Meat/Poultry Organization To Beef Up E-Commerce Data Standards

Compiled ByDeborah Austin The Meat & Poultry Business-to-Business Data Standards Organization (mpXML) -- formed by founding members last year -- now is officially opening its doors to all industry players, and forming groups to start working on specifications for industry-wide e-commerce standards. Not-for-profit corporation mpXML, Alexandria, Va., was designed to develop and promote use of industry-specific open standards for meat and poultry e-commerce. The standards will be placed in the public domain for voluntary implementation. Membership is open to all firms in the meat/poultry supply chain, including those providing supplies and services to such firms. Founding members include the U.S. Department of Agriculture; food/meat processors and producers Tyson Foods Inc., Perdue Farms and Smithfield Foods Inc.; food-related marketing companies Sysco Corp. and Daymon Associates; and supermarket chain Wegmans Food Markets.