9-13-11--Children, Adults Learn in Agriland at the State Fair
At Agriland, an interactive display at the Kansas State Fair, kids can find a cow to milk; a combine cab to climb into; saddles to sit on; buckets of grain to reach into; a soil tunnel to walk through and more. Several agricultural groups work together in Agriland, located in the Pride of Kansas building. The Kansas corn and Kansas grain sorghum organizations man the exhibit the first day and last day of the fair.

Blossom, a full-sized automated cow that shows children can milk, is a popular stop at Agriland. As a four-year-old girl approached Blossom, the milk cow mooed, causing the girl to jump up and squeal. She finally found her courage to milk the cow.

“It’s fun to watch the kids interact with the displays in Agriland,” according to Jeff Filinger, Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association board member. Filinger, a farmer from Cuba in north-central Kansas who was on hand to help at Agriland. “By climbing into a combine cab pretending the harvest grain, or sitting on saddles pretending to herd cattle, they are learning about what we do on the farm.”

As an 8-year-old boy climbed into the combine cab, his dad commented, “He’ll sit in there all day if you let him.” In front of the combine cab is a large screen television showing crops being harvested. Children pretend they are harvesting, turning the steering wheel as the combine comes to the end of a row.

Tom and Sandy Tibbits, who farm near Minneapolis, are making volunteering at Agriland a yearly event. Tom serves on Kansas Corn Growers Association board.

“I think it is important to have farmers helping out in Agriland,” Tom Tibbits said. “Agriland is aimed at educating kids, but we reach a lot of adults too.”
New to Agriland this year are two feed bunks showing animal food and human food. One feed bunk features examples of livestock feed from prairie hay and alfalfa to grain mixtures and distillers grain from an ethanol plant. The human food feed bunk features the “My Plate” exhibit. The U.S. Department of Agriculture launched “My Plate” in June to replace the food pyramid as a visual guide designed to help Americans have balanced diets.

Agriland is a popular stop for school teachers, who bring their classes to learn about agriculture. Teachers have the opportunity to sign up for a chance to win a classroom presentation by the Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. The presentations focus on teaching students where their food comes from. To be eligible to win, teachers must visit Agriland at the fair with their class.

KCGA and KGSPA have been a part of Agriland since its beginning. Over the years, the display has since grown in size and the number of cooperators. Today, Agriland is one of the main features in the Pride of Kansas building. Cooperators now include Kansas Corn, Kansas Sorghum, Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas Soybeans, Kansas Wheat, Kansas Dairy, Kansas Agri-Women, Kansas Beef, Kansas Sunflowers, Kansas Cotton, and the Kansas Foundation for Ag in the Classroom. The Soil Tunnel trailer is provided by the Miami County Conservation District. Agriland is staffed by volunteers and visited by approximately 5,000 people during the fair each year.

The 2011 Kansas State Fair runs through September 18 in Hutchinson. For more information on fair events, visit www.kansasstatefair.com.

9-2-11--Harnessing the Power of Plants: Studying Sorghum Genetics to Fuel Green Energy Research

Those choices at the pump may look a little greener in the future as a Kansas State University research team is conducting a study that could eventually add "plant" to the list of fuel options.

In early August, four faculty members from K-State's College of Agriculture and College of Engineering received an $800,000 grant from the U.S. departments of Agriculture and Energy under the Plant Feedstocks Genomics for Bioenergy research program. The grant funds a three-year study that will provide the genetic groundwork necessary for potentially turning sorghum into biofuel by increasing the plant's biomass yield.

"Bioenergy is a very hot topic and there's a lot of talk about its possibilities," said Jianming Yu, associate professor of agronomy and leader of the study. "But a lot of work still needs to be done since it's still a new field. And unless genetics is improved, industries probably won't want to get involved because there are still too many unknowns."

Yu is conducting the sorghum bioenergy study with K-State's Tesfaye Tesso, assistant professor of agronomy; Scott Staggenborg, professor of agronomy; and Donghai Wang, professor of biological and agricultural engineering, along with researchers from the University of Minnesota and the USDA's Agricultural Research Service plant genetic resources conservation unit. K-State is one of nine universities chosen nationally to participate in genomics studies related to bioenergy. Potential benefits from these university studies range from decreasing oil imports to optimizing crops that can tolerate drought, poor soil and other unfavorable conditions.

Over the next three years the K-State team will build a genetic database on biomass sorghum, a type of sorghum that contains little grain and is mostly leaves and stalk. Biomass sorghum provides a large amount of high-quality feedstock, which can produce eco-friendly fuels. Kansas is the top producer of sorghum in the U.S., accounting for nearly half of the country's annual yield. Similarly, the U.S. is the world's largest grain sorghum exporter and ranks second in production, according to Staggenborg.

But despite the country's large production of sorghum, little data about biomass sorghum's genetics and how to improve the crop exists, outside of some USDA studies on the sorghum collection conducted many years ago. While many grain crops have had their genetics and production refined and documented for decades, the K-State sorghum team essentially has to start from scratch.

"Our study will sort of be a prototype with new lessons and insights into how we combine this proven method of plant breeding -- changing a plant's genetics to make more starch, more yield, or in this case, more biomass -- with this new genomic technology to optimize the improvement process," Tesso said. "In the bigger picture, this study addresses some of those emerging issues with energy and climate change."

To build the database, the team is looking at genetic diversity in sorghum's germplasm -- essentially the plant's gene bank. Members will start with 1,000 sorghum lines selected from the center of the germplasm pool. A line is the unique genetic material in sorghum. Those samples will then be genotyped, a process where the team looks at each sample's unique molecular diversity and compares it to the molecular diversity found in the sampled collection as a whole.

From those 1,000 samples, a subset of 300 samples will be chosen to represent the maximum amount of diversity, and will be studied more in depth for biomass yield and biomass composition. Once the biomass yield is found for those 300 samples, Yu and the others can then predict the biomass yield of the remaining 700 untested samples from that original 1,000 sample set.

Additionally, some field samples will chemically analyzed. Data from this analysis will be used with near-infrared spectroscopy technology to build predictive models. The researchers can use these models to accurately predict the biomass composition in the other samples rather than using the costly chemical analysis process. Wang, whose expertise is in biological and agricultural engineering, will oversee this phase.

