NSP Welcomes Elissa Gilliam as Legislative Director
LUBBOCK, Texas (September 2, 2025) — National Sorghum Producers (NSP) is proud to announce the hiring of Elissa Gilliam as its new Legislative Director.
Gilliam grew up on a farm in Tennessee and “got to Texas as quickly as she could” after college. She earned her master’s degree in agricultural communications from Texas Tech University before moving to Washington, D.C., where she spent the last decade building experience in agriculture, food, and public policy.
Her career includes working in the U.S. House of Representatives for over four years, where she served as the agriculture liaison for members of both agriculture and appropriations committees, and contributed to the 2018 Farm Bill. She also worked in policy communications for a national food retail association, and most recently, Gilliam served at the American Frozen Food Institute, where she led efforts to promote the value of frozen foods among policymakers.
“Elissa brings a strong background in policy that will strengthen NSP’s advocacy on behalf of sorghum growers,” NSP CEO Tim Lust said. “Her background in both Capitol Hill and agriculture will be a tremendous asset to our members.”
“I am thrilled to return to West Texas and to agriculture policy at a time when growers’ voices matter more than ever,” Gilliam said. “Sorghum producers are resilient, innovative, and vital to America’s food, feed, and fuel needs. I look forward to working alongside the NSP team to ensure those voices are heard in Washington.”
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National Sorghum Producers represents U.S. sorghum producers and serves as the voice of the sorghum industry coast to coast through legislative and regulatory representation and education. To learn more about NSP, visit www.sorghumgrowers.com.