The Collaborative Sorghum Marketing Transformation Program (cSmart) today announced the launch of the first-ever venture capital platform dedicated exclusively to attracting capital for companies, projects and innovations that create opportunities for sorghum farmers.
“The number of opportunities to add value to sorghum farmers by attracting capital to our industry is truly unprecedented,” cSmart board director and sorghum farmer from Keyes, Oklahoma, JB Stewart said. “From San Francisco to New York, businesses across the U.S. are seeing the value in investing in agriculture, and cSmart is proud to come alongside these businesses to facilitate investment in Sorghum: The Resource Conserving Crop™.”
cSmart matches private capital with funding to support startups and established companies investing in sorghum and also facilitates a network of private investors seeking opportunities for competitive returns in agriculture.
“To date, cSmart has invested in support of a container facility for specialty sorghum exports, matched private investment with funds for marketing efforts for an all-female run sorghum food startup and facilitated networking and due diligence for an industrial sorghum starch project,” cSmart consultant John Duff said. “The diversity of these investments demonstrates the wide net cSmart intends to cast, supporting and financing innovation in American agriculture—a necessity we are proud to announce this National Ag Day.”
Fueled by relationships across the sorghum industry and the supply chain, cSmart leverages knowledge and financial flexibility to support startups, existing companies and investors bringing innovation to the sorghum industry.
“Out of necessity bred by difficult growing environments, innovation is the American sorghum farmer’s most important tool,” cSmart board director and MOJO Seed president Jerry O’Rear said. “As a reflection of this inventive spirit, the launch of cSmart is a groundbreaking step toward financing even more innovation and doing so in a way that adds maximum value to sorghum farmers.”
For more information on investing or obtaining support for sorghum innovation, contact cSmart consultant John Duff. Duff can be reached at john@seroag.com or 806-638-5334.
