Listen with NGFA

Steve Scott is an independent consultant, helping organizations put HOP/New View and Critical Risk Management principles to work with the goal of engaging employees in reducing serious injuries and fatalities while improving overall business performance.

Kristen Ireland and Erin Mies, the co-founders of People Spark Consulting, discuss leadership development in the workplace, specifically in agribusiness. They share real-world examples and insights from their years of leadership training. Learn more at peoplesparkconsulting.com.

This episode features Ebony Webber, the Chief Operations Officer at the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) student society. She provides some background information about MANRRS, its goals, and why NGFA members should get involved. Go to manrrs.org. NGFA Vice President of Marketing and Foundation Outreach Rebecca Grubbs offers some information about the connection between MANRRS and the National Grain and Feed Foundation. Go to ngfa.org/foundation.

Megan Rock, Chief Sustainability Officer at CHS, joins NGFA for a discussion about her role, what drives sustainability commitments made by major companies, and how they will impact NGFA members.

Find out what to expect at CONVEY '22, a unique opportunity for grain handling employees and leaders. Go to convey22.com

NGFA Chief Economist Max Fisher provides an overview of rail service issues and outlines the NGFA's requests to the Surface Transportation Board.

NGFA Chairman Greg Beck, CGB Enterprises, and Bobby Frederick, NGFA senior vice president, discuss the 2022-2027 Long Range Plan and why it's important to NGFA staff and members.

Listen to an overview of what's included in the fiscal 2022 omnibus spending bill.

Listen to a summary of Capitol Hill events this week, including the 2022 State of the Union Address and a House Agriculture Committee farm bill hearing.

NGFA Vice President of Safety and Regulatory Affairs Jess McCluer outlines the status of the COVID-19 vaccine-or-test mandate for large businesses after the Supreme Court decision. He also discusses what is still required under OSHA regulations for mitigating COVID-19 hazards.

Listen to the details on the Army Corps of Engineers' spending plan released on Jan. 19, including funding for Lock and Dam 25 on the Upper Mississippi River.

Listen to the highlights of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684), which provides much-needed investments to modernize the U.S. transportation system.

Kristen Ireland and Erin Mies, principals of People Spark Consulting, have seen what works and what doesn't when it comes to fostering workplaces with highly engaged employees. What does it mean to be an "engaged" employee? How much influence can employers have on engagement? In this episode, they outline misconceptions and best practices. People Spark Consulting will be available for more management topics at the NGFA's 50th annual Country Elevator Conference and Trade Show on Dec. 7-9. Go to ngfa.org/cec - Program (ngfa.org) Video referenced in podcast: Simon Sinek Noah - YouTube

Listen to the congressional resolution honoring the NGFA's 125th anniversary.

Listen to a brief update from Bobby Frederick, NGFA's vice president of legislative affairs and public policy, about the latest events on Capitol Hill.

Join Bobby Frederick, NGFA's vice president of legislative affairs and public policy, for a brief summary of what's happening on Capitol Hill.

David Noel, grain health and safety manager at Perdue Agribusiness, joins Jim Seibert, NGFA director of safety, education and training, for NGFA's Harvest Safety Week and a discussion about dryer operations.

Mark Trainor, safety manager at FS Grain, joins Jim Seibert, NGFA director of safety, education and training, for NGFA's Harvest Safety Week and a discussion about struck-by hazards. “Keep your head on a swivel and pay attention to your surroundings.”

Jarrod Nickelson, grain manager at MKC - Mid Kansas Coop, joins Jim Seibert, NGFA director of safety, education and training, for NGFA's Harvest Safety Week and a discussion about critical pieces of equipment. "The main thing that's going to keep you safe is when people know your plan and are on board with it."

Marie Dinwiddie, EHS specialist at Fehr Graham, joins Jim Seibert, NGFA director of safety, education and training, for NGFA's Harvest Safety Week and a discussion about bin harvest prep. "Don't just pray for a safe harvest; make it a safe harvest. It's all up to you."

Amy Cornell, president of the Agribusiness Council of Indiana, discusses the value of groups like Women of Indiana Agribusiness. As part of NGFA's 125th anniversary celebration, the Association is focused on how to best position the industry for success in the next 125 years, including "transforming the face of our future."

Randy Gordon is retiring by the end of March 2021 after serving nearly 43 years with the nation's largest and most diverse agribusiness association – the last eight as its president and CEO. In this discussion, he reflects on his time and lessons learned serving the grain, feed and processing industry, and looks forward to the future.

Jonathan Coppess, assistant professor at the University of Illinois, joined “Listen with NGFA” to discuss his experience as a member of President Biden's transition team for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the role of land idling programs in potential climate legislation, and the next generation of agricultural leaders.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., joined NGFA Vice President of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy Bobby Frederick to discuss legislative priorities under a Biden administration, challenges in representing a diverse district with both large urban and rural counties, as well as progress toward the goal of "civility" in Congress, among several other topics.

Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., joins NGFA Vice President of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy Bobby Frederick to discuss agricultural policy and what to expect in 2021. With the retirement of Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Sen. Boozman is expected to be the leading Republican on the committee.

Dr. Deborah Reed received her BSN, MSN, MSPH, and PhD from the University of Kentucky. Dr. Reed was named a UK Provost's Distinguished Service Professor in 2011 in recognition of her service to the university and the Commonwealth. She was appointed to the Good Samaritan Foundation Chair in Community Health Nursing in 2012. In addition to her research and service in the College of Nursing, Dr. Reed works with the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment as an agricultural health nurse. Read more about her here and her most recent research, Farm Dinner Theater. Access the Crisis Text Hotline and several other mental health resources at CauseMatters.com.

NGFA's 49th annual Country Elevator Conference and Trade Show is virtual this year on Dec. 8-10! What does that mean and what exactly are you getting when you register? NGFA Vice President of Meetings and Marketing Rebecca Grubbs is here to answer your biggest questions about a virtual event. (Register at ngfa.org/cec).

Jason Eardley, process safety director for Archer Daniels Midland Co. and chairman of NGFA's Safety, Health and Environmental Quality Committee (SHEQ), outlines the most important aspects of harvest safety and ways to instill a culture of safety in any workplace.

NGFA Vice President of Events and Marketing Rebecca Grubbs describes how NGFA events have adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic and what members can expect for the rest of the year. She also outlines some aspects of NGFA membership that new, seasoned and prospective NGFA members will find valuable.

Brittany Schaefer, logistics manager at Bunge North America, shares the latest updates on the Barge Digital Transformation Project (BDT), which is preparing to launch commercially this year. Schaefer, who chairs the industry BDT Steering Committee, describes how the new electronic platform will digitally transmit barge trading documents for southbound barge traffic on the Mississippi River system, including the estimated 75,000 to 100,000 bills of lading issued annually on this segment of the river system alone. Schaefer also chairs the National Grain and Feed Digital Solutions, which has been established to oversee implementation and administration of the new platform. Learn more at https://imis.ngfa.org/members/ngfa/Arbitration/NGFDS.aspx.

NGFA Vice President of Economics and Government Relations Max Fisher discusses how the coronavirus pandemic has affected agricultural trucking transportation and how NGFA works to improve trucking efficiency.

NGFA Vice President of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy Bobby Frederick discusses how activity on Capitol Hill has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic and how NGFA members can continue to their grassroots efforts.