MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, US – The Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS) is partnering with the Northern Crops Institute (NCI) to expand education and training opportunities to members. 

“We are working to provide our members with more access to training and subject matter experts from all avenues of the grain industry,” said Steve Records, executive director of GEAPS. “In a post-COVID world we will deliver access to new training opportunities to members; whether through increasing online and hybrid events, collaborating on-campus with partners like NCI in Fargo, or presenting training at our in-person conferences in Columbus in August.”

GEAPS said it is prioritizing relationships with universities and other organizations with subject matter experts who expand beyond the association’s grain operations training. GEAPS is looking to increase the variety of grain-related training programs.  

“NCI has a forty-year history of providing high quality practical education that showcases quality and utilization,” said Mark Jirik, director of the NCI. “The partnership with GEAPS is a great fit for both organizations to increase skill and knowledge, but also fulfilling our mission of growing markets.”

GEAPS members can expect to receive discounts and access to NCI education content with this new partnership. 

GEAPS members will receive a discount on NCI’s upcoming Barley to Beer online course in April and access to the Grain Industry Emerging Leader Program this summer, in person or online. Discount codes and additional information will be sent to GEAPS members via e-mail.

The Barley to Beer course provides participants with information on how to successfully choose high quality malting barley, as well as a basic understanding of the malting process and the brewing of beer, through networked lectures and video tours. It will be hosted April 1-30, taken online at the participant’s pace. The registration fee is $250 (additional discount for GEAPS members) and the registration deadline is March 31.

NCI is an international center for meeting and learning about crops produced in the four-state region of Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. Located on the campus of North Dakota State University, NCI works to bring together customers, commodity traders, technical experts, processors and producers from all points of the globe for discussion, education and technical service programs. Since 1983, NCI has hosted visitors from more than 135 countries.