FS Co-ops assist with international grain elevator development in Ukraine

Recently, Renee Brunelle, environmental specialist with SOCODEVI based out of Montreal, reached out to GROWMARK for expertise in grain elevator health and safety procedures and practices to help with the start-up of the first grain elevator co-op in Ukraine.

SOCODEVI is a network of co-operative entreprises and mutuals that share  technical expertise and knowledge with partners in developing countries to create, protect and distribute wealth. Working with the Canadian Co-operative Association, this specific initiative  aims to establishing grain co-operative facilities to enhance the commercial appeal of their grain and increase their marketing abilities.

Renee Brunelle SOCODEVI and Erin Byram 

at FS PARTNERS Delhi grain site.

Erin Byram, GROWMARK Ontario health and safety specialist spent a full day with Brunelle. First, at the GROWMARK Ontario region office in Kitchener, where they discussed policies and procedures followed by a tour of the Delhi elevator with FS PARTNERS operations manager Jeff House and the lead operator Brian Rutherford.

The day consisted of sharing concepts and safe practices around confined space policies and safe house-keeping efforts such as dust control and avoiding slips, trips and falls. Byram shared the power of empowering  staff. “When your employees become the champions of good health and safety, it becomes a team effort and a better environment for all involved," says Byram.  

But this isn’t the first visit to an FS site by SOCODEVI for this project. In 2013, the group toured AGRIS Co-operative’s Rochester site to learn more about operations and gain a better understanding of the co-op business model. In 2017, another visit was organized with AGRIS at its Thamesville site. 

Jim Campbell, AGRIS Co-operative general manager and 

Sergii Kurdytskyi, product manager in Ukraine at AGRIS 

Chatham office.

Adrian Van Dyk, AGRIS Co-operative operation manager, notes the differences in the size of the facility as smaller than FS operations and they specialize in mainly sunflower seeds and wheat. “It was a good sharing experience for both groups,” says Van Dyk. "Even though the operations are different in many ways, the co-operative model and principles remain a constant.”

This is just one of many similar projects. To read more about this project and others with SOCDEVI and CCA, visit: the société de coopération pour le dévelopement international.