"This process is part of what we call 21st-century predictive biology," Yu said. "We'll have a total of 3,600 field samples collected for this two-year, dual replication study from three locations in Kansas. The third and final year will be dedicated to validation. Basically we'll have a ton of samples to work with, and this predictive process will help us manage the data and workload."

Yu said the group is prepped for this new genetic challenge through their previous research projects, which have been supported by K-State's Targeted Excellence Program, Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission, National Sorghum Checkoff Program and the Great Plains Sorghum Improvement and Utilization Center.
"There's that adage that says you can't just build a better car by making a bigger engine. You also need a solid frame to support it," Yu said. "For this biomass sorghum car, we don't have the upgrades yet that are necessary to really think about the engine, so we need to build and improve that framework. It's pretty exciting that a single project like this can bring together such an interdisciplinary team for a singular focus."
 

8-26-11--KGSPA President Greg Shelor Testifies at Senate Ag Committee Field Hearing

KGSPA President Greg Shelor testified Thursday before the Senate Ag Committee field hearing at Wichita. Read his written remarks below.

Testimony of Gregory Shelor before the
U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry

August 25, 2011
Wichita, KS

Madam Chairwoman, Ranking Member Roberts and members of the Committee, I would like to thank you on behalf of Kansas grain sorghum farmers for the opportunity to share our views on discussions regarding farm bill programs.

I farm near Minneola in southwest Kansas, producing grain sorghum, wheat, corn and cattle. I am the president of the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association and am a past president of the National Sorghum Producers.

Kansas is the nation’s leading producer of grain sorghum. This year we are expected to produce 52 percent of the nation’s sorghum crop. We normally produce between 40 and 50 percent of the U.S. grain sorghum crop. Sorghum is a feedgrain and is used as a feedstock for ethanol, for livestock feed and is exported to other countries. There is also a growing interest in food-grade sorghum, which is gluten-free and benefits those who choose a gluten-free diet, or cannot tolerate gluten in their diet due to Celiac Disease. Grain sorghum is a great benefit to many Kansas farmers because it can be grown in challenging conditions. It is naturally drought tolerant and does well even on marginal land.

We depend on farm programs for our day-to-day business decisions in Kansas. When I apply for a farm operating loan, my banker asks me two questions: Do you have crop insurance and what do you anticipate in direct payments? My ability to secure annual operating loans directly depends upon the stability of farm programs. Strong farm programs provide a certainty and stability that is vital for growers to be able to get operating capital from their banks. That operating capital bolsters local rural economies as well.

We appreciate your leadership in maintaining and strengthening farm programs. We understand agriculture will see cuts in budget negotiations, but those cuts should be equitable and proportionate to cuts to other programs.

Because most of the grain sorghum we raise is a dryland crop, risk management tools are vital to sorghum producers. Federal crop insurance and other risk management tools all have a place in ensuring a stable crop production system for the security of food, fiber and fuel.

In a state like Kansas, farmers are often faced with challenging conditions. Having a robust risk management system in place is vitally important to my farm. Direct payments also play a role on my farm, often filling in the gap between the level of risk management coverage I need compared to the level of coverage I can get. This is especially true in a year like this, where much of our state is suffering from varying levels of drought.

In Kansas, sorghum is used mainly for ethanol production and livestock. While most think of ethanol as a product made from corn, most Kansas ethanol plants use both feed grains to produce this renewable fuel. In fact, much of the ethanol produced in Kansas is made from grain sorghum. Having both grain sorghum and corn available allows ethanol plants more flexibility and better pricing opportunities. This ensures a strong and viable ethanol industry in our state, and also ensures a good value added market for sorghum producers.

Ethanol’s co-product, distillers grains (DDGS) is a valued feed product for cattle feeders in Kansas. Cattle feeders like using sorghum wet or dry distillers grains in their feeding rations. The high-nutrient feed comes to them already processed, which is a valuable benefit to both feeders and sorghum farmers. It is also important for consumers to know that that one-third of total sorghum used to make ethanol re-enters the feed market as a distillers grain. Many feeders in Kansas actually prefer feeding distillers to feeding the whole grain because of ease of processing.

While I have focused on the use of grain sorghum for ethanol, I would like to mention the potential for the use of sweet sorghum and high biomass sorghum. As the potential for these biofuels crops advance, it will be important to develop risk management tools for these crops.

Grain sorghum is drought tolerant and well-suited to arid conditions we often experience in our state. As you know, many parts of the state are suffering a severe drought this year. While this drought will end, over the long term our issues with water will not. Sorghum will play an increasingly important role in rotations in areas where water is in short supply. Water conservation is bound to be one of the prevailing issues of the future, and conservation will remain extremely important in the coming farm bill debate. Sorghum and other water smart crops will be an important part of the solution.

In closing, I would like to underline the importance of stable and viable farm programs, especially to minor crops like grain sorghum. Sorghum provides many benefits to conservation and crop rotations for our growers. Sorghum also plays an important role in a dependable feedgrain supply for our ethanol and livestock producers. However, as a crop that is used to make the most of difficult growing conditions, it is also uniquely exposed to risk. Well thought-out farm programs that address risks and the potential of grain sorghum will benefit our growers as well as our local, state and national economies.

4-14-11--Kansas Atrazine BMPs—Oldies but Goodies
When you hear a song on the radio that’s been around for years, you find yourself singing along. Kansas farmers feel the same way about their atrazine best management practices. Through their state checkoffs, Kansas corn and grain sorghum growers funded research at Kansas State University to develop atrazine best management practices in 1996. Fifteen years later, growers are still using these BMPs to reduce atrazine runoff, according to Jere White, executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association.

“Looking back at 1996, “The Macarena” was the #1 hit song. I’m sure many of our growers can still dance The Macarena, but they are more likely to remember many of the Kansas atrazine BMPs released that same year,” White said. “When you look at our use of BMPs including no-till and reduced till practices, our growers have been very proactive and successful in reducing atrazine runoff.”

