Episodios

  • Spring Outlook for Kansas Sorghum

    Spring Outlook for Kansas Sorghum
    Mar 20 2026
    In this episode of the Sorghum State Podcast, the team breaks down the latest developments shaping Kansas sorghum—from policy updates at the Statehouse to new research investments and global market engagement. Host Maddy Meier is joined by Adam York and Mindy Wells to cover what’s happening across the Sorghum State and what it means for growers right now.

    Adam shares a recap of key legislative activity as the Kansas session winds down, including Sorghum Day at the Statehouse, progress on ethanol tax credits, ongoing water policy discussions tied to the Ogallala Aquifer, and efforts to address large-scale grain theft. The conversation highlights how Kansas Sorghum Producers continues to advocate for growers and ensure sorghum remains part of critical policy conversations.

    Maddy and Mindy then dive into the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission FY2025 Annual Report, outlining how more than $1.2 million in checkoff investments supported research, promotion, and market development. They discuss the launch of CSIP 2.0—a $5 million collaborative research initiative with partners including Kansas State University and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program—and how those investments are advancing genetics, water efficiency, and crop resiliency.

    The episode also highlights a recap of international market development efforts, including the record-setting inbound trade mission hosted alongside the U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council last fall, and previews upcoming educational opportunities through the Center for Sorghum Improvement Monthly Seminar Series, all highlighted in the Commission's FY2025 annual report.

    Links We Mentioned:
    KGSC’s FY2025 Annual Report: https://ksgrainsorghum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-KGSC-Annual-Report-1-2.pdf
    Reintroducing the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission Video: https://youtu.be/3TVUXAERf_M?si=EOnf4KJt6KibBlY4
    CSI Seminar Schedule: https://www.csisorghum.org/seminars
    Join KSP and NSP Today: https://sorghumgrowers.com/join/
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    11 m
  • Growing the Sorghum Story: Student Leaders and Industry Momentum

    Growing the Sorghum Story: Student Leaders and Industry Momentum
    Feb 24 2026
    Each year, Kansas Sorghum welcomes fresh perspective through its Collegiate Fellowship Program, and 2026 is no exception.

    This month’s episode of the Sorghum State Podcast introduces 2026 Collegiate Food and Ag Policy Fellow Carson Rudd and Communications Fellow Mindy Wells, two Kansas State University students investing their time and talents into advancing Kansas sorghum. They share where they are from, what they are studying and how their campus involvement connects back to agriculture.

    Rudd also outlines key developments from the 2026 legislative session, including movement on the grain theft bill, higher ethanol blend incentives, and water and conservation investments. With the Legislature past the Turnaround deadline, the focus narrows as priority issues for sorghum growers continue moving through the process.

    Wells highlights outreach efforts on behalf of the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission, from conducting harvest interviews across the state to expanding digital communications and supporting events such as Sorghum Connection and the Women Grow the Farm conference.

    Together, alongside the Kansas Sorghum team, the fellows are helping tell the sorghum story in ways that connect producers, consumers and the next generation. Listen in for the full conversation.
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    14 m
  • The Science and Strategy That's Making Sorghum a Star in The Consumer Space

    The Science and Strategy That's Making Sorghum a Star in The Consumer Space
    Dec 12 2025
    Sorghum State Podcast host Maddy Meier sits down with Lanier Dabruzzi, Director of Nutrition and Food Innovation for the Sorghum Checkoff, to explore why sorghum is stepping into the spotlight.

    The conversation also highlights a major innovation: IQF (individually quick frozen) sorghum. From the market gap it fills to why foodservice and CPG (consumer packaged goods) teams are calling it a game-changer, they unpack what makes IQF sorghum uniquely flexible, and uniquely challenging, to work with.

    On the science front, Lanier shares details about a groundbreaking human clinical trial studying traditional white and sumac sorghum varieties. They discuss the health questions researchers aim to answer and how these insights could drive broader consumer recognition and farmer profitability.

    Tune in to hear what’s fueling excitement at the intersection of science, food, and agriculture—and why sorghum is one grain to watch.
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    26 m
  • From River Ports to Restaurant Plates: Unlocking Value for Kansas Sorghum

    From River Ports to Restaurant Plates: Unlocking Value for Kansas Sorghum
    Oct 27 2025
    This episode of The Sorghum State Podcast is packed with updates! Hosts Maddy Meier and Adam York explore the critical role of Oklahoma's Tulsa Ports in boosting efficiency for both bulk and value-added Kansas sorghum exports, proving that the Sorghum State is not so "land-locked" after all.

    You'll also hear more about a farm-to-fork collaboration as K-State student chefs learn about sorghum's potential, bringing the crop to premium plates.

