International Association of Operative Millers (IAOM) champions inclusion and visibility through its Women in Milling (WiM) initiative, launched at a luncheon at the IAOM Annual Conference & Expo (ACE) in 2019. WiM provides a professional network for women working in or connected to milling, offering quarterly roundtable discussions, leadership opportunities, and shared learning sessions focused on professional growth and industry engagement.

Corporate sponsors across the industry have been remarkably supportive, helping to fund programming and expand WiM’s reach. Panel discussions have been featured at multiple IAOM District and Region meetings, including the Eurasia Conference in Istanbul in September 2024. Looking ahead, IAOM will host a daylong WiM event in conjunction with the joint Niagara, Ohio Valley, Southeastern, and Wolverine Districts meeting next fall in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Plans are also underway to launch a WiM mentorship program to strengthen connections across generations of milling professionals. At the 2026 IAOM ACE in Cincinnati, Ohio, WiM members will take part in an interactive Expo activity – visiting exhibitors in small groups and sharing what they’ve learned during a networking luncheon on April 15.

Through WiM, IAOM is also reaching younger audiences via the Flour Rangers project, developed with local Girl Scout troops – a U.S. youth organization that builds leadership skills through hands-on activities. The program introduces girls to the science and purpose of grain milling, linking it to familiar experiences like baking Girl Scout cookies. Employers have been highly supportive, encouraging their female employees to participate as role models and ambassadors for the industry.