The American Feed Industry Association’s equipment manufacturers committee recently donated $2,500 to Kansas State University’s Department of Grain Science and Industry undergraduate scholarship fund.
“The Department of Grain Science and Industry’s mission is to educate students and professionals, conduct innovative research, transfer new technologies and knowledge, offer high-quality outreach programs and services that impact the global grain and plant-based food, feed, fiber, fuel and bio-products supply chains,” said Keith Epperson, AFIA’s vice president of manufacturing and training. “These are the types of programs the AFIA EMC wanted to support.”
The Grain Science and Industry program is the only place in the U.S. that offers undergraduate degrees in milling, bakery, and feed science and management, and higher level degrees in grain science. “Feeding more than 9 billion people by 2050 will require a new group of professionals in the feed industry,” said EMC chairman Randy Stauffer. “Supporting education programs like those at K-State will help us achieve that goal.”
The Department of Grain Science and Industry is headed by Dr. Dirk Maier, who is responsible for leading the department’s teaching, research and outreach programs. “Scholarship support from AFIA’s equipment manufacturer members is vital to attracting more students into our unique feed science and management program and preparing them for successful feed industry careers,” said Maier. “This investment is another example of the strategic partnership between AFIA and Kansas State University which includes continuing education offerings for industry professionals and completion of the new O.H. Kruse Feed Technology Innovation Center.”
The facility is expected to open soon. “The new facility will be an excellent place for our students and industry professionals to gain hands-on training with the start of this fall semester,” said Maier.
