The Sorghum Assurances Protocol, a document outlining the sustainability framework under which U.S. sorghum producers operate, was officially launched for public use at Export Sorghum 2025, recently held in San Antonio, Texas.
The protocol, jointly developed by the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC) and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP), is a reference for international customers in relation to the assurances that U.S. sorghum can offer to meet the requirements of responsible procurement policies and regulations.
“The U.S. sorghum industry aspires to be a leader in the development of standardized guidelines that effectively showcase the best practices that drive sorghum production and its positive impact in sustainable farming,” said Shelee Padgett, USCP Director of Emerging Markets & Grower Leader Development.
“By providing both domestic and international supply chain partners with clear information and tools, stakeholders can more easily assess and validate that U.S.-origin sorghum can meet the highest industry and public standards vital to market access in developed economies.”
The document compiles 13 impact categories, ranging from air quality to water consumption to environmental biodiversity, and assesses the laws, regulations and best practices associated to those factors throughout the entire process of production, offering assurances for supply chain and corporate sustainability compliance efforts.
“The Council and its partners are committed to providing current and potential users of U.S. sorghum with tools that showcase the environmental, social and economic attributes of sorghum that make it a great input that can contribute to responsible food, feed and fuel supply chains in both mature and emerging markets,” said Carlos Suárez, USGBC director of global sustainability.
Read the Sorghum Assurances Protocol here.