GEAPS foundation receives USD$500,000 from CHS foundation

The GEAPS Foundation is pleased to announce it is one of five organisations selected by the CHS Foundation to receive funding through CHS Inc.’s new national agricultural safety initiative.
 

The CHS Foundation’s USD$500,000 contribution to the GEAPS Foundation’s Professional Development Programs Endowment Fund represents the largest contribution to the fund to date. The GEAPS Foundation was established by the Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS) in 2011 as a mechanism to secure a stable and predictable funding stream to support GEAPS’ training for grain and processing industry operations professionals.

“CHS’s generous contribution supports the development of courses for the GEAPS/Kansas State University (K-State) Distance Education Program. It also demonstrates the vital role for industry businesses in helping to fund development of courses needed to train the next generation of grain industry operations professionals to safely and sustainably feed the world,” said Mark Fedje, GEAPS Foundation board chair, and terminal elevator maintenance team leader, General Mills.

The GEAPS/K-State Distance Education Program provides online, peer-reviewed CEU courses taught by grain industry leaders in operations safety and grain quality management, facility design, materials handling and equipment maintenance. The courses help strengthen the skills of today’s workforce and grow the knowledge of tomorrow’s grain industry professionals. In 2012, the industry’s first-ever credentialing program, offering the Credential in grain operations management (CGOM), was added.

“CHS and the CHS Foundation recognise that meeting the food needs of a growing population requires significant enhancements in our production systems. And, the health and safety of the workforce will be a key component. The GEAPS/K-State Distance Education Program is well suited to help meet that need,” said William Nelson, CHS vice president, corporate citizenship and president, CHS Foundation.

“CHS’s leadership in supporting continued expansion of top quality education programs will help GEAPS and K-State develop the courses needed for grain industry workers to stay current with state-of the-art methodology to safely handle, store and process grain in order to maximize its quality and availability for food products,” said Bill Lyster, GEAPS International board chair and special projects manager, Ag Partners.
The GEAPS Foundation is working to raise USD$4 million over five years to support the GEAPS/K-State Distance Education Program. All money raised will go the Foundation’s Professional Development Programs Endowment Fund, which will help fund the enhancement and expansion of the GEAPS/K-State course offerings.

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English: Grain elevator (Photo credit: Wikipedia)