Atrazine continues to be a target of environmental groups and trial attorneys. While the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Drinking Water Standard for atrazine is a conservative 3 parts per billion, activists are pursuing lawsuits over atrazine levels that are well within the legal limits. The World Health Organization, however, recommended in October that the drinking water standard for atrazine should be set at 100 parts per billion.

“Atrazine continues to be the poster child of activists and junk scientists, but it is a necessary part of weed control for our corn and grain sorghum farmers,” White said. “Over the years, we have learned how to use much lower rates and more responsibly. In fact, atrazine is a key component for many growers in their use of conservation tillage, which has a multitude of environmental benefits.”

Farmers can choose the practices that fit best in their farm management scheme. The BMPs include practices like incorporating atrazine in the top two inches of soil, using pre-plant applications in the spring or fall; reduced rates, split applications and establishing vegetative or riparian buffers.

Vegetative buffers and riparian forest buffers continue to be a popular and effective method to reduce runoff for growers whose fields are near waterways. Buffers continue to be promoted by the Kansas Conservation Commission and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) as an effective way to reduce runoff.

“In addition to reducing runoff, conservation buffers offer important habitat for wildlife,” White said. “This is a win-win for growers and the environment.”

When considering Best Management Practices, farmers should select BMPs that fit within their management systems, are economical and will be most effective in reducing atrazine runoff.

“K-State Extension offices can advise growers on best management practices that work best local areas, and I would encourage growers to visit their local extension office for advice,” White said. “Many of the BMPs that were developed are widely used today and are a basic part of farming practices.”

4-8-11--Kansas Sorghum Association Celebrates Passage of Sorghum Checkoff The USDA announced the results of the referendum of the United Sorghum Checkoff Program today. Over 76 percent of the growers who voted in the referendum supported the continuation of the checkoff. USDA conducted the Sorghum Checkoff referendum in February.

"That is a significant margin of approval," according to Jere White, Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association executive director. "In the short time it has existed, USCP has made great strides not only in research, but also building markets for sorghum growers. I think growers recognized the need for the sorghum checkoff and voted accordingly."

KGSPA has been active in USCP since its creation in 2008.

"We look forward to a continued relationship with the Sorghum Checkoff," White said. "With the referendum completed, the Checkoff can continue its work in increasing productivity in sorghum and creating a strong marketplace for the crop."

The Sorghum Checkoff was established under the Commodity Research, Promotion and Information Act of 1996, and according to USDA Act and Order, was required to hold a referendum within three years of beginning operations. Sorghum farmers who paid an assessment had an opportunity to vote through their local FSA office Feb. 1-28, 2011, to determine the future of the checkoff. The official USDA press release can be found at <http://www.ams.usda.gov> www.ams.usda.gov .

3-31-11--Kansas Growers Continue to Step Up to Meet Demand
Kansas corn and sorghum producers will plant a combined 7.6 million acres of feedgrains this year, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service Prospective Plantings report. Kansas corn farmers are expected to plant 5.1 million acres of corn, up five percent from 2010 and the largest area planted since 1936. Kansas sorghum farmers are expected to plant 2.5 million acres, up six percent from last year. Kansas will plant over 44 percent of the nation's sorghumcrop. Jere White, executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association said growers are committed to meeting the needs of their customers.

“I think it is important to look at the corn and sorghum numbers both individually and together as feed grains. Both are used to satisfy the needs of the livestock and ethanol industries,” White said. “Both crops are showing healthy increases planting expectations. Between the two crops, Kansas feedgrains are pegged to pick up 400,000 acres since last year. That’s impressive.”

At 581 million bushels, the 2010 corn crop was the second largest in history, behind the record-setting 2009 crop. Combined corn and sorghum production in 2010 was 752.3 million bushels.

Click here for the KASS Prospective Plantings Report

2-23-11--Senator Roberts Addresses Kansas Commodity Classic in Great Bend
GREAT BEND, KS – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today addressed the Kansas Commodity Classic in Great Bend. The following is the text of his prepared remarks:

“Let me assure you that as we begin this new trail ride serving as the Ranking Member of the Agriculture Committee, I understand fully, as the only person to ever serve as both Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and Ranking Member on Senate Agriculture Committee, the challenges, and I will need your advice and counsel more than ever.

“Indeed, the task ahead is not easy.

“But as we begin this ride together, let me be clear: I am not ashamed of production agriculture and you the producers that feed this state, nation, and a troubled and hungry world.

“‘Production agriculture’ is not, should not, and will not be a dirty word on my watch. I will be your champion.

“On the grains and fiber side, we are blessed with current prices that are at spectacular levels. Wheat is over $9/bushel, corn is near $7/bushel, and beans are over $13/bushel. For those of you that now grow cotton, prices on that front are at levels not seen since the Civil War. That’s the good news.

“The bad news is that these high commodity prices are creating challenges for our livestock producers. I am well aware of the pressure this is causing, and I assure our cowboys it is something we’re watching closely.
“These prices are also coming at a time of previously unthinkable deficit and debt levels in our nation’s spending. That means agriculture and agriculture spending are an easy target for political sound bites.

“Many in Washington argue that due to the high prices we’re currently experiencing, we no longer need farm programs. They say: ‘Let’s get rid of them, let’s do away with them, why should we be paying farmers to farm?’

“Well, it is pretty easy to talk with your mouth full – especially in Washington – when you live in the country where you can enjoy the safest, most affordable food supply in the world.

“Even the president got in on the act this past week with his budget proposal. He basically said, ‘I’m for agriculture and producers – except those 10 percent that represent 80 percent of our nation’s bountiful harvest. We need to eliminate USDA assistance for them.’

“It was a pretty bold proposal. Especially for someone that put out a budget that spends more, borrows more and taxes more while making not one serious proposal to tackle entitlement reform.

“In fact, the president’s budget proposal will raise the national deficit to $1.6 trillion over the next 10 years.

“We know that level of spending is not sustainable. We know it is a bill our children and grandchildren cannot afford.

“We know that those of us in Washington must make the difficult choices to get our fiscal house in order. Yes, that means those of us in agriculture will also be faced with difficult budget decisions.

