Training the Next Generation of Leaders for a Transforming Grain Industry

This proposed planning project is a multi-state collaborative project that pools faculty expertise in one or more aspects of the grain supply chain from several U.S. land-grant universities to develop a MS level curriculum in grain operations. The specific objectives are:1.Using industry stakeholder and faculty input, we will map the core industry categories into these five themes: Grain Post-Harvest Operations, Grain Processing Operations, Grain Production Operations, Grain Service Industry Interface, and Regulatory and Emerging Issues related to IP and Food Safety. These five core categories would be revised accordingly based on stakeholder input.2.Conduct a SWOT analysis of the educational, research and extension competencies exiting in partnering universities (Purdue University, Iowa State University, Oklahoma State University, University of Kentucky, University of Arkansas) to develop and organize an applied interdisciplinary curriculum at the graduate Master's level.3.Develop and coordinate key industry collaborative partnerships for the proposed program with respect to industry internships and industry-sponsored research for students in the program.4.Develop and submit a large-scale comprehensive initiative of the developed curriculum to the USDA-HEC 2019 funding opportunity.