Girl Scouts will study flour milling during cookie season

ST. LOUIS – On Saturday, January 27, 2024 Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri will launch a new and innovative program, “Flour Rangers! Milling Flour for Girl Scout Cookies,” in collaboration with industry experts Ardent Mills and the International Association of Operative Millers (IAOM).

This program will be the first of its kind for Girl Scouts, offering eastern Missouri girls the opportunity to earn the organization’s first flour milling patch. More than 90 Girl Scouts are expected to attend the program next Saturday at the Berges Family Girl Scout Service Center in Maryland Heights, Mo.

Girl Scouts in grades K-12 will interact directly with professional flour millers from across the country and learn how they grind and process flour for many different products, including Girl Scout Cookies, through fun activities, while also discovering more about potential milling career paths and industry opportunities.

“The International Association of Operative Millers is excited to be part of this initiative with the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri and Ardent Mills to showcase this key part of food processing,” stated IAOM President Steve Matson. “Through a series of hands-on activities, Girl Scouts from eastern Missouri will learn more about the production of flour, as well as the extensive range of rewarding careers in the milling industry.”

“At Ardent Mills, we strive to create an inclusive and innovative industry by investing in and embracing a diversity of talent,” says Troy Anderson, VP of operations at Ardent Mills. “We’re proud to work alongside Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri to introduce its members to the intricacies of flour milling and support potential future leaders of the agriculture industry.”

“Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is proud to work with esteemed industry experts Ardent Mills and the International Association of Operative Millers on this groundbreaking new program,” said Natissia Small, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri CEO. “The program will provide our eastern Missouri Girl Scouts with the first-hand experience necessary for sparking an interest in a potential future career path and we are grateful for their support.”