Whole Grain

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In this compelling episode, our director of education and host of Whole Grain, Jim Lenz welcomes Dr. Carol Jones, a distinguished figure in production agriculture and materials handling design.

Dr. Jones shares her professional journey, including her role at GEAPS Exchange and the Fire Service Training Grain Entrapment Rescue program prior to the discussion on grain dust management.

Overview of Grain Dust Management:
Dr. Jones provides a comprehensive overview of the significance of grain dust in the context of grain elevators, addressing potential hazards and environmental concerns.

Evolution of Dust Management Practices:
Delving into her vast experience, Dr. Jones discusses the changing landscape of dust management practices over the course of her career.

Safety Considerations:
Emphasizing the importance of safety, Dr. Jones explores key safety considerations related to grain dust in grain elevators, including the risks of combustible dust.

Regulatory Landscape:
Dr. Jones sheds light on the regulatory framework surrounding grain dust management, discussing how regulations have evolved and impacted grain elevator operations.

Technologies and Innovations:
Exploring technological advancements, Dr. Jones shares insights into monitoring systems, ventilation, and other innovations for effective dust control.

Education Initiatives:
Highlighting the crucial role of education and training, Dr. Jones describes initiatives she's been part of and offers recommendations for industry professionals.

Future Outlook:
Dr. Jones speculates on the future of grain dust management, discussing emerging technologies and trends that may shape the industry.

About the guest:
Dr. Carol Jones, PE joined the Biosystems and Ag Engineering Department Faculty at Oklahoma State University in 2002 after a long career in production agriculture and materials handling design.  She is also an OSU alum with all of her degrees from OSU. She recently retired from her full-time professorship to work as an instructor with OSU’s Fire Service Training Grain Entrapment Rescue program. Dr. Jones owns CL Jones Consulting LLC which provides grain handling and storage engineering, training and forensic services.

Links:

• For a poignant real-life story related to grain entrapment rescue, revisit Episode 13: "Bring Them Home Safe: The Dawn Chisholm Story."
• Witness Dr. Jones facilitating a confined space rescue at GEAPS Exchange
• Learn more about Dr. Carol Jones and her consultative services by visiting her LinkedIn page

Grain Elevator and Processing Society champions, connects and serves the global grain industry and its members. Be sure to visit GEAPS’ website to learn how you can grow your network, support your personal professional development, and advance your career. Thank you for listening to another episode of GEAPS’ Whole Grain podcast.

Have questions, feedback, or thoughts on the show? We want to hear from you! Click on this link to send us a text message.

Navigating the intricacies of the grain industry requires dedication, expertise, and a passion for safety. Our latest podcast guest, Wayne Bauer, embodies all these traits and more. Bauer, a seasoned industry veteran, shares his journey from leadership roles to his enduring commitment post-retirement.

Wayne's entry into the grain handling and processing industry was marked by his roles in various companies. His diverse career saw him transitioning from an agronomist to managing a small feed mill, supervising the construction of grain terminals, and eventually venturing into safety and security. His involvement with GEAPS, an organization dedicated to the grain industry, spanned decades and included a term as the international president.

He discussed the deep-rooted connections he formed because of his participation with GEAPS. He openly discussed his experiences within the industry, including memorable moments like saving an employee's life and collaborating with steel bin manufacturers to promote safer designs.

Wayne's influence extended beyond local grain handling. He recounted his educational trip to Argentina, where he educated industry professionals about grain entrapment prevention. The profound impact of his knowledge became evident when he learned that a company used his techniques to save a life.

Strategic planning and engagement also played a pivotal role in Wayne's career. He stressed the importance of strategic thinking and planning, as well as collaboration within the industry. He shared his insights on succession planning within GEAPS chapters and the importance of preparing for future leadership roles.

Post-retirement, Wayne continues to dedicate his time to safety improvements within the industry. He connects with his community, teaching local fire departments how to handle farm-related emergencies, and shares insights on strategic planning and industry engagement. He also addresses the challenges of employee retention and the importance of grooming high school students as the future vanguards of agriculture.

