Kansas
Grain Sorghum NEWS 

12-24-03--Kansas Corn, Sorghum Growers Encourage Factual Discussion of BSE

12-4-03--DDGS: Valued ethanol co-product/Valued livestock feed 

11-18-03--Kansas Congressional Delegation Unites Behind Energy Bill

11-3-03--Kansas Growers Welcome EPA's Atrazine Decision

10-31-03--Senator Bob Dole to Speak at Kansas Commodity Classic

10-20-03--Growers Encouraged to Sign Up for Grain Sorghum Commission Election

10-9-03--Exports Remain Important for Grain Sorghum Growers

9-25-03--Bindel Asks for Equal Crop Insurance Treatment for Sorghum

Text of Leo Bindel's NGSP Crop Insurance Testimony

9-18-03--Center to Sustain Grain Sorghum Improvement Efforts

9-15-03--East Kansas Agri-Energy, LLC Is Pushing for More Local Investment (EKAE news release)

9-4-03--Sorghum Commission Elects Officers, Reminds Growers of Upcoming Elections

8-20-03--More Sorghum May Head to Spain

8-11-03--KGSPA Scholarship Winner Selected

8-1-03--Energy Bill Is Big Win for Kansas Growers; More Work Ahead

7-28-03--Kansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Host International Trade Team

7-15-03--Kansas Sorghum Growers Encouraged to Enter Yield Contest

7-2-03--2003 Kansas Sorghum Production Should Be Up

6-16-03--Starane Receives Exemption for Use in Grain Sorghum

6-12-03--Sorghum Gains Recognition As Fodder for Ethanol

6-6-03--RFS In Senate Energy Bill Good for Corn, Sorghum Growers

6-6-03--East Kansas Agri-Energy, LLC Extends Target Date to September 1

5/21/03--As School Year Ends, KGSC Looks Back on Accomplishments

5-8-03--Sorghum, Corn and Distillers Grains Subject of Course for Mexican, Columbian Buyers

4-28-03--East Kansas Agri-Energy, LLC Announces Target Deadline
(EKAE News Release distributed by KGSPA/KCGA)

4-24-03--Kansas Ethanol Expansion Is Good for Sorghum Growers

4-21-03--East Kansas Agri-Energy, LLC Schedules Additional Equity Drive Meetings (EKAE News Release distributed by KGSPA/KCGA)

4/10/03--Grain Sorghum Benefits Water, Soil and Air

4/4/03--Pro-Ethanol Legislation Moves Forward in on State and National Levels

03/27/03--Sorghum May Be Next Trendy Food

03/14/03--Washington Trip Allows Sorghum Growers to Discuss Concerns and Opportunities

03/10/03--Grain Sorghum Election Results Final

4/10/03--Grain Sorghum Benefits Water, Soil and Air

4/4/03--Pro-Ethanol Legislation Moves Forward in on State and National Levels

03/27/03--Sorghum May Be Next Trendy Food

03/14/03--Washington Trip Allows Sorghum Growers to Discuss Concerns and Opportunities

03/10/03--Grain Sorghum Election Results Final

02/21/03--Kansas Corn & Grain Sorghum Associations Welcome New Ag Secretary

02/14/03--Disaster Assistance Package Will Help Kansas Corn, Sorghum Growers

02/04/03--Kansas Played Key Role in EPA's Favorable Atrazine Decision

01/31/03--EPA Approach to Atrazine Supported by Growers

1/29/03--Kansas Set for Major Expansion of Ethanol Industry

01/28/03--Western Plains Energy, LLC Purchasing Site for Ethanol Plant

01/27/03--Garnett Group to Begin Equity Drive for Ethanol Plant

1/16/03--Kansas Ethanol Workshop to Offer Information, Insight

12-24-02--Kansas Sorghum Growers Win National Honors

12/10/02--Kansas Grain Sorghum Commissioner Returns from Cuba

11/26/02--Late Kansas Sorghum Harvest Nears End

9-16-04--Governor Recognizes Biofuels with Proclamation
Governor Kathleen Sebelius signed a proclamation recognizing the importance of biofuels including ethanol at the Kansas State Fair on Wednesday. The Governor applauded the impact ethanol production has on the state’s economy.

“The growing ethanol industry provides growers, rural communities and the state with opportunities to improve their economic well-being,” according to Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission Chairman Jeff Casten of Quenemo. “We have seen firsthand the benefits of ethanol production in Kansas.”

Most of the ethanol produced in Kansas is made from grain sorghum. Six plants, located in Atchison, Campus, Colwich, Garden City, Leoti and Russell produce more than 130 million gallons of ethanol per year. Those plants create a market for more than 48 million bushels of sorghum and corn.

Nationally, ethanol production continues on a record breaking pace. The U.S. ethanol industry set an all-time monthly production record in June of 222,000 barrels per day, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. June represented the ninth consecutive all-time monthly production record. Production was up nearly 23 percent compared to last June.

“We look forward to continued growth in ethanol production as more plants come on line in Kansas communities,” Casten said. “These plants definitely have a positive impact on the price we receive for our sorghum. That’s why the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission has been involved in expanding the ethanol industry in Kansas.”

The State of Kansas supports the use of ethanol and biodiesel by requiring state vehicles and equipment to use these fuels when they are available as long as they are priced no more than ten cents per gallon higher than regular fuel.

Nine growers, representing the state’s nine crop reporting districts, serve on the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission. The commission determines how the half-cent per bushel grain sorghum checkoff is invested in the areas of domestic and foreign market development, promotion, research and education.

9-1-04--Great Plains Sorghum Symposium, September 14 and 15

The Great Plains Sorghum Symposium, September 14 and 15 at Manhattan will bring together individuals interested in grain sorghum production to showcase challenges and opportunities in sorghum improvement, production and marketing.  This includes producers, private industry, and public research and extension personnel.

The focus of the 2004 meeting will be sorghum utilization with local, regional and international speakers. The event organizers are hopeful to get several growers at the event to let them know what is going on in grain sorghum research and to get growers’ feedback. Projects funded by the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission and National Sorghum Producers are included in the program.

Activities on the afternoon of Tuesday, Sept. 14 will be held at KSU’s Ashland Bottoms Research Farm near Manhattan. Topics covered will be cropping systems, weed control, corn-sorghum comparisons, sorghum response to environmental stress, cold tolerance and drought tolerance.  The afternoon’s events will wrap up with a social hour and barbecue at the farm. Wednesday morning’s events will be held at the K-State Student Union and will wrap up by noon. Topics covered include tannins, food uses, insect research, food grade sorghum, feed value, and commercial uses. Registration is $45 at the door.

The Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission is a nine-member grower board that invests the half-cent per bushel grain sorghum checkoff in the areas of foreign and domestic market development, promotion, research and education.

8-12-04--Grain Sorghum Commission Looks Forward to Trade with Morocco
The Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission (KGSC) and US Grains Council have laid the groundwork for sales of sorghum to Morocco when tariffs are eliminated thanks to the passage of the US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement. The US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement recently passed by Congress will eliminate the tariff on grain sorghum when it goes into effect January 1, 2005. The FTA also phases out tariffs on corn and barley over a period of years.

“The sorghum commission has been working with the US Grains Council to build trade with Morocco for several years,” KGSC Chairman Jeff Casten, Quenemo, said. “But the tariff on sorghum made it difficult to sell large amounts of sorghum to that country. Soon that trade barrier will be gone, and we’ve already laid the groundwork to become a major feed source for Morocco’s poultry industry.

The language that eliminates and phases out grain tariffs was the product of several years of work by the US Grains Council and groups like the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission. While the USGC worked with the U.S. trade negotiators to ensure that sorghum, corn and barley received favorable treatment in the agreement, our counterparts in Morocco lobbied for the same thing with their Moroccan trade negotiators.

Working with the US Grains Council, the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission provided sorghum for successful poultry feeding trials in Morocco in 1997. The Commission has also hosted Moroccan trade teams in Kansas. The feeding trials and other efforts built interest in US sorghum. The lower tariffs, thanks to the US Moroccan Free Trade Agreement, will make US sorghum a very attractive grain to Moroccan grain buyers.

“We look forward continuing our work with the US Grains Council to build our business relationship with Morocco, and to build strong foreign markets for grain sorghum,” Casten said.

Morocco’s expanding poultry and meat sector is driving the country’s demand for feed grains. While poultry is the fastest growing meat production sector in Morocco, the cost of chicken meat production is one of the highest when compared to other middle-income countries. Costs to the Moroccan poultry producers will be significantly reduced through lower feed grain prices as a result of this agreement, according to the Grains Council.

The Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission is a nine-member grower board that invests the half-cent per bushel grain sorghum checkoff in the areas of foreign and domestic market development, promotion, research and education.
 

5-21-04--Sorghum Silage Crop Insurance to be Offered in 37 Kansas Counties
KGSPA staff is participating in a conference call Monday to learn more about the 2005 sorghum silage crop insurance program approved recently by FCIC. 37 Kansas counties and two Colorado counties will be eligible to participate in a silage sorghum crop insurance pilot program in 2005. The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation board recently voted to approve the silage sorghum crop insurance program. NGSP and KGSPA have sought crop insurance coverage for sorghum silage for several years. KGSPA board member Leo Bindel, Sabetha, reiterated the need for sorghum silage coverage in testimony he gave to the US House Committee on Agriculture last fall. While crop insurance is available for corn silage, it has not been offered for sorghum silage.

"At a time of multi-year droughts when producers need water-saving options, government crop insurance policy is dictating that farmers grow corn silage with insurance in order to get financing by their bankers," Bindel told the committee in September.

According to the Risk Management Agency (RMA): Grain sorghum varieties grown for harvest as silage will be eligible for coverage under the new pilot program beginning in the 2005 crop year and continuing through the 2008 crop year for 2 counties in Colorado (Baca and Prowers) and 37 counties in Kansas (Barton, Decatur, Ellis, Finney, Ford, Gove, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearny, Lane, Logan, Meade, Morton, Ness, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, Rawlins, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Scott, Seward, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stanton, Stevens, Thomas, Trego, Wallace, and Wichita). Non-silage varieties will not be covered under this pilot program. Under the current Coarse Grains Crop Provisions, grain sorghum grown for silage is not insurable, while corn grown for silage is. Kansas is one of the country's largest producers of this feed product.

Producers will be able to purchase coverage up to the 75 percent coverage level for this pilot program. The price election will be set at 80 percent of the corn silage price, which is obtained using RMA's newly revised corn silage pricing methodology. The National Sorghum Producers Association was extensively involved with the project. RMA will finalize the policy terms and conditions and anticipates release of such with the 2005 crop year actuarial filing for grain sorghum in early October 2004. The sales closing date will be March 15, 2005, for the 2005 crop year.

5/17/04--ksgrains.com Offers Central Ethanol Site
The Kansas grain sorghum and corn web site, www.ksgrains.com, now features a Kansas Ethanol Information site. The ksgrains.com site hosts the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association web sites as well as the corn commission and association sites. The individual web sites offered ethanol information, but the central ethanol site allows us to offer more current and cohesive ethanol information. The Kansas Ethanol Information site offers information on E10 and E85 fuels; Kansas and US Production figures; DDGS, and helpful ethanol industry links. Check it out at http:www.ksgrains.com/ethanol

5/7/04--RMA Seeks to Address Multi-Year Crop Loss Issues
May 7, 2004--Many Kansas growers are continuing to struggle with a multiple year drought and the effects of their crop losses on crop insurance guarantees. The Risk Management Agency (RMA) held a meeting today in Kansas City to request proposals to address the effects of insurance guarantees because of multi-year losses. The Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association were represented at the meeting.

Congressman Jerry Moran gave opening remarks at the meeting. Congressman Moran is Chairman of the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management. He told the group that crop insurance is important to his constituents.

"I was at the 3-I Show, a large Kansas farm show, and crop insurance was the number one issue people were talking to me about," Congressman Moran told the group. "You can see by the number of farm organizations here today that this is a high priority to them."

The work that Congressman Moran and RMA are doing is proactive and has the potential to result in needed adjustments to the crop insurance system, according to Jere White, executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association

"We appreciate the work of Congressman Moran and RMA and their efforts to address problems our growers are experiencing with multi-year losses due to the lingering drought in many parts of our state," White said. "Many of our growers, especially in northwest Kansas, are looking at yet another dry year and another year of possible crop losses."

Many farmers in the western corn belt are concerned about the effects a multi-year drought are having on their crop insurance coverage and their yield history figures for their farms. A recent survey conducted for the National Corn Growers Association polled growers about their participation in the crop insurance programs over the past five years. 91 percent of growers interviewed had purchased crop insurance. Growers surveyed in the western corn growing region, which included Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado and Texas, were more likely to file more than one crop insurance claim in the last five years. Nationwide, 30 percent of growers surveyed filed claims in consecutive years, but in the western region, 60 percent filed consecutive claims.

