Iowa Grain Quality Initiative
Advisory Committee Meeting
Meeting Minutes
July 13, 2012
Present: Mark Fischer, Ray Hansen, Connie Hardy, David Holm, Charles Hurburgh
(moderator), Harold Hommes, Nick Huston, John Lawrence, Russ Leuck, Dan Loy, Robin
Pruisner, Ryan Sauer, Howard Shepherd, Jeff Schnell, Kurt Sindergard, Tim Sullivan
Guests for aflatoxin discussion in afternoon: Alison Robertson (ISU-Plant Pathology), Steve
Ensley (ISU_Vet Diagnostic Lab, ____Schneider (ISU-?), Keri Jacobs (ISU-Economics), Robin
Pruisner and Steve Moline (Iowa Dept. of Agriculture and Land Stewardship).
Attended for Aflatoxin Preparedness discussion.
Welcome and Announcements: Charlie Hurburgh reviewed the agenda.
Update of the College of Agriculture and Land Stewardship/ (CALS)/Agriculture and
Natural Resources (ANR) Extension: John Lawrence reviewed recent activities at ISU,
College of Agriculture, and Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension.
John reminded the group that 2012 is the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act (1862) and it is
also the100th anniversary of Homecoming at ISU. CALS has record enrollment this fall, so
enrollment will exceed the 1977 record of 3,623. President Leath is anticipating increased
enrollment beyond 31,000, which he anticipates will require 200 more faculty members
university-wide. From 2006-2010 CALS has grown 30%, whereas average growth in other
agriculture programs has been 16%. CALS is at a 98.2% employment rate for graduates within
6 months of their graduation, so there are many opportunities for agriculture graduates. The
economy and excitement in agriculture have fueled this growth. University of Illinois and
University of Minnesota have revised their programs.
Is there a cap on enrollment? John mentioned that when President Leath stated we would have
35,000 students, it made managers stop and think what that would mean in terms of meeting
the needs of more students. The enrollment numbers include online student capacity. Housing
in Ames seems to be sufficient.
Construction on the new Agriculture and Biosystems building has started. Curtiss Hall
renovation is underway and its student services area is complete.
ANR Extension- We have a supporter in President Leath who understands both agriculture and
Extension. He chose to fund the raises within Extension, which has not happened for a long
time. Within ANR, we have some recent field specialist hires and Keri Jacobs has been hired
as the on-campus Extension Economist working with agricultural cooperatives.
How did subsequent budgets deal with the large cut we took in Extension in 2009? One year
ago, we made severe cuts anticipating a Federal shortfall. This left enough money to fund
some initiatives and provide flexibility in hiring and raises. This year, the Board of Regents has
mandated 2.5% raises.
The Iowa legislature gave ISU $5+ million. The bioenergy piece did not get funded. At the
federal level, USDA is considering requiring a one-to-one match on competitive grants, which
will be difficult under ISU’s budget model.
How does the budget model accommodate lab-intensive classes? There is no way to
differentiate this right now, but we have talked about “differential tuition” to more closely match
the costs to offer the lab education. Lab classes are important in all of the agriculturally related
curricula. Currently, a lab fee is being charged for some of these classes.
Update on IGQI:
Charlie summarized the IGQI projects in 3 tracks: Bioprocessing, Quality Management
Systems Food Safety, and Grain Management and Storage.
The 2012-2013 budget allocation is $150,000.
Bioprocessing Group update: Connie Hardy reported using Chad Hart’s slides about the
RFS, E15 and pathways for plants to expand. Powerpoint presentation will be on the website.
Connie also summarized the projects in which the bioprocessing group is involved: Iowa Grain
Flow Survey, an ethanol plant test of new corn genetics, and a multi-plant test of the ethanol
yield equation developed two years ago by one of Charlie Hurburgh’s graduate students,
Allyson Burgess. This equation estimates ethanol yield using corn quality measurements.
Food Safety Modernization Act Charlie Hurburgh reported. Powerpoint presentation will be on
the website
Regulations will be distributed by FDA soon (expected to be after the election) and will likely
include:
*Updated facility registration every two years
*Written food safety plan for each facility
*Carrier certification and inspection (BSE)
*Surveillance inspection every 5-7 years
*Inspectors will require these items even before the actual regulations are released.
We do not think that grain products will be “high risk”, but the majority of claims under the
Reportable Food Registry are actually from grain products. Howard Shepherd noted that what
managers talk about in their facilities as they develop food safety plans will become part of
FDA’s determination of industry risk overall. Grain handling and conditioning have become part
of the grain management system, which may extend to farms. Dan Loy mentioned that it is
somewhat like the guidelines that livestock producers need to follow.
Charlie assumes that distillers grains will be scrutinized because of the concentration issue with
contaminants. Aflatoxin has an “action” level” assigned by FDA, but other mycotoxins have an
“advisory” level”. In Texas, aflatoxin is allowed to reach 500ppb, even though the action level
for humans is 20ppb. For cattle it is higher.
Feed and pet food are on the inspectors’ radar screens.
Feed mills (whether they are retail centers or feed integrators) are subject to inspection.
Inspections will likely be prioritized by tonnage.
Additional points:
FDA now can force a recall
Does the self reporting website apply to mycotoxins?
Inspectors may inspect records and perform audits without prior cause
Charlie reviewed the inspector training class in feed milling that was recently given at Kansas
State University. The same course will be given again at North Carolina State. Next summer,
ISU will lead the “corn processing, soybean processing, and grain handling” course in Iowa. We
will ask for input from the Advisory Committee on the course content.
