Discovering Uses for Sorghum
The International Grains Program’s collaborative course covers sorghum usage.
MANHATTAN, Kan. – The International Grains Program (IGP) collaborated with the U.S. Grains
Council (USGC) and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP) to host the USGC/USCP Spanish-Iberian Sorghum Usage Workshop held at the IGP Conference Center Jan. 24 -25. Twelve participants from Spain and Portugal attended the course.
“This USGC/USCP-sponsored sorghum utilization workshop was designed to educate grain buyers
from Spain and Portugal on the advantages of including sorghum in dairy, poultry and swine diets,”
says Jay O’Neil, course coordinator and IGP senior agricultural economist.
The workshop, which was translated simultaneously into Spanish, focused on the many questions,
facts and myths concerning sorghum usage. Participants had the opportunity to hear presentations
from multiple K-State faculty representing the grain science and industry, agronomy, and animal
sciences and industry departments.
“We focused on the best manufacturing principles for sorghum in these animal diets,” O’Neil
says. “Everything from sorghum production to nutritional value and manufacturing practices were examined.”
For Jose Ignacio Lopez-Bachiller, international relations manager of Ceferino Nogueira, Spain,
who has previously relied on feed corn, the course was a good insight into other grain options.
“I was very glad to have the opportunity to hear from a variety of different speakers and be able
to compare this new material to my previous experience,” Lopez-Bachiller says.
According to O’Neil, the workshop was modeled after similar past programs targeting Mexican and
North American audiences.
“This course is a continued effort of USGC/USCP to educate world grain buyers about the advantage
of feeding grain sorghum,” O’Neil says. “Participants left with a greatly enhanced knowledge of
how sorghum can be used in their feed rations.”
This class is just one example of the many partnership courses offered through IGP. In addition,
IGP offers standard short courses in flour milling, grain purchasing, feed manufacturing, grain elevator
management and risk management. For more information about IGP programs, go to the IGP website
at: www.grains.k-state.edu/igp.
Amanda Spoo
IGP Student Communications Specialist
ajaespoo@ksu.edu
For More Information Contact: Lisa Moser
IGP Communications and Marketing Coordinator
(785) 532-5932; lmoser@ksu.edu