NATIONAL SORGHUM PRODUCERS

Ensuring Sorghum's Profitability

 

October 28, 2005

For Immediate Release

 

Contact:

Christi Scherler

(806) 749-3478

christi@sorghumgrowers.com

 

Great Plains Sorghum Initiative Promises to Help Move the Industry Forward

 

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - Congress appropriated $736,000 in funds this week to create the Great Plains Sorghum Initiative, a collaborative project that will bring together researchers from Kansas State University, Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University together focusing on sorghum. The goal is to help U.S. sorghum farmers produce a more productive and profitable crop that will benefit the nation's economy.

 

Greg Shelor, National Sorghum Producers (NSP) Vice-President for Legislation and a producer from Minneola, Kan., said, "We would like to thank Henry Bonilla, Chairman of the House Ag Appropriations Committee and other sorghum belt Representatives for their support.  Also, I would like to thank Kansas Senators Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback for their efforts."

 

According to Gerald Simonsen, NSP Vice-President for Research and Education and a producer from Ruskin, Neb., the team approach will help the entire sorghum industry move forward. "We all benefit when we pool our resources and work on issues for the good of all. This team approach will help us create some new synergy. With the sorghum genome map being targeted for completion next year by the Department of Energy, we've got a lot to be excited about."

 

Jeff Dahlberg, NSP Research Director, saideach university would have specific research responsibilities. "Instead of all of the universities working on the same issues, we think that the team approach will allow each university to shine where they have the most expertise and passion. This approach allows researchers to focus on their strengths-- whether that's sorghum breeding, utilization or marketing."

 

The initiative will allow Kansas State University to lead efforts in plant breeding, genetics, and sorghum utilization; Texas Tech University to lead efforts on marketing, policy analysis, risk management and water use efficiency management; and Texas A&M University to lead efforts on sorghum cropping systems plus weed and pest management.  Funding includes $736,000 for the project in the FY '06 bill to include $377,000 for Kansas State University, $210,000 for Texas Tech University and $149,000 for Texas A & M University.

 

NSP represents U.S. sorghum producers nationwide. 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 legislative representation, market development, research and education.

 

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Christi Scherler

Communications Director

National Sorghum Producers

4201 N Interstate 27

Lubbock, Texas 79403

Phone: (806) 749-3478

Fax: (806) 749-9002