LifeLine Foods Featured on “How America Works”

LifeLine Foods took the spotlight in a recent episode of “How America Works” with Mike Rowe on the Fox Business Channel.

Rowe, the show’s narrator, dives into the process and people behind the production of the number one cash crop in America, corn.

The episode premiered on May 9, showcasing several employees at LifeLine Foods. The show highlights the many moving parts to get the job(s) done at LifeLine. The episode shows everything from shipments, to corn milling, and even the farms that grow the corn.

Siemer Milling Company featured in “How America Works: Working with Wheat”



This Teutopolis-based company was featured on “How America Works with Mike Rowe.” The hour-long episode featured the milling company, its employees, wheat suppliers, and what role they play in the milling industry.

“We’re excited to work with Mike Rowe to show America what flour milling is about,” said Siemer Milling Company President Rick Siemer. “Most Americans eat wheat flour every day, and most Americans have never seen, or even thought about, a modern flour mill. This is a great opportunity for the Siemer Milling team to show how our industry supplies the country with 42 billion pounds of flour every year!”

The episode aired on December 5 on the Fox Business Network.

IAOM First Break: Stories from the Roll Floor with Randy Garvert

IAOM President Randy Garvert shares his thoughts on leadership and the lessons he’s learned in his 40+ years in the grain milling industry. He also shares stories about how he first became involved in IAOM. He also shares information on the industry initiative, through IAOM, to promote milling and attract new talent into the pipeline.

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What’s happening in Portland?

It’s been called the City of Roses, the City of Bridges, Rip City, Portlandia and Beervana. As this wealth of nicknames suggests, Portland has much to offer. From food carts and farm-to-cone ice cream to breweries and books, Portland has something for everyone. With so much to see and do, it’s hard to know where to begin. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to explore another part of the US, and join us in this beautiful city in April for the 124th Annual IAOM Conference & Expo.

Share in Denver

In just 40 weeks IAOM will be hosting its 123rd Annual Conference & Expo in Denver, Colorado. We’re looking for volunteers to share their expertise and knowledge of all things milling during the two days of educational programming. You can be a part of helping millers around the world improve their efficiencies and enhance their skills.

Is your company using leading edge technology? Have you had good luck introducing a new way of doing something in the mill? How have you addressed issues related to employee safety? Food safety? Have you been working on upgrades in your mill or building a new mill?

IAOM is asking you to consider sharing your experience, your successes and lessons learned with the milling community at the upcoming conference. If you have something to share or a new product or innovation to introduce at the premier milling event in the world, please consider applying for a slot on the program. Our volunteer leaders will review applications and select those topics of most interest to the community.

Apply Online

Engagement Time

All of the IAOM districts and regions are busy putting final touches on upcoming meeting plans. These local meetings give you the perfect chance to take a quick break from your regular duties at the mill and explore trends, innovations and hot topics – especially those in your part of the world.

The meetings will also give you the chance to network and socialize with your colleagues and friends from other mills and supplier companies. Conference programs, registration information and other details are shared on the district/region web pages as soon as they are available.

Check out the details about your local meeting by visiting the District/Region page.

July 26-27Central, Texoma and Wheat State Districts’ Joint Summer Conference at Chateau on the Lake, Branson, Missouri, USA

August 8-10 Flour City District Conference at Madden’s on Gull Lake, Brainerd, Minnesota, USA

August 15-17Western District Conference at the Horton Grand Hotel, San Diego, California, USA

September 12-14Western Canadian District Conference at the Sheraton Cavalier Hotel, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

September 19-21Wolverine, Niagara, Ohio Valley and Southeastern Districts’ Joint Conference at the Bavarian Inn Lodge, Frankenmuth, Michigan, USA

September 30-October 2Southeast Asia Region Conference & Expo at the Manila Marriott Hotel, Manila, Philippines

October 22-25Mideast & Africa Annual Conference & Expo at the Mövenpick Hotel & Residences, Nairobi, Kenya

November 30Central District Winter Social at the New Theatre Restaurant, Overland Park, Kansas, USA

December Wheat State District Winter Social

IAOM at FFA Convention

We were at the 90th Annual Kansas FFA Association Convention on May 30 promoting the milling science industry. Hundreds of FFA members from across Kansas were at the Kansas State Alumni Center in Manhattan, Kansas, for the event.

