Grainnet

NGFA Chairman Appoints Committee Chairs

Washington, DC—Newly elected National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) Chairman Thomas Coyle has announced the appointment of industry leaders to chair NGFA committees and councils during his term of office.

“NGFA committees are one of the most important membership benefits offered by the association, as they proactively address, for the mutual benefit of the industry, issues that are of bottom-line importance to all NGFA-member companies,” said Coyle, general manager of Chicago & Illinois River Marketing LLC, Chicago, Ill.

“In concert with the Board of Directors, it is committees that set the agenda and priorities for our industry-driven Association.

"We’re fortunate to have such an outstanding cadre of dedicated and highly talented industry experts willing to serve.”

Coyle, who was elected NGFA’s new chairman during the Association’s 112th annual convention March 26-28 in Scottsdale, AZ, noted that about 300 volunteers from all types and sizes of NGFA-member companies serve on committees and are on the cutting-edge of government policies and programs, as well as industry trends and practices.

Established in 1896, the NGFA consists of 900 grain, feed and feed ingredient, grain processing, exporting, biofuels and other grain-related companies that operate about 6,000 facilities and handle more than 70 percent of all U.S. grains and oilseeds.

The NGFA keeps all members apprised of the work of its committees through its newsletter publication, Issues and Actions.

Committee chairpersons appointed by Coyle are as follows: •Aroterrorism-Prevention and Facility Security: W. Jerry Cotter, director of operations, Port of Corpus Christi Authority, Corpus Christi, Texas.

This committee addresses legislative and regulatory proposals, and provides practical best practices, education and information for the industry, to mitigate the risk of intentional contamination of the food and feed supply.

The committee is a joint endeavor of the NGFA, North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) and Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS).

In fulfilling its function, the committee interacts extensively with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), FBI and other federal and state agencies.

•Arbitration Appeals Panel: Don Wenneker, director of procurement, Tate and Lyle Ingredients Americas Inc., Decatur, IL.

This committee is the linchpin in one of the NGFA’s premier member services – the unique and time-honored Arbitration System that resolves trade disputes.

•Biotechnology Committee: James Stitzlein, manager, market development, Consolidated Grain & Barge Co., Chesterfield, MO.

This committee represents the interests of commercial grain handlers, grain processors, feed and feed ingredient manufacturers, and other grain users on policies and issues arising from biotechnology-enhanced commodities.

As such, it addresses U.S. regulatory and international trade developments pertaining to agricultural biotechnology, and provides a forum for interacting with biotechnology providers on issues affecting the commercial grain, feed and processing industry.

•Country Elevator Committee: Bryce Wells, president and chief executive officer, West Plains Co., Kansas City, MO.

This committee addresses issues important to grain warehouse operators, including federal and state regulatory issues.

In so doing, it works extensively with USDA and state grain warehouse regulatory agencies.

It also provides input on cross-cutting issues important to country elevator managers, including risk-management, transportation, biotechnology and industry education/training needs.

•Feed and Animal Agriculture Strategic Issues Committee: David Hoogmoed, vice president, feed, Land O’Lakes Purina Feed LLC, Shoreview, MN.

This newly created committee provides a unique forum in which senior-level managers from feed, feed ingredient, and integrated livestock and poultry operations identify and develop strategies to address major domestic and international issues affecting the feed sector.

The committee also interacts with animal agriculture and species organizations to maintain and enhance the economic viability of U.S. animal agriculture production.

And it interfaces with the grocery, restaurant and retail food industries, which influence feed and food-animal production practices.

•Feed Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Committee: Brad Gottula, quality assurance manager/plant manager, Quality Liquid Feeds Inc., Dunlap, IA.

Serving as vice chairman of the committee is Jarvis Haugeberg, general manager, DakotaLand Feeds LLC, Huron, SD.

This committee addresses federal, state and international legislative and regulatory issues important to, or affecting, feed and feed ingredient manufacturers and integrators, including animal feed safety and world animal health codes.

It interacts extensively with FDA, the Association of American Feed Control Officials and state feed regulatory agencies.

•Feed Manufacturing and Technology Committee: David Kier, president, DFS Inc., Newell, IA.

This committee addresses operations issues and technological developments important to the manufacturing operations of commercial feed mills, feed ingredient firms and integrators.

Among other things, it evaluates the latest developments in safety, quality, production and manufacturing technology; interacts with universities; and provides education and communication on feed operations issues.

•Grain Grades and Weights Committee: Tim Paurus, vice president, terminal operations, CHS Inc., St. Paul, MN.

This joint NGFA-GEAPS committee advocates grain standards, as well as inspection and weighing practices, that facilitate orderly trade responsive to customer needs.

It is the principal liaison to USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration on official grain inspection and weighing issues.

