SORGHUM News Release with Audio

NATIONAL SORGHUM PRODUCERS

Ensuring Sorghum's Profitability

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 5, 2007

For more information, contact:

Christi Scherler

NSP Communications Director

Office: (806) 749-3478

Mobile: (806) 535-0595

christi@sorghumgrowers.com  

Jeff Turner

Willacy Coop General Manager

(956) 689-2813

Chuck McDonald

Texas Grain Sorghum Board

(956) 262-2375

Dale Murden

NSP President

(956) 262-1387

Jeff Nunley

South Texas Cotton and Grain Association Executive Director

(361) 575-0631

From Bust to Boom

Last year, the growing conditions in South Texas were not favorable for farmers. Heat and drought meant a bust year for many. This year, however, is shaping up to be different.

Plentiful moisture and attractive market prices are creating optimism for both growers and grain handlers.  

Jeff Turner, General Manager of Willacy Coop in Raymondville, Texas, thinks there will be a dramatic increase in the number of acres of sorghum.

"Normally in my area, we plant probably a 50/50 rotation of cotton to milo or corn. This year were probably going to be about an 80 to 20 ratio of milo to cotton just because of the price dictating those acres." 

Chuck McDonald, a sorghum grower in Monte Alto, Texas who serves on the Texas Grain Sorghum Board, said that both the crop and market conditions are favorable.  

"Right now at this time, everything is good. Everything is planted and growing. Its getting to the point where everybody is ready for a rain. Hopefully, well get one in the next couple of weeks but the crop is in excellent shape right now."

"The prices still look good. I know one concern is that weve got a lot of acres booked already, but the market is still good. Its still around $4 dollars a bushel."    

With the increase in sorghum acres, there has been some concern about the amount of grain storage available. National Sorghum Producers (NSP) President Dale Murden, also of Monte Alto, said that this concern is a real issue.  

"Theres never enough storage down here. Theyll be piling it up on the ground while they move it out. Ive seen that a couple of times before. It is rare, but thats what well see down here is piles of sorghum on the ground. Its not entirely bad. Usually, we can move it into Mexico pretty quickly."  

Traditionally, South Texas sorghum growers have benefited from higher basis compared to other sorghum production areas across the country.

"Its all over the board nationwide. We historically tend to be a little higher than most areas. There again, our crop goes into Mexico and were close to Mexico. That can also play against us sometimes. Sometimes we dont get the prices that others see."

Sorghum growers further north into the Coastal Bend are also looking for a good grain sorghum crop. Jeff Nunley, Executive Director of the South Texas Cotton and Grain Association, thinks that grain sorghum makes a good rotational crop. 

"Corpus Christi, the Lower Coastal Bend, is one of the bigger sorghum producing areas in Texas. Nueces and San Patricio counties consistently rank in the Top 10, and usually in the top five sorghum producing counties in the state, and its a really good fit down there because its more drought tolerant than corn. Corn isnt really a good alternative down there because they dont typically get enough rainfall to consistently grow corn. Grain sorghum is a better fit in that rotation with cotton and it makes a really good rotation crop with cotton."  

Sorghum plays an important role in South Texas. With rainfall, an attractive market, and an already promising start for the crop, this year holds great potential for sorghum producers.

NSP represents U.S. sorghum producers. Headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, in the heart of the U.S. Sorghum Belt that stretches from the Rockies to the Mississippi River and from South Texas to South Dakota, the organization works to ensure the profitability of sorghum production through market development, research, education and legislative representation. To learn more about NSP, visit www.sorghumgrowers.com.  

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Audio Files:    

with Jeff Turner

       Chuck McDonald (Monte Alto pronounced Mont-ee Al-toe)

       Dale Murden

       Jeff Nunley

  Cut #1     :17     nsp-southtexas-turner-1            O.C..." is whats happening."

  Cut #2     :23     nsp-southtexas-mcdonald-2      O.C..." over $4 dollars a bushel."        

  Cut #3     :15     nsp-southtexas-murden-3         O.C..." Mexico pretty quickly."    

  Cut #4     :15     nsp-southtexas-murden-4         O.C..." prices that others see."    

  Cut #5     :30     nsp-southtexas-nunley-5          O.C..."crop with cotton."