MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, US — The Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS) and the Kansas State University (KSU) are now offering a new online training program that will cover basic grain industry operations, grain quality management and pest control.

The hour-long courses are available on-demand and are intended to supplement companies’ existing training programs.

Jeff Jones, president of GEAPS International, said crash courses are the first step toward the society making training programs more accessible to the grain industry.

“With all the challenges facing the industry this year, we prioritized getting resources into the hands of our members and the industry at large as easily as possible,” Jones said. “Crash courses are just the first step. We are working on different types of on-demand programming and custom training that travel directly to our member facilities.”

Matt Hanson, head of the GEAPS education committee, said the new format leverages existing resources from the GEAPS/KSU Distance Education Program to reach a wider audience.

“We have a really sound credential program for anyone who wants extensive training in different aspects of grain storage and milling,” Hanson said. “Not everyone needs that level of training. Our Crash Courses give you an easy way to jump in and get up to speed on safety or pest identification. These courses will be a great tool for cross-training your team and for new and non-operations employees.”

Courses fall into three categories: introduction to the industry, grain quality management and pest management.

Introduction to the industry

  • Inbound Grain Receiving Operations
  • Grain Sampling and Testing Operations and Procedures
  • Binning Procedures
  • Fundamentals of Grain Storage and Drying
  • Fumigation Purposes and Procedures
  • Grain Shipping
  • Grain Dust Explosion Prevention and Housekeeping
  • Maintenance and Recordkeeping Programs
  • Facility Safety

Grain Quality Management

  • Grain Quality Properties
  • Storability and Deterioration of
  • Grains and Oilseeds
  • S.L.A.M. — Based Quality Management of Stored Grains and Oilseeds

Pest Management

  • Preventive Control of Pests
  • Identification of Insect Pests and Vertebrates

Crash courses cost $99 for GEAPS members and $135 for non-members. For more information and or to register, visit the GEAPS website.