NSP Awarded $65 Million USDA Partnerships For Climate-Smart Commodities Grant
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant recipients Sept. 14, awarding National Sorghum Producers up to $65 million for a five-year project to quantify the climate impact of incorporating sorghum and other tools into rotations. The pilot projects announced totaled $2.8 billion to create market opportunities for commodities produced using climate-smart practices. The total funding allocation for the projects was increased from $1 billion to $3 billion and will be drawn from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).
The NSP project will incentivize practices like reduced tillage, crop rotation, nitrogen management and irrigation water management. NSP will quantify the value of these practices based on their value in stable and well-paying low carbon fuel markets.
Learn more about this landmark sorghum investment at SorghumGrowers.com/climatesmart.
Tim is Running Out! Comment to Protect Atrazine Today
The use of atrazine is at stake, a product included in more than 90 herbicide products across the U.S. and one that is utilized on 75 percent of U.S. sorghum acres. You don't have time to wait. Please take two minutes to fill out the comment form online and join us in stopping EPA from limiting your access to atrazine. Join us in the fight.
Last Call! Apply for Leadership Sorghum IV
The United Sorghum Checkoff Program is accepting applications for Leadership Sorghum Class VI, a program designed to cultivate the next generation of sorghum leaders. During the 14-month leadership program, class members will have the opportunity to experience various aspects of the sorghum industry in addition to personal development and networking opportunities. Applications are available here and are due by 5:00 pm CST on September 23. To learn more about Leadership Sorghum, visit SorghumGrowers.com.
Enter the Sorghum Yield Contest Today
The National Sorghum Producers Yield Contest entry deadline is approaching. Through the contest, sorghum farmers have the opportunity to showcase their sorghum crop and compete with growers across the U.S. Winners have the opportunity to be recognized at the 2023 Commodity Classic in Orlando, Florida. The deadline to enter is Oct. 15. Learn more at SorghumGrowers.com/yieldcontest.
Sorghum Grower Spotlight: Combustive Markets: U.S. Farmers Burned By Diesel Price Hikes
Diesel prices skyrocketed in early summer, leaving farmers burdened with up to triple the annual projected fuel costs necessary to operate. Read about the nuances of the fuel market and if there is reason to believe prices will recede soon. Read more from the Summer issue of Sorghum Grower magazine online.
POLICY, REGULATORY AND ISSUE UPDATES
Congressional Democrats Struggle to Pass CR with Energy Permitting Reform, ERP Extension Likely to Wait for Omnibus
Although, originally, the House had been expected to take up the Continuing Resolution (CR) this week in order to keep the government running through December 16, strong opposition within the Democratic caucuses over a commitment to include energy permitting reform in the stop-gap measure has caused a delay. Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), Ranking Republican on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee and senior Member of the Agriculture Committee, told reporters that an extension of the Emergency Relief Program to cover 2022 losses would be considered as a part of an end of the year omnibus funding package. Read more here and here.
Rail Strike Averted
Freight railroads and union leaders reached a tentative labor agreement to avert a nationwide strike that would have crippled segments of the U.S. economy, including agriculture. White House officials interceded to broker a deal to avoid transport disruptions that could have snarled supply chains, putting new pressure on prices when inflation has been hovering at a level not seen since 1979. Both sides said Thursday they scored concessions in the negotiations, which produced a deal that runs through 2024. The terms largely reflected a proposal put forth by a federal panel a month ago, including wage increases of about 24 percent over five years. The tentative agreement must now be ratified by members of the various unions covered by the contracts. Read more here.
Secretary Vilsack: Agriculture Can Take Part Virtually in White House Food, Nutrition, and Health Conference
Following a call by farm and food groups, including National Sorghum Producers, to be included in the upcoming White House Conference on Food, Nutrition and Health, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told the groups they can play a role virtually. “The reality is everyone's going to have access to virtual,” he said. “So, in that sense, they'll be able to participate.” Secretary Vilsack also emphasized that the conference is just “the beginning of a process and beginning of a conversation” in which agriculture will be involved. Read more here.
Regan Discusses RFS Announcement, State Requests for Permanent Year-Round E15 Sales
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is on track to propose its rule for the Renewable Fuel Standard by mid-November EPA Administrator Michael Regan said Tuesday. “The safest thing for me to say...is... we want to continue to grow [biofuels]… we don’t want to take any steps backwards,” Regan added. “I believe that what we’re proposing will continue the progress that we’ve made up until this point.” He also noted EPA expects to decide soon on a request by eight Midwestern governors that they be allowed waivers that would ensure their retailers can sell E15 year-round. Read more here.
House Committee Holds Right to Repair Hearing
The House Committee on Small Business held a hearing on the "right to repair”. An advocate for the right to repair said farmers just want to be able to obtain parts and do repairs themselves. She said it can be difficult to find credentialed servicers to make some of the repairs needed in rural communities, forcing customers to travel long distances just to get their items fixed. However, Ken Taylor who represented the Association of Equipment Dealers at the hearing, expressed concern that giving people access to the internal software inside their equipment would allow them to modify emissions and safety controls in tractors and other vehicles creating liability issues. He said dealers already sell a number of parts to farmers, but do not want to see customers trying to tamper with internal controls for safety, environmental, liability, and intellectual property reasons. Lawmakers expressed mixed views about potential right to repair legislation. View the hearing here.
ORGANIZATION UPDATES
Fall Sorghum Grower Magazine: Photo Submissions
Get your camera (or even phone camera) ready, we want to see your sorghum field! Submit your field 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!
Sorghum Crop Update
By September 11, ninety-six percent of the nation’s sorghum acreage had reached the headed stage, 3 percentage points behind both last year and the 5-year average. Seventy-four percent of the sorghum was at or beyond the coloring stage by September 11, eight percentage points behind last year and 4 points behind average. By September 11, thirty-six percent of the sorghum was mature, 2 percentage points behind last year but 1 point ahead of average. Eighty-eight percent of Texas’ sorghum acreage was mature, eight percentage points ahead of last year and 9 points ahead of average. Twenty-three percent of the 2022 sorghum acreage had been harvested, two percentage points ahead of last year but equal to the average. Twenty percent of the nation’s sorghum was rated in good to excellent condition on September 11, one percentage point below the previous week and 37 points below the same time last year.
Sorghum Checkoff Releases Weekly Sorghum Basis Snapshot
The Sorghum Checkoff, with Southwest Agribusiness Consulting, released its weekly sorghum basis snapshot, available at SorghumCheckoff.com.
Sorghum in the Spotlight:
Sorghum harvest begins - Kansas Farmer
Climate-smart funding balloons to $3.5B, Vilsack announces first projects - Agri-Pulse
Upcoming Events
September 20 CSU Sorghum Field Day, Field Site north of Brandon - Sheridan Lake, Colorado
October 8 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE)
October 12 Export Exchange, Minneapolis, MN
October 18 2022 Sunbelt Ag Expo, Moultrie, GA
October 19 KibbleCon, Manhattan, KS
November 16 Sustainable Agriculture Summit Glendale, AZ
November 16-18 NAFB Trade Talk - Kansas City, Missouri
November 24-25 NSP Office Closed
December 6 Texas Crop Protection Conference - College Station, Texas
December 12-13 NSP Board Meeting - Lubbock, Texas
December 14-15 USCP Board Meeting - Lubbock, Texas
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.