From the Field
Rio Valley Spring Crop Tour & Seminar, June 11
Wayne Cleveland, Executive Director of the Texas Grain Sorghum Producers, represented the Sorghum Checkoff with an update on program activities during one of the key farmer events in the Rio Grande Valley. Rio Farms, Inc, along with Texas AgriLife Extension, USDA/ARS and the Texas Department of Agriculture hosted more than 100 farmers during the annual research field day featuring grain sorghum, soybean, safflower and sesame production in the Rio Grande Valley.
Morgan Newsom speaks with dairy producers in Ruidoso, N.M.
Dairy Producers of New Mexico, June 12
Although about 50 percent of U.S. sorghum is used as animal feed, some livestock producers are not aware of the nutritional contributions of grain sorghum and sorghum silage. USCP representatives Sue Ann Claudon and Morgan Newsom (pictured here) spoke to many dairy producers about the feed value of grain sorghum and the high quality forage sorghums available.
Fuel Ethanol Workshop, June 15-18
USCP highlighted sorghum’s role in a more secure energy future at the FEW Conference in Denver. This is the longest running and most widely attended ethanol conference.” Participating gives us the opportunity to highlight the advantages of using sorghum in grain-based ethanol production and discuss future possibilities of sugar-based and cellulosic ethanol production,” said Tim Lust, USCP CEO.
Sunbelt Expo Field Day, July 7
More than 350 producers attended the Sunbelt Expo Field Day in Moultrie, GA. Although Georgia has not traditionally grown much sorghum, decreased peanut demand is expected to increase sorghum planting in the coming years. Shelee Padgett, USCP Eastern Field Services Director, was on hand to meet with growers to discuss the benefits of sorghum. The Sorghum Checkoff was an event sponsor where four sorghum test plots were featured.
USCP Hosts North African Buyer Team, October 26-30
Increasing international trade is an important part of the USCP strategy to develop new markets for U.S. sorghum. By educating foreign buyer teams about the benefits of using sorghum in feed rations, the USCP hopes to increase demand and expand the market for U.S. sorghum. USCP field services representative, Dusti Fritz, joined seven feed manucaturers from North Africa at the International Grains Program for a DDGS and Introduction to Sorghum workshop. These buyers were interested in incorporating sorghum in their rations. Dusti answered questions and advised the buyer team about options for purchasing sorghum from the U.S.