As we navigate the evolving grain industry, Wayne Bauer's journey serves as a beacon, illuminating the importance of safety, collaboration, and continuous learning. His enduring contribution underscores the significance of the grain industry and its crucial role in society.

Wayne discusses:

•          Wayne’s career in the grain industry

•          Connections and impact in the grain industry

•          Safety Improvements 

•          Post-retirement activities

•          Strategic planning and engagement for GEAPS chapters

Grain Elevator and Processing Society champions, connects and serves the global grain industry and its members. Be sure to visit GEAPS’ website to learn how you can grow your network, support your personal professional development, and advance your career. Thank you for listening to another episode of GEAPS’ Whole Grain podcast.

Have questions, feedback, or thoughts on the show? We want to hear from you! Click on this link to send us a text message.

Ever pondered the power of genuine recognition in your workplace? Tune in as we dig into a riveting dialogue with Erin Mies, co-founder of People Spark Consulting, who casts a brilliant light on the pivotal role intentional recognition plays in boosting employee engagement. Erin's mantra, "having light, we pass it on to others," beautifully encapsulates her approach as she shares her rich experience from the agriculture industry. We navigate the terrain of employee engagement, exploring how data can be a handy tool in identifying behaviors that foster increased engagement.

Meanwhile, the second part of our discourse ventures into the fascinating world of behavior recognition and its potential impact on workplace dynamics. Erin guides us through the nuances of providing precise recognition, dissecting the merits and drawbacks of recognition programs. She also uncovers the connection between such programs and coaching and feedback techniques. Curious about how to develop effective leadership programs and align people strategies with business objectives? You're in for a treat as Erin unearths compelling insights on these topics. Join us for this transformative conversation that's bound to inspire change in your workplace!

About the guest:
Erin Mies helps small and mid-sized businesses in agriculture and food grow their margins and improve their business through straightforward, practical HR solutions. She is the co-founder of People Spark Consulting.

Episode Topics:
·      Defining intentional recognition
·      The role of engagement surveys
·      Patterns and trends observed in engagement survey data
·      How organizations can use engagement survey data to identify specific behaviors that lead to improved engagement
·      Behaviors that organizations commonly seek to recognize
·      Examples of how recognizing these behaviors positively impacts employee morale and engagement
·      Strategies for effective communication
·      Pros and cons of recognition programs

To dive deeper on the content and learn more from Erin and the team at People Spark Consulting, visit this link.

Grain Elevator and Processing Society champions, connects and serves the global grain industry and its members. Be sure to visit GEAPS’ website to learn how you can grow your network, support your personal professional development, and advance your career. Thank you for listening to another episode of GEAPS’ Whole Grain podcast.

Have questions, feedback, or thoughts on the show? We want to hear from you! Click on this link to send us a text message.

With a focus on serving our members and partnering with our network of global grain professionals, GEAPS partnered with Victam International to host our first ever event in South America! The event took place October 3-5, 2023, in São Paulo, Brazil.  

Victam LatAm offered top tier networking and conferencing held by GEAPS and other relevant partners in feed and grain processing/handling industries. This was the very first Victam event in Latin America. In addition to the expansive trade show floor, GEAPS offered 2 days of education. 

Jim Lenz sat down with Carlos Campabadal. He was one of the featured speakers of the GEAPS educational sessions VICTAM.  Carlos shares his experiences and observations along with inquiries about maintaining grain quality in tropical environments.  

About the guest: 

Carlos Campabadal is a faculty member of the Department of Grain Science and Industry at Kansas State University.  An outreach specialist at the International Grains Program Institute (IGP), his work focuses on grain storage, quality and processing, U.S. grain grading and export systems and feed manufacturing.  He also leads the Stored Product Protection Research group and is part of the Feed Technology group of the Department of Grain Science and Industry where he also serves as the State Extension Leader. 

He is very active in international development with several projects with USAID in Guatemala and Honduras for the Reduction of Postharvest Loss Innovation Lab in Ethiopia for the Appropriate Scale Mechanization Consortium of the Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab, and with USDA in Ghana for a Food for Progress project focusing the redeveloping of the poultry industry. He was born and raised in Costa Rica, Central America. 

