Fall 2022 Articles

The leaves are changing and there is a crispness to the air. This is by far my favorite season of the year, and, as I write, I’ve spent the last week deer hunting on my family’s farm in southeast Washington, relishing the quiet, golden hour sunrises and sunsets that breathe life and a certain pureness into the lungs as the fall season approaches, offering with it change anew.

In sorghum country, harvest is passing quickly, and the season provides us a time to reflect on the 2022 growing season, its bounty—and its shortcomings. It has sadly been a challenging season for so many of our farmers, plagued by dry, unforgiving conditions, making this harvest difficultly bleak in many areas.

Ecclesiastes says for everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven, reminding us of God’s sovereign hand, and as your National Sorghum Producers Chairman Craig Meeker recently said in his first interview as chairman, “the Lord has always provided before, and I expect that the Lord will always provide going forward.” They say optimism is faith that leads to achievement, and I believe our organization is in very good hands.

This season of change is extending deep into our industry. Alongside Craig, in August the NSP board of directors also elected a new vice chair and new directors to the board, which you can learn more about here. We also added a new staff member to Team Sorghum, and the National Sorghum Foundation has a new, but familiar, face as its new chairman, as well (here).

And for one of the bright spots this fall, we are preparing for one of the largest undertakings our organization has ever had. If you haven’t heard the BIG, exciting news, NSP was a recipient of one of USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grants to the tune of up to $65 million. We’re in final negotiations with USDA now and expect a rollout of the program hopefully for the 2023 growing season, so stay tuned and learn more here.

By the time this issue reaches your mailbox, the 2022 midterm elections will have passed. NSP is ready to go to work and understands the profound importance of doing one of the things we do best—developing and fostering relationships with legislators who impact you, your families, your farms and our industry.

I wish each of you a safe fall and harvest season!

Jennifer (Blackburn) Warren
Sorghum Grower Editor and Vice President of Communications