"This survey covers the time period of one of the worst droughts in our region's history, and illustrates the challenges our growers are facing," White said. "This is why we need to look at multiple year crop losses and improve crop insurance so those growers are not penalized."

Companies, universities and private sector researchers attended the RMA meeting to discuss the problem of multi-year crop losses and submit proposals to address those problems.

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3/19/04--Moroccan Trade Agreement Good for Sorghum
If approved by Congress, a new trade agreement and an expanding poultry industry and a should lead to a stronger market for US grain sorghum and other grains in Morocco. Moroccan poultry producers are familiar with US grain sorghum after successful sorghum feeding trials in 1997. The Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission donated 2,700 bushels of sorghum for the feeding trials sponsored by the US Grains Council. KGSC has also hosted Moroccan trade teams.

"You always hope for instant results from these kinds of projects, but in reality, these things take time," KGSC Chairman Jeff Casten said. "The feeders in Morocco saw a lot of benefits in US sorghum, and the Moroccan government lowered the tariffs somewhat for our grain. Since then, we have sold some sorghum to Morocco. The Moroccan Free Trade Agreement reduces or eliminates tariffs on US grains, and this gives us better access to that market."

Because US sorghum is tannin-free, it has a definite trade advantage over sorghum produced in other countries. Tannin has a negative impact on sorghum's feeding value, especially in poultry.

"Basically, chickens don't like tannin sorghum. When we were participating in the feeding trials, the Moroccans brought in tannin sorghum from another country and had poor results. When our tannin-free U.S. sorghum arrived, the feeders were very impressed."

The biggest trade barrier sorghum producers are seeing now is lower US sorghum production figures, due primarily to drought.

"We've done a good job developing good export demand, as well as good demand from the ethanol industry and other sectors. But a couple of bad years have really hurt our supply of sorghum in the US," Casten said. "We're nearing planting season, and growers really should take a look at sorghum."

The Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission is a board consisting of grower representatives from the state's nine crop reporting districts. The commission invests the half-cent per bushel grain sorghum checkoff in the areas of foreign and domestic market development, research, promotion and education.


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3/31/04--KDA Announces Commodity Commission Election Results--Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission Results
March 31, 2004--The Kansas Department of Agriculture today announced the names of producers from the eastern third of the state who were elected to the state's four commodity commissions - corn, grain sorghum, soybeans and wheat.

This was the first election for districts seven, eight and nine under the new law that privatized the commissions in July 2000. District seven includes Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Jackson, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Marshall, Nemaha, Pottawatomie, Riley and Wyandotte counties. District eight includes Anderson, Chase, Coffey, Douglas, Franklin, Geary, Johnson, Linn, Lyon, Miami, Morris, Osage, Shawnee and Wabaunsee counties. District nine includes Allen, Bourbon, Butler, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cowley, Crawford, Elk, Greenwood, Labette, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson and Woodson counties.

Ballots were cast between January and March 1 and were counted at the Kansas Department of Agriculture during March. The newly elected commissioners will take office April 1 and will serve for three years. Previously, commissioners were appointed by the governor.

Commissioner-elect for the Kansas Grain Sorghum CommissionDistrict seven - Leo Bindel, farms near Sabetha with his son, David. They grow corn, grain sorghum and soybeans. Bindel has been an advisor to NK® Syngenta and NK® Sorghum Partners. He has served on the board of directors and as president of both the National Sorghum Producers and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers. Bindel and his wife, Lois, have six children.

District eight - Jeff Casten, is a fourth-generation farmer who has grown grain sorghum in Osage County since 1977. Caston is currently serving as Chairman of the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission. Casten and his wife, Joyce, have four daughters.

District nine - Kathryn Claiborne, who farms with her husband, Kenton, in Wilson and Woodson counties. The grow wheat, grain sorghum and soybeans. They also raise cattle and have a meat goat operation. Claiborne has served on several boards and committees, including the Fredonia High School Site Council, the Wilson County Jail Advisory Board, Wilson County Extension Council and the Wilson County Executive Board. She also served five years as a 4-H leader and one year on the FmHA board. She and her husband have three children.

2005 election will cover central third of state
Corn, grain sorghum, soybean and wheat growers in the central third of the state can expect to receive information by mail this summer outlining the 2005 election procedure. Also, commission representatives will visit field day events to distribute information.

Affected by the 2005 election will be districts four, five and six. District four includes Clay, Cloud, Jewell, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Phillips, Republic, Rooks, Smith and Washington counties. District five includes Barton, Dickinson, Ellis, Ellsworth, Lincoln, McPherson, Marion, Rice, Rush, Russell and Saline counties. District six includes Barber, Comanche, Edwards, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Kiowa, Pawnee, Pratt, Reno, Sedgwick, Stafford and Sumner counties.

Grain growers who plan to campaign for a seat on one of the commissions must collect on an official petition form 20 signatures from eligible voters to be included on the 2005 ballot. Official petition forms will be available through the Kansas Department of Agriculture or one of the grain commodity commissions.

No more than five signatures from any one county will be used to qualify a candidate. Eligible voters are Kansas residents who will reach age 18 before the election and have been growing corn, grain sorghum, soybeans or wheat during the last three years. The filing deadline for candidates is Oct. 31.

Voters may register by signing a valid candidate petition form or by filling out a voter registration form. Voter registration forms and candidate petition forms may be obtained from the Kansas Department of Agriculture, or any of the grain commodity commission offices. Or, an electronic voter registration form may be filled out online at www.ks-agr.org/commod/elections.htm. Growers must register by Dec. 31 to vote in the election.

Registered voters will receive an official ballot in January. Votes must be cast, or postmarked if submitted by mail, by March 1. After votes are cast, an official counting day in March will be announced so interested individuals may observe the vote-counting process. The names of commissioners-elect will be announced in mid-March and the elected will take office April 1.

2-17-04--Growers Testify Against Fertilizer, Pesticide Equipment Registration Bill
Grower members of the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association submitted oral and written testimony in opposition to a bill that would require the registration of a large number of privately-owned fertilizer and pesticide application equipment. The bill, as written, would require owners of self-propelled application equipment with a capacity of over 200 gallons to register their equipment with the state.

