Kansas sorghum farmers see opportunities
Kansas sorghum farmers have plenty of opportunities ahead of them, according to Jesse McCurry, executive director for both the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission and the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association. McCurry spoke in a recorded presentation during High Plains Journal’s virtual Sorghum U/Wheat U, Aug. 12.
Kansas acres improving
McCurry stated that sorghum acres, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, are estimated at 2.75 million, which is up 6% from 2019. Part of that is because sorghum has become a very competitive crop from a farm budget standpoint, he pointed out. Agmanager.info, the website from Kansas State University’s Agricultural Economics Department, has several tools that farmers can use to input their data and see what cropping system is most cost effective for their operations. McCurry pointed out that a typical dryland sorghum budget in Kansas returns about $96.57 per acre, or 30% over total costs. That’s about $26 more than corn in a similar situation.
Additionally, while there is good news on the drought front from the U.S. Drought Monitor, sorghum is still an ideal choice for many farmers in dryland situations.
“Sustainability is not just a buzzword anymore,” McCurry said. “It has an impact when you have important consumers and important buyers asking for it and providing incentives for growers to look at how they’re producing and rotating crops. Sorghum has a great story there in terms of soil health, in terms of wildlife habitat and water profiles.”
Policy and programs
On the policy front the association continues to lobby on behalf of growers’ interests, McCurry said. Whether staff are working through channels at the Environmental Protection Agency to keep available chemicals on the market for growers, or lobbying elected officials for assistance like another COVID package to include an agricultural provision, Kansas sorghum staff are keeping farmers in the conversation.
He pointed to the Wildlife and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus program, which is ideal for sorghum farmers who have suffered a loss due to a qualifying disaster, whether drought or in some instances excess moisture. He encouraged farmers to talk with their Farm Service Agency staff to see if they are eligible.
Trade and markets
Trade has been very important for Kansas sorghum growers. As the No. 1 state in the nation for sorghum production, finding markets and accessing them around the world is critical to keeping farms profitable. Sorghum is excited about gaining more market share in Vietnam, McCurry said. The grain sorghum basis deviation is another positive note for farmers, McCurry said.
From accessing growing markets, to investing in new technologies to aid in growing the crop, and more, it’s an exciting time to grow sorghum in Kansas, he added.
“We’ve got great partnerships and great growers of the crop,” McCurry said. Going forward, there’s plenty of opportunities for Kansas farmers.
Jennifer M. Latzke can be reached at 620-227-1807 or [email protected].
