Sorghum Smart Talk

This week we visit with Brandon Lipps, former deputy undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about hunger and food insecurity. Brandon explains how sorghum, and other American-grown commodities, could be the answer to hunger in the U.S. and around the world. Listen in to learn more about government programs, how these programs feed our neighbors and how American commodities could benefit.

On this edition of Sorghum Smart Talk, we visit with Sorghum Checkoff International Market Development Director Florentino Lopez. He discusses commodity availability on a global scale and what these conditions could potentially mean for American sorghum farmers. To learn more about Florentino's perspective on what marketing sorghum could look like for the next several years, tune in.

On this week's episode, we visit with Dan O'Brien, an extension agricultural economist at Kansas State University. Dan is a long standing friend of Sorghum Smart Talk and we are excited to have him back on the podcast to discuss the recently released USDA prospective planting and WASDE reports. Tune in to learn more about marketing grain sorghum in the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 marketing years amid historically bullish price and basis.

On this week's installment of Sorghum Smart Talk, we visit with Sorghum Checkoff Director of Agronomy Brent Bean, Ph.D., to discuss waxy sorghum. Bean breaks down what makes waxy sorghum unique from grain sorghum, potential market opportunities and offers advice to growers who may be interested in growing waxy varieties. He wraps up the episode with last-minute consideration for the 2021 growing season, covering mostly fertilization options. Listen in!

On this episode of Sorghum Smart Talk, Corteva Strategic Account Manager Russell French discusses sorghum seed availability as growers begin to finalize planting decisions in northern Texas. Russell provides growers with planting considerations, hybrid selection and what the particular weather patterns could mean for seed supply. Tune in!

On this episode of Sorghum Smart Talk, we visit with Sorghum Checkoff Sustainability Director Kira Everhart-Valentin, Pheasants Forever Chris McLeland and Kansas sorghum farmer Garrett Love to talk about the sustainable relationship between sorghum operations and upland game bird populations. To learn more about this upcoming partnership from the perspective of our checkoff, a conservation group and a sorghum farmer, tune in! We might be a little biased—but this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Resources:

https://pheasantsforever.org/

https://quailforever.org/

https://www.sorghumcheckoff.com/news-and-media/newsroom/2020/12/17/for-love-of-the-land/

On this installment of Sorghum Smart Talk, we visit with the newest edition to the Sorghum Checkoff, Norma Ritz Johnson. After working for the Lubbock community for over a decade, Norma started serving as the checkoff's executive director earlier this year. She brings a culmination of prior sorghum experience, expansive leadership capabilities and industry rapport to the Sorghum Checkoff's team. We are excited to welcome Norma to the team—we hope you are, too!

We had Dave White from the 9B Group on this week's episode of Sorghum Smart Talk. Dave works for a benefit corporation focused exclusively on improving public health through agricultural channels. For Dave's insight into proposed climate initiatives and what could be expected in the sustainability space, tune in.

On this week's episode of Sorghum Smart Talk, we visit with Daniel Sell—better known as Farmer Dan. Daniel describes his family's farming operation in the Texas Panhandle, his experience on social media and how he advocates for agriculture to diverse audiences. To learn more about Dan and his online presence, listen in!

On this episode of Sorghum Smart Talk, we visit with Texas Grain Sorghum Producers Policy Director Patrick Wade about his role on the agricultural technical advisory committees for trade and what free trade could mean for American sorghum producers. To learn more about emerging market opportunities, the potential for existing market expansion and what is on the docket for trade policy, listen in.