Kansas Invests $1M in Collaborative Sorghum Initiative

MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) -- Kansas has pledged a public investment of $1 million for this project. Collaborative Sorghum Investment Program (CSIP) via an allocation in the State’s fiscal year 2026 budget as a key drought-resistant crop for the upcoming State Water Plan.

This can be achieved with the guidance of the Kansas Sorghum Producers Association (KSP).

In 2016, the U.S. sorghum sector asserted itself by establishing CSIP headquarters in Kansas, the leading state for sorghum output nationwide. With CSIP now validated as an effective investment strategy, Kansas has reciprocated with a robust declaration aimed at intensifying efforts towards sorghum cultivation to simultaneously boost the state’s economy and conserve water.

Declaration from Shane Ohlde, the KSP president and a farming practitioner from Palmer

Launched in 2016, CSIP serves as the primary sorghum enhancement initiative for the U.S. sorghum sector. It operates out of Kansas State University and works closely with the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

This investment triggers a matching fund from both the United Sorghum Checkoff Program and the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission, providing an aggregate of $5.8 million in initial backing to sustain and hasten progress of the initiative up until 2036.

Through collaborative efforts with Kansas lawmakers in a non-partisan way for more than twelve months, KSP along with its members showcased the significance of sorghum to Kansas. Similarly, Kansas has continued to highlight its vital role in supporting sorghum.

Declaration by Andy Hineman, KSP deputy and a agriculturist hailing from Scott City

CSIP acts as a platform to enhance and attract extra external investments for sorghum enhancement, having successfully leveraged almost $10 million from both federal and private sources during its first ten years.

In the coming ten years, our combined dedication from both sectors will enable CSIP to develop solutions that are crucial for sorghum farmers. By leveraging commercially viable outcomes from publicly funded research, we aim to bring these innovations directly to farms. This approach addresses the demands of local markets and enhances the financial success of farming operations, ensuring benefits originate from and remain with the farmers themselves.

A statement from Brant Peterson, who serves as the chairman of the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission and operates as a farmer out of Johnson City.