“I have made clear to my colleagues that agriculture will do its part. But I have also made clear that any reductions to agriculture spending must be fair and proportional to what all other federal agencies and programs are being asked to give.

“I have also made clear that we must maintain a safety-net for our producers and that if we are going to take a hard look at USDA spending everything must be on the table – that includes the 84 percent of current USDA spending that has nothing to do with commodity and conservation programs.

“We all know that prices have been high before and they’ve always come back down. That is why one of my top priorities as ranking member is to preserve a safety-net. I promise you I will do everything I can for you in this fight.

“While the budget will be a huge part of our focus in Washington this year, I will keep my eye on several other priorities that will likely have a more significant, long term impact on agriculture than any debate we will have on farm policy and programs.

“We must continue to expand our overseas trade and continue to open new markets. That means it is time to get off the dime and pass the Korean, Panama, and Columbian Free Trade Agreements.

“The President needs to send the Korean agreement to the Congress for approval and it is time for the United States to quit trying to force feed our labor and environmental policies to Panama and Columbia before we’ll pass those agreements. Just get the job done.

“Another top priority is to reign in the regulatory power grab of our federal agencies. At no time have we seen the unprecedented abuse of power through the regulatory process that we are currently experiencing.

“Recently, the president responded to the hue and cry of the business and agriculture sectors by saying he was ordering all his federal agencies to take a hard look at all proposed regulations and perform cost-benefit analysis to see if they should move forward.

“It is about time somebody called a time out, but I want to be sure the president and his federal agencies carry through on this proposal. That is why I have introduced the Regulatory Responsibility for our Economy Act.

“This legislation codifies the president’s executive order, forces agencies and the Office of Management and Budget to undertake cost-benefit-analysis and removes the “loop-holes” the president included in his executive order to bypass stakeholder input on regulations. Late last week I had 28 Senators join in cosponsoring my legislation.

“We have got to put a halt to this regulatory madness. There is no greater threat to the modern miracle of United States Agriculture than the overreach or our regulatory agencies – especially the EPA.

“Or, as my good friend and colleague from Iowa, Chuck Grassley said, ‘EPA stands for – Ending Production Agriculture.’

“Name almost any regulatory issue that could bring agriculture to its knees and halt our move forward to continued expanded production and improved yields, and I can just about guarantee you the EPA has a proposal to do it:

• Rural Fugitive Dust
• Pesticide Permit Applications, and
• Regulation of all waters, which in EPA’s view includes every dried up farm pond that no self-respecting duck would ever land on.
• Spray Drift
• Tractor Emission Standards

“At the same time, we’ve got interests groups and some in the administration that say conventional agriculture and biotech crops are bad.

“My friends, it has got to stop. Not just for the survival of our Kansas farms and ranches, not just for the survival of this business we call agriculture, but because of the moral imperative we have as a nation.

“Over the next several decades the world’s population will rise from 6 billion to 9 billion people. During that same time frame we must double our agriculture production in order to feed a troubled and hungry world.

“Let me repeat that: We must double our agriculture production over the same time period.

“We can only do that through common sense policies based on sound science that will allow you our producers to do what you need to get the job done.

“I do not argue with those who support organic or locally grown agriculture. Some of you do that in your own operations and I know that there is an important niche market to be served there.

“But the simple fact of the matter is that we are not going to double production through those farming methods.

“It will only occur through conventional farming techniques that combine the use of important conservation practices with the use of improved seed varieties that increase drought and disease resistance while increasing yields and reducing water consumption.

“As I said earlier, this is a moral imperative. It is also a matter of national security.

“A well fed world, is a much safer and stable place than a hungry world. Full bellies lead to stability, economic growth and peace. Hungry bellies lead to discontent, instability, and extremism.

“One must look no further than the issues of extremism and terrorism we have experienced in much of the Middle East this past decade, or recent events of unrest in Egypt and elsewhere in recent weeks.

“Yes, much of the recent unrest has been fueled by a long simmering political discontent. But, if you look deeper into these issues, you’ll see that many have been fueled by issues of hunger, unstable food supplies, and a lack of economic growth.

“When nations are hungry, their people are hungry. More often than not, if the people are hungry it also means they do not have jobs or economic opportunities. If they are hungry and without economic opportunity it means they are susceptible to unrest and often violence and extremism.

“Hunger and the lack of economic opportunity have fueled the political discontent in the Middle East that have led to the protests and uncertain future we see today. Hunger and a lack of opportunity are what have created the opening in places like Afghanistan to sow the seeds of hatred and extremism that threaten our nation.

“We must feed this world.

“We must give our farmers and ranchers the tools you need to be successful, maintain your operations, and continue to expand your production. Our government, its Congress, and its regulatory agencies need to get out of the way and let you do your jobs.

“Nine billion people and a world hungry for nutrition, peace, and stability are depending on it.

“Thank you. Thank you for all that you and your families do to feed this troubled and hungry world. It is my honor and privilege to be your Senior Senator and Ranking Member.”

 

1-21-11--Roberts, Combest Headline Kansas Commodity Classic Feb. 22

Senator Pat Roberts and former House Ag Committee Chair Larry Combest will be featured at the Kansas Commodity Classic on Feb. 22 in Great Bend. The Kansas corn, wheat and grain sorghum associations along with the Kansas Agriculture Network are teaming up to sponsor the annual Kansas Commodity Classic on Tuesday, Feb. 22 at the Highland Hotel and Convention Center in Great Bend.
 
All farmers are invited to attend the free event, which packs marketing, weather, policy and technology information into the day's activities.
 
"We have a great opportunity to bring Senator Roberts and Congressman Combest, two major farm policy experts onto the same stage at the Kansas Commodity Classic," says Jere White, executive director of the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association and Kansas Corn Growers Association.
 
Justin Gilpin, chief executive officer of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, adds that the Kansas Commodity Classic will give producers in-depth insight into the factors that most influence on-farm profitability: weather, markets and policy.
 
"We are excited to team up with the Kansas Agriculture Network and the experience they have with their popular Farm Profit Seminars," Gilpin said. "We'll feature not only top level farm policy discussions, but also excellent sessions in marketing, weather as well as updates in the latest in technology for our crops.
 
