U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson (third from left) took a tour of Green Products Company north of Conrad on Thursday, joined by the leadership team at Green Products to learn more about their operation and upcoming projects. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CONRAD — U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) visited Conrad on Thursday, May 23, to meet with the leadership team at Green Products Company, going on a tour of the company’s facility and also discussing the operations and upcoming projects.

“I was excited to learn more about the industry of taking these seed corn cobs and turning them into other products, it was really fascinating,” Rep. Hinson said.

With a family-owned business, Hinson heard from the leadership team about labor challenges finding drivers to operate the 50 trucks that help get their products out nationally.

Last December, she introduced the Reciprocity Efficiency and Age Limitation (REAL) Trucking Act to expand eligibility for Commercial Drivers Licenses to drivers ages 18 to 20. The bill is currently in committee.

“There were a lot of places where we were able to have a productive conversation about what I can do to help with their challenges as a small business,” Hinson said.

Green Products Company touts itself as one of the world’s largest processors of corncobs with a growing trucking division. The corn cobs are processed to be used in a variety of applications, from animal bedding, industrial absorbents, metal finishing or media blasting, a technique similar to sandblasting.

“We showed her a bit of our process and the products we create and talked about some questions and business-based policies that she’s working on,” said Jill Schryver, Associate VP of Green Products.