Winnipeg, Manitoba
March 19, 2003

Agricore United announced today that it has achieved a significant milestone for the western Canadian grain handling industry. The company's 46 high throughput elevators across the Prairies have received
registration for the global ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System, a demanding quality standard.

"This was an ambitious goal to achieve, but we wanted to be prepared for more rigourous accountability in the food chain," says Ron Enns, Managing Director of Country Operations. "We are committed to processes that create the quality and consistency expected by end-users and customers for western Canadian grain."

By receiving the ISO 9001:2000 registration, Agricore United has met a rigourous international set of standards and adopted an effective quality management system. To qualify, the facilities had to document procedures involved in receiving, cleaning and shipping grain with the goal of producing the same consistent quality every time. Agricore United demonstrated it has addressed all areas of the standard and has documented procedures to ensure that each area is monitored and controlled.

The high throughput elevators are also HAACP (Hazardous Analysis Critical Control Points) compliant, following the internationally recognized system of quality control management for food safety. Designed to manage and document the many stages of the food production chain, HAACP demonstrates traceability of food safety throughout processing and handling activities.

Top quality standards are also maintained at Agricore United's three port terminals in Thunder Bay and one in Vancouver. The company's wholly owned Pacific Elevators terminal and jointly-owned Cascadia Terminal are in the process of receiving ISO registrations.

"Customers around the world expect to receive products of consistent quality," says Murdoch MacKay, Managing Director of Terminal Services. "The ISO/HAACP registration demonstrates that Agricore United has responded to their needs and strengthened our position in the grain pipeline from the farmer to the end user."

Many of Agricore United's other country facilities have already received registration for ISO 9001:2000. Crop production distribution centres in Morden, Vermilion, Regina and Fort Saskatchewan are all registered for ISO 9001:2000, with the centres at Rivers and Camrose soon to be added. The
company's 10 beans and special crops plants in Canada and the U.S. are scheduled to receive their ISO and HACCP registration audits in July.

"ISO and HACCP initiatives ensure access to quality-conscious markets," says Harold Schmaltz, Managing Director of Crop Production Services. "Agricore United is the only company with ISO 9000 certification for seed cleaning and treating facilities."

Two companies served as the quality registrars for Agricore United's ISO registration. As third party auditors, BSI Management Systems ensured that the high throughput elevators met the quality standards, while Deloitte & Touche handled the port terminals and other country facilities.

Agricore United is one of Canada's leading agri-businesses. The prairie-based company is diversified into sales of crop inputs and services, grain merchandising, livestock production services and farm business communications. Agricore United's shares are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "AU".