Speakers include:
U.S. Senator Pat Roberts
Larry Combest, former House Agriculture Committee Chair
Betty Corbin, Corbin Investments, Towanda, Kan.
Joel Widenor, Commodity Weather Group, Bethesda, MD

In addition, industry experts from each commodity will tell producers about exciting new technologies coming down the road for wheat, corn and grain sorghum. Topics include:
Drought Tolerant Corn Traits
 Over-the-Top Weed Control in Sorghum
 The Future of Wheat Breeding: Public/Private Collaborations, Biotech and What it Means for Farmers

The event will be moderated by Greg Akagi, farm director for the Kansas Agriculture Network.
"The Kansas Commodity Classic will be a one-stop opportunity for producers to learn from a top-notch lineup of speakers," Akagi says. "This promises to be a can't-miss event."
 
The event, which begins at 9 a.m. (registration at 8 a.m.) is free of charge and includes a complimentary luncheon. It will be held at the Highland Hotel and Convention Center in Great Bend. Pre-registration is appreciated by calling Kansas Wheat at 866-759-4328 or register by e-mail

1-7-11—United Sorghum Checkoff Information Available at Topeka Farm Show

Sorghum growers can learn about the latest accomplishments of the United Sorghum Checkoff Program at the Topeka Farm Show Jan. 11-13 at the Kansas Expocentre. Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association staff will be on hand to answer questions and provide information on the Sorghum Checkoff. Materials developed by the Sorghum Checkoff will also be available, including sorghum production guides, livestock feeding guides and more.

The show hours are as follows: Tuesday- 9 A.M. to 5 P.M., Wednesday- 9 A.M to 8 P.M. and Thursday- 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. Parking and admission for the show are free. In addition, the Topeka Farm Show will feature a Purebred Cattle Expo, Daily Horsemanship Clinics and leadership seminars produced daily by  Shawnee County Extension and K-State University. Attendees can get the latest information daily on the show by dialing into AM 580, as WIBW Farm Director, Kelly Lenz, will be live each day at the show.

The United Sorghum Checkoff Program represents growers in legislative and regulatory issues. The USCP works to improve the market position of sorghum by expanding markets, increasing demand and developing new uses and markets.

For more information about the Topeka Farm Show visit www.tradexpos.com/topeka or www.ksgrains.com.

12-22-10--Three Kansas Growers Win National Sorghum Yield Contest Honors
Kansas growers received honors in the 2010 National Sorghum Producers Yield and Management Contest. Growers in Phillips, Kiowa and Wichita counties are national winners in the contest. The Sorghum Yield and Management Contest scores contestants by comparing their yield to their county’s average yield.

Levin Farms, Phillips County, placed second in the No-Till Non-Irrigated division with a yield of 170.98 bushels per acre, beating the Phillips County average yield by 90.48 bushels. He planted Pioneer 84G46.

Ki Gamble, Kiowa County, placed third in the Reduced-Till Irrigated division with a yield of 184.29 bushels per acre, beating the Kiowa County average yield by 77.59 bushels. He planted Pioneer 84G62.

Galen Berning, Wichita County, placed third in the Conventional-Till Irrigated division with a yield of 175.5 bushels per acre, beating the Wichita County average yield by 83 bushels per acre. He planted Pioneer 84G62.

In addition to the three national winners, Kansas had two state winners who did not place nationally.

Justin Short, Saline County, won the state competition in Mulch-Till Non-Irrigated with a yield of 116.43 bushels per acre, beating his county average yield by 47.13 bushels. He planted DEKALB DKS53-67.

Clayton and Luanne Short, Saline County, won the state competition in Conventional-Till Non-Irrigated division with a yield of 130.14 bushels per acre, beating their county average by 60.84 bushels per acre. They planted Pioneer 84P74.

National and state winners will be recognized at the NSP Yield and Management Contest Awards Dinner on March 4 held at the 2011 Commodity Classic in Tampa, Florida.

Follow this link for complete 2010 National Sorghum Producers Yield and Management Contest Results

12--17-10--Kansas Corn and Sorghum Farmers Applaud Extension of Ethanol Tax Provisions
A one-year extension of the ethanol blender’s credit is part of the compromise tax legislation that passed the House of Representatives last night. The extension bolsters an ethanol industry that provides jobs and economic growth in rural communities and states, helps keep fuel prices in check and reduces the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.

The legislation extended vital tax policies that will help the domestic ethanol industry to continue its steady progress in providing more American-made fuel from feed grains and materials, according to Jere White, executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association.

“Our ethanol industry provides jobs and great economic benefits for our rural communities and certainly is a bright spot in the Kansas economy,” White said. “While there is strong interest in developing new processes and feedstocks for ethanol, those advances will not come without a strong grain-based ethanol industry.”

The bill extended five ethanol provisions through 2011: the blender’s credit for ethanol; the tariff on imported ethanol; the Small Producer Tax Credit; the excise tax credits of alternative fuels, and the investment tax credit for alternative fuel vehicle refueling facilities.

There are 11 ethanol plants in Kansas with a capacity of about 440 million gallons of ethanol, creating a market for about 157 million bushels of corn and grain sorghum. About 52 million bushels of the grain returns to the feeding stream as wet or dry distillers grains, a valued livestock feed.
 

11-24-10--Secretary Vilsack Reappoints Kansas Growers to Sorghum Checkoff Board
Two Kansans are among four sorghum growers who were reappointed to the United Sorghum Checkoff Program Board by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack today. Jeff Casten of Quenemo and Earl Roemer of Healy were reappointed to three-year terms on the board. The United Sorghum Checkoff Program is a 13-member board authorized by the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996, is structured so that the state with the largest production is allocated five positions, the state with the second largest production is allocated three positions, and the state with the third largest production is allocated one position. Kansas is the largest sorghum producing state in the United States. Also reappointed were Texas growers Troy Skarke and Dale Artho.

Secretary Vilsack selected the appointees from sorghum producers nominated by certified sorghum producer organizations.

“These appointees represent a cross section of the sorghum industry and I am confident that the sorghum industry will continue to be well served by them,” said Vilsack.

