NGFA celebrates 125th anniversary with themes for the future

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 3, 2021 – National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) Chairman JoAnn Brouillette, president and managing partner of Demeter Lp in Fowler, Ind., today announced the launch of NGFA’s 125^th anniversary celebration with a series of initiatives to guide member engagement throughout 2021 and the release of a new NGFA tagline – “Transforming America’s Harvest.”

NGFA’s anniversary year, which is being celebrated by nearly 400 attendees gathered at the NGFA’s 125^th annual convention at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs on June 2-4, will focus on the noble purpose NGFA’s member companies perform in transforming the American farmer’s bounty into safe, nutritious, sustainable and affordable human and animal food. Founded in 1896, NGFA has been proud to represent and provide services for grain, feed and related commercial businesses for 125 years.

“This Association has grown into the most diverse and wide-ranging agribusiness association that encompasses all sectors of the industry,” Brouillette said during her NGFA Chairman’s address on June 3. “Our 125^th anniversary themes are meant to be far-reaching and transformative – it will take more than just one year of work to achieve them! That’s why it’s important to encourage all talent at our member companies to become engaged actively and earnestly in this Association and to take advantage of what it has to offer.”

Throughout the year, NGFA will celebrate “Transforming America’s Harvest” with initiatives and projects that focus on the future of the grain, feed and processing industry and how to best position it to continue enhancing the growth and economic performance of U.S. agriculture in a global open market environment, Brouillette said.

NGFA President and CEO Mike Seyfert, noted: “Today is a day we celebrate not only NGFA’s excellent and remarkable past, but also a time we look forward with excitement to the opportunities the future provides to the Association and its members. These themes will lay the groundwork for the beginning of the next 125 years of moving the industry forward.”

NGFA’s 125^th anniversary themes include:

Transforming the face of our future: Fostering an inclusive environment that attracts people of diverse backgrounds and cultures to the grain, feed and processing industry is crucial to the health and vitality of the industry and the NGFA. Earlier this year, the National Grain and Feed Foundation launched a scholarship in partnership with the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) national society. 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: Targeting the most environmentally sensitive portions of farmland with proven conservation practices will serve to increase the health of America’s soil, air and water as well as boost local, rural economies that depend on agricultural production. The Foundation has commissioned a study to analyze the effects of targeted conservation practices on environmental and economic health.

Transforming workplace safety culture: 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. To complement an already robust suite of safety training materials available at ngfa.org/safety, NGFA will publish a new “Firefighting Manual: A Guide for Operators of Grain Handling Facilities and Fire Department Officials,” later this year.

Transforming global markets to be more open: NGFA will continue its trade policy efforts designed to create a more open global market environment in which the U.S. export industry can operate to further enhance global food security. 

Stay tuned for more 125^th anniversary announcements throughout 2021. Learn more about NGFA’s 125^th annual convention at ngfa.org/convention.

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NGFA, established in 1896, consists of more than 1,000 grain, feed, processing, exporting and other grain-related companies that operate more than 7,000 facilities and handle more than 70 percent of all U.S. grains and oilseeds. Its membership includes grain elevators; feed and feed ingredient manufacturers; biofuels companies; grain and oilseed processors and millers; exporters; livestock and poultry integrators; and associated firms that provide goods and services to the nation’s grain, feed and processing industry. NGFA also consists of 33 affiliated State and Regional Grain and Feed Associations, and NGFA is co-located and has a strategic alliance with North American Export Grain Association, and a strategic alliance with Pet Food Institute.