KCGA board member Bob Timmons of Fredonia gave testimony at the Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on the bill, Senate Bill 464 on Tuesday. Timmons told the committee the bill served no purpose to the state. The bill would merely create a large database of many pieces of equipment throughout the state.

"Instead of creating new bureaucracies and new regulations, we should focus on encouraging compliance with the laws we already have in place," Timmons said. "The Department of Agriculture is implementing recent changes to Kansas Pesticide and Fertilizer Law. We believe that the early stages of this process are going well. If there is dissatisfaction in how existing pesticide regulations are being enforced, we should address those concerns, and not make another new law so we can later complain how that is being enforced."

The bill's requirements would include tractors with mounted tanks and sprayers that slide onto the beds of pickup trucks. In written testimony, KGSPA President Greg Shelor of Minneola questioned the need for the database.

"This bill would impact family farmers like me who are already complying with current regulations and labels, and who are willing to learn more," Shelor stated. "The state already has a database of over 17,000 Certified Private Applicators. Creating a second database of people with a certain size and type of application equipment is redundant and unnecessary.

Growers from other commodity groups also spoke in opposition to the bill. The Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association and Kansas Cooperative Council supported the bill.

The Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association represent their members on legislative and regulatory issues.

6-6-03 East Kansas Agri-Energy, LLC Extends Target Date to September 1

EKAE Release:
(Garnett, KS) - The Board of Directors for East Kansas Agri-Energy, LLC (EKAE) has announced that as of June 2 they have raised $7 million dollars towards their effort to build a 20 million gallon per year ethanol plant in Garnett, KS.

"The Board of Directors is extremely pleased with the progress of the project to date," said Bill Pracht, Chairperson of the Board of Directors. "Reaching this benchmark is a milestone for our group; we are approaching the halfway mark of our goal of $14 to $18 million dollars."

The creation of a target date for membership participation in EKAE worked to the group's advantage in determining the amount of interest and enthusiasm towards the project.

"We have had a tremendous amount of influx of investors in the last few weeks," said Jill Zimmerman, Equity Drive Coordinator for the project. To date, membership participation in the company is 61% farmer-owned. The board of directors has expressed a desire to maintain this level of farmer participation in the project.

At this time, no additional public equity drive meetings have been scheduled. The focus of the board of directors will include continuing to follow-up with meeting attendees and to solicit additional investments from agriculture producers and "mainstreet" investors from Kansas, Missouri, and certain other states.

"The board established a new target date of September 1, 2003. The company would like have the equity drive completed at that time so that construction of the plant can begin this year," added Pracht.

EKAE, LLC is a limited liability company that was organized in October of 2001, by 122 regional farm producers, businesses and individuals for the purpose of building a 20 million gallon per year ethanol production facility in Garnett, KS.

For more information contact EKAE, LLC toll free at (877) 352-3552.
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5-22-03--As School Year Ends, KGSC Looks Back on Accomplishments
More Kansas students know about grain sorghum and Kansas agriculture thanks to efforts by the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission. Kansas is the nation's leading producer of grain sorghum. KGSC supports educational efforts through the Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom and through the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association.

KGSC is a leading sponsor of KFAC's popular school assembly program called Kansas Kids, Crops and Critters. This year, the assembly was presented at 29 locations across the state and reached 9,500 students. 180 teachers received "Agri-Bags" from KFAC that contain teacher resources for teaching about agriculture.

"It's important that our young people understand where their food comes from," KGSC Chairman Jeff Casten of Quenemo said. "Ag in the Classroom is an effective program that really gets the attention of the students."

This year's KFAC assembly program visited 29 locations, reached over 9,500 students, and provided materials to 180 teachers.

The Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association also works with KGSC to teach school children about grain sorghum. By providing educational materials and presenting at school agriculture day events, KGSPA staff reached hundreds of students this year.

In addition to school events, KGSC is a sponsor of Agriland, the large interactive educational display featured at the Kansas State Fair. Several agricultural groups work together to give students and adult fair-goers information about how agriculture fits into their lives.

"We're lucky to have so many agricultural groups in Kansas all working together with a common goal-to help the citizens and future leaders of our state understand the important role farmers play in their lives," Casten said.

The Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission is a nine-member board that determines how the half-cent per bushel grain sorghum checkoff is invested in the areas of research, education, market development and promotion.
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5-8-03--Sorghum, Corn and Distillers Grains subject of Course for Mexican, Columbian Buyers
Top grain importers and end users from Mexico and Columbia recently completed a Sorghum and Corn Procurement Course at the International Grains Program at Kansas State University. The US Grains Council brought the group to IGP for intensive week-long course. The Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission and Kansas Corn Commission are sponsors of the IGP course and also fund efforts of the US Grains Council to develop foreign markets for Kansas grains.

"Attending this course provides me with an excellent opportunity to enhance my understanding of grain procurement," according to Columbian team member Mario Ocampo, general manager with Nutriavicola S.A. "Applying this knowledge will aid future growth of my company."

The 13-person team consisted of poultry and swine producers, grain importers and feed millers. Subjects included US grain production and marketing system, pricing, grain inspection, certification and procurement of contracts. In addition to learning about the basics of buying US grain sorghum and corn, the participants also learned about pricing and shipping dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), the coproduct of ethanol production.

The ethanol industry is rapidly expanding in Kansas and across the Midwest. Developing an export market for DDGS is a focus for growers and ethanol producers. About one-third of the grain used in ethanol production becomes DDGS, a high nutrient feed for livestock. Efforts to educate grain buyers about the value of DDGS are currently underway by the US Grains Council, National Sorghum Producers and National Corn Growers Association.

The Mexican market is especially important to Kansas grain sorghum and corn producers. Mexico is the leading importer of US grain sorghum and the second largest importer of US corn.
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4-28-03--East Kansas Agri-Energy, LLC Announces Target Deadline
(EKAE News Release distributed by KGSPA/KCGA)
(Garnett, KS) - The Board of Directors for East Kansas Agri-Energy, LLC (EKAE) has announced that its target date to purchase membership units in the company has been set for Monday, June 2, 2003. If the Board of Directors is able to meet the Monday, June 2 deadline then the company should be able to reach financial close this summer, break ground this fall and start producing ethanol in the winter of 2004.

EKAE, LLC is offering membership units at a price of $1,000 per unit, with a minimum purchase of 10 units, or a minimum investment of $10,000. EKAE will sell a minimum of $9 million and a maximum of $18 million in membership units. The total project cost is estimated at $36 million. Any resident of Kansas and Missouri who meets investor suitability criteria may buy units. The units are also available to accredited investors from certain other states.

