For May 2023 Release

Sorghum seed production companies and commodity group at the forefront of new opportunities in the global sorghum industry

Global Sorghum Conference to explore and promote sorghum’s role in world-wide food and feed systems

Montpellier, FRANCE – Two European sorghum seed production companies, as well as the leading sorghum commodity group in the United States, are lending their support to the upcoming 2023 Sorghum in the 21st Century Global Sorghum Conference set to take place June 5-9, 2023, in Montpellier, France. The conference will promote how sorghum, an important cereal grain grown in many regions around the world, is contributing to more resilient and sustainable food and feed value chains.

Alta Seeds, Lidea, and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program are Gold-level sponsors for the conference, which will bring together international specialists in the fields of genetics and genomics, plant breeding, sustainable farming systems, post-harvest solutions, and product development to identify key solutions to some of the most urgent challenges facing agriculture and food security today. Conference organizers expect participation from every major sorghum-producing region in the world.

“As an organization committed to advancing the sorghum industry, the United Sorghum Checkoff Program recognizes the immense value of the 2023 Global Sorghum Conference. This gathering of industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers provides a unique opportunity to share knowledge, discuss challenges, and explore innovative solutions that will shape the future of sorghum production and utilization worldwide,” said Norma Ritz Johnson, Executive Director of the United Sorghum Checkoff Program.

The conference will focus on both research and the private sector, with opportunities to foster partnerships and to network across sectors. Sessions include topics such as defining sorghum’s role in regenerating soil health and enhancing the sustainability of global farming systems as well as capturing sorghum’s genetic potential in responding to climatic and environmental challenges.

Johnson said sorghum’s versatility and sustainable qualities make it a crucial crop for a sustainable future, serving as a reliable source of feed, food, and fuel for the global food system and “millions” around the world.

“The global sorghum community must come together now to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities that lie ahead. The 2023 Global Sorghum Conference is a crucial platform for us to collaborate and drive progress towards a sustainable and prosperous future for sorghum,” said Johnson.

In addition to the three Gold Sponsors, the Global Sorghum Conference is supported by several Silver Sponsors, including the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Corteva Agriscience, KWS, the McKnight Foundation’s Global Collaboration for Resilient Food Systems program, OZ Sorghum, Semences de Provence, Sorghum ID, and Texas Tech University.

The lead sponsor for the conference is Kansas State University’s College of Agriculture.

The conference is organized by France’s Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) and a consortium of global research and development institutions, including the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Sorghum and Millet (SMIL), SorghumID, the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), and the Centre d’Étude Régional pour l’Amélioration de l’Adaption à la Sécheresse (CERAAS), and is supported by the International Sorghum Task Force (ITSF).

More information about registration, speakers, and events associated with the Global Sorghum Conference can be found at www.21centurysorghum.org.

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Links used in this story:
https://altaseeds.com
https://lidea-seeds.com
https://www.sorghumcheckoff.com

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