Transformative Trends in Processing: A New Educational Track at GEAPS Exchange

Join GEAPS for a new specialized educational track delving into advancements in processing. 

Access critical insights on extraction technologies, safety compliance, and quality control protocols essential for today’s processing environments.

In-depth information on advanced soybean processing, covering preparation stages and extraction methods, and discover how each step influences product purity, yield, and overall quality.

Learn about the expanding utilization of corn and soybeans as feedstocks to produce biobased renewables like ethanol and renewable diesel, and how these feedstocks are a solution to the production pathway of sustainable aviation fuel.

Check out the full lineup of processing sessions below!

IOMSA Golden Ticket

IOMSA Golden Ticket Contest Closed

Thank you to all who applied for the IOMSA Golden Ticket! The application period is now closed. We are excited to review the submissions and will be notifying the winners in January.

The IOMSA Golden Ticket is a scholarship designed to support professionals in the grain processing industry who wish to enhance their skills and knowledge by attending the GEAPS Exchange. This scholarship covers full registration fees for the event, along with a $500 travel stipend for each winner.

This initiative is named in honor of the International Oil Mill Superintendents Association (IOMSA), which served the oil mill industry from 1905 to 2023, supporting the education and well-being of its members.

Stay tuned for further updates, and thank you for your interest in this valuable opportunity!

Grain Processor Meet Up

Sunday Feb 23
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Innovation Station #1 – Expo Lounge

Join fellow grain processors during the GEAPS Welcome Reception and make connections with attendees whose jobs are similar to your own.

Processing Track Schedule

Sunday, February 23

3:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.Innovation Station #1: Processing Perspectives: A New Era for Processing with GEAPSOpen

Join key industry players as they share current information about the processing industry and the transformational shift that GEAPS is taking to provide more for processing industry professionals. Hear directly from American Soybean Association,  National Corn Growers Association and Renewable Fuels Association on the market opportunities created by grain processing, including ethanol, soy crush, biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel.

IOMSA Golden Ticket Award Winners will be awarded at this time.

Speakers
Dan WeselyNational Corn Growers AssociationBoard Member and Board’s liaison to the Biofuels Action Team
Dave WaltonAmerican Soybean AssociationIowa Soy Farmer and ASA Board Member
Robert WhiteRenewable Fuels AssociationSVP of Industry Relations & Market Development
John CaupertGEAPSExecutive Director

Monday, February 24

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.Education Session: Oilseed Processing – “A Crushing Perspective”Open

The presentation will discuss the basics of oilseed processing including the two major types of extraction in use in North America coupled with soybean and canola statistics i.e. acreages and new plants coming online. An overview will also be given of the similarities between elevator and processing safety and regulations. There also will be discussions on the importance of grain quality in oilseed processing, the products from oilseed processing, and their uses along with future demand. Locations of newly commissioned and expected commissionings will be included.

Speakers
John MulhollandN.Hunt Moore and Associates, IncGeneral Manager
9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.Education Session: How to Harness Oilseed Value-Added Processes and Growth PotentialOpen

From the food we eat to the products we consume, there’s a good chance soybeans and oilseeds play a role. Beyond traditional processing and refining of oilseeds, value-added processing creates new, growing markets and profit potential.
Demand is broadening for specialty proteins in plant-based foods, soy isolate supplements, and soy flour for baking. Sustainability is expanding the market for vegetable oils, learn how these oils play a key role in plastics, biodiesel, and renewable diesel, and are a growing feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel.

Speakers
Gary KoerbitzVAA LLCProcess Department Manager / Principal

Tuesday, February 25

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.Education Session: Soybean Processing – Basics and BeyondOpen

This presentation will take the basics of oilseed processing discussed in “Oilseed Processing – A Crushing Perspective” from Monday morning, and break it down into more detail, simplifying the science behind the madness.

Topics covered will include the different steps of the preparation process such as cleaning, cracking, flaking, grinding etc. as well as the extraction process including distillation and solvent recovery, explaining how each step affects the end quality and yields of the products. We will also cover the unique safety and environmental challenges of a soybean crush plant.

Speakers
Scott KorteN.Hunt Moore and Associates, IncDirector of Engineering
9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.The Future of Ethanol: Challenges, Opportunities, and GrowthOpen

This session will provide a historical, current, and future perspective on the ethanol industry. It will explore the challenges and opportunities related to sustainability and industry growth, as well as its impact on agriculture and individual corn farmers. The session will also examine the political landscape at both the state and federal levels. Finally, it will address the global opportunities for ethanol and its coproducts moving forward.

Speakers
Robert WhiteRenewable Fuels AssociationSVP of Industry Relations & Market Development