EKAE, LLC is also soliciting investments not only from agriculture producers but "mainstreet" investors as well. Unlike some other ethanol plant projects, there is no requirement for investors to deliver corn or grain sorghum to the plant or purchase product from the plant.

The plant as planned will create a demand for more than 7 million bushels of corn and grain sorghum annually to produce 20 million gallons of ethanol and 64,000 tons of distiller dried grains with solubles per year. EKAE, LLC has negotiated an option to purchase 23 acres in the Golden Prairie Industrial Park in Garnett, KS.

"The attendance and interest during the first round of equity drive meetings was tremendous," said Bill Pracht, Chairperson of the Board of Directors. "In order to meet our target deadline of Monday, June 2, additional meetings have been scheduled in Eastern Kansas and Western Missouri starting Tuesday, April 29 through Tuesday, May 20. These meetings are to assist potential investors who were unable to attend an earlier meeting, have additional questions, or need assistance completing their subscription agreements.

EKAE, LLC is a limited liability company that was organized in October of 2001, by 122 regional farm producers, businesses and individuals for the purpose of building a 20 million gallon per year ethanol production facility in Garnett, KS.

For more information contact EKAE, LLC toll free at (877) 352-3552.
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4-24-03--Kansas Ethanol Expansion Is Good for Sorghum Growers
Efforts to build two new ethanol plants moving forward in Kansas add up to good news for grain sorghum growers in the state. Last week, the Western Plains Energy LLC ethanol group broke ground on its 30 million gallon ethanol plant at Campus, located near Oakley. This week, East Kansas Agri Energy announced a second round of equity drive meetings and has reported excellent interest from potential investors. The group is seeking investors from Kansas and Missouri to build a 20 million gallon ethanol plant at Garnett in east central Kansas.

While most of the ethanol plants in the Midwest use corn to produce ethanol, grain sorghum is normally used to make most of the ethanol produced in Kansas. Ethanol plants can use either grain to produce their product.

"There is a lot of interest in ethanol from farmers who grow grain sorghum," according to Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission Chairman Jeff Casten of Quenemo. "Most of the ethanol made in Kansas is made from grain sorghum and that adds value to our crop."

The Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission assisted both groups in the early stages of development. The commission provided funds for both groups to complete feasibility studies. KGSC, along with the Kansas Corn Commission and Kansas Department of Commerce Ag Products Division, produced a Kansas ethanol pre-feasibility study for start-up groups to use to determine if an ethanol plant would succeed in their communities.

"One of the commission's main objectives is to develop markets for grain sorghum, and that's why we've been involved in expanding the ethanol industry in Kansas," Casten said. "Now we're seeing concrete results. Five years ago, ethanol production used about 20 million bushels grain; now we're using about 30 million bushels and that number would increase to nearly 50 million bushels when these two new plants come on line."

About 200 people attended the groundbreaking at Campus for the Western Plains Energy ethanol plant last Thursday. First District Representative Jerry Moran was the keynote speaker at the event. Also speaking at the event was Jere White, who is executive director of the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association as well as the Kansas Corn Commission, and Kansas Corn Growers Association.

Western Plains Energy's organizers expect to be producing ethanol at the plant in early 2004. The WPE plant will produce 30 million gallons of ethanol per year and create a market for 10.7 million bushels of grain sorghum or corn annually. The plant will produce over 90,000 tons of distiller's grains for use as a premium cattle feed.

The EKAE facility would produce 20 million gallons of ethanol per year, and is expected to require 7.5 million bushels of sorghum or corn.

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4-21-03--East Kansas Agri-Energy, LLC Schedules Additional Equity Drive Meetings (EKAE News Release)

(Garnett, KS) - The Board of Directors for East Kansas Agri-Energy, LLC recently announced that a new series of equity drive meetings have been scheduled in eastern Kansas and western Missouri. The Garnett, KS, based group, which was organized by 122 area agricultural, business and community leaders, is working to build a 20 million gallon per year ethanol production facility.

"The attendance and interest during the first round of equity drive meetings was tremendous, said Bill Pracht, Chairperson of the Board of Directors. "We generated a tremendous amount of interest, handing out over 1400 prospectus to agriculture producers and potential "mainstreet" investors as well."

In order to meet our targeted June 2 target date, additional equity drive meetings have been scheduled to assist potential investors who were unable to attend an earlier meeting, have additional questions or need assistance completing their subscription agreements. The meetings are as follows:

Tuesday, April 29, 7:00 p.m.
Sedgwick County Extension Education Center, 7001 West 21st North, Wichita

Wednesday, April 30, 7:00 p.m.
Best Western Hospitality House, 3021 West Highway 50, Emporia

Thursday, May 1, 7:00 p.m.
Coffey County Courthouse, Basement Meeting Room, Burlington

Tuesday, May 6, 7:00 p.m.
Celebration Hall, Franklin County Fairgrounds, Ottawa

Wednesday, May 7, 7:00 p.m.
The Lodge, 502 Ames Street, Baldwin

Thursday, May 8, 7:00 p.m.
Allen County Community College, Lecture Hall, North Entrance, Iola

Tuesday, May 13, 7:00 p.m.
Smokehouse, 19300 Metcalf, Stilwell

Wednesday, May 14, 7:00 p.m.
Flaming Lantern Restaurant, 1104 West Fort Scott, Butler, MO

Thursday, May 15, 7:00 p.m.
4-H Building, 114 W. County Road, Columbus

Tuesday, May 20, 7:00 p.m.
Paolucci Restaurant, 115 South 3rd, Atchison

EKAE, LLC seeks to raise approximately $14.4 million from private investors before seeking commercial financing for the remainder of the $36 million project.

The second round of informational meetings will give the organization the opportunity to build on the interest and momentum from the first round and allow board members to follow-up with potential investors who received a prospectus. The equity drive meetings provide potential investors with an opportunity to learn more about the project.

For more information contact EKAE, LLC toll free at (877) 352-3552.

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4/10/03--Grain Sorghum Benefits Water, Soil and Air
Grain sorghum is a crop that can protect water, soil and air. Brought to America from Africa in the late 1700s, sorghum has become a good fit for Kansas farmers' efforts in soil and water conservation. Kansas is the nation's leading producer of grain sorghum. Sorghum in Kansas is used primarily as a livestock feed and for production of ethanol, a renewable fuel that reduces air pollution.

