Our History

For more than 35 years, the IGP Institute has established a worldwide reputation as a center of excellence for international programs related to flour milling and grain processing, feed manufacturing and grain management, grain marketing and risk management focused on corn, grain sorghum, soybeans and wheat.

Because of the IGP Institute's efforts, you can find, in literally every corner of the world, IGP-trained buyers of grain, millers of wheat and manufacturers of animal feed. For the IGP Institute's 2008 Annual Report, Dr. Harvey Kiser, Senior IGP agricultural economist emeritus, wrote an article entitled "30 Years of History Confirms There'll Be More Change." You can read the article by clicking on the link below.

30 Years of History Confirms There'll Be Change (pdf)

International Grains Program Timeline:

1960s: Department of Grain Science and Industry professors, including Arlin Ward, traveled throughout the world providing technical training and educational courses to international business leaders.

1966: The Food and Feed Grains Institute was established at K-State to conduct research and training courses in grain storage, processing, marketing and agribusiness development.

1976: Discussions began between the Department of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas Wheat Commission, and the American Institute of Baking to establish a formalized program to support overseas market-development activities for wheat.

1977: Dr. Charles Deyoe, head of the Department of Grain Science and Industry, began working with representatives from Great Plains Wheat and Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to consider establishing a foreign-market-development program for wheat at K-State.

February 17, 1978: Dr. Deyoe met with the Kansas corn, grain sorghum, soybean and wheat commissions to review a five-year funding proposal for the new training and market-development institute at K-State.

Spring 1978: The Kansas legislature approved $200,000 of general-use funds for the new K-State program. As a result, the International Grains Program (IGP) became the first professional institute in the United States to provide technical training in support of market-development activities for U.S. grains and soybeans. Dr. Deyoe was appointed as the program’s first director.

July 1978: The IGP Institute conducted its first short course. The course was on flour milling and was conducted in India by Professors Arlin Ward and Eugene Farrell.

August 25, 1978: The first advisory board meeting is held. At this meeting, the name, “International Grains Institute” was chosen. However, the name was changed a few weeks later to “International Grains Program” to avoid confusion with the Food and Feed Grains Institute.

April 9-19, 1979: The IGP Institute conducted its first overseas feed manufacturing short course. 109 people, representing more than 70 companies, attended the short course in Korea.

June 24-July 7, 1979: The IGP Institute conducted its first short course on the K-State campus. The Latin American flour milling short course, presented in English, was simultaneously translated into Spanish. A financial contribution from the Oklahoma Wheat Commission helped sponsor the course.

September 8-20, 1980: The first U.S. Grain Marketing System Short Course was conducted. The course, conducted at K-State, was based on a proposal developed by Dr. Harvey Kiser. The course has been offered at least once a year since then.

1980-1981: IGP Institute facilities were expanded. Renovations to Waters Hall Annex provided a conference room, funded by the Kansas Wheat Commission, and a 27-seat classroom equipped with audio-visual equipment.

December 15, 1983: The new IGP Institute facilities at K-State were formally dedicated.

March 1984: The position of IGP associate director was created. Nicolaas Konijnendijk was appointed and served as associate director for two years.

March 1986: Mr. Robert Pudden served as acting associate director for the IGP Institute from March 1986 to September 1986.

October 1986: Dr. Roger Johnson was appointed IGP’s second associate director. He served for more than a decade.

1988: IGP’s Ten-year anniversary. The IGP Institute conducted five short courses: grain marketing; grain grading; storage and handling; flour milling; advanced flour milling; feed manufacturing. IGP also hosted 19 trade teams.

1994: The IGP Institute conducted 13 short courses, including nine specialized courses developed upon request. Ten trade teams and other groups were hosted.

1996: Founding IGP Institute Director Dr. Charles Deyoe retired. Dr. Brendan Donnelly became IGP Institute Director and department head of Grain Science and Industry.

1997-2003: Mr. John Howard joins the IGP Institute in 1997 as administrator and Associate Director.

1998: IGP's Twenty-year anniversary. Under the leadership of Dr. Donnelly, plans were initiated for the construction of a new grain science complex at K-State. The IGP Institute also conducted its first Price Analysis and Risk Management Short Course. A five state (Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas) wheat advisory committee was established.

2002: Professor Emeritus Arlin B. Ward passed away in January. He served on the faculty from 1961-1984 and was instrumental in the conception and creation of the IGP Institute. A record 168 participants attended IGP short courses.

2004: The IGP Institute dedicated its new building as part of the Grain Science and Industry Complex. John Howard was appointed IGP Director by Dr. Virgil Smail, department head of Grain Science and Industry. Since opening, the Conference Center has hosted more than 1,500 participants from more than 80 countries.

2006: Completion of the new $12 million Hal Ross Flour Mill at K-State. This new facility allows the IGP Institute to train flour millers from around the world in a state-of-the-art facility.

2008: IGP's Thirty-year anniversary. Dr. Dirk Maier became department head of Grain Science and Industry and expanded program delivery through distance education. The IGP Institute expanded its relationship with the International Association of Operative Milllers (IAOM) by offering a variety of flour milling courses throughout the year, and the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) by coordinating all feed manufacturing courses delivered by K-State faculty experts. In addition, the IGP Institute began partnering with Buhler North America to provide advanced, expert and executive milling courses.

2009: Dr. Maier became IGP Institute Director and appointed Mr. Mark Fowler as Associate Director. They initiated a strategic planning effort that resulted in some reorganization to position the IGP Institute for future growth. Changes included creation of three core curricula in flour milling and grain processing, feed manufacturing and grain management, and grain marketing and risk management; addition of staff with responsibilities for accounting, event coordination, and communication and marketing; expansion of the distance education platform for course delivery; and establishment of an Advisory Council made up of the key stakeholder organizations. The IGP Institute organized and hosted 25 short courses, workshops and seminars with 478 participants from 51 countries.

2010: The IGP Conference Center served as hub for the 100-year anniversary celebration of the Department of Grain Science and Industry.

2011: The IGP Institute organized and hosted an all-time record 628 industry professionals from 43 countries participating in 44 short courses and seminars.

2012: John Howard retires as IGP Administrator Emeritus and receives the Outstanding Service Award from the Department of Grain Science and Industry. Mr. Howard passed away unexpectedly in June 2012. A scholarship in his honor was established.

2012: Thanks to the financial support of the Kansas Soybean Commission, the audiovisual equipment in the IGP Conference Center is upgraded to state-of-the-art. Thanks to a grant from the Kansas Grain Sorghum commission, the multi-purpose room was renovated into a state-of-the-art classroom.

2013: Completion of the new $16 million O.H. Kruse Feed Technology Innovation Center at K-State. This new facility allows the IGP Institute to train feed millers and grain operations professionals from around the world in a state-of-the-art facility. The GEAPS/K-State Grain Operations Management Credential and the KSU Milling Credential are launched. The IGP Institute trained 471 industry professionals from 26 countries in 27 on-site courses and an additional 595 industry professionals from 11 countries in 19 distance courses.

2014: The IGP Institute becomes the administrative home of the USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Reduction of Post-Harvest Loss.