Charlie asked that the Advisory Committee review the draft of a food safety plan checklist
(handout) and provide comment. Some agreed that it would be good to incorporate this into an
ISO plan. This was followed by a discussion about the use of HACCP principles as the bases
for a food safety plan.
Grain Storage and Handling Team: Powerpoint slides will be on the website.
A recent meeting of this team was held to plan how to spread the content development
responsibility for food safety education as it applies to on-farm grain handling and storage.
List of training topics for which to there will be short webinar/video presentations –
Aeration management
Dryeration
Ventilation
Energy bulletins
Mycotoxins
Food safety act and grain farms
Bin drying
Drying systems
Economics of drying and storage
Grain testing – grading
Ray suggested including: What happens when my grain gets moldy? Include as “off-grade”
material.
Note:
High alpha-amylase corn is being grown in one area in Iowa, particularly for one ethanol plant.
It is good for fermentation but it is a problem in dry corn milling and in alkaline cook operations.
Afternoon Session: US Drought Situation – affect on grain quality
Drought will affect test weight, yield, and some processing parameters, but the real problem in
grain could be aflatoxin, so we are focusing the discussion on how to be prepared for aflatoxin
prevalence. The years when Iowa has been affected were 1983, 1988, and 2005 (affected 5-10
Iowa counties.)
Ideal conditions for aflatoxin production are:
1. hot weather at the time of silking and pollination. Can use Afla-Guard, which is a
competitive fungus applied at the time of silking and pollination. Alison Robertson has
data from field trials in Texas in which Afla-Guard appeared to reduce aspergillus flavus
ear rot and/or production of aflatoxin. Other fungicides should work, but Alison’s work on
ear rot trials showed that effectiveness is not consistent. Fungicides should be applied
before the brown silk stage. In some cases, fungicides will increase the production of
toxin. This has happened with fumonisin and vomitoxin.
2. warm nights (lows above 75 degrees) after the grain fill is more or less complete.
Damaged corn is the most susceptible, but good corn can also be affected. Is the
potential large enough to be a national crop issue? The first condition is there. Every
year, mycotoxins occur in certain areas, but blending has allowed the industry to lower
the concentration by dilution with enough good corn. If all the conditions are met, we
might have high amounts of aflatoxin.
Aflatoxin can occur in one field and not another. Bt corn kernels seem to be more
resistant to infection with aspergillus flavus, probably because there are fewer insectdamaged kernels.
3.
hot, dry conditions just prior to harvest. The toxin is produced during the time that
the kernels are developed and filled, as the corn is beginning to dry down.
Discussion followed about dealing with insured crop damage. What happens to the grain?
Charlie shared details of the discussion in 2005 in SE Iowa (included in slides).
What materials do we need to have ready?
Have an understanding of potential levels and locations before harvest.
Farmers need to know how to identify mold damage and how to handle the corn.
Update “Aflatoxins in Corn” article.
IDALS inspectors took samples during the hail damage year.
Should IDALS do a pre-harvest screening with a quick turnaround of results? Alison offered to
work with Extension field specialists to conduct the survey through Extension. The toxin might
not be there if sampled too early. Alison suggested doing a preharvest survey to look for ear
rot. Depending on where there is the most problem, advice could be better focused to farmers.
Black light reacts with cogic acid, which would have a high degree of false positives and false
negatives.
Is harvesting early a good mitigation strategy? Alison says ‘Yes’ because it provides the ability
to cool the grain if the temps outside are 80+. This would prevent additional toxin from being
produced.
Will survey results from Iowa State’s fields be shared throughout the industry?
No conclusion on this.
There was concern expressed from IDALS staff as to how they would use the data from
samples they receive, considering that it is a matter of public record.
Does the industry have a trip-point at which they know they need to test and reject loads?
Charlie says it is impossible to test every load when an elevator is dumping 200+ loads per day.
Also, the sampling error is 40% as toxins are localized within a load. Charlie suggested testing
a composite sample for each ½ day of receiving grain. Nick’s elevator also tests a farmer’s first
load of the harvest.
People in the industry need a refresher course in mycotoxins, particularly because of much
higher use of distillers grains.
Which test kits are valid? GIPSA publicizes their recommendations at this link:
http://www.gipsa.usda.gov/publications/fgis/handbooks/aflatoxin/aflatoxin-ch01.pdf
RMA does not report to FDA incidents where crop damage is claimed for crop insurance.
If aflatoxin incidence is sporadic, it will be handled in blending to reduce concentration. If it is
widespread, we will need to figure out how to channel the grain. To date, we have not hit that
point, but we also do not have much non-traded corn left to blend.
International Center for Grain Operations and Processing
Articles of Incorporation have been filed in Kansas with KGFA as the official agent.
Tax Exempt Application is being reviewed and we expect to submit it to legal counsel by Aug. 1.
GEAPS has offered to pay attorney fees.
ISU has made a significant investment in the grains area in that two new faculty members will
be added at ISU, one working in the safety and risk management area (Dr. Gretchen Mosher
was just hired) and another in grain operations (search is in progress).
Next meeting will be on Friday, January 4, 2012. More detail to follow.
Note: If we have a widespread aflatoxin problem, we might need to meet this fall. ISU survey
would likely be done in mid-August. Kurt asked if we needed more fields besides the ISU plot
fields. Some of the ISA members have field trials with crop applications.
Respectfully submitted,
Connie Hardy
ISU Extension and Outreach
Value Added Agriculture Program