Raven & Farm Works Announce Alliance

Contact:

Raven Industries
Troy Schroeder
Marketing Manager
P.O. Box 5107
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
P - 605-335-0138
F - 605-331-0426
E - [email protected]

Sioux Falls, SD - AgPRonline - July 10, 2002 - Raven Industries (Nasdaq: RAVN) and Farm Works Software, a division of CTN Data, are pleased to announce a newly formed product-based alliance. Raven is the world leader in application control systems for agriculture, and a leading provider of GPS guidance equipment and technology. Farm Works is the leading software provider for agriculture, featuring products that provide complete management of the farm business from application and mapping solutions to business accounting packages.

The first product produced by this alliance will be marketed as GuideMate. It will combine a guidance program produced by Raven and Farm Works’ SiteMate Basic. The program will operate on a Compaq iPAQä, but will also be able to run on other PDA’s in the future. GuideMate will provide guidance, datalogging and a coverage map providing instant feedback on application performance in the field. This product will be jointly marketed by Raven and Farmworks, and sold through both of their distribution networks. The system interfaces with Raven’s SwathSmart Guidance system as well as other guidance systems on the market. Current SiteMate users will be able to add GuideMate to their program for a $500 List Price upgrade fee. Also, users will be able to upgrade SiteMate Basic to SiteMate Scout and SiteMate VRA as they are ready. Both of those programs will also work easily with the GuideMate.

In addition to the GuideMate, Raven and Farm Works Software will work together on other product offerings. Farm Works will customize a version of its office software, FarmSite, for Raven, and SiteMate will be loaded on Raven’s VIPER precision application system for the customer to utilize when he or she is ready. The VIPER will still work with any software package that produces a shapefile, but it will be “Farm Works Friendly”. When the user is ready to use the features of SiteMate, they can simply push a button on the VIPER and begin using the software. The upgrade charges to activate the program will be the same as buying SiteMate off the shelf, but having it already loaded on the VIPER will make the upgrade process extremely efficient. Advanced programs like SiteMate Scout and SiteMate VRA can also be loaded to the VIPER with ease.

“The alliance with Farmworks illustrates our commitment to precision agriculture,” said Dan Rykhus, Vice President and General Manager of Raven’s Flow Controls Division. “We feel the GuideMate product creates a powerful enhancement to our SwathSmart guidance system and provides an upgrade path between our basic guidance system and our VIPER precision application system. The other software packages from Farmworks that will be customized for Raven allow us to offer a complete package of hardware and software to potential customers. In addition, the association with Farmworks gives us an opportunity for greater penetration of our precision products among growers. ”

According to Scott Nusbaum, Farm Works Software President, “This alliance provides greater exposure for our software products to both growers and ag retailers. The GuideMate package allows potential and previous Farmworks customers to add guidance capability to our SiteMate programs at a reasonable price. Also, Raven’s distribution network will help us reach more ag retailers with our software. We feel our software expertise, combined with Raven’s expertise in guidance and control systems, will create many exciting new product opportunities.”

Raven Industries has 22 years of experience in the development of solutions for agriculture, ranging from flow control technology to GPS applications. These new innovations from Raven make chemical application, planting, and fertilizing easier and more affordable.

Farm Works Software offers a suite of fully integrated farm management programs designed specifically to help producers operate their farm more profitably. In addition to farm management programs, Farm Works offers software for agricultural consultants and retailers. Farm Works Software has over 10 years of experience and is continually improving existing software and developing new programs to benefit the agricultural industry. Farm Works Software currently has over 18,000 users worldwide and has programs available in multiple languages.