storing information related to a baled crop formed during a baling process by a harvesting machine, comprising:

• a control unit for controlling the harvesting machine;
• a plurality of sensors mounted to the harvesting machine for detecting a plurality of characteristics of the baled crop;
• a carrier material fastened to the baled crop during the baling process, the carrier material including a carrier material identifier;
• a bale tag coupled to the carrier material, the bale tag including a bale tag identifier;
• a bale tag reader for reading the bale tag identifier on the bale tag;
• an electronic storage unit disposed in electrical communication with the control unit;
• a wireless communication network electrically coupling the control unit, the plurality of sensors, the bale tag reader, and the electronic storage unit to one another;
• wherein, during the baling process, the control unit assigns a unique bale identifier to the baled crop, and receives the plurality of characteristics detected by the plurality of sensors and the bale tag identifier from the bale tag reader via the wireless communication network;
• wherein, the control unit communicates the bale identifier, the plurality of characteristics, and bale tag identifier to the storage unit via the wireless communication network;
• further wherein, the wireless communication network is adapted to electrically couple a mobile computing device to the electronic storage unit to allow access from a remote location to the bale identifier, the plurality of characteristics, and bale tag identifier.