Pork Producer Aims to Increase Sorghum Acres in North Carolina
One of the world’s largest pork producers has recognized the value of sorghum as a livestock feed. Based in North Carolina, Murphy-Brown LLC is seeking help from the Sorghum Checkoff to increase sorghum acres in eastern states in order to locally source grain for their swine feeding operation.
Murphy-Brown Agronomist, Josh Gaddy, said although sorghum is not widely grown in North Carolina, it is well-suited for the area.
“We are growing crops on marginal lands that aren’t suited for it,” Gaddy said. “Sorghum grows well in this area and is a good option for rotation with cotton, wheat and soybeans. It would also be a more efficient producer of grain in our area than other crops, and with the feed value being comparable to corn, makes sorghum an attractive option for our operation.”
Murphy-Brown sponsored a pilot program in North Carolina to introduce sorghum to some producers in the region. By offering a premium for grain, Murphy-Brown hopes to increase the number of producers planning to include sorghum in their rotations.
“Our main goal is to attract interest and increase acres,” Gaddy said. “We have some interest but will need some help going forward and I think that is where the Sorghum Checkoff can help quite a bit.”
Sorghum Checkoff Executive Director, Florentino Lopez said this offers a great deal of profitability for sorghum farmers in North Carolina and Virginia.
“The challenge is most of these farmers have never grown sorghum, so they are reluctant to plant it. The Sorghum Checkoff’s goal is to help educate these producers on best management practices and varieties most suitable for their area,” Lopez said. “We know Murphy-Brown will provide a market if we can get some acres planted in North Carolina. We hope to establish a long term, mutually beneficial relationship.”
Murphy-Brown Chief Science Officer, Terry Coffee, said the company is willing to work with North Carolina producers to provide a profitable marketing strategy for both entities.
“We intend to be a reliable market for North Carolina sorghum farmers,” Coffee said. “It is much easier to get grain locally, and we have a number of different buying locations around the state. We are also working with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and North Carolina State University to develop fundamental strategies for growers and to determine the most suitable varieties for this area.”
Murphy-Brown sources 150 million bushels of grain each year, and Coffee said the majority of that grain is brought in by rail. Their goal is to source all of their grain from North Carolina and to return that money to the local economy.
“We would much rather have North Carolina farmers growing grain for us than bringing it in from elsewhere,” Coffee said. “Not just for our benefit, but for their’s, too.”