NGFA, NAMA Announce Food Safety Initiative with Railinc

December 6, 2021 – The National Grain and Feed Association and the North American Millers’ Association announced the availability of a new resource that gives shippers greater visibility into the recent commodities carried by covered hopper cars.

NGFA and NAMA, along with a coalition including the National Oilseed Processors Association, Pet Food Institute, and American Bakers Association, earlier this year announced a partnership with the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and Railinc with the goal of providing shippers with essential information to maintain the highest food safety standards and help prevent potential cross-contact with food allergens.

“Thanks to funding and leadership provided by AAR and Railinc, agricultural shippers will have access to a reliable resource to obtain information on the last three loads hauled in railcars, which is crucial to food safety and regulatory compliance,” said NGFA President and CEO Mike Seyfert. “NGFA also is grateful to the operational and technical experts representing industry users on a joint working group that was engaged at the outset in designing this new resource to ensure it has the functionality companies need.”

“NAMA appreciated the opportunity to collaborate on this important initiative with AAR, Railinc, and our supply chain partners. This tool will provide the milling industry greater transparency and quicker access to essential information that will help NAMA’s members maintain a high level of food safety, a top priority for our industry,” said NAMA Vice President, Government and Technical Affairs Dale Nellor.

The new online resource, the Last Three Loaded Standard Transportation Commodity Code (STCC), will allow agricultural shippers to better identify the last contents hauled in a particular rail car to continue to ensure the highest food safety standards are met and to comply with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s food sanitary transportation rules under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The secure, searchable user interface developed by Railinc relies on the company’s unique industry knowledge and management of critical industry systems that track nearly all the equipment in the North American rail fleet and the commodities transported.

This partnership between AAR, Railinc, and the working group demonstrates the shared commitment by shippers, loaders, and carriers to strengthening the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the U.S food supply. The onboarding application and Last Three Loaded STCC user guide are available on Railinc’s website.

About NGFA and NAMA:

The NGFA, established in 1896, consists of grain, feed, processing, exporting and other grain-related companies that operate more than 8,000 facilities handling U.S. grains and oilseeds. Its membership includes grain elevators; feed and feed ingredient manufacturers; biofuels companies; grain and oilseed processors and millers; exporters; livestock and poultry integrators; and associated firms that provide goods and services to the nation’s grain, feed and processing industry. The NGFA consists of 27 affiliated State and Regional Grain and Feed Associations, is co-located and has a strategic alliance with North American Export Grain Association, and a strategic alliance with Pet Food Institute.

NAMA is the only national trade association that exclusively represents the interests of the North American wheat, corn, oat, and rye milling industry before Congress, federal agencies, and international regulatory bodies. Member companies operate mills in 31 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada, representing more than 90 percent of total industry production capacity.

The North American Millers’ Association is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information should contact [email protected] or 202-484-2200.