Barcode/label detection

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I am learning opencv with the hope of developing a python program that will detect labels and identify numbers on cotton bales from a video camera mounted on a forklift. With what I have learned so far, I am assuming that the best way would be to use a haar cascade to detect and extract the label from the image, then implement some other library to decode a bar code or use ocr to read the numbers on the label.

My question(s) are:

• Is my assumption correct that haar cascade is the best way
• What kind of images would be best to train the cascade? My concern is that it will only detect the numbers that were used to train the cascade.
• I do have the ability to change the label. Is there a change that would make the label easier to detect?
• Is OCR number reading better/easier/more reliable than decoding bar codes or vice-versa

Any other advice or direction would be greatly appreciated. I am attaching pictures of bales and label. Thanks in advance.

C:\fakepath\bales.jpg

C:\fakepath\label.jpg