MANHATTAN, KANSAS, US — The IGP Institute held training for the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Cochran Egypt and Jordan US Grain Inspection Fellowship program to provide more education and information about the US grain inspection process.

A total of 11 fellows spent their time learning about the different grading standards and process for US corn, sorghum, soybeans and wheat. Through this process the fellows learned the role of the federal grain inspection service and what potential impurities to look for that could be in US grain imports.

“I learned a lot about techniques of inspection for grains like wheat, soybeans and corn,” said Elsayed Doshtor, inspector for the Central Administration of Plant Quarantine in Egypt. “We also covered trade and the logistics that go into buying and selling grains.”

During the two-week program, the fellows had the opportunity to visit the Cargill Westwego export facility and the Russell Marine Group in New Orleans, Louisiana, US. They also visited the Federal Grain Inspection Service in Kansas City, Missouri, US. While in Kansas, they toured the Cargill grain elevator in Salina, as well as visited the Kansas Wheat Commission and the Kansas Corn Commission in Manhattan.

“Overall, the objective of the program was to assist the countries of Egypt and Jordan in strengthening their understanding and grain inspection efforts to help decrease the rejection rate of US grain and feed shipments,” said Shawn Thiele, associate director and flour milling and grain processing curriculum manager of the IGP Institute.

Participants learned about a variety of topics, including US grain production and market system, the role of FGIS, US grain grading, storage and quality management of US corn and other grains, fumigation techniques, the US grain transportation system and many others relating to the importing and inspection of US grains.