The United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP) has named Dr. Jourdan Bell as its next director of agronomy. Bell will join the Sorghum Checkoff on Oct. 1, succeeding Dr. Brent Bean, who will retire Sept. 30 after a distinguished career advancing sorghum production, research and producer education.
Bell currently serves as a Professor and Extension Agronomist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in Amarillo. She has built nationally recognized research and Extension programs focused on improving the productivity and profitability of Texas High Plains cropping systems under limited water conditions, with an emphasis on grain and forage sorghum.
“Brent has shaped modern sorghum production through decades of research, Extension and service to producers,” said Tim Lust, CEO of the United Sorghum Checkoff Program and National Sorghum Producers. “Growers across the country have relied on his practical, science-based recommendations to improve their operations, and his leadership has helped the industry navigate some of its greatest production challenges. We’re grateful for his contributions and look forward to his continued support during this transition.”
Bean joined the Sorghum Checkoff in 2015 following a distinguished career with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and private industry. Throughout his career, he became one of the nation’s most recognized sorghum agronomists, helping producers improve yields and profitability through practical, research-based recommendations.
Among his many contributions, Bean played a leading role in the industry’s response to the sugarcane aphid outbreak that threatened U.S. sorghum production beginning in 2013. Working with university researchers, Extension specialists, crop protection companies and growers, he helped develop integrated management recommendations that gave producers the tools to successfully manage one of the most significant insect pests the crop has faced in recent decades.
Bean also helped lead research and education efforts related to drought management, irrigation efficiency, nutrient management, hybrid selection and production practices, authoring hundreds of Extension publications, technical articles and educational resources used by producers throughout the United States.
“Serving sorghum producers has been one of the greatest privileges of my career,” Bean said. “I’m grateful for the growers, researchers and industry partners I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside over the years. I’ve known Jourdan for much of her career and have watched her become an exceptional agronomist. She has a strong commitment to research, Extension and helping producers succeed. I look forward to helping with the transition and continuing to support the Sorghum Checkoff’s strategic agronomy efforts.”
Following his retirement, Bean will continue assisting the Sorghum Checkoff with strategic agronomy initiatives and will work closely with Bell to ensure a smooth transition.
Bell joined Texas A&M AgriLife in 2014 and has served as a regional agronomist since 2015. Her research and Extension programs focus on grain and forage sorghum, cotton, corn and wheat, with an emphasis on helping producers maximize profitability under limited water conditions.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and a master’s degree in plant, soil and environmental science from West Texas A&M University before completing a doctorate in soil science at Texas A&M University.
Since 2014, Bell has secured more than $6.1 million in competitive research funding as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator. She has authored 38 peer-reviewed journal articles, three book chapters and 65 technical reports while mentoring graduate students and serving as an associate editor for the Agronomy Journal. In 2023, she received the Texas A&M AgriLife Vice Chancellor’s Award in Extension Education.
“Jourdan’s expertise, leadership and commitment to producer education make her an outstanding choice to lead the Sorghum Checkoff’s agronomy program,” Lust said. “She understands the opportunities and challenges facing sorghum producers, and her experience working in water-limited production systems will help continue advancing research, education and innovation for the industry.”
Bell and Bean have worked together throughout much of their careers, beginning when Bell worked as a student employee in Bean’s Texas A&M AgriLife program. Their longstanding professional relationship provides continuity for producers and a strong foundation for the future of the Sorghum Checkoff’s agronomy efforts.
“I’m honored to join the Sorghum Checkoff and build on the strong foundation Brent has established,” Bell said. “Sorghum producers continue to face new challenges and opportunities, and I look forward to working with growers, researchers and industry partners to advance practical, science-based solutions that strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. sorghum.”
Bell begins her new role Oct. 1.
