Grain sorghum has long been a step-child crop to wheat and corn on the High Plains, used mainly as a secondary cattle feed and ethanol distilling grain. But its status may be improving with the growing gluten-free food movement, for which sorghum is ideally suited.
However, capturing this food-grade, certified food market is no easy task. That’s evident in the sophisticated business and production model developed by Nu-Life Market, a “farm-to-fork” enterprise operating in Scott County, Kansas.
It starts with the fields which must be kept clear of weeds and shattercane and combines that must be thoroughly cleaned to be gluten free. It continues in the production facility where food-grade processing equipment, stringent quality-control standards, ongoing auditing, high-tech systems and young, innovative talent are all key ingredients. There’s also the marketing, including packaging design by the same firm used by Starbucks and an appealing, contemporary website.
The end products include wholesale flour sold directly to food manufacturers and retail products including baking mixes, spreads, milled bran and popped sorghum sold direct to consumers on-line and in food-stores.
Veteran ag journalists Amy Bickel and Tim Unruh have written a series of informative articles on the background and growing promise of grain sorghum for Kansas Agland, from which this article is drawn:
- Milo brings "Nu Life" on the High Plains for fourth generation farmer
- Nu Life products
- Milo posed to help water woes in western Kansas
- Food-grade sorghum catches on with south-central Kansas farmers
- Crop has international appeal
Kansas Agland is published by The Hutchinson News, Salina Journal, The Hays Daily News and the Garden City Telegram.