Agriculture Industry to Leverage Key Information Assets Across Applications

CONTACT:
Jim Wilson, Executive Director AgXML
P O Box 34112
Kansas City, MO 64120-4112
816/516-8847
jim.wilson@agxml.org
www.agxml.org

Kansas City, MO – November 28, 2001 – AgXML, LLC announces today the release of the AgXML Standard – Version 1 (“AgXMLv1”) standardizing electronic business messaging in the grain sector of the agricultural industry. Enabling B2B messaging, AgXMLv1 promises to revolutionize how participants in the grain and oilseed industry communicate trade documents. AgXML, LLC is the organization formed to develop and oversee the XML standard.

XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a cross-platform data format standard, ideally suited for e-Commerce that accelerates innovation of business messaging vocabulary and data between trading partners. The AgXML standard will enable the industry to exchange business information more effectively than traditional methods offering cost and timesavings to those who implement. Agriculture companies and their trading partners, no matter the size, will benefit from the standard and resulting efficiencies.

AgXML’s initial efforts target XML schema development for documents that are commonly used in the grain industry: single commodity grain contracts, bill of lading information, and weight, quality and pricing information. In addition to schemas for these processes, an industry glossary has been developed that defines the vocabulary used in the standard development process that will assist grain companies matching the standard to their internal business systems. Future versions will include such documents as final payment notification and invoicing.

AgXML has provided participants in the agricultural products industry with a unique opportunity to work together and agree upon industrywide XML standards. AgXML, LLC members include The Andersons, Inc., Agris Corporation (a subsidiary of John Deere), Archer Daniels Midland Company, Cargill, Central Soya, CHS Cooperatives, E-Markets, Javelin Solutions, Louis Dreyfus, Rooster.com and 1 st Ag. Other companies from the agricultural and grain processing sector providing additional support and contributions include the U.S. Department of Agriculture, RAPID, Inc. and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad.

The standard set of XML tags, AgXMLv1, and the industry glossary are now available for use in B2B collaborations in the agriculture industry. Proposed modifications to the AgXMLv1 schema standards must be submitted in writing to the Executive Director at the above address.

To participate in pilot planning for AgXML v1, future development or to obtain the XML standards at no cost, contact the Executive Director via the contact information above or visit the website at www.agxml.org.

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