    Plus, Adam and Maddy share details on the upcoming commodity commission elections in Districts 4, 5, 6, as well as for the upcoming Sorghum Connection Winter series, which returns to a community near you this December.

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    Interested in getting involved? Join the KSP and NSP family today at a level that’s right for you: sorghumgrowers.com/join.

    For more information on the upcoming Kansas commodity commission elections, visit: https://ksgrainsorghum.org/filing-now-open-for-kansas-grain-sorghum-commission-candidates/.
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    15 m
  • Kansas Sorghum's International Trade Teams Mega-Episode

    Kansas Sorghum's International Trade Teams Mega-Episode
    Sep 29 2025
    This month on the Sorghum State Podcast, Maddy Meier and Adam York dive into all things sorghum market advancement, starting with the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission’s FY26 budget. From supporting research and education to wrapping up the original Collaborative Sorghum Investment Program (CSIP), the Commission is keeping Kansas growers equipped for today while investing in tomorrow’s innovations.

    Maddy and Adam also recap the Sorghum Connection Field Day Series, which brought more than 170 attendees across three Kansas locations together for hands-on demos, ag insights, and farmer-to-farmer learning. Even if you missed the summer events, the Winter Series is coming in December, offering more chances to get boots-on-the-ground insights straight from the experts.

    Finally, Maddy and Adam take listeners global, covering recent trade team visits from nearly 15 countries and the 2025 Export Sorghum Conference in San Antonio. From ethanol plants and research plots to family farms and consumer products, these delegations got a firsthand look at what makes Kansas sorghum a standout commodity, from livestock feed to renewable fuels. These efforts aren’t just showing the world the value of Kansas sorghum, they’re creating new opportunities for growers in the global marketplace.
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    23 m
  • The Grower Impact of CSIP 2.0

    The Grower Impact of CSIP 2.0
    Jul 2 2025
    Sorghum State Podcast co-hosts Maddy Meier and Adam York guide listeners through a milestone moment for the next decade of sorghum improvement in Kansas: the acceleration of the Collaborative Sorghum Investment Program (CSIP 2.0). Together, they trace the history of the farmer-led initiative from 2016 and explore how it leverages resources for sorghum improvement while opening up the effort over the past 16 months to bolster the program into the future—with enhanced backing from leaders in Topeka.


    Listeners will hear from four producer leaders shaping the future of the crop: Brant Peterson, Stanton County; Kevin Kniebel, White City; Shane Ohlde, Palmer; and Andy Hineman, Dighton. These producers break down how CSIP 2.0 fits into long-term challenges and innovations with benefits of the investments returned directly to rural Kansas economies and water savings.


    From behind-the-scenes association strategy at the Kansas Statehouse to boots-on-the-ground farming insights from the fields of Kansas, this episode explores why this milestone matters to producers—and how Kansas Sorghum today helps lead the charge for the next generation of sorghum producers tomorrow.

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    Interested in getting involved? Join the KSP and NSP family today at a level that’s right for you: sorghumgrowers.com/join
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    32 m
  • The State of the Sorghum State

    The State of the Sorghum State
    Jun 20 2025
    Welcome back to the Sorghum State Podcast! Hosts Maddy Meier and Adam York bring listeners The State of the Sorghum State. From a $5.8 million public-private investment earlier this spring into the Collaborative Sorghum Investment Program (CSIP)—advancing research in drought tolerance, nutrient efficiency, and forage yield through 2036—to growing international interest in U.S. sorghum for pet food, momentum is building, where a recent trade team traveled to Kansas to evaluate sorghum’s potential as a high-value ingredient in global pet nutrition. Add to that sorghum’s rising profile in school meals and the return of the Sorghum Connection field days this August, and it’s clear Kansas sorghum is stepping into the spotlight this summer.

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    Find more details on the 2025 Sorghum Connection Field Day series here.
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    13 m
  • Women's Leadership in the Sorghum Industry (Part 2)

    Women's Leadership in the Sorghum Industry (Part 2)
    May 16 2025
    Confidence grows with action In part two of our special series on Women’s Leadership in the Sorghum Industry. Host Maddy Meier is back with Amy France (National Sorghum Producers), Kim Baldwin and Macy Mueller (United Sorghum Checkoff Program), Kelsey Baker (Kansas Sorghum Producers), and Verity Ulibarri (U.S. Grains Council).

    This powerhouse panel picks up right where we left off on the importance of collaboration across organizations—from navigating trade disruptions to celebrating collective wins, the conversation highlights the resilience, strategy, and leadership that’s moving the sorghum industry forward.

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    Learn more at www.ksgrainsorghum.org, and be sure to stay connected with us by following us (@KansasSorghum) on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn for updates and industry news.
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    16 m