We visited with around 150 FFAers during the expo – sophomores to seniors, recent graduates and high school ag teachers. We shared information about the Milling Technician certificate program at Cowley College, and about the K-State milling science degree program at K-State.

Those students interested in more information about the certificate program were able to visit with Cowley College representatives who were also exhibiting at the show. The next group of students will start the Milling Technician program in August 2018. High school juniors and seniors are even eligible for a tuition waiver through a Kansas government program.

All wrapped up in Atlanta

The 122nd Annual IAOM Conference & Expo in Atlanta, Georgia is wrapped up and put away, but memories of the event live on. All photos of the event are now available in the IAOM photo gallery on Flickr. Past year’s conference photos can also be accessed at this site.

Feedback from attendees is always an important part of making future gatherings more relevant and beneficial. Evaluations are gathering during the event, but IAOM always reaches out post-conference to anyone who did not have an opportunity to provide their input. Please take a moment to fill out and submit an evaluation survey.

For those who complete the survey and wish to share their name and contact information, a drawing will be held after June 15 for a FREE registration to the 123rd Annual Conference & Expo in Denver, Colorado in 2019! To be entered in the drawing, we must receive your completed evaluation by May 31.

Need to revisit an educational session you attended? Were you torn between two great sessions, but had to select just one? Now you can “attend” every educational session from Atlanta, as well as the Keynote Address given during the IMEF Breakfast.

Recorded presentations can be found by members in the IAOM Live Learning Center. You’ll also find presentations there from past conferences.

Knowledge Exchange in Atlanta

IAOM Annual ConferenceChanges are in the wind for this year’s educational sessions at the 122nd Annual IAOM Annual Conference & Expo, and it’s all in response to feedback from membership. Not only have sessions been shifted to the afternoon to allow for more time in the Expo, a number of panel discussions have been included in this year’s offerings.

Wednesday’s events kick off at 1 PM in rooms 103-106 of the Cobb Galleria and feature four tracks familiar to conference-goers. The Employee Relations track will include a look at generational differences in the workplace, offered by Kyle Shermock of Miller Milling. A one-hour panel discussion on bringing benefits to life will follow with panelists Tania Brown CFP, Financial Finesse; Valerie Hawkes, Bay State Milling; Deon MacMillan, Ardent Mills; and Marcie Oppold, ADM.

The Product Protection track will kick off presentations with a 30-minute panel presentation on dry bulk pneumatic trailer sanitary transport best practices. Presenters are facilitator Ron Galle, ADM, and panelists Sherry Rhoads, Ardent Mills, and Jeff Walters, WW Transport.

Two additional presentations will follow to include a look at global regulatory updates and testing in mycotoxins and allergens, presented by Pat Frasco of Neogen, and metal control technology presented by Frank Reda of MPI.

The Technical Operations track will take a look at digitalization and IoT tools by Daniel Ayd of Bühler, automatic samplers for milling applications with John Powalisz, Sentry Equipment, and the history and basics of sifter cloth by Debbie Copelan, Saati.

The Facility Management track will feature storage saving carbon fiber reinforcing by Cheyenne Wolford, CCS Group, solar power in the milling industry with Damon Sidles of Miller Milling, and dust collection risk for fires or explosions by John Wincek, CCPSC, CSP of DEKRA Process Safety.

Thursday’s afternoon sessions will begin at 1 PM and feature a return of Main Line Presentations with everyone attending rather than concurrent sessions. The first of two one-hour sessions will be Jesse Leal of AIB International presenting How to Manage Regulatory Inspections, and a panel discussion lead by Joel Hoffa, Cowley College Milling Technician instructor. The Miller/Allied Trades panel will feature the expertise of panelists Marco Galli, Ocrim SpA; Bryan Teems, Creason Companies; Shawn Thiele, KSU; Simon Tiedge, Miller Milling; and Ruedi Weiss, Bühler. The panel will discuss various milling challenges in the industry.