New NSP Leadership Elected at Annual Board Meeting
National Sorghum Producers board of directors elected officers and new directors at its annual board and budget meeting in August. Craig Meeker of Wellington, Kansas, was selected as chairman of the organization, replacing Kody Carson from Olton, Texas. Amy France of Marienthal, Kansas, was elected vice chair.
The NSP board of directors elected two new members—Garrett Love from Montezuma, Kansas, and Kent Martin from Alva, Oklahoma. Larry Richardson from Vega, Texas, was also re-elected. Love and Richardson will serve a three-year term beginning Oct. 1, and Martin will take his seat on the NSP board in December.
The NSP board recognized two leaders who ended their terms as directors on Sept. 30—Dan Atkisson of Stockton, Kansas, and Bobby Nedbalek of Sinton, Texas. Visit SorghumGrowers.com/leadership/ to learn more.
Policy, Regulatory and Issue Updates
USDA Seeking Public Comment on a New Provision to Provide Assistance to Agricultural Producers Who Have Experienced Discrimination
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking public comment on how it should implement Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a provision that aims to provide assistance to the nation’s farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA’s farm lending programs. The 30-day comment period opens Friday, October 14, and closes on November 14, 2022. Once the comment period closes, USDA will review all comments received through the Federal Register notice and provided by the public during three scheduled listening sessions. These recommendations will be considered by USDA staff as they design the final program. For more information on IRA Section 22007 and to find out how to submit your comments, please go to www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-22435.
RMA Offers Virtual Workshops on Improvements to the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection and Micro Farm Insurance Options
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering virtual workshops on Oct. 11, Oct. 13, Nov. 15 and Dec. 13 for agricultural producers and stakeholders to learn about the latest updates and improvements to the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) and the Micro Farm insurance options. WFRP and Micro Farm are two of the most comprehensive risk management options available. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) will announce in-person events later this fall. These insurance options are especially important to specialty crop, organic, urban and direct market producers. Policy improvements and these workshops are part of RMA’s efforts to increase participation in crop insurance. Learn more here.
Organization and Industry Updates
Sorghum Leaders Meet with Trade Buyers and Prospects at Biennial Export Exchange
Sorghum Checkoff staff and producer leaders attended the biennial Export Exchange 2022 conference hosted by the U.S. Grains Council, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association in Minneapolis this week. A global audience of approximately 500 buyers and suppliers of U.S. coarse grains and co-products were represented. Export Exchange offers attendees an unparalleled opportunity to meet and build relationships with domestic suppliers of sorghum, corn, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), barley and other commodities. The global buyers have been broken down into 20 trade teams that have either been in the United States ahead of Export Exchange or will continue their visits after the event. Teams from Middle East Africa, Southeast Asia and Mexico have been hosted in the Sorghum Belt.
Sorghum Crop Update
By October 9, eighty percent of the nation’s sorghum acreage was mature, 7 percentage points behind last year but 2 points ahead of the 5-year average. Forty-six percent of the 2022 sorghum acreage had been harvested by October 9, one percentage point behind last year but 5 points ahead of average. Ninety-five percent of Texas’ sorghum acreage was harvested by October 9, eight percentage points ahead of last year and 12 points ahead of average. Twenty-two percent of the nation’s sorghum acreage was rated in good to excellent condition on October 9, two percentage points above the previous week.
ICYMI: National Sorghum Foundation, BASF Open Joint Scholarship Application
The National Sorghum Foundation (NSF) and BASF are now accepting applications for a joint scholarship that will be awarded January 2023, providing $2,500 for tuition for the 2022-2023 academic year. Scholarship applicants must be the child or grandchild of a National Sorghum Producers member and be pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in an agriculturally-related curriculum. Applications must be postmarked by December 1, 2022. More information about scholarship criteria and application forms can be found online at SorghumGrowers.com/foundation-scholarships/.
Send Us Your Photos!
Get your camera (or even your phone camera) ready. We want to see your sorghum farm life! Submit your photos here, or tag us in your #FromTheField photos on social media for a chance to be featured in the upcoming Fall edition of the Sorghum Grower magazine! Photos can include your crop, equipment, yourself, your families etc. You have until Oct. 19 to submit at SorghumGrowers.com/thisissorghum.
Sorghum Checkoff Releases Weekly <br>Sorghum Basis Snapshot
The Sorghum Checkoff, with Southwest Agribusiness Consulting, released its weekly sorghum basis snapshot, available at SorghumCheckoff.com.
Market News
To view this week’s Gulf export grain report, click here.
About Sorghum Notes
Sorghum Notes is a publication of the National Sorghum Producers. NSP represents U.S. sorghum producers and serves as the voice of the sorghum industry from coast to coast through education and legislative and regulatory representation. Learn more at www.SorghumGrowers.com.