World Grain - October 2017 - 12

NEWSREVIEW

Donors pledge $14 million for Iowa State feed mill, grain science facility
AMES, IOWA, U.S. - A total of $14 million is being committed by
donations to support a new Iowa State University educational and
research facility for feed milling and grain science.
The Kent Corp.is committing $8 million, the Iowa Corn Promotion
Board $4 million and Sukup Manufacturing Co. $2 million.
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million feed mill and grain science complex, which will be funded
entirely through private giving.
"We are very grateful to Kent, Iowa Corn Promotion Board and
Sukup Manufacturing for their lead gifts that will jump-start in-depth
planning and development of our feed mill and grain science complex,"
said Benjamin Allen, interim president of Iowa State University. "Their
tremendous generosity will help make this facility a valuable addition to
hands-on student learning, meaningful faculty research, and extension
and outreach to industry workforce."
Fundraising for the project will continue, and a timeline will be
developed as detailed plans and design work progresses. In the future,
plans for construction will be presented for approval to the Iowa Board
of Regents.
The location for the feed mill and grain complex will be on
approximately 10 acres of university-owned land southwest of the
intersection of Highway 30 and State Avenue in Ames, Iowa, U.S. The
land, managed by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has been
the site of crop research, seed operations and crop yield performance
trials for more than 50 years.
At the proposed facility, classes and short courses will be taught,
research conducted and feeds prepared to meet the dietary requirements
of animals housed at several university teaching and research farms in
the Ames area.
The complex is planned to include a feed mill tower and feed milling
and mixing structures, grain storage bins and a one-story classroom and
laboratory building.
Iowa State faculty have been developing a new minor in feed and
grain technology with a goal to better prepare students to meet a growing
demand for highly-skilled professionals in the feed and grain industries.
The new complex will provide hands-on learning experiences for
students across several agricultural majors.
The new facility will centralize feed production close to university
animal teaching and research farms. It is expected to improve the
quality of research by Iowa State faculty, serving as a source for custommade animal feeds for academic studies. Variability and inconsistency
in making experimental diets have been a stumbling block in the past

- one that likely will be eliminated or reduced through use of the new
facility. Researchers also will use the complex to study feed safety and
biosecurity issues linked to transportation of feeds.
The Kent Corp. hopes the donation will help add real-world experience
and education for Iowa State University students.
"On behalf of the Kent family and Kent Corp., we are pleased to
contribute this legacy gift to Iowa State University's new feed mill and
grain science facility," said Gage Kent, chairman and chief executive
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"Our business portfolio includes developing innovative, high-quality,
value-added products from locally grown corn," Gage Kent said. "As
an Iowa-based, global leader in corn wet milling, the production of
animal feeds and the manufacturing of food products, it is critical that we
support Iowa State in giving students valuable, real-world experiences
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with Iowa State's commitment to the Cultivation Corridor and their
mission to promote and facilitate growth in agriculture and biosciences
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Much of the nation's corn and corn products, particularly for pork,
beef, dairy and poultry feeds, is processed at feed mills throughout
Iowa and the U.S. Midwest. During the past decade, commercial feed
consumption in Iowa has doubled to 15 million tons. At about 5 million
tons, corn byproducts from ethanol plants represent the largest ingredient
source in animal feeds.
"Iowa's economy is heavily dependent upon grain and livestock
production, and export trade," said Duane Aistrope, president of the
Iowa Corn Promotion Board. "To remain viable and competitive in the
future, the grain, feed and livestock industries must continue to improve
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moving into this important agricultural sector. In addition, Iowa State's
feed mill and grain science complex will allow us to help with the Iowa
Corn Promotion Board's market development activities by serving as a
great resource to educate our visiting international trade team on how to
best utilize U.S. corn and corn products."
Charles Sukup, president of Sukup Manufacturing Co., said: "Our
mission is to protect and preserve the grain that feeds the world. Key
factors to our success as a company have been innovative ideas and our
dedicated workforce. That's why we are excited that Iowa State's plans
for the feed mill and grain science complex will focus on innovation in
support of the grain and feed industries, education of the next generation
and continuing education that helps our workforce and customers keep
up to speed on the latest developments."

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World Grain - October 2017

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