By Mike Seyfert, NGFA President and CEO
It is both humbling and inspiring to lead the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) as it commemorates its 125th anniversary. Before I outline the ambitious and exciting goals our members have designated in this landmark year, I’ll first reflect on a bit of history…
Launched by 38 grain dealers gathered in Room 111 of Chicago’s Saratoga Hotel on Nov. 9, 1896, NGFA has grown into the most diverse and all-encompassing agribusiness association in America, representing nearly 1,100 members engaged in all sectors of the industry. Our members include country elevators; feed mills; export elevators; cash grain and feed merchandisers; commodity futures brokers and commission merchants; transportation companies and countless allied industries that supply goods and services to the industry.
NGFA was first formed as the Grain Dealers National Association to meet several overarching needs, including creating a uniform system of grain inspection and grading; establishing a system for settling trade disputes; presenting a united front to rail carriers; and creating equitable rules governing the trade of grain and feedstuffs, as well as ethical business practices. These ideals continue to drive the Association’s mission today as it advocates for a global open market environment to efficiently provide a safe, abundant, affordable, sustainable and wholesome supply of grain, oilseeds and feed.
We celebrate this 125-year milestone with a series of initiatives focused on goals for the future of the industry and the release of the first-ever NGFA tagline – “Transforming America’s Harvest.” This new tagline captures the important purpose NGFA’s member companies perform day-in and day-out in transforming American farmers’ bounty into safe, nutritious, sustainable and affordable human and animal food.
Throughout the year, NGFA has celebrated “Transforming America’s Harvest” with initiatives that focus on the industry’s future. NGFA Chair JoAnn Brouillette, managing partner of Demeter LP in Fowler, Ind., announced the launch of our anniversary celebration at the NGFA’s 125th annual convention in June at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.
Initiatives for this anniversary year include:
- “Transforming the face of our future.” Attracting people of diverse backgrounds and cultures to work in this industry. Recognizing and welcoming diverse talents is not only a moral imperative, but it is crucial for survival in a competitive marketplace. To be competitive, we need to provide a path to move into and advance within our industry. The National Grain and Feed Foundation has launched a scholarship in partnership with Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS).. The Foundation will provide support to MANRRS student members who are engaged in undergraduate or graduate studies in the grain, feed or processing industry or a closely related field.
- “Transforming the health of our lands.” Working lands programs like the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provide incentives for farmers to use proven conservation methods and keep prime farmland in production. Policies that idle cropland and reduce U.S. agricultural output result in less U.S. agricultural market share and harm rural economies. When larger tracts of land are enrolled in programs like the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the local economy suffers, and productive farmland – which could be enhanced with targeted conservation practices – is wasted. It also makes it harder for socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers to compete on rental rates and expand their operations. NGFA will prioritize working lands programs as discussions on the next farm bill ramp up in 2022.
- “Transforming workplace safety culture” has been a cornerstone of NGFA’s mission for decades. Creating a culture of safety in every facility and farm where grain is handled will contribute to a healthier and happier agricultural community and potentially save lives that are tragically lost in grain-related incidents every year. This year, NGFA has published several resources that supplement an already robust suite of safety training materials available at ngfa.org/safety, including a new “Firefighting Manual: A Guide for Operators of Grain Handling Facilities and Fire Department Officials” that is free to members.
- “Transforming global markets to be more open” remains a core mission of NGFA. NGFA supports policy efforts designed to create a more open global market environment in which our export industry can operate to further enhance global food security. Feeding the world is the most important purpose of this great industry.
As we advance these 125th anniversary initiatives, we will maintain clear focus on our annual policy and program work at NGFA. The agriculture community and broader economy are experiencing immediate challenges, including inadequate labor supply and our crumbling national infrastructure.
Labor availabilityis the largest supply chain constraint facing the U.S. agricultural industry, with the lack of access to labor threatening operations and leading to higher prices for food. We have asked the Biden Administration to continue to recognize the critical infrastructure status of the food and agriculture sector to ensure it receives priority access to necessary protective supplies in future crisis response plans.
To address the nationwide truck driver shortage, NGFA has encouraged policies at the U.S. Department of Transportation that would harmonize the federal and state truck driving age limit. This would provide a more accessible pathway into the trucking industry for drivers aged 18-20.
There are several other critical ways the NGFA is working to strengthen the U.S. freight transportation system and supply chain, including supporting increases in federal investment to modernize U.S. infrastructure. The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would create substantial contributions and opportunities for U.S. economic growth and trade with increased infrastructure funding for ports and waterways, roads and bridges, and broadband.
This Association’s 125th year has brought significant challenges to the industry, including the growth in frequency and severity of cybersecurity attacks. Ransomware attacks that risk financial and proprietary loss are becoming more common on the food and agriculture sector, including U.S. grain companies.
NGFA takes these threats seriously and has worked collaboratively with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other organizations to provide materials on ngfa.org outlining cybersecurity risks and best practices for the agriculture sector. The upcoming 50th annual Country Elevator Conference and Trade Show on Dec. 7-9 includes sessions on cybersecurity with several NGFA member company representatives.
In closing, NGFA has been a leader for 125 years and is stronger every year thanks to member engagement and a team that prioritizes member services. As we commemorate a milestone year in its history, we thank you and many others for “Transforming America’s Harvest.” The best years for NGFA and the industry are ahead of us.