Aberdeen Grain Inspection

/
My Post-13.jpg

Aberdeen Grain inspection, Inc. (AGI) was incorporated on May 8, 1957. Milbert Schick was a WWII Veteran as well as one of the original founders of AGI and remained active in the business as President and keeping the books until 2010 and just recently passed away in March of 2019 at the age of 94. He was also an original “multitasker” being able to talk on the phone and use his adding machine to do accounting work all at the same time. He had a playful and endearing spirit and always had a quick comeback to make others laugh and feel at ease in his presence. He was never afraid to take risks as exemplified when he would joke that driving with a seatbelt was driving scared. 

John Schroeder was Official Agency Manager (OAM) from 1972-1986 and moved to Arizona upon retirement. Mike Hoesing has been (OAM) since 1986 to present.

Mike started his career in 1977 at Fremont Grain Inspection (FGI) when Eldon Davis was the owner. Eldon went to lunch with Mike’s dad and complained about an employee that would call in sick and show up for bowling league the same night. Mike applied for and got the job. Then in August of 1978 Mike was preparing to go to college and ran into a neighborhood friend and mentioned FGI may have an opening so Mike’s friend applied and got the job and is the current owner of FGI and long-time AAGIWA Treasurer Dave Reeder. Dave has thanked and blamed Mike for getting him into this business over the past 40 years. Mike then worked at Lincoln Inspection Service and started as an AGI SSP manager in 1984 and became OAM in 1986. 

Back in the mid 80’s AGI’s biggest challenge was wheat protein complaints. There were a LOT of protein complaints, so many in fact that during Mike’s first month as OAM the Governor’s office called and scheduled a mandatory meeting with Mike, the Governor, and 10 members of the grain trade that were very upset that AGI’s proteins were higher than at destination. At the meeting the new, 28-year-old, manager explained (in a crackly voice) that our proteins were checking well with our Field Office and suggested appealing origin and/or destination proteins. This got Mike out of the room alive and eventually exposed that many of proteins were, surprisingly to applicant, not official at destination. The appeal process did slow down the protein complaints however the approval of the whole grain protein tester eliminated the complaints completely!

AGI’s next biggest challenge was the staffing for onsite lab grading as I’m sure many of our colleagues have experienced too. AGI started onsite inspections in 1984 and currently has 24 onsite labs and due to offering monetary and time off incentives to employees staffing is generally adequate. However, several times a year an event, usually weather related, causes many onsite labs to need service on the same day and usually on the weekends. Additional challenges are the “surprise trains” on weekends that I am sure all agencies are familiar with. 

The most urgent call Mike ever received at Aberdeen Grain came at 2:00 AM, when his son Brian called from the route he drives to pick up grain samples, saying that the throttle was stuck on the vehicle, it was going 85 mph and the brakes were giving out and he was approaching a town. Mike said “WHAT put it in neutral!” Brian said “that will blow the engine!” but then decided that blowing the engine was a better scenario than a fiery death! Needless to say, we brought him a new vehicle to continue on and we retired that vehicle! 

The main crops grown in AGI’s area are Corn, Soybeans, Hard Red Spring (HRS) and Hard Red Winter (HRW) Wheat. It is a very difficult market due to the HRS and HRW growing areas overlapping. This often creates challenging samples for our wheat inspectors. 

AGI was honored to receive the Gold Standard award from FGIS in May of 2017 and is proud of our good working relationship with the BAR and we are also very happy they do not charge us for all the opinion samples we send them. Also, the video proctoring for inspector exams is the best idea, in our opinion, to come along since the whole grain protein tester.

AGI would like to thank all current and former employees and recognize 8 employees that have worked for AGI over 25 years.

  • Lance Ducheneaux (SSP Manager 26 years) (currently employed)

  • Margaret Thornberg (Lead Secretary 30 years) (currently employed)     

  • Mark Ducheneaux (Inspector, SSP Manager 31years) (disabled)                                     

  • Vern Rempher (Inspector, Seed Specialist 34 years) (deceased)                   

  • Neil Likness (Tech 38 years) (currently employed)                                                                

  • Jesse Wagemann (Inspector, Operations Manager, AQAS 39 years) (currently employed)          

  • Robert Weeks (Sampler 40 years) (currently employed)                                                            

  • Allen Lehr (Inspector, former AQAS, 57 years) (retired in October of 2019)

Also, a special thanks to family members that were sort of drafted into the business:

  • Wife Shirley Hoesing: (Accounting, Mycotoxins)

  • Son Brian Hoesing: (Sampler, route driver)

  • Son-in-law Nick Stotz: (Inspector, Mycotoxin Director)

  • Daughter Erin Stotz: (Inspector, CPA) Erin had a great job as a CPA with a National Accounting Firm and then realized the grain inspection industry is so much more rewarding.