The 13-member board, authorized by the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996, is structured so that the state with the largest production is allocated five positions, the state with the second largest production is allocated three positions, and the state with the third largest production is allocated one position.

Four of the 13 positions were up for reappointment this year. Other Kansas members currently serving on the United Sorghum Checkoff Program are: USCP Chairman Bill Greving, Prairie View; Greg Shelor, Minneola, and Gary Kilgore, Chanute.

Referendum to Be Held Early 2011
Sorghum Checkoff Chairman Bill Greving is glad to announce the U.S. Department of Agriculture has finalized procedures for the upcoming referendum on the continuation of the Sorghum Checkoff Program. For the program to continue, the Sorghum Promotion, Research, and Information Order requires that a referendum be conducted no later than 3 years after the start of assessments, which began on July 1, 2008.

USDA will conduct the referendum Feb. 1-28, 2011, at local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices for producers and the Agricultural Marketing Service office for importers. Ballots may be obtained in person, by mail or facsimile at county FSA offices, or via the Internet.

Any eligible person engaged in the production or importation of sorghum from July 1, 2008, to Dec. 31, 2010, is eligible to participate. Individuals are required to provide documentation such as a sales receipt or remittance form that shows they engaged in production or importation of sorghum.

The Sorghum Checkoff Program, and its 13-member board, is authorized by the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996. The mandatory program is funded at the rate of 0.6 percent of the net market value on grain sorghum and 0.35 percent of the net market value of sorghum forage.

The Sorghum Checkoff is intended to be a national, coordinated, self-help marketing program designed to strengthen the position of sorghum in the marketplace, maintain and expand existing domestic and foreign markets and uses for sorghum, and develop new markets and uses for sorghum.

The final procedures were published in the Nov. 18, 2010, Federal Register.

For more information, contact Kenneth R. Payne, Chief, Marketing Programs, Livestock and Seed Program, AMS, USDA, Room 2628-S, STOP 0251, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0251, by calling (202) 720-1115, or faxing (202) 720-1125.

11-4-10--K-State Feed Expert Helps Effort to Build US Sorghum Exports to Indonesia, Vietnam
A livestock feeding expert from Kansas State University recently worked with feed millers in Indonesia and Vietnam to help them understand the benefits of using U.S. sorghum in their animal feed rations. Alvaro Cordero, U.S. Grains Council manager of international operations, and Dr. Joe Hancock of Kansas State University, traveled to Indonesia and Vietnam recently to promote U.S. sorghum as a viable alternative feed ingredient for use in poultry and swine rations.  

Building sorghum exports helps increase the profit for Kansas farmers, according to Terry Vinduska of Marion, who is US Grains Council Chairman.

“Dr. Hancock is an expert on livestock feeding and has extensive experience and credibility when it comes to using sorghum in feeding rations,” Vinduska said. “A significant amount of U.S. sorghum is exported and educating potential customers is the key to building those export markets.”

While exports are vital to the sorghum industry, the use of sorghum by feed millers in Indonesia and Vietnam has been practically nonexistent.

“The addition of sorghum to the repertoire of feed ingredients used would be highly beneficial to the region as sorghum currently has a zero percent import tariff in Indonesia and a 5 percent tariff in Vietnam,” Cordero said.

Seminars and workshops funded in part by the United Sorghum Checkoff Program enabled Cordero and Dr. Hancock to present the latest updates regarding the nutritional value of sorghum and demonstrate its competitiveness in feed formulations.

Indonesia’s meat production is dominated by its large poultry sector, which accounts for 75 percent of total feed demand. Indonesian poultry consumption has been growing 6 percent annually on the back of steady economic growth and increase in purchasing power among consumers. Feed production has also been growing alongside feed demand at an estimated rate of 7 percent per year. These fundamentals add to the growing prospect of Indonesia as a consistent importer of U.S. feed grains, such as sorghum.

“It is great to see so many groups working together to build markets for sorghum,” according to Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association President Greg Shelor. Shelor also serves on the USCP Board of Directors. “This year, Kansas will produce about half of the nation’s sorghum, and exports are an important market for us.”

The US Grains Council and USCP are also involved in missions to introduce sorghum in Egypt and to build markets for sorghum in Mexico.

For more information on the work of the US Grains Council, visit www.grains.org; for more information on the United Sorghum Checkoff Program, visit www.sorghumcheckoff.com, and more for more information on the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association, visit www.ksgrains.com.

10-29-10--Kansas Sorghum Growers Blast Through 2010 Harvest
More than half of the Kansas grain sorghum crop has been harvested, well ahead of normal. According to the Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service Crop Progress Report, 72 percent of the state’s sorghum crop has been harvested, compared to a five year average of 39 percent. At this time last year, only 13 percent of the Kansas sorghum crop had been harvested.

“We’re not just a little ahead of schedule with sorghum harvest, we are blasting through sorghum harvest,” according to Sue Schulte, Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association communications director. “It is unusual have three quarters of our sorghum acres harvested before November."

Kansas is the nation’s leading producer of grain sorghum. Kansas growers planted 44 percent of the nation’s sorghum crop and are predicted to harvest 51 percent of the nation’s grain sorghum.

The Kansas crop, estimated at 171.6 million bushels, is down 24 percent from 2009. Planted acres and yield were both down from 2009, when the state set a record average yield of 88 bushels per acre. This year’s average yield has been estimated at 78 bushels per acre.

“This year’s sorghum yield is closer to average. Most of our growers experienced near perfect growing conditions for sorghum in 2009,” Schulte said.

Sorghum growers can expect advances in the near future that could help them produce more sorghum per acre thanks to research projects funded with grower checkoff funds through the United Sorghum Checkoff Program. Sorghum checkoff research on over the top weed control is leading to new products that will be on the market in the next two years. Research in cold tolerance is also showing promise. Cold tolerant sorghum would allow for earlier season planting and produce higher yields under cooler conditions.