"Earth Day is coming up, and if you're wondering what you can do on your farm to help the environment, then you should think about grain sorghum," KGSC Chairman Jeff Casten of Quenemo said. "Sorghum conserves water and soil, and it's used to make a renewable fuel that cleans our air, and reduces our dependence on fossil fuels. That's what I call environmentally friendly."

Conservation programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Security Program (CSP), are focusing on water and soil conservation. Grain sorghum is a good fit for both of those programs.

"Sorghum is an arid crop. In fact, it's known as a water sipping crop, and it's an excellent crop for soil conservation as well," Casten said.

Most ethanol plants use corn, but in Kansas, sorghum is the grain of choice.

"Our ethanol plants can use either corn or sorghum. Sorghum's conversion to ethanol is basically the same as corn, and the coproduct, sorghum-based distillers grains, are a high quality livestock feed," Casten said.

The Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission is a nine-member board made up of growers representing each of the state's nine crop reporting districts. The commission determines how the half-cent per bushel grain sorghum checkoff is invested in the areas of market development, promotion, research and education.

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4/4/03--Pro-Ethanol Legislation Moves Forward in on State and National Levels
The Kansas legislature as well as the U.S. House and Senate all moved forward on pro-ethanol legislation this week. The Kansas House today sent to the governor legislation that would require the state to purchase E10 unleaded fuel for its bulk fuel tanks. On the national level this week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed a renewable fuels standard that would increase the use of ethanol to five billion gallons per year, and the Senate Finance Committee passed an energy tax incentive bill. The Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association have worked for the passage of the ethanol bills in Topeka and Washington.

In Kansas, HB2036 passed 123-2. The bill would require all bulk gasoline purchases to contain 10 percent ethanol if it is not priced more than 10 cents per gallon over regular unleaded fuel. The fuel, E10 unleaded, is marketed throughout Kansas. The legislation also requires individual vehicle fuel purchases be E10 unleaded where available and if less than 10 cents per gallon over regular unleaded fuel.

"Ethanol production is one of the state's fastest growing industries. The five ethanol plants located in communities across Kansas benefit not only those rural communities but also the farm economy," according to KGSPA President Greg Shelor of Minneola. "That's why it makes sense for the State of Kansas to use ethanol. It supports many facets of our state's economy."

On the national level, KCGA and KGSPA are working for passage of the Renewable Fuels Standard, which would boost the use of ethanol to 5 billion gallons per year. The RFS was part of the Energy Bill in 2002, which floundered in a House/Senate Conference Committee. The Renewable Fuels Standard has been introduced in both the House and the Senate again this year, and is expected to be part of the Energy Bill. This week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved an energy bill that includes a Renewable Fuels Standard.

"What is really significant is that attempts by members of the committee to strike the RFS were overwhelmingly defeated," KCGA President Alan Peter of Tribune said. "The RFS had very strong support on this House committee, and that gives us reason to be optimistic that the it has a good chance to pass in the Energy Bill this year."

The Senate Finance Committee passed bipartisan tax incentive legislation that corrects the gap in the ethanol excise tax exemption so that ethanol and gasoline make the same contribution to the Highway Trust Fund. The legislation also makes changes to the small ethanol producer tax credit by allowing members of a farmer cooperative to receive the 10-cents-per-gallon production credit. Kansas Representative Jerry Moran is a co-sponsoring a similar bill to correct the small ethanol producer credit in the House.

The Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association are membership-based organizations that represent Kansas growers on state and national levels.

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03/27/03--Sorghum May Be Next Trendy Food
As American consumers continue to turn to functional foods, the latest nutrition trend may be grain sorghum. While grain sorghum is a staple food for people in parts of Africa and Asia, American are just beginning to realize the benefits of adding sorghum to their diets. Food writers and food companies are starting to include sorghum in their books and products, thanks to the work of the National Sorghum Producers. The Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission works closely with NGSP in research and promotion of food use for sorghum.

Prominent food writer and nutritionist Cheryl Forberg has featured grain sorghum in her new cookbook "Stop the Clock! Cooking". Forberg says sorghum flour is the third most powerful anti-aging food behind cocoa powder and red wine. Forberg worked closely with National Sorghum Producers to learn about the nutritional qualities of sorghum. Sorghum is featured in a cookbook by nutritionist and gluten-free/wheat-free diet expert Dr. Carol Fenster, president of Savory Palate, Inc. The book, titled Gluten-Free 101: Easy, Basic Dishes Without Wheat, recently went on sale at book outlets nationwide. Fenster also has consulted with NGSP.

"When someone calls about food grade sorghum, they usually have two questions: 'where do I get it and how do I use it?' There used to be only a handful of recipes and advice, but now there is a growing number of resources available to the consumer," according to Sue Schulte, Communications Director for the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association.

Food grade sorghum has long been used by people who cannot tolerate gluten in their diet. Sorghum is gluten-free, making it a valuable grain for people with this condition.

"We used to get occasional requests from people looking for sorghum flour to bake gluten-free food," Schulte said. "Now, we regularly get requests from consumers who are interested in sorghum for its nutritional benefits. That interest has been spurred by research that our growers have sponsored as well as private research."

New research is showing that sorghum has value for everyone, not just for people with gluten intolerance.

"We're learning that grain sorghum is loaded with anti-oxidants and has other nutritional benefits that can really make a difference in a person's diet," Schulte said.

According to NGSP, grain sorghum is comprised of 11.3 percent protein and 3.3 percent fat. Breads produced with grain sorghum bran can provide approximately five grams of dietary fiber per 56 gram slice. Food grade sorghum is high in insoluble fiber with relatively small amounts of soluble fiber. The protein and starch in grain sorghum are more slowly digested than other cereals, and slower rates of digestibility are particularly beneficial for diabetics.

Sorghum flour can be purchased from Twin Valley Mills LLC, a grower-owned mill in Nebraska. Bob's Red Mill, an Oregon-based company features sorghum in some of its gluten-free bread mixes and cereals. Both can be found on the Internet.

The Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission is a nine-member grower board that determines how the half-cent per bushel grain sorghum checkoff is invested in the areas of research, market development, promotion and education.

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03/14/03--Washington Trip Allows Sorghum Growers to Discuss Concerns and Opportunities
Grain sorghum grower leaders met with top officials from USDA, EPA as well as their elected officials during the National Sorghum Producers Presidents' DC Fly-In this week. Sorghum growers from Kansas, Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and New Mexico participated.

Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association President Greg Shelor of Minneola participated in the event along with KGSPA Director of Communications Sue Schulte. Kansas State University student Chris Pachta, NGSP Foundation Scholarship winner was also a part of the grain sorghum delegation to the nation's capitol. Pachta is from Linn, KS.

The sorghum group held meetings with key USDA staff Wednesday morning to discuss conservation programs, crop insurance, trade, and farm programs.

"A major concern we have is with the crop insurance program. We met with Ross Davidson with RMA. The loan rate for sorghum was equalized with corn in the current farm bill, but there are still major differences between the two crops in the crop insurance programs. We explained to him grain sorghum growers are penalized by the way crop insurance is structured, when they should be rewarded because sorghum is more drought tolerant and uses less water," Shelor said.

The group also talked to Carol Jett at USDA's Natural Resource and Conservation Service (NRCS) about grain sorghum's role in the EQIP program and the Conservation Security Program (CSP). Growers explained to Jett that grain sorghum is a good fit with many conservation practices.

The group met Thursday with Jean Marie Peltier, counselor to the administrator on agricultural policy at the Environmental Protection Agency to discuss availability of pesticides to sorghum producers. The growers talked to Peltier about the triazine special review, the status of propazine and the registration of Starane for the control of weeds like kochia that have herbicide resistance problems.

"We were able to make Washington officials at USDA, EPA and the ag committees aware of some of the obstacles sorghum faces in areas like crop insurance and pesticide registration, and at the same time we also made them aware of some of the opportunities grain sorghum presents, especially in the area of soil and water conservation."

The group also met with staff from both the Senate Agriculture Committee and the House Agriculture Committee. Shelor, Schulte and Pachta also visited the offices of Senator Pat Roberts, Senator Sam Brownback, Representative Jerry Moran and Representative Todd Tiahrt.

"We had as many meetings as time would allow over a two day period," Shelor said. "The sorghum producers who participated really worked hard for grain sorghum this week, and I think we'll see some results from those meetings."

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Grain Sorghum Election Results Final
The Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission will have one new face as of April 1. Election ballots for the three western districts were counted on Friday. Richard Calliham, Colby, will join the commission representing District 1, replacing Lynn Goosen, who retired from the commission. Greg Graff, Marienthal, was reelected to represent District 2 (west central) and Don Rome, Garden City, was reelected to represent District 3 (southwest). The three western Kansas commissioners will serve three year terms ending in 2006.

District one - Richard Calliham, who is a fifth-generation farmer with his wife and parents in Thomas County. They grow wheat and sorghum. Calliham and his family are active in the Colby Wesleyan church and in the Kansas Farm Bureau.

District two - Greg Graff, who farms and feeds cattle with his father and brother in Wichita County. They grow milo, wheat, corn and soybeans. Graff is a 1973 graduate of Kansas State University and currently serves on the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission, Western Kansas Groundwater Management District #1, Southwest Kansas Experiment Station advisory board, U.S. Grains Council executive board and the National Sorghum Producers Association board.

District three - Don Rome, who farms with his father and two brothers in Finney County. They grow wheat, grain sorghum, corn and soybeans. He is a graduate of Kansas State University and currently serves on the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission.

The Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission is made up of growers from each of the nine crop reporting districts of Kansas. The commission administers the half cent per bushel grain sorghum checkoff and invests checkoff collections in the areas of research, market development, promotion and education.

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Kansas Corn Grain Sorghum Associations Welcome New Ag Secretary
Newly appointed Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Adrian Polansky will bring a farmer's knowledge to his position. The farmer perspective and experience brings an important aspect to the office according the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association. Polansky is a grower, seed man, former wheat commissioner and the former state director of the USDA Kansas Farm Service Agency.

"Adrian has been a leader throughout his farming career, and as state FSA Director, he was a proactive, effective administrator who was always available to help growers," said KCGA/KGSPA Executive Director Jere White. "His experience in so many levels of agriculture will make him a valuable asset to the Governor's administration."

White said Polansky's experience would be useful in managing the broad scope of the Kansas Department of Agriculture. KDA encompasses regulation of meat and dairy, grain, pesticide and fertilizer, plant protection, water resources, statistics, weights and measures as well as education and promotion of Kansas agriculture.

"You're talking about a department that does everything from ensuring the safety of our food supply, to managing our water resources, to checking the accuracy of gas pumps," White said. "That's a full plate, and Adrian has the background and experience to handle the position," White said.

KCGA and KGSPA work closely with the Kansas Department of Agriculture on issues affecting Kansas growers.

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Disaster Assistance Package Will Help Kansas Corn, Sorghum Growers
Much needed assistance will soon be in the hands of Kansas growers hurt by drought. Leaders of the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association said they were pleased with the disaster assistance package in Omnibus Appropriations Bill approved by the House and Senate. “This isn’t a perfect solution, but it will help a lot of our growers who were hurt by the drought,” according to KCGA President Alan Peter of Tribune. “We could have spent a lot of time arguing about the best form of assistance, but with spring planting decisions before us, many of our growers didn’t have a lot of time.” The disaster assistance package would help growers with losses over 35 percent in 2001 or 2002. That amounts to about $200 million for Kansas growers.

“It looks like growers will receive assistance quickly, and that’s important,” KGSPA President Greg Shelor said. “The drought was a natural disaster that cost our farmers and our state millions of dollars.”

Major elements of the disaster assistance package came from the language in bills Senator Pat Roberts and Representative Jerry Moran introduced in January. Peter and KCGA/KGSPA Executive Director Jere White visited the state’s Congressional delegation in January to discuss disaster assistance.

“We owe a lot of thanks to all of our Senators and Representatives. They recognized the seriousness of the drought in Kansas, and they have been 100 percent behind efforts to pass disaster assistance,” White said.

Peter said he wanted to look at long-term solutions to dealing with drought related losses.“This assistance package helps some growers in the short run. Now we need to look at how we can improve crop insurance or other programs to protect our growers,” Peter said. “With the drought continuing in parts of the plains, we don’t want to be in this same position next year. We will work to look at more long term solutions to dealing with drought-related losses.”
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02/04/03--Kansas Played Key Role in EPA's Favorable Atrazine Decision

Kansas growers played an important role in atrazine's progress toward reregistration by the Environmental Protection Agency. The agency announced Friday a watershed-based monitoring and management program aimed at protecting drinking water. The program is part of EPA's Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision on atrazine.

