AAGIWA

AAGIWA 2021 Board of Directors (left to right) Jon Newcomer, David Ayers, Brandon Byrd, Ryan Kuhl, Brent Hibbets, Kia Mikesh, Chad Huebner, Annabet Foster, Danae Podraza, and Steve Nenonen (Not pictured: Phil Garcia)

A transparent and reliable understanding of the grain inspection process is essential to global markets and a critical reason the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) works so closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Federal Grain Inspection Service (USDA's FGIS) to demonstrate to overseas buyers that the quality of U.S. grains delivered is the quality promised.

President Biden to Nominate California Organic Farmer to USDA Under Secretary USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on April 27 that President Biden will nominate Jenny Lester Moffitt as the new Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. Moffitt will lead the program area that includes the Agricultural Marketing Service and its Federal Grain Inspection Service, in addition to APHIS the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Moffitt currently serves as under...secretary of the California Department of Agriculture where she has led the agency’s work on climate change. Prior to her time with CDFA, Moffitt spent 10 years as Managing Director at Dixon Ridge Farms, her family’s organic walnut farm and processing operation in Solano County, California. In an overall perspective, Moffitt and her deputy, Mae Wu, will set the overall policy tone and direction for the agencies under their purview. Ms. Wu was a featured speaker at AAGIWA’s recent meeting where her virtual remarks were introduced by FGIS Deputy Administrator Arthur Neal. Wu previously served with the National Resource Defense Council, a prominent environmental group. USDA’s news release announcing Moffitt’s nomination may be found at this link: https://www.usda.gov//statement-agriculture-secretary-tom- Photo Credit: Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.

Congratulations to the three recipients of AAGIWA’s Distinguished Service Award for 2021 Mark Fulmer, Jimmy Williams, and the late Tom Dahl.

And just like that we’ve wrapped up our 73rd annual meeting! Thanks to all who joined us in Nashville.

Please help us welcome AAGIWA's new leadership team following the retirement of Tom Meyer, with Kansas Grain Inspection Service. Welcome AAGIWA President Brent Hibbets, Enid Grain Inspection, and AAGIWA Vice President Kia Mikesh, North Dakota Grain Inspection! We are also pleased to share that Annabet Foster, Hastings Grain Inspection has been appointed to the AAGIWA Board of Directors.... We wish Tom Meyer the best in his retirement - Congratulations!

Warm weather this fall has been great for crops to dry in the field before being harvested but has resulted in warm grain going into on-farm storage bins. Turn on the aeration fans and cool the stored grain as soon as possible to extend storage life, advises Shawn Shouse, Iowa State University Extension ag engineering specialist in southwest Iowa. This is recommended for both corn and soybeans.

USDA announces the appointment of 5 members and 2 alternate members to serve on the Grain Inspection Advisory Committee beginning November 1, 2020. Members appointed for a three year term are: * Janice L. Cooper - Portland, Oregon * Curtis C. Engel - Salina, Kansas... * Nicholas R. Friant - Wayzata, Minnesota * Robert B. Sinner- Casselton, North Dakota * Jimmy L. Williams Jefferson City, Missouri Members selected as alternates to serve one-year terms are: * Philip T. Bertrand- Lake Charles, Louisiana * Steven D. Wirsching Portland, Oregon

The August Member Spotlight is on Kansas Grain Inspection Service ... check it out!

Please help us welcome AAGIWA's new leadership team. AAGIWA President Tom Meyer, Kansas Grain Inspection, and AAGIWA Vice President Brent Hibbets, Enid Grain Inspection. We are also pleased to share that Ryan Kuhl, Northern Plains Grain Inspection has been appointed to the AAGIWA Board of Directors.

A sincere thank you to Arthur Neal, FGIS Deputy Administrator, for the touching tribute to Tom Dahl. Here is an excerpt from AAGIWA's most recent newsletter.

I am very sorry to share the news that our good friend, and AAGIWA President, Tom Dahl of Sioux City Inspection, passed away this week after fighting liver cancer the last two years. We send our deepest condolences to Susie and his family. Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Christy-Smith Morningside Chapel, 1801 Morningside Ave., Sioux City, Iowa, with the Rev. Andrew Galles of Immaculate Conception Church of the Mater Dei Parish officiating. Private family interment will be at a later date in Memorial Park Cemetery, Sioux City. The family will receive friends from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at Christy-Smith Morningside Chapel. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.christysmith.com. Tom’s full obituary can be found here: https://bit.ly/31AEgQZ

"During a June 24 business meeting, the Senate Agriculture Committee advanced a bill by a voice vote reauthorizing the U.S. Grain Standards Reauthorization Act for another five years."

The April Member Spotlight is on Minot Grain Inspection... check it out!

*FYI* The Grain Inspection Advisory Committee (Committee) meeting was scheduled to occur on April 1-2, 2020 on a digital platform. Due to ongoing challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic and demand on industry leaders’ time, the Committee has recommended, and the Agricultural Marketing Service supports, that meeting be postponed until early summer. A Federal Register notice will be issued when the meeting is rescheduled.

In light of the rapidly changing situation with COVID-19 and with the closure of Caesar’s properties (including the Linq) in Las Vegas through mid-April, AAGIWA’s Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, April 26-29, is cancelled. Your AAGIWA Board is working on options going forward that may include holding the annual meeting by webinar and an expanded board meeting in the fall we will keep in touch as plans are made. Please contact us by email with any questions ([email protected]). We will be in touch over the next week with cancellation details and updates. Please be safe and take care!

GEAPS Exchange 2020. Originally scheduled for March 21-24, has been postponed. All registered attendees and exhibitors should be on the lookout for communicatio...ns from GEAPS. If you have not received an announcement from the organization, please check your spam filters. Exchange 2020 will now be held July 16-19 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. GEAPS will continue to post updates as new information becomes available.

Let us know if you're planning to attend the 2020 GEAPS Expo in Minneapolis by commenting below. We're planning an AAGIWA Happy Hour for members and special guests - details to come!