SONOMA, CALIF. — The Bread Bakers Guild of America is sponsoring an educational tour of General Mills, Inc.’s Avon facility in Carlisle, Iowa, on Oct. 12. The one-day event will include a seed-to-sack overview and a grain presentation, as well as tours of the mill facility and the quality laboratory.

Tim Huff, Steve Curran, John Wiebold and Dave Katzke, who have a combined 60-plus years of experience at General Mills, will lead the tour and provide their insight about grain procurement, wheat and flour quality testing, food technology, and milling.

“I have always viewed General Mills as a steward of the retail baking industry, and I truly look forward to this type of event,” Mr. Huff said. “There is a unique energy when a miller and baker can get together to talk about their crafts. I take great pride in being able to introduce myself to a baker by saying, ‘Hello, I’m your miller.’ Having a group of bakers come and visit us at one of our mills is really a special treat.”

The General Mills Avon facility is a combination mill and mix plant, initially established as a milling operation in the 1960s. The facility currently mills hard wheat flour for the General Mills bakery flour business, including the company’s Harvest King brand.

The tour of the Avon facility is the last of three mill tours scheduled for 2010 as part of The Guild’s World’s Fair of Breads 2010.