During Commodity Classic I got to visit with Terry Swanson, Chairman, National Sorghum Producers. I asked him what his message is to not only sorghum producers but all the farmers belonging to the four commodity groups at Classic and he says, “We have to be unified.” He says that altogether they’re still a small group of people that need to speak with one voice.

Terry farms in Colorado which he calls the “epicenter of the dust bowl.” This means that a safety net and crop insurance are critical for them. Conservation is also an important issue for him. He says that NSP is looking at ways that the sorghum crop can play a role in water conservation. He also says that a third of the sorghum crop is used to make ethanol, a third to livestock feed and a third is exported. Biofuels and issues surrounding them like the RFS are very important to sorghum producers. He says the RFS creates markets and that’s important to producers.

Listen to my interview with Terry here: Interview with Terry Swanson

2012 Commodity Classic Photo Album