Warren Hennigar turned his vision of a third party inspection company for the potato processing industry in North America into reality 12 years ago with the creation of Ag World Support Systems.
Today, he is CEO of a company with locations in Easton, Maine;Moses Lake &Pasco, Washington;Jamestown and Grand Forks, North Dakota. and Carberry and Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. The Moses Lake location serves as the head office. The company’s technology will be on display at the International Potato Technology Expo.
Hennigar explained the potato processing industry in the United States historically relied on state and federal departments of agriculture to service their inspection needs for grower payment. Meanwhile, on this side of the border, processors generally provide this inspection service for grower payment.
He said governments in the U.S. have started privatizing the service over the last couple of decades. The CEO also indicated processor performed inspections, (the system traditionally used in Canada);both exposed the processor to unnecessary risks while leaving room for growers to question the unbiased nature of the inspection.
Mr. Henniger chose to leave his post of 21 years in a potato processing company and began the process of establishing an independent private third party inspection service. After receiving a positive response to his idea from the industry, Ag World Support Systems LLC was established on June 16, 1997 with a focus on customer service, accuracy, quality, and development.
AWSS inspection operations began servicing its first facility in February 1998 at the JR Simplot processing plant in Hermiston, Oregon. After AWSS's first successful start-up, two more facilities were acquired during the summer of 1998 (JR Simplot in Grand Forks, North Dakota;Cavendish in Jamestown, North Dakota). In December 1998 terms were agreed to for AWSS to begin servicing the raw lab at the JR Simplot plant in Grand Forks.
In July of 2002, Ag World Support Systems Corp. was formed to begin operation in Canada. In August 2002 operations started at Midwest Foods in Carberry, Manitoba. (In November of 2004, this plant was purchased by McCain Foods Canada. Ag World Continues to service this plant). In July of 2003 Ag World began servicing a new facility in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba owned and operated by Simplot Canada. In August of 2007, Ag World began operations at another McCain plant located in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.
In July 2004 Ag World began to service its first vegetable plant at Pasco, Washington, owned and operated by J.R. Simplot Co. With a change in ownership in spring of 2007, Ag World continues to service this plant now called Pasco Processing.
In September 2004 Ag World began operating a private lab in Grand Forks, North Dakota servicing the needs of the processed potato chip and french fry industry. This lab was licensed to do Techmark Services testing and was closed in 2007 due to volume reductions.
In September 2008, Ag World began servicing the Maine potato industry at the McCain facility in Easton, Maine. Ag World's Northeast District was formed adding a District Manager to service Maine plus additional future business in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
AWSS will continue to serve the industry with a responsive, high quality and efficient service as it expands its market presence throughout the agricultural industry of North America
Today, he is CEO of a company with locations in Easton, Maine;Moses Lake &Pasco, Washington;Jamestown and Grand Forks, North Dakota. and Carberry and Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. The Moses Lake location serves as the head office. The company’s technology will be on display at the International Potato Technology Expo.
Hennigar explained the potato processing industry in the United States historically relied on state and federal departments of agriculture to service their inspection needs for grower payment. Meanwhile, on this side of the border, processors generally provide this inspection service for grower payment.
He said governments in the U.S. have started privatizing the service over the last couple of decades. The CEO also indicated processor performed inspections, (the system traditionally used in Canada);both exposed the processor to unnecessary risks while leaving room for growers to question the unbiased nature of the inspection.
Mr. Henniger chose to leave his post of 21 years in a potato processing company and began the process of establishing an independent private third party inspection service. After receiving a positive response to his idea from the industry, Ag World Support Systems LLC was established on June 16, 1997 with a focus on customer service, accuracy, quality, and development.
AWSS inspection operations began servicing its first facility in February 1998 at the JR Simplot processing plant in Hermiston, Oregon. After AWSS's first successful start-up, two more facilities were acquired during the summer of 1998 (JR Simplot in Grand Forks, North Dakota;Cavendish in Jamestown, North Dakota). In December 1998 terms were agreed to for AWSS to begin servicing the raw lab at the JR Simplot plant in Grand Forks.
In July of 2002, Ag World Support Systems Corp. was formed to begin operation in Canada. In August 2002 operations started at Midwest Foods in Carberry, Manitoba. (In November of 2004, this plant was purchased by McCain Foods Canada. Ag World Continues to service this plant). In July of 2003 Ag World began servicing a new facility in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba owned and operated by Simplot Canada. In August of 2007, Ag World began operations at another McCain plant located in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.
In July 2004 Ag World began to service its first vegetable plant at Pasco, Washington, owned and operated by J.R. Simplot Co. With a change in ownership in spring of 2007, Ag World continues to service this plant now called Pasco Processing.
In September 2004 Ag World began operating a private lab in Grand Forks, North Dakota servicing the needs of the processed potato chip and french fry industry. This lab was licensed to do Techmark Services testing and was closed in 2007 due to volume reductions.
In September 2008, Ag World began servicing the Maine potato industry at the McCain facility in Easton, Maine. Ag World's Northeast District was formed adding a District Manager to service Maine plus additional future business in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
AWSS will continue to serve the industry with a responsive, high quality and efficient service as it expands its market presence throughout the agricultural industry of North America
