Senate Floor Farm Bill Action This Week

It’s been a busy week in Washington, yet the Senate managed to move through several of the proposed farm bill amendments over the course of the week. National Sorghum Producers appreciates action taken by our membership to call your Senators and make recommendations on amendments as they moved across the Senate floor. While a few have already been voted on, NSP encourages members to keep contacting your Senators, referring to recommendations outlined in action alert emails sent earlier this week.

Amendments NSP and members have weighed in on so far that have been voted on include Gillibrand amendment 931 that would cut crop insurance, which failed 26-70. Shaheen amendment 925 promoting sugar reform failed 45-54. Feinstein/McCain amendment 923 that would deny crop insurance to tobacco farmers failed 44-52, and unfortunately, Durbin/Coburn amendment 953 that would impose adjusted gross income means test on federal crop insurance passed 59-33. This amendment was strongly opposed by NSP and other agricultural organizations. Even so, we thank you for your hard work in reaching out to your Senators, helping to stop most of these harmful amendments thus far in the process. NSP will continue to send updates to our members when voting resumes.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) announced today there will be no more votes until 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 3, following recess. The House is still looking to move on its version of the farm bill mid-June.

National Sorghum Foundation Taking Scholarship Applications

The National Sorghum Foundation advises it is not too late to apply for 2012-2013 scholarships. Two separate scholarships will be awarded to qualified students.

The Sorghum Challenge winner will not only receive a monetary award, but will also have an opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., with NSP staff and other members of the sorghum industry. The Darrell Rosenow Scholarship will also be awarded. Dr. Rosenow was a successful sorghum plant breeder and geneticist with the Texas A&M system and has been honored for many areas of his life.

The deadline for applications to be postmarked is May 31, 2013. Information about both scholarships and forms to apply may be obtained from our Lubbock office by calling 806-749-3478.

FSA Administrator Urges Producers to Enroll in DCP/ACRE

USDA Farm Service Agency Administrator Juan M. Garcia encourages farmers and ranchers to enroll for the 2013 Direct and Counter-Cyclical Payment Program or the Average Crop Revenue Election Program before the approaching deadline.

The sign-up for both programs began Feb. 19, 2013. The deadline to sign up for ACRE is June 3, 2013, and the DCP sign up period ends Aug. 2, 2013. Click here to read more.

Crop Report

By May 19, sorghum producers had planted 35 percent of this year’s crop. This was 18 percent behind last year and 7 percent behind the 5-year average. As field conditions improved, planting picked up in portions of the Great Plains. State planted acre percentages as of May 19 are as follows: Arkansas – 78 percent; Colorado – 3; Illinois – 7: Kansas – 5 percent; Louisiana – 93 percent; Missouri – 20 percent; Nebraska – 10 percent; New Mexico – 3 percent; Oklahoma – 24 percent; and Texas – 74 percent.

SICNA Registration Opens

The annual Sorghum Improvement Conference of North America (SICNA) will be held in Lubbock, Texas, Aug. 28-30, 2013. SICNA focuses on promoting communication in the areas of research and development relating to improvement of sorghum as a crop.  Those interested in attending the SICNA meeting may find registration information at sicna.net.

USDA, Oklahoma State Ag Groups Offer Assistance to Tornado Victims

USDA is offering assistance to those in need following the devastating effects of tornadoes this week. Many programs can provide assistance to landowners, farmers, ranchers and producers during disasters, with no Presidential or Secretarial declarations required for the provision of much of this assistance.

Three disaster programs are currently available to farmers and ranchers through the Farm Service Agency: Emergency Designation (low-interest) loans, the Emergency Conservation Program, and the Emergency Forest Restoration Program.

Up to two-thirds of the counties in the United States have been designated as disaster areas in each of the past several years. Producers may apply for low-interest emergency loans in counties named as primary or contiguous under a disaster designation. For more information, contact your nearest USDA service center or any USDA state office. 

Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese has compiled a list of resources and Oklahoma agricultural groups who are assisting in tornado relief efforts.

Memorial Day Weekend, a Time to Remember

As Memorial Day Weekend approaches, we here at National Sorghum Producers would like to thank the men and women who have honorably served our country. Many of our members and relatives of members have served admirably, and we are proud of our homegrown heroes derived straight from America’s heartland—our nations farms and ranches. While only 17 percent of our country is rural, 44 percent of our military is rural, and we salute you and thank you for giving back so that we may enjoy the freedoms we have today. NSP offices will be closed on Monday, May 27 in observance of the holiday.

Prayers for Oklahoma

National Sorghum Producers staff sends our thoughts and prayers to those affected by the recent storms and tornadoes that swept through Oklahoma this week. The Sorghum Belt and Tornado Alley have a lot of ground in common, and after watching the devastation resulting from the mile-wide tornado that ripped through the community of Moore, are most heart-felt concerns and sympathy continue to go out to our sorghum family, their friends and neighbors.

Upcoming Sorghum Events

May 27                         Memorial Day – NSP and USCP Offices Closed

June 6                          Rio Farms Field Day, Monte Alto, Texas

June 6-7                        San Patricio & Nueces County Crop Tours, Corpus Christi, Texas

June 7                          McLennan County Crop Tour, McGregor, Texas

June 7-8                        Dairy Producers of New Mexico Annual Meeting & Trade Show, Ruidoso, N.M.

June 10-13                    Fuel Ethanol Workshop, St. Louis, Mo.

June 14                         McLennan County Crop Tour, McGregor, Texas

June 18                         Stiles Farm Field Day, Thrall, Texas

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 contact info@sorghumcheckoff.com and provide your email address or sign up at www.SorghumCheckoff.com/contact-us. You can also follow the Sorghum Checkoff on Twitter @SorghumCheckoff.