Carlos obtained his doctoral degree in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University. His research topic was focused on non-chemical alternatives for stored product protection. At Purdue University, he was part of the Post-Harvest Education and Research Center (PHERC). He earned a master’s degree in agricultural engineering at the University of Illinois.  

Before, his graduate studies, he worked at his family feed mill as a process and maintenance engineer. He has previous experience in animal farm management in beef cattle and swine farms. 

He has traveled throughout Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia and Europe as a technical consultant, translator and speaker about grain storage. He has presented his research at several scientific and professional conferences and in scientific journals. He is involved in his family feed manufacturing and farm operation business. 

Episode Topics: 

• Overview of the Victam LatAm event 
• Content of Q&A from his GEAPS educational session on maintaining grain quality in tropical environments 

Grain Elevator and Processing Society champions, connects and serves the global grain industry and its members. Be sure to visit GEAPS’ website to learn how you can grow your network, support your personal professional development, and advance your career. Thank you for listening to another episode of GEAPS’ Whole Grain podcast.

Have questions, feedback, or thoughts on the show? We want to hear from you! Click on this link to send us a text message.

GEAPS took a step toward fulfilling our mission to champion, connect and serve the global grain industry and our members recently with VICTAM/LatAm. We partnered with VICTAM International to host our first ever event in South America! The event took place October 3-5, 2023, in São Paulo, Brazil.  

VICTAM hosts conferences and expos in Europe, Asia and the Middle East with a large network of companies in the feed and milling industries. The conference was co-located with GRAPAS LatAm. This was the first VICTAM event in Latin America.  

Victam LatAm offered top tier networking and conferencing held by GEAPS and other relevant partners in feed and grain processing/handling industries. GEAPS organized two days of educational speakers and many exhibitors chose to exhibit in GEAPS Pavilion on the expo show floor. The educational sessions were well attended and people were engaged. Attendees were able to wear headsets to hear the program translated.  

GEAPS’ Vice President Austin Carpenter, a member of the Hoosier chapter and sales manager at Clear Creek and Associates, traveled to Brazil for the conference. While he was there, Carpenter sat down with Jim Lenz.  

In an on-the ground report. Austin shares his experiences and observations from the event, highlighting the global representation with attendees from around 30 countries, the quality of the trade show floor with a focus on high-capacity processing and storage solutions, and the importance of networking and education within the grain industry. The episode offers a firsthand look at the grain industry and the global connections it fosters. 

About the guest: 

Austin Carpenter is sales manager at Clear Creek & Associates Inc, Crown Point, Indiana. CCA is an engineering firm that designs grain elevators, export and transloading facilities and utilizes 3D scanning technology to layout new mill expansions or reworks. CCA performs field inspections on aging facilities with questionable structures and, if repairable, supplies drawings for the repair or modification. 

Carpenter has been a GEAPS member since 2010 and was elected in 2018 as an Associates Board director and representative to the GEAPS Board of Directors.  He was elected second vice president of GEAPS Board of Directors in 2022 and became First Vice President in 2023. He is active in the Hoosier Chapter and the Great Lakes Regional Conference planning committee and serves on the Exchange Futures Committee.  

Episode Topics: 

• First impressions of Victam LatAm 
• What it means to be a part of the GEAPS family and how it was exemplified here at Victam LatAm 
• Overall description of the event 
• Global representation 
• Education and Networking 
• Themes and trends discovered on the trade show floor 

Grain Elevator and Processing Society champions, connects and serves the global grain industry and its members. Be sure to visit GEAPS’ website to learn how you can grow your network, support your personal professional development, and advance your career. Thank you for listening to another episode of GEAPS’ Whole Grain podcast.

Have questions, feedback, or thoughts on the show? We want to hear from you! Click on this link to send us a text message.

