UPDATES
GRAIN
Sorghum association changes
by-laws, plans conference
By Katelyn Karney-Luckett
Texas Grain Sorghum Producers
T
exas Grain Sorghum Producers
Association, the state association
working on behalf of the grower
to advance the political agendas
of the sorghum industry, voted to
amend its by-laws during the December 2015
board of directors meeting. The approved
changes will insert a board of delegates into
the association’s current structure. TGSA’s
directors recognized the need for a platform
where producer and industry representatives can work together, offering insight and
knowledge through service to the board and
working committees in order to propel the
industry forward. It will be directly from the
board of delegates that future board members
will be elected. TGSA’s full board of directors
will continue to have nine elected members,
as well as an at-large member chosen by the
board of directors as needed. These nine
members will be made up of six producers
and three corporate/emember elevator representatives. Selections to the board of directors
will be made at a regional caucus (regions:
North, Central and South) held prior to the
TGSA annual meeting. The first TGSA annual meeting will take place April 6-7, 2016,
in Austin in conjunction with Texas Grain
Sorghum Producers Board (TGSB) annual
meeting. The location of the meeting will
allow for an excellent lineup of speakers,
including Comptroller Glenn Hegar. The annual meeting will also serve as an opportunity for the association to introduce the newly
formed TGSA state PAC. Please direct any
questions regarding the restructure or how
you can become involved to Wayne Cleveland, [email protected].
In addition to TGSA, Texas has a sorghum
checkoff at the state level — TGSB — and at
the national level — United Sorghum Checkoff
Program. Both are funded by producer dollars
for the purpose of research, education and
promotion of the crop. TGSB and USCP have
been working together to organize a microconference that will take place in Panama
City, Panama on April 19. The objective of this
trade mission is to continue developing and
strengthening the Latin American (Columbia
and Peru) market while maintaining a strong
relationship with Mexico. The conference will
include a U.S. marketing and industry update
for participants as well as regional updates
from sorghum producers located in major
growing regions across Texas. Nutritionists
from swine, beef cattle and dairy industries
will also give presentations with information
about how to feed sorghum and what can be
expected with pending research analysis on
sorghums nutritional composition. The trip
will end up with an overview of the overall
market for grain sorghum as well as an in
depth look at the expansion of the Panama
Canal as well as a tour of the new canal.
Water rule to be determined in court
T
By Jessica Dommel
Texas Farm Bureau
he future of a rule that allegedly grants the Environmental Protection
Agency sweeping authority across the nation now lies in the courtroom. In
January, President Barack Obama vetoed the joint House and Senate resolution that would have effectively revoked the rule created by EPA under
the Clean Water Act redefining the term “Waters of the United States”
(WOTUS). Unfortunately, the legislation lacked the votes needed to override the
president’s veto. The WOTUS rule drastically expands federal authority through b