The Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Board was established in 1997 to improve the profitability of growing corn and grain sorghum in Arkansas by conducting a program of research, extension, and market development. The Board allocates funds collected by a producer approved check-off of one cent per bushel of corn and grain sorghum grown for market in Arkansas.
National Sorghum Checkoff Collections Began July 1
On July 1, 2008, the USDA Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) began collecting the national sorghum checkoff. The assessment is based on 0.6% of the value of the crop, or about 3.4 cents/bushel at current prices. Money collected from the national checkoff is sent to the national board who will send between 15 and 25 percent back to the state. The remainder is used to fund sorghum research and promotion at the national level as well as the national board.
We hope to see a National Sorghum Board established by November 2008. The board will be comprised of 13 members: 5 from the largest producing state, 3 from the second largest, 1 from the third largest, and 4 at-large members from around the country. Certified state organizations will submit names to the Secretary of Agriculture for appointment to the board.
The producer referendum for this checkoff will not occur until three years after the implementation of the national checkoff. Producers can submit request for a refund; however, refunds are only distributed upon failure of the referendum.
The national checkoff does not preclude the collection of a state checkoff. Until state legislative action is taken, Arkansas will continue to collect its state checkoff.
Additionally, Arkansas will not collect the national checkoff as they do not have legal authority to do so; therefore, the national checkoff will be sent directly to USDA/AMS. Elevators looking for information about remitting the national checkoff please contact Craig Shackelford at 202-720-1123 or craig.shackelford@usda.gov
The National Sorghum Checkoff was initially proposed on December 26, 2006, by the National Sorghum Producers (NSP), under the Commodity Promotion, Research and Information Act of 1996. In the past, this act has been used to create checkoffs for the blueberries, mangos, lambs, ect. After reviewing NSP’s proposal, USDA/AMS put the proposal out for public comment in November 2007. There were some 215 comments submitted, with more than 80 percent supporting the checkoff. Arkansas submitted the most comments in opposition to the checkoff, as many producers and organizations feel the proposal is unfairly weighted in favor of the largest producing states.
For more information about the national checkoff contact Matt King at 501-228-1297 or matt.king@arfb.com
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