Government Reopened, Debt Ceiling Raised, Conferees Named

It was a consequential week in Washington, D.C., culminating with Congress striking a compromise to reopen the Federal government and raise the nation’s borrowing limit. Senate leaders came to an agreement late Wednesday to raise the debt ceiling until February 7, 2014 and fund the government through January 15, 2014, after it became clear that House GOP would be unable to pass an alternative proposal. The legislation passed the Senate, 81-18, and cleared the House, 285-144.

In farm bill news, the House officially named conferees last weekend. Leaders on the House and Senate Agriculture Committees met Wednesday to make plans for the farm bill conference. It is likely that formal conference meetings will begin the week of October 27. House Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) will chair the conference committee. After voting to officially go to conference, a non-binding Sense of the House resolution offered by Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) was passed by voice vote encouraging conferees to adopt $750,000 AGI means testing on crop insurance. Notably, the resolution is non-binding, meaning conferees are free to ignore the suggestion. Meanwhile, NSP continues to express its opposition to AGI means testing on crop insurance.  

International Trade Teams Visit Kansas and Texas

The Sorghum Checkoff and the U.S. Grains Council hosted a Latin American trade team in Kansas this week. The group was primarily interested in grain infrastructure and was able to tour a sorghum field at a farm near Quenemo that was near a major rail line and also had on-site storage. The team then traveled to Louis Dreyfus Commodities in Kansas City at the Kansas City Board of Trade building where they learned grain marketing logistics.

The Sorghum Checkoff and the U.S. Grains Council also plan to host a group of grain buyers from Mexico next week for a week-long tour of several Texas sorghum facilities. Beginning in Lubbock, Texas, the group will tour several locations on the South Plains before heading to the Gulf Coast. Stops along the way include: Diamond Ethanol in Levelland; Attebury Grain in Amarillo; and Cargill in Houston.

USDA Confirms Cancellation of Crop Reports Due to Lack of Data During Shutdown

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and World Agricultural Outlook Board said Thursday they have cancelled or postponed publication of several USDA statistical reports because of the just-ended government shutdown. Reports impacted included NASS's crop production report and the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) scheduled for release last week. NASS’s crop progress reports for Oct. 7 and 15 were also cancelled. Other reports planned for this Friday will be postponed. USDA said the changes were necessary because while it is up and running as of Thursday, its employees were unable to collect and analyze all the data necessary for the reports in question. While not confirmed, it looks like NASS may be back on track with reporting next week with the next WASDE report to be released in November.

Don’t Forget about the many Contests NSP is Holding:

Enter the NSP Yield and Management Contest

Crop conditions are up, and we have seen a lot of good fields across the Sorghum Belt. Don’t miss your opportunity to showcase your sorghum yields and compete with area farmers in the NSP Yield and Management Contest. This year’s winners will be recognized at the 2014 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas. Click here to go to the ‘Yield Contest’ page on the NSP website. There, you can download an entry form, instructions, deadlines and rules. Contact 806-749-3478 for more information.

Sorghum Grower Kids Cover Contest

Your farm kids could be on the cover of Sorghum Grower! During this growing season, photograph your kids as they participate in sorghum farming activities. Whether it’s amidst a sea of red sorghum heads in a field or while they help out with harvest, your photo could be a winner. The winning photograph will appear on the winter 2014 issue of Sorghum Grower, which will arrive in mailboxes in January 2014. Photographs receiving second place, third place and honorable mention will be recognized on our website. For more information on contest details and for photo tips, click here.

Show us your #SuperSorghum

Another opportunity National Sorghum Producers if offering this fall is a chance for you to win a “#SuperSorghum” t-shirt. Please use Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to post or tweet using the hashtag “#supersorghum” and let us know how your crop is yielding this season. The more you use the hashtag, the greater your chances are to win. NSP will pick a winner at the end of the months of October and November. Congratulations to September winner Sean Harkness of south east Colorado!

Photos from the Field

We continue to receive photos from the field, especially now that harvest is fully upon us. Let us know how your yields are, and if you have photos you would like to share, please send them to us! We're tracking this year's production across the country and want to see your crop. Send us as many photos as you like, and we will share them with the sorghum community via social media. Just e-mail jennifer@sorghumgrowers.com. To view photos already submitted, you can visit our Facebook page.

Upcoming Sorghum Events

Oct. 24             Governors Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas, Manhattan, Kan.

Oct. 28-30         Commodity Roundtable, Memphis, Tenn.

Nov. 19-21        NSP Board of Directors Meeting, Liberal, Kan.

Nov. 21-22        International Food Assistance & Development Public Meeting, Washington, D.C.

Nov. 28-29        Thanksgiving Holiday

Market News - To view this week’s Gulf export grain report, click here.

Sign Up to Receive the Sorghum Checkoff e-Newsletter
 

Sorghum producers can also receive monthly e-Newsletters from the United Sorghum Checkoff Program. To receive monthly news and information regarding the Sorghum Checkoff’s efforts in sorghum research, education and market development, sign up at www.SorghumCheckoff.com/contact-us. You can also follow the Sorghum Checkoff on Twitter @SorghumCheckoff.