WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — Top level executives from North American Milling Association (NAMA) member companies met in Washington, D.C., U.S., the week of May 7 with legislators and regulators to talk about public policies that impact the milling industry’s capacity to provide safe and wholesome grain products in the most efficient and sustainable manner possible. Members discussed international food aid, government nutrition guidance, the availability of productive land, mill operations, trade with Canada, and commodity market policies.

“Effective public policy is formulated when our legislators and regulators understand how our businesses operate. The meetings provided a good opportunity for us to share that information,” said NAMA Chairman Paul Maass, president, ConAgra's Commercial Foods Division,.

“Our members showed our legislators and regulators their commitment to working together to provide consumers the most nutritious, sustainable and safe grain foods possible,” said NAMA President Mary Waters.

NAMA members met with Congressional representatives from Kansas: Sen. Jerry Moran, Congressman Kevin Yoder and the staff of Sen. Pat Roberts. They also met with Nebraska Congressman Lee Terry and representatives from the White House Domestic Policy Council, the Canadian Embassy, the USDA Child Nutrition Division, the American Farm Bureau and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Members participating in the meetings were: NAMA Chairman Paul Maass, president Commercial Foods, ConAgra Foods, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.; John Didion, president, Didion Milling, Inc., Johnson Creek, Wisconsin, U.S.; Dan Dye, president, Horizon Milling LLC/Cargill, Inc., Wayzata, Minnesota, U.S.; John Gillcrist, chairman, Bartlett Milling Company, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.; Craig Hagood, president/CEO, House-Autry Mills, Inc., Four Oaks, North Carolina, U.S.; Robert Harper, president, Hopkinsville Milling Company, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, U.S.; C.B. “Chip” Knappen III, president/CEO, Knappen Milling Company, Augusta, Michigan, U.S.; Luke Marano, CEO, Minot Milling Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.; Randy Marten, partner and vice- president commodities, Miller Milling Company, Dallas, Texas, U.S.; James Meyer, executive vice-president, Italgrani U.S.A., Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.; Rick Schwein, vice-president, Grain Millers, Inc., Eden Prairie, Minnesota, U.S.; Richard Siemer, president, Siemer Milling Company, Teutopolis, Illinois, U.S.; William Stoufer, president, ConAgra Mills, Omaha; and Charles Stout, president, Milner Milling/PFM, Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.

Briefing papers on the issues discussed are available on the NAMA website at http://www.namamillers.org/is_briefs.html.