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Sorghum Checkoff Benefits Farmers

Stewart Weaver

“I have one hybrid that’s old enough to vote and another one that’s old enough to drink.”

That was the statement of one supporter of the United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP) who was frustrated with the previous lack of investment into sorghum research. The USCP is a brand new producer funded self-help program that allows sorghum farmers to invest in their industry. The checkoff rate for grain sorghum is 0.6 percent of the net value and is collected at the first point of sale. The checkoff rate for forage sorghum is 0.35 percent of net value.

Sorghum has fallen behind the commodity curve in research and technology over the past 20 years. While other crops enjoy new technology developments almost every year, sorghum has lagged behind; creating a technology gap that is negatively affecting the profitability of sorghum farmers nationwide.

The vision of the Sorghum Checkoff is that producers benefit from a progressive, competitive and adaptive industry. Its mission statement sums up the commitment of the 13-member board of directors to tangible results for the industry: the USCP commits to efficiently invest checkoff dollars to increase producer profitability to enhance the sorghum industry.

Stewart Weaver is an at-large board member of the Board of Directors, United Sorghum Checkoff Program, 4201 N. Interstate 27, Lubbock, TX79403.

Already, just less than one year after the Board of Directors was seated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture; the program has funded over 20 research projects. Those projects include field plots for testing new over-the-top grass control, regional production handbooks for practical, hands-on production advice, research on cold tolerance and projects examining sorghum’s potential as a cancer-fighting tool. USCP also recently announced a new round of requests for proposal for sorghum research that can be accessed on our Web site. 

At the same time, the market development arm of the Sorghum Checkoff has developed a calculator that helps ethanol plants evaluate the efficiency of using sorghum in biofuels and has hosted buyers’ missions from Mexico, Saudi Arabia and North Africa to solidify relationships and open trading avenues for exporting U.S. sorghum.

The Sorghum Checkoff is up and running in Georgia and nationwide and the new USCP board and staff are happy to answer your questions about the program. Contact Shelee Padgett, Eastern States Field Services Director at (765) 586-7373 or learn more about the Sorghum Checkoff at www.sorghumcheckoff.com.