MANHATTAN, KANSAS, U.S. – Grain elevator managers from across the U.S. gathered at Kansas State University’s (KSU) IGP Institute Conference Center Jan. 4-8 for the Grain Elevator Managers course.

“The purpose of this course is to supply grain-management information that is not available elsewhere and cannot be learned by on-the-job experiences, information that helps grain managers correctly interpret their experiences so they can avoid errors and become more efficient,” said Carl Reed, course coordinator and IGP Institute grain storage specialist emeritus.

Course participant Mark Eisler, business development manager of Ray-Carroll County Grain Growers, Inc. in Richmond, Missouri, U.S., said that he will leave IGP with several tools that he will be applying in his workplace.
“I’ve been in the grain industry for several years, but I’ve always been involved more on the business side and not so involved on the operational side,” Eisler said. “I’ve discovered a few things already that I am going to start asking our location managers about.”

The practical course covered topics such as personnel management, grain quality characteristics and grading, psychometrics related to aeration, operations costs, equipment handling, inventory management, grain receiving and shipping, grain monitoring and fumigation.

This is just one example of the trainings offered through the IGP Institute. In addition to feed manufacturing and grain quality management, the institute offers courses in the areas of flour milling and grain processing, and grain marketing and risk management. For more information, visit the IGP Institute website at www.ksu.edu/igp.