Washington, DC
February 9, 2004
Only Online & Integrated Database for Agriculture
Industry Provides Potential Model For National Cattle ID System
RAPID, Inc., a
not-for-profit organization that enables agricultural businesses
achieve the economic benefits of e-business, today announced the
launch of AGIIS 2.2 (Agriculture Industry Identification
System), adding important new features to the only online and
integrated database for the agribusiness industry.
To be
officially released at RAPID's Annual Member Conference in
Orlando, Fla., on February 9-12, Version 2.2 will extend the
applicability of AGIIS into the manufacturers and distributors
of seed by incorporating new data elements and advanced product
searches for seed attributes. In addition, AGIIS 2.2 will
provide members with the ability to search the database for a
product by its proprietary code, as well as the ability to
import and extract product files to support products to an XML
document.
"AGIIS 2.2
provides a deeper set of data elements and product searches that
connect companies wishing to do business with each other faster
and more economically," said Ron Farrell, executive director and
president of RAPID. "The database has proven that it helps
member companies move items through the supply chain more
efficiently. AGIIS 2.2 represents the tip of the iceberg of the
e-business advantages that will be available to our industry in
the future."
AGIIS was
developed to help stimulate an increase in efficiency in
electronic communication and supply chain transaction processing
within the agribusiness industry. It facilitates e-business
between buyers and sellers of agricultural goods, and allows
companies worldwide to interact and achieve the benefits and
advantages that technology has brought to other industries.
Recently,
AGIIS has received considerable attention for the potential it
holds for organizing livestock data in relation to bovine
spongiform encephalopathy, better known as Mad Cow disease.
"AGIIS
provides a national repository of unique identifiers for trading
partners, locations and products for agricultural businesses in
the U.S. This underlying technology, which includes track and
trace capabilities, could potentially be used to help establish
a national ID system for cattle," said Farrell.
AGIIS has
more than 60 member companies, including Monsanto, Dow
AgroSciences, Bayer CropScience, FMC, BASF, Agriliance, Helena
Chemical, United Agri Products, Syngenta, IMC Global, Cargill,
Pioneer and DuPont Crop Protection. At the upcoming Orlando
conference, RAPID's member companies will be introduced to the
advantages of AGIIS 2.2 and receive training on its use.
Founded in 1995 and based in Washington D.C.,
RAPID is a not-for-profit organization that enables agriculture
businesses to achieve the economic and stewardship benefits of
e-business. It develops and maintains the quality of commonly
supported electronic standards, procedures and databases in
order to meet its members' supply chain needs. RAPID's efforts
are centered on the e-commerce needs of businesses and educators
in crop and plant protection products, plant nutrients, grain,
feed, seed, machinery, petroleum, animal health, other
agricultural products, and the specialties industries, such as
lawn care, turf, ornamentals, and indoor pest control. RAPID has
developed and promoted a broad selection of standards and
guidelines for effective exchange of e-commerce transactions, as
well as databases to enable product, regulatory, and
environmental stewardship. |