The EPA program is supported by the Kansas Corn Growers Association (KCGA) and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association (KGSPA), two organizations that have been involved in EPA's special review of the triazine herbicides atrazine and simazine. Executive Director Jere White is chairman of the Triazine Network, a group formed to give growers a voice as a stakeholder in the special review.

"Atrazine is an important tool for our Kansas growers, and that's why we became active in forming the Triazine Network," White said. "The network includes a wide range of growers, from guava to grapes to grains, who rely on atrazine and simazine to produce their crops."

The EPA's approach calls for increased monitoring and mitigation in watersheds where higher levels of atrazine are found. Monitoring and grower education will be the responsibility of the registrants for atrazine. The IRED also confirmed EPA's determination that atrazine is not likely to cause cancer in humans.

"We consider this a victory for growers," White said. "EPA has chosen to use locally-led efforts to identify and correct water quality concerns. The agency has identified growers as part of the solution, and that's a message we've been trying to get across for several years."

Bringing major crop growers to the table at EPA was not a normal occurrence for EPA or for the growers. While some environmental groups have been active in EPA processes, it is unusual for grower groups other than minor crops to participate.

"We included growers in a process that was at that time unfamiliar turf. But their level of involvement and influence has been vital to the special review," White said. "One of the first actions taken was by growers themselves to submit comments to the EPA special review docket. Growers from the Kansas First Congressional District had the largest number of docket submissions of any other congressional district in the United States."

The Kansas congressional delegation has also been active in supporting growers' interest in the special review. KCGA President Alan Peter, Tribune, joined White in meetings with the Kansas congressional delegation in January.

"Our Congressmen know how important atrazine is to our growers and to our soil conservation efforts. Throughout the special review, we have had excellent support from our Congressional delegation," Peter said. "In January we visited the offices of our senators and representatives to discuss the progress of the special review. As a result, each of them contacted EPA to let them know they expected a science-based outcome to the triazine special review."

EPA's announcement does not end the work of the Triazine Network. "While this is a significant milestone, EPA's work with the triazine special review and with atrazine is not finished," White said. "We will continue to monitor the special review and make sure growers have a seat at the table."
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01/31/03--EPA Approach to Atrazine Supported by Growers
Jan. 31, 2003--The Environmental Protection Agency announced today an agreement that would implement an early alert system to protect watersheds from atrazine runoff. The agreement is part of an Interim Reregistration Elibility Decision (IRED) that EPA was required to issue by Jan. 31, 2003. In a conference call today with stakeholders and registrants for atrazine, EPA Office of Special Review and Reregistration Director Lois Rossi outlined key components of the agreement:

--An early alert system for Community Water Systems in areas of high atrazine use. EPA is supporting site-specific monitoring and mitigation plans for any watersheds of concern.
--EPA has confirmed that atrazine is not likely to be a human carcinogen and that humans are not at risk through dietary exposure.
--Atrazine labels will be harmonized between all registrants and marketers, eliminating many discrepancies in both rates and stewardship requirements that have been in existence for the past decade.
--EPA has supported their approach by citing the vast amount of data available for this review.

EPA's statements are supported by over 200 new studies and over 40 years of safe use by farmers. Atrazine is a herbicide that has been in the EPA triazine special review since 1994. The Triazine Network, a nationwide group of growers, has been involved as a stakeholder in the process since its beginning. Triazine Network Chairman, Jere White said today's announcement is a common sense approach to managing atrazine levels in water. White is executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association.

"While the special review continues, this announcement is a giant step toward developing locally-based solutions to maintain the integrity of our water systems. The program announced by EPA today is a good fit with other EPA programs, as well as USDA conservation programs," White said. "Growers have been part of the solution to concerns over atrazine for years. This system will continue the work that growers and other stakeholders have already initiated in many watersheds across the nation."

A new program will require monitoring of "raw" or untreated water in targeted watersheds. Exceeding levels of concern for atrazine in a watershed will trigger an intensive monitoring program in those watersheds, as well as Best Management Practices designed and proven by years of research to limit runoff of atrazine into surface water. EPA stated during the call that "it is a localized effort with Federal government oversight".

"We appreciate the Agency's work to adopt this innovative approach," White said.

The Triazine Network is a nationwide network of growers who have joined together to respond to the Special Review of triazine herbicides, atrazine and simazine, by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Network's goal is to have a science-based outcome to the Special Review.
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1/29/03--Kansas Set for Major Expansion of Ethanol Industry
Kansas could have two new ethanol plants with a combined production of 50 million gallons on line in 2004. The two proposed plants, one in northwest Kansas and one in east central Kansas are in different stages of fundraising. The two projects would be the first ethanol plants in Kansas to be owned by growers and other private investors.

East Kansas Agri-Energy announced Monday that it had received approval to begin a sale of membership units to build a 20 million gallon ethanol plant at Garnett. Informational meetings will be held in February and March. EKAE is seeking to raise about 14.4 million from private investors before seeking commercial financing for the remainder of the $36 million project.

Western Plains Energy, which began its equity drive in July of 2002, announced Tuesday that it has purchased the land for its plant and has raised over $10 million. The group expects to reach its equity goal of $15.7 million in the next few weeks as capital for the $41.1 million project.

"We are pleased to see both of these projects move forward," Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission Chairman Jeff Casten of Quenemo said. "Just a few years ago, our capacity for ethanol production was less than 50 million gallons. With these two plants added, you could be looking at increasing our state's production to 130 million gallons in a fairly short time. That's good news for our sorghum growers, because sorghum is the leading feedstock for ethanol in Kansas."

Organizers for both plants used in the early states of development a pre-feasibility study developed and provided by the Kansas Corn Commission, Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission and Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing Agricultural Marketing Division.

Kansas currently has five ethanol plants located in Russell, Colwich, Atchison, Garden City and Leoti. The five plants produce about 80 million gallons of ethanol combined and create a demand for about 30 million bushels of corn and grain sorghum. The 30 million gallon WPE plant would create a demand for 10.7 million bushels of corn or grain sorghum, and the 20 million gallon EKAE plant would create a demand for about 7.5 million bushels.

In addition to EKAE and WPE, other groups are also considering building ethanol plants in their Kansas communities.

KGSC is a nine-member grower board that determines how the half-cent per bushel grain sorghum checkoff is invested in the areas of domestic and foreign market development, research, promotion and education.

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01/28/03--Western Plains Energy, LLC Purchasing Site for Ethanol Plant

(Oakley, KS) - The Board of Managers of Western Plains