During the sorghum harvest, Farm Director KC Sheperd spoke with Craig Meeker, a past Chair for the National Sorghum Producers, who was working in his combine. Meeker shared a positive outlook on the current crop, while also detailing the significant market and political challenges facing producers.
Harvest and Yields: Bountiful Harvest from Abundant Rain
Meeker reported being “very pleased with the results thus far” for his corn and early sorghum harvest. He attributed the high yields to an “incredible amount of moisture,” noting that his area in south central Kansas has received “about 45 inches of rain since the first of May this year,” far exceeding the typical 32 inches. This abundant moisture has also benefited producers in Oklahoma, as Meeker said a gentleman he spoke with near Enid was “very happy with the yields that they have had as well.”
While the harvest is going well, Meeker noted that the constant moisture has also presented challenges, requiring him to fight pests like sugarcane aphids and deal with “moisture conditions” to get the harvest in “before a frost.” He praised sorghum as an “incredibly diverse and incredibly tough crop,” explaining that it “does with what it’s given.” In wet conditions, it “pushes the envelope and it really pushes the yield.”
Market Challenges and Domestic Opportunities
Despite the strong yields, Meeker highlighted a major problem for the sorghum market: a lack of an export market. “There’s a good demand for it, but we just have a whole bunch of it that hasn’t moved,” he said. This has left a lot of sorghum “sitting around looking for a place to go.” He noted that the National Sorghum Producers has been “working very hard and diligently to open new markets” in places like India and Vietnam. Still, he acknowledged that “without China, we have a lot of the sorghum that’s looking for a home.”
A bright spot for the industry has been the strong domestic demand for biofuels. Meeker expressed that they are “very thankful for having that domestic biofuels market here in the United States,” which has had “a great demand for our product over the last six to eight months.” He also mentioned new opportunities related to the “45Z tax credits that are coming out for biofuels.”
Advocacy and the Ripple Effect on Rural Communities
Meeker emphasized that the National Sorghum Producers’ top priority right now is trade. “It’s all hands on deck with our trade association… of getting market access,” he said. He confirmed the organization has a robust presence in Washington, D.C., with “boots on the ground… every single day,” and feels they are “getting some traction” with both Congress and the administration.
He connected the importance of these efforts to the health of rural America. “Something that is always of concern to me as a farmer is my bottom line,” he said, “but my bottom line contributes to my rural community.” He explained that a “vibrant, thriving agricultural economy is a vibrant, thriving rural economy.” Therefore, ensuring producers can be profitable is essential for the well-being of the entire community, from local stores to schools.