For more information on Kansas grain sorghum, visit www.ksgrains.com. For more information on the United Sorghum Checkoff Program, visit www.sorghumcheckoff.com
 

9-24-10--Kansas Corn, Grain Sorghum Heard at Senate Ag Hearing on EPA and Agriculture
White speaks about atrazine, activists, attorneys and subpoenas

EPA’s handling of atrazine regulation was one of the topics at a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing Thursday. At an oversight hearing on EPA and agriculture Thursday, the Senate Agriculture Committee heard from the Jere White executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association. Also speaking at the hearing was EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Rich Hillman, Arkansas Farm Bureau; and Jay Vroom, CropLife America.

White expressed his concern over the process used by EPA in its latest round of Science Advisory Panels.

“I explained how EPA has gone through an extensive scientific evaluation of atrazine that began in 1995, and the fact that they had just reregistered the product in 2006 with more than 6,000 studies being involved in that process. Yet, after all of that scientific research, discussion and decision making, EPA suddenly announced last fall a new re-review of atrazine after a coordinated media blitz surrounding a Natural Resources Defense Council study late last summer. So we have EPA is using a great amount of resources in a politically motivated round of SAPs, which clearly was a response to activist media hype,” White said.

White also told the committee about a rash of subpoenas issued out of the Holiday Shores case, an Illinois state court case in which trial attorneys are representing some community water systems seeking large payouts from the makers of atrazine.

“Several grower groups who have participated in the stakeholder process at EPA on atrazine have been targeted to receive subpoenas for massive amounts of records and information,” White said. “About three-fourths of the ag groups who participated in last week’s Science Advisory Panel at EPA had been served subpoenas before the SAP.”

At that time, the Kansas Corn Growers and Grain Sorghum associations had not yet received subpoenas.

“In my presentation at the SAP, I brought it to the attention of the panel that people were being harassed for their participation in the process. When I returned home from Washington DC, I was rewarded with three subpoenas.”

White told the Senate Agriculture Committee that the timing of the subpoenas seemed to be more than a coincidence.

“They are sending a clear message that if you are going to be an advocate for atrazine, the trial attorneys are going to make you pay a price,” he said. “When I explained this at the Senate Ag Committee, senators on both sides of the aisles were clearly concerned.

White’s written comments submitted to the Senate Agriculture Committee may be found at www.ksgrains.com

9-8-10-- Corn and grain sorghum growers join state ag groups to offer hands-on ag education at Kansas State Fair

The Kansas Corn Growers Association, Kansas Corn Commission and the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association will be teaching the public about agriculture at the Agriland exhibit at the Kansas State Fair. Agriland was built to engage the senses and stimulate the minds of children and adults alike with interactive activities that teach the importance of Kansas agriculture.

Kansas corn and grain sorghum growers will be on hand to answer questions at the Agriland exhibit on Friday, September 10th and Sunday, September 19. Agriland is located in the Pride of Kansas building and is open during the following times:
Friday, September 10 – 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 11 through Saturday, September 18 – 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 19 – 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Kansas Corn Growers Association board member Charles Foltz, Garnett has volunteered at Agriland for several years. “It is fun to watch the kids go through Agriland. They can sit in a combine cab, milk a cow, and learn about all kinds of Kansas agriculture,” Foltz said. “The new soil trailer will give kids and grownups a new perspective on agriculture from the ground up. “

School teachers will have the opportunity to sign up at Agriland for a chance to win one of five classroom presentations by the Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. The presentations focus on teaching students where their food comes from. To be eligible to win, teachers must visit Agriland at the fair with their class.

Agriland features a variety of exhibits including a greenhouse, beef exhibit, a life-size milking cow, a food pyramid display and a soil tunnel provided by the Miami County Conservation District. Agriland also gives youth an opportunity to dig into buckets filled with grain and a tractor ride simulation to see how Kansas crops are harvested in the field.

Kansas Corn and Grain Sorghum work with the following groups to sponsor Agriland: Kansas Department of Agriculture; Kansas Beef Council; Kansas Dairy Association and Commission; Midwest Dairy Association; Kansas Wheat; Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission; Kansas Soybean Association and Commission; Kansas Cotton Association; Kansas Agriwomen; Kansas Sunflower Commission; and the Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom and Kansas FFA chapters.

The 2010 Kansas State Fair runs from September 10-19 in Hutchinson, KS. For more information on fair events, visit www.kansasstatefair.com.

8-27-10-- Farmers Become Proactive Through Social Media
Farmers far and wide are educating consumers and sharing best practices with one another through social media. This Wednesday, the Kansas Corn Growers Association (KCGA) and the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association (KGSPA) held a social media workshop in an effort to get the
growers “plugged-in” to the online community.

Professional speaker and agriculture advocate, Michele Payn-Knoper, led the group in setting up accounts on Facebook and Twitter. Payn-Knoper owns and operates her own business, Cause Matters, where she works to connect farm gate to consumer plate through programs in agriculture advocacy,
social media strategy and grassroots marketing.

Today, people have access to breaking news, real time market information, and expert answers right at their fingertips through social media. As Payn-Knoper states in her Social Media Training Workbook, “Today’s Internet experience is about efficient community interaction and information exchange; agriculture loses when farmers don’t engage in that community. Arm yourself with a base
knowledge of social media to leverage it as a tool for your farm with customers and influencers. After all, farmers offer the best voice for agriculture in social media.”

Around 20 corn and grain sorghum farmers gathered in Hutchinson, laptops and smart phones in-tow and gave four hours of their time to learn the basics of communicating through social media. Payn-Knoper urged farmers to spend just 15 minutes a day promoting agriculture.

“With 150 million users on Facebook and 50 million tweets being sent daily, farmers have an opportunity to be proactive in educating people about agriculture. Farmers are the experts and if they don’t tell their story, activist groups will,” says DeEtta Bohling, KCGA and KGSPA communications specialist.

Bohling continues, “Each day consumers are forming opinions about the agriculture industry, though 98.5% of them are not actively engaged in farming. This is a business decision for farmers—a decision to help protect their livelihood.”

The social media workshop was a joint effort with Cause Matters, the National Corn Growers Association, Kansas Corn Growers Association, Kansas Corn Commission, and the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association.

For more information on social media, visit www.ksgrains.com.
 

