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.

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 happens when you combine first responders and grain facilities? Lives are saved through the power of collaboration. Listen as Dean Alling, a seasoned industry expert, provides practical insights and shares real-life success stories that reveal the importance of collaboration in mitigating emergencies within grain facilities.

 About the guests:

Dean Alling is a normal guy. He is passionate about his family,  his faith, and getting everyone home safely. He wants to be a leader and influencer, one that makes a difference within the space between us. He feels very comfortable working alongside hourly employees, hearing their stories and seeing hazards through their eyes.

Currently, he serves as the Safety Director for Ray-Carroll County Grain Growers and is involved in making the local chapter of GEAPS relevant to the hourly operator at the elevator.

Episode topics: 

• Critical components to effective emergency response preparedness 
• Best practices for both first responders and grain facility employees
• Practical insights and shares real-life success stories
• How technological advancements have revolutionized the way grain facilities and first responders work together
• Exclusive tips and advice 

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.

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

How can you give employees hands-on learning opportunities for dangerous tasks? A modern training center is the answer! Listen as Scott Biel and Jon Brown of Mid Kansas Coop (MKC) discuss the vision behind MKC's new state-of-the-art training and safety center and its far-reaching benefits.

 About the guests:

Scott Biel is the director of safety at Mid Kansas Coop (MKC), a full service ag co-op, that handles grain, agronomy, feed, energy, and risk management services for its members. As the director of safety, Biel manages risk to MKC's employees by training the trainer, which means relying on leaders to train their employees.

Jon Brown is the director of facilities management and project manager at Mid Kansas Coop (MKC). Brown currently manages seven internal mills and all the capital projects, which include land acquisitions and project design.

Episode topics: 

• Common training needs and challenges in the grain industry
• Vision and design behind MKC's training center
• Essential components of a modern training center
• How the design of the training center impacts learners
• How a modern center impacts the bottom line for companies in the grain industry

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.

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 can ensure the safety of employees and first responders? An emergency action plan! Listen as Butch Hendrix,  a safety and environmental professional with 37 years of  experience, explores the most common types of emergencies and the key elements that will make your emergency action plan effective.

 About the guests:

Butch Hendrix is a highly experienced safety and environmental professional with 37 years of history in training and program development. Butch's expertise extends from being a firefighter and police officer to his current role as Safety Director at Kokomo Grain Company.

Episode topics: 

• Importance of safety action plan
• Common types of emergencies 
• How to develop an effective safety action plan

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.

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

Interested in animal feed, milling, and grain processing opportunities in Latin America? Already doing business there? Either way, this episode is for you! Listen as Julia Kloehn, interim executive director of GEAPS, and Sebas van den Ende, general director for VICTAM, share their insights about why you should be at VICTAM LatAM next year. 

 About the guests:

Julia Kloehn is currently the interim executive director of GEAPS. Before serving in this role, she oversaw GEAPS' general operations management, team management, technology, finance, human resources, and chapter relations. Julia joined the GEAPS staff team in 2007.

Sebas van den Ende has 20 years of international experience in the event organizing industry with a proven track record in developing and managing exhibitions and conferences. He launched and built a successful event company in Brazil and integrated the company into a new communication group after it was sold to an Italian multinational publisher. 

 Episode topics: 

• What is VICTAM?
• GEAPS and VICTAM partnership
• How to get involved

Resource: 

• Learn more about VICTAM LatAm, happening October 3-5, 2023 in São Paulo, Brazil
  
  

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.

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

Did you know that Brazil is the leading producer and exporter of soybeans in the world? Or that some states of Brazil have three seasons of corn in a single year? Listen as we delve into the specifics of the global grain trade, the role Brazil plays in it, and consider what this all mean for the vendors and suppliers in the grain industry at large.

 About the guests:

Dr. Michael Cordonnier, President of Soybean and Corn Advisor, Inc., is a highly respected corn and soybean production global advisor. He's been involved in global crop production for 40 years and is fluent in Portuguese, traveling regularly to Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay to inspect soybean and corn crops. 

He appears frequently on national television and radio programs to discuss world agricultural issues, and he conducts numerous seminars dealing with agricultural production for regional and national audiences.

 Episode topics: 

• Brazil's role in global grain trade
• How the Russia-Ukraine conflict has impacted a strengthened mutual relationship between Brazil and China
• Corn and soybean production levels in Brazil 
• Grain transportation in Brazil
• Future implications for vendors and suppliers in the grain industry

Resource: 

• GEAPS’ first South American event set for October 3-5, 2023 in São Paulo, Brazil
  
  

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.

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

Safety is an important topic in the grain industry, but are you prepared? For Dawn Chisholm, who lost her husband in a tragic grain entrapment accident, the answer to this question is personal. Listen as she shares her story of grief, hope, and faith in the hopes of saving lives and bringing people home safe.

About the guest:

Dawn Chisholm lost her first husband, Bill, in a tragic grain entrapment accident.  She started If Only to share her story and raise awareness about workplace safety. During each speaking engagement, her goal is to "emotionally connect with audience members on a deeply personal level.  My hope is that after hearing my story, the listeners will make safe, wise choices when faced with options in their workplace and/or personal life." 

 Episode topics: 

• Dawn Chisholm's story
• Workplace conversations
• Safety preparedness 

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 can enhance yields, reduce costs, and give your farm a competitive advantage? The answer is precision agriculture! Listen as Michael Boehlje and Michael Langemeier, two professors from the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University, define this product of the agricultural revolution and its implications on the grain industry.

 About the guests:

Michael Boehlje is a distinguished professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and the Center for Food and Agricultural Business at Purdue University. A major theme of his research, writing, and lecturing for the past 10 years has been the importance of strategic planning and thinking, and positioning the firm for longterm viability and success.

Michael Langemeier is an associate director in the Center For Commercial Agriculture and  a professor in the Department Of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. His research interests include cropping systems, benchmarking, strategic management, cost of production, and technical and economic efficiency.

 Episode topics: 

• Defining precision agriculture 
• What does it look like to adopt precision agriculture?
• Limitations of precision agriculture
• Strongest players and supporters of precision agriculture
• Future implications of precision agriculture on grain industry 

Resource: 

• "Potential Payoffs of Precision Agriculture" by Michael Boehlje and Michael Langemeier

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.

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

During a time when industry professionals are trying to navigate a world of uncertainty, how can grain industry suppliers be more innovative and future-focused? JR Volcko from IBT Industrial Solutions has some ideas! 

 About the guests:

JR Volcko is a respected consultive sales specialist at IBT Industrial Solutions, a full-service industrial supplier that's been helping customers maintain efficient, productive, and safe workplace facilities through quality industrial MRO supplies, products, and services since 1949. 

 Episode topics: 

• Why grain industry suppliers need to be innovative and future-focused
• How suppliers can do more than just order takers
• How to prevent unexpected downtime
• How top-notch industrial expertise and superior customer service serves the industry
• The biggest challenges grain operation organizations are facing

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.