Ever wondered what goes into creating a state of the art agricultural facility? Get ready to be enlightened as Dirk Maier, a globally recognized professor of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University, takes us on deep dive of the Iowa State University Kent Feed-Mill and Grain Science Complex. This isn't just your regular mill and grain elevator; it stands as a beacon of innovation and education. It is a game changer for the global grain industry. We'll dig into the strategic location, the innovative components and its incredible potential to impact the industry on a global scale.

This complex isn't just about grain, it's about people too. Beyond the state of the art infrastructure, we'll discuss the opportunities it presents to students of Iowa State, the role it plays in continuing education and extension programs, and its power to elevate global grain industry awareness. You'll also get an insight into the crucial role funding played in making this project a reality, the generous contribution of the Kent Corporation family, and other major contributors. Join us for an episode that promises to feed your curiosity and give you a fresh perspective on the future of the grain industry.

Grain Elevator and Processing Society champions, connects and serves the global grain industry and its members. Be sure to visit GEAPS’ website to learn how you can grow your network, support your personal professional development, and advance your career. Thank you for listening to another episode of GEAPS’ Whole Grain podcast.

Have questions, feedback, or thoughts on the show? We want to hear from you! Click on this link to send us a text message.

Ever wondered how to enhance your team's performance with just the right words?

In this episode of Whole Grain, host Jim Lenz welcomes Kristen Ireland, a seasoned expert in human resources and co-founder of People Spark Consulting.

Communication is key to building trust, which impacts engagement and retention. They dive deep into the world of effective communication in management and share invaluable phrases that every manager should incorporate into their conversations. They also discuss the importance of recognition, trust-building, and habit-stacking techniques.

Introduction:
Jim introduces Kristin Ireland as a guest who brings extensive experience in HR and agricultural industries. They discuss her professional mantra, which emphasizes the importance of enjoying work.

Kristin's Background:
Kristin shares her 25 years of experience, highlighting her time in a large agricultural co-op where she discovered her passion for HR. People Spark Consulting primarily works with businesses in agriculture, helping them align their culture, processes, and strategies for success.

The Power of Effective Communication:
Kristin emphasizes that clear communication is vital for employee engagement and retention. She mentions a study that identifies eight factors of engagement, all of which are influenced by good communication.

Top Phrases for Managers: Recognizing Excellence:
Kristin discusses the first two phrases every manager should use: "Thank you" and "I appreciate you." Expressing gratitude and appreciation fosters employee engagement and motivation.

Avoiding Miscommunication:
The next two phrases, "What I'm hearing you say is..." and "What am I missing?" are tools for avoiding miscommunication. Active listening and seeking clarity in conversations are crucial.

Building Trust:
Kristin introduces the phrases "My intent is..." and "My intent is not..." as tools for building trust. Being transparent about intentions reassures others and fosters trust within the team or organization.

Implementing the Phrases:
Kristin advises managers to focus on one or two phrases and be intentional about using them consistently. Habit stacking, associating new habits with existing ones, can make implementation more effective.

The People Spark Consulting Approach:
Kristin and her team help businesses align their HR strategies with their goals, processes, and culture. They emphasize the importance of creating a workplace where people are heard and valued.

Conclusion:
Jim wraps up the episode by thanking Kristin for sharing her insights on mastering managerial communication and the importance of using these top phrases consistently. The theme of the show is the importance of communication – two-way communication, where we, as leaders, share information, ask questions, and listen.

The Book: "The People Spark"
Kristin and her team have co-authored a book called "The People Spark: A Business Leader's Essential Guide to Crafting Your Culture with Confidence."

Connect with People Spark Consulting:
For additional tips, tools, and resources, visit this link.

Grain Elevator and Processing Society champions, connects and serves the global grain industry and its members. Be sure to visit GEAPS’ website to learn how you can grow your network, support your personal professional development, and advance your career. Thank you for listening to another episode of GEAPS’ Whole Grain podcast.

Have questions, feedback, or thoughts on the show? We want to hear from you! Click on this link to send us a text message.