7-14-10--Kansas Growers See New Over the Top Sorghum Weed Control Field Trials

A new trait that will allow over-the-top weed control in grain sorghum was showcased at a field  day a K-State Research Farm at Ashland Bottoms near Manhattan on July 13. The field day showed field plots treated with the new over the top weed control technology.. The first new herbicide-tolerant grain sorghum hybrids are expected to be available in a limited release for the 2012 growing season.

The ALS-tolerant and ACCase-tolerant Inzen traits will provide sorghum growers with non-GMO over-the-top grass and broadleaf weed control options needed for more versatile application timing. The trait was developed at K-State with funding by the United Sorghum Checkoff Program. DuPont has developed sorghum hybrids that can tolerate the herbicide

DuPont Technical Representative Warren McDougal talked to the group about the new traits. “All we want to show today is that the trait is here and it is viable,” he said.

“The field trial was impressive. The plots with the new trait had healthy plants with few if any weeds,” according to Sue Schulte, communications director of the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association. “Our growers are very excited about the prospect of an over the top weed control option. Their checkoff dollars, through United Sorghum Checkoff funded research to make this possible.”

K-State Weed Scientist Curtis Thompson told the growers at the field day that stewardship will be important if growers want to keep this technology as a viable option over the years. Crop rotation will be an important component. The technology being used will work well with crop rotations, he said.

DuPont has been working with K-State and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP) to build stewardship education programs to protect the long-term viability of the new herbicide traits from developing resistance. For more information on the sorghum checkoff, visit www.sorghumcheckoff.com. For more information on the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association, visit www.ksgrains.com

7-7-10--Loss of Atrazine Would Wipe Out 21,000 to 48,000 Jobs Dependant on Agriculture
University of Chicago economist says even more losses would come when sorghum, sugar cane and other crops are considered

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 7, 2010) – Banning the agricultural herbicide atrazine would cost between 21,000 and 48,000 jobs from corn production losses alone, according to University of Chicago economist Don L. Coursey, Ph.D.

Dr. Coursey announced his findings at a briefing sponsored by the Triazine Network today at the National Press Club in Washington.

Coursey estimates atrazine’s annual production value to corn alone to be between $2.3 billion and $5 billion. Atrazine’s additional value to sorghum, sugar cane and other uses increases these totals.

“The economic data on atrazine are very clear. As a first-order estimate, banning atrazine will erase between 21,000 and 48,000 jobs related to or dependant on corn production, with additional job losses coming from both sugar cane and sorghum production losses,” Coursey said. “The range is wide because we have never before banned a product on which so many depend and for which suitable replacements have a wide variety of prices and application regimes.”

“If all of that job loss were concentrated in the agricultural sector, its unemployment would grow by as much as 2.6 percent. Replacement costs for corn farmers could reach as high as $58 per acre,” Coursey said.

Atrazine has been a mainstay of corn, sorghum and sugar cane production for 50 years. The second most-used herbicide in the U.S., it controls a broad range of yield-robbing weeds, is safe for the crop and supports a variety of farming systems, including soil-saving conservation-till agriculture.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) re-registered atrazine in 2006 based on the evidence of nearly 6,000 studies and more than 80,000 public comments. It began an additional, unscheduled review of atrazine in late 2009.

“Atrazine is essential to U.S. agriculture. We appreciate Dr. Coursey’s findings and will distribute them to our members, the EPA and to our elected representatives. With unemployment still painfully high across the nation, we can’t afford to lose as many as 50,000 jobs and the corn yield that sustains them,” said Jere White, Triazine Network chairman and executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association.

EPA cited a media report and claims by a longtime anti-atrazine group when it announced the additional, unscheduled review. It was the first time in history EPA did not cite sound science to initiate a review process.

Coursey’s statement can be viewed at http://agsense.org/

6-30-10--Farmers Plant 7.1 Million Acres to Feedgrains
 

Kansas sorghum farmers planted 2.4 million acres of corn this spring, according to the June acreage report released by Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service (KASS). Kansas and Texas lead the nation in planted acres at 2.4 million each and the two states represent 80 percent of the nation’s 6 million planted sorghum acres.

The Kansas sorghum crop is on pace with last year and is 88 percent emerged and is rated 74 good to excellent.

Kansas growers have good overall soil moisture. Statewide, subsoil moisture is 83 percent adequate. Southwest Kansas is the driest section of the state with subsoil moisture rated at 61 percent adequate, 23 percent short and 15 percent very short.

Both corn and sorghum are used as feedstock for livestock, ethanol, exports and other uses. Kansas farmers have planted 7.1 million acres of these feedgrains this year.

6-2-10--Kansas Corn, Sorghum Planting Progresses with Warmer Temperatures

According to the Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service Crop Progress report, nearly a quarter of the state’s sorghum crop is in the ground while corn planted is nearly completed. Temperatures were high across the state last week, most areas reaching high 80’s and low 90’s. Most of the precipitation fell in the central portion of the state and in a few areas in the southwest. Favorable weather conditions allowed for 4.6 days suitable for Kansas grain sorghum producers to continue planting and for some corn growers to re-plant.

“I’ve had the opportunity to travel through many areas of the state over the past week and it’s obvious the warmer temperatures have really spurred the growth on the corn,” according to Sue Schulte, communications director for the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association and Kansas Corn Growers Association. “And with sorghum being a warm weather crop, you can really see a lot of movement in getting that crop planted now.” 

Twenty-three percent of the grain sorghum has been planted, behind 30 percent from last year. Eight percent of the crop has emerged, one point ahead of last year. Of the national sorghum crop, 50 percent has been planted, behind last year’s 54 percent. 

Kansas corn growers planted 96 percent of the corn crop by May 30, the same as last year, but a little behind the 5-year average of 98 percent. Ninety-seven percent of all U.S. corn has been planted as of May 30, which is one point ahead of the five-year average and 5 points above the slow 2009 planting season. The Crop Progress report indicates that corn crop conditions are good, with 72 percent of the corn planted rated good or excellent. The report also states that 81 percent of the corn planted in Kansas has emerged.  

Crop progress and condition estimates are based on survey data collected each week from early April through the end of November. To view the USDA Crop Progress report, visit: www.nass.usda.gov.