•International Trade/Agricultural Policy Committee: Tom Erickson, vice president, government affairs, Bunge North America Inc., Washington, DC.

This committee advocates policies that promote sustained economic growth for all sectors of U.S. agriculture.

It works to minimize market-distorting farm and acreage-idling programs to encourage U.S. agricultural growth to meet expanding demand for food, feed, exports and biofuels.

And it promotes free trade agreements that significantly reduce and eliminate trade-distorting domestic and export subsidies, and enhance U.S. access to foreign markets.

•Legal Council: Joan Maclin, senior vice president and general counsel, The Scoular Co., Minneapolis, MN.

This group provides input and strategies on broad legal issues affecting NGFA-member companies, and provides a forum for corporate legal experts to learn about cutting-edge legal issues affecting the industry.

•Marketing and Business Development Committee: Mark Avery, publisher, Grain Journal, Decatur, IL.

This committee advises on appropriate marketing strategies for products and services provided by the NGFA.

•Rail Arbitration Rules Committee: Kyle Hancock, vice president, industrial and agricultural products, CSX Transportation Co., Jacksonville, FL.

This committee, comprised of equal representation from carriers and shippers, oversees the application of the NGFA’s unique Rail Arbitration Rules that address specified rail service-related disputes and issues arising between shippers and carriers.

•Rail Shipper-Receiver Committee: Dan Mack, vice president, transportation, CHS Inc., St. Paul, MN.

The NGFA is widely regarded as the lead agribusiness trade association on rail transportation and service issues.

This committee represents the interest of grain shippers/receivers, feed and ingredient manufacturers, integrators and other NGFA rail users.

•Risk Management Committee: Rod Clark, general manager, CGB Diversified Services, Mount Vernon, IN.

Matthew Bruns, vice president, exports, Archer Daniels Midland Co., Decatur, IL, was named vice chair.

This committee represents the interests of commercial hedgers with the grain exchanges, Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Congress in urging policies that create an environment where cash and futures markets can remain efficient, sound and viable for agricultural users.

It also addresses issues concerning new risk-management products and the expanded role of USDA’s federal crop insurance programs.

•Safety, Health and Environmental Quality Committee: Kevin Danner, corporate safety director, West Central Cooperative, Carroll, IA.

This joint NGFA-GEAPS committee focuses on operations-related issues and proactively represents the industry’s interests on matters affecting occupational safety and health, as well as the environment.

It interacts extensively with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Environmental Protection Agency.

It also develops regulatory compliance guidance and education/training materials for employees.

The committee has three subcommittees chaired by the following industry leaders:

•Education Subcommittee: Gary Kearn, loss control/prevention manager, The Scoular Co., Salina, KS.

•Feed Subcommittee:Paul Luther, environmental, health and safety leader, Land O’Lakes Purina Feed LLC, St. Louis, MO.

•Grain Subcommittee: Stacy Schmidt, director of safety, health and environmental protection, The Andersons Inc., Maumee, OH.

•Trade Rules Committee: James Keistler, merchandising manager, Twomey Co., Smithshire, IL.

This committee has three subcommittees that maintain and update the NGFA’s Barge Trade Rules, Barge Freight Trading Rules, Feed Trade Rules and Grain Trade Rules to ensure they reflect current trade practice.

•Barge Trade Rules Subcommittee: C.C. Craig, vice president, grain merchandising, Farmers Grain Terminal Inc., Greenville, MS. •Barge Freight Trading Rules Subcommittee: Laurie Hiler, manager/owner, Seneca Transportation LLC, Creve Coeur, Mo.

•Feed Trade Rules Subcommittee: Jack Smit, president, Furst McNess Co. of Canada Ltd., London, Ontario, Canada.

•Grain Trade Rules Subcommittee: Mike Sumpter, trading manager, Zen-Noh Grain Corp., Mandeville, LA.

•Waterborne Commerce Committee: Mark J. Carr, communications, AEP River Operations, Chesterfield, MO.

This committee interacts with Congress and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to advocate improvements to inland waterways and ports to facilitate the cost-effective transport and export of U.S. agricultural commodities and products. The NGFA’s membership encompasses all sectors of the industry, including country, terminal and export elevators; feed manufacturers; cash grain and feed merchants; end users of grain and grain products, including processors, flour millers, and livestock and poultry integrators; commodity futures brokers and commission merchants; and allied industries.

Canadian and Mexican firms also are NGFA members, and use its Trade Rules and Arbitration System by specific reference in their contracts.

The NGFA also consists of 35 affiliated state and regional grain and feed associations, as well as two international affiliated associations.

It has strategic alliances with the Pet Food Institute and the Grain Elevator and Processing Society, and is co-located and has a joint operating and services agreement with the North American Export Grain Association.