New E-Commerce Database Targets Agriculture Industry

Compiled ByJill Jusko Manufacturers, producers and other players in the agricultural products industry have a new, integrated e-commerce database designed to improve supply-chain effectiveness. Rapid Inc. formally launched Agriculture Industry Identification System (AGIIS) at its annual summer conference held last week. Washington, D.C.-based Rapid Inc. is a not-for-profit e-commerce standards organization for the agricultural products industry. AGIIS was created from a combination of three databases. They include:

• Electronic Business ID Directory, which has demographic information about all participants engaged in the manufacture, distribution, sale and application of agricultural input and specialty products;
• North American Purchaser Directory, which contains a directory of purchasing units in the agriculture industry; and
• Product Directory, which includes a directory of industry products identified by their global trade identification numbers (GTIN) and related data, such as their packaging and units of measure.

Rapid has partnered with Covansys Corp., Farmington Hills, Mich., to develop and host AGIIS. More than 60 companies are participating in AGIIS, including Monsanto, Dow AgroSciences, the National Pork Board and BASF, according to Rapid.