In this episode of the Whole Grain Podcast, we welcome Jess McCluer, Vice President of Safety and Regulatory Affairs at the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA), to the show. Jess brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the conversation, and his insights into the agricultural industry's safety and regulatory aspects provide valuable takeaways for listeners.
 
Jess highlights the critical importance of safety and health in agriculture, particularly in hazard-prone environments such as grain and feed facilities.
 
As the conversation progresses, Jess dives into the hazards faced by grain elevator and processing facilities and their employees. He expertly discusses a range of risks, from slips, trips, and falls to regulatory compliance challenges related to equipment and machine safety. The focus shifts to the evolving safety culture in the agricultural industry and the increasing emphasis on safety programs and awareness within companies.
 
Jess sheds some light on OSHA's new enforcement programs and updates, such as the heat injury and illness emphasis program and proposed standards for heat prevention. The discussion then turns to ladder safety and falls, with Jess providing insights into the changes in regulations and the industry's efforts to address these issues.
 
As the episode nears its conclusion, Jess McCluer reflects on the value of associations in the industry. He emphasizes that associations like NGFA and GEAPS serve as platforms for networking, sharing best practices, and fostering collaboration among members. Jess's parting words underscore the importance of these associations in enhancing the industry's safety practices and overall success.

Grain Elevator and Processing Society champions, connects and serves the global grain industry and its members. Be sure to visit GEAPS’ website to learn how you can grow your network, support your personal professional development, and advance your career. Thank you for listening to another episode of GEAPS’ Whole Grain podcast.

Have questions, feedback, or thoughts on the show? We want to hear from you! Click on this link to send us a text message.

Join us for an enlightening conversation with Chuck Kunich, a key figure in the grain industry and dual-role powerhouse at Michigan Agricultural Commodities. His deep wisdom in safety management and food-grade soybean business development promises to shed light on the intricate world of grain commodities. With a firm belief in doing what’s right, Kunich navigates us through the trials and triumphs of his journey in the complex arena of food-grade soybean market. 

As Chuck unravels the grain industry, we get a unique glimpse into the food-grade soybean market, a key player in the global food chain. He gives us an insider view of the pivotal role grain elevator facilities play in maintaining the high-quality beans required for the business, and the labyrinth-like task of meeting non-GMO specifications. You’ll be fascinated by his revelations about the Asian market, a powerhouse in the food-grade soybean business. Here, quality and compliance take center stage, adding an extra layer of complexity to the industry.

And if you think it’s all business, Chuck surprises us with an unexpected twist. Drawing parallels from his experiences in the GEAPS's community, he highlights the power of collaboration and community. Adding a personal touch to the intense world of grain commodities, Chuck’s insights echo the importance of working together, especially in industries aimed at nourishing the world. From pricing models to overseas trade, his expertise offers an unparalleled grand tour of the food-grade soybean business from a global lens. Tune in for a refreshing perspective on the grain industry and more!

Grain Elevator and Processing Society champions, connects and serves the global grain industry and its members. Be sure to visit GEAPS’ website to learn how you can grow your network, support your personal professional development, and advance your career. Thank you for listening to another episode of GEAPS’ Whole Grain podcast.

Have questions, feedback, or thoughts on the show? We want to hear from you! Click on this link to send us a text message.

What are the various grains growing in South Africa? And what economic conditions are shaping the coutry's agriculture? Learn all this and more as Wessel Lemmer, general manager of AgBiz Grain, takes us on a journey through South Africa's grain industry.

 About the guests:

Wessel Lemmer, general manager of Agbiz, is an experienced agricultural economist with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry. He is a strong research professional with a M.Sc.Agric. focused in Agricultural Business and Management from University of the Free State/Universiteit van die Vrystaat.

Episode topics: 

• South African grains
• South Africa's economic conditions
• Challenges facing the grain storage sector

To find more helpful resources, be sure to visit the GEAPS website and the membership page. 

Grain Elevator and Processing Society champions, connects and serves the global grain industry and its members. Be sure to visit GEAPS’ website to learn how you can grow your network, support your personal professional development, and advance your career. Thank you for listening to another episode of GEAPS’ Whole Grain podcast.