- Collab - lists.millets2023.space

Internat'l Conf. on Global Food Security, Licknow, 2 Feb. 2024
by Don Osborn 31 Jan '24

31 Jan '24

The "International Conference on Global Food Security Challenges Related to Climate Change and Disaster Management" (Friday 2 February 2024) is organized by the International Institute of Disaster Management (Lucknow, India) and the Indo-U.S. Millets Initiative. The conference is in-person in Lucknow, and virtual, via Zoom. This link has the Zoom link, as well as a list of presenters and their topics: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084DABAA29A0F9C34-47081833-international… The first presentation is scheduled for 11 am India time, which is 12:30 am EST, on Friday (i.e., just after Thursday midnight). Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Lessons from antiquity (& the 1990s) for the marketing of proso millet today?
by Don Osborn 26 Jan '24

26 Jan '24

There's archeological evidence that during the ancient westward spread of proso millet (aka broomcorn millet) out of what is now China, diverse peoples adapted this grain to their existing culinary practices, rather than adopting new practices with the new grain. This appeared in the following article (I'll copy the abstract further down, and also add the link to a thread on Threads, where I first saw mention of this item): Hunt, Harriet V., Hongen Jiang, Xinyi Liu, Diane L. Lister, Yidilisi Abuduresule, Wenying Li, Changsui Wang, and Martin K. Jones. "Did Crops Expand in Tandem with Culinary Practices from Their Region of Origin? Evidence from Ancient DNA and Material Culture." Antiquity, 2024, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2023.197 That people adapt new foods to their familiar food cultures is not a novel proposition, and can be observed around the world today. However, I find it interesting that this can be seen even in the archaeological records. It would seem to underscore the fundamental nature of this bias for promotion of proso millet (or any millet) among people not used to eating it, today. How could proso be used and presented as food which appeal to a wider public in North America? It is already used in "hidden" forms - notably in various multigrain bread products. What would it take to successfully raise the profile of this grain? Here's a digression about soybeans in West Africa, about which I did some research some years back.* For many years, international development agencies sought to promote soybeans in Africa. The reasoning was that soybeans could be an excellent source of protein and figure prominently in efforts to improve health and nutrition in the region. Africa has its own pulses (beans) and soybeans never caught on as a substitute for any of them . Among the promotional efforts was the idea of incorporating soybean flour into some traditional foods, but that didn't catch on either. At the same time some countries, notably Nigeria, were producing soybeans for export - but there was no local demand for them (parallels with the situation of proso farmers in the Great Plains?). Then in the 1990s, two apparently unconnected things happened. Some women started to use soybeans as a substitute for the nere seed (African locust bean) in the production of a fermented condiment popular across the region (known variously as sumbala, dawa dawa, iru, and other names). Nere seeds were getting harder to procure in some regions and the prices went up, so that was a motivation. This does not appear to have even been on the radar of international development experts. Also, in southwestern Nigeria, researchers worked with local women to identify a way to make bean curd (tofu) with soybeans, and prepare it in a way similar to how a local dairy cheese - wagasi - was consumed (fried, and eaten with spices). This technique became popular, as the beancurd was much cheaper than the wagasi cheese. It spread from women to women, and without external support, across Nigeria and into Niger, and west to other countries in the region. Is now fairly common as a street food. The original technique has been modified variously along the way. What can such examples suggest as we think about methods and directions for promotion of proso and other millets in North America? Returning to the Hunt, et al (2024) article, here's the abstract: "Grain-cooking traditions in Neolithic China have been characterised as a ‘wet’ cuisine based on the boiling and steaming of sticky varieties of cereal. One of these, broomcorn millet, was one of the earliest Chinese crops to move westward into Central Asia and beyond, into regions where grains were typically prepared by grinding and baking. Here, the authors present the genotypes and reconstructed phenotypes of 13 desiccated broomcorn millet samples from Xinjiang (1700 BC–AD 700). The absence in this area of sticky-starch millet and vessels for boiling and steaming suggests that, as they moved west, East Asian cereal crops were decoupled from traditional cooking practices and were incorporated into local cuisines." ... and here's the thread on Threads: [image: 418798565_392049529877593_7457112263053269788_n.jpg] NEW DNA analysis has revealed that regional cuisines persisted as new staple crops spread across the prehistoric world, showing how even the first cooks retained strong cooking traditions. Strap in for a tasty AntiquityThread 1/12 🧵 <https://www.threads.net/@antiquity_journal/post/C2Hur1gt0sh/> Antiquity (@antiquity_journal) on Threads <https://www.threads.net/@antiquity_journal/post/C2Hur1gt0sh/> threads.net <https://www.threads.net/@antiquity_journal/post/C2Hur1gt0sh/> <https://www.threads.net/@antiquity_journal/post/C2Hur1gt0sh/> <https://www.threads.net/@antiquity_journal/post/C2Hur1gt0sh/> All the best, Don Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance Note: * Osborn, Donald. 2008. "Soybeans and Soybean Products in West Africa: Adoption by Farmers and Adaptation to Foodways." in Christine DuBois, Tan Chee-Beng, and Sidney Mintz, eds. The World of Soy. University of Illinois Press.

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Re: [Collab] Collab Digest, Vol 24, Issue 9
by Gary Wietgrefe 14 Jan '24

14 Jan '24

I agree with Dipak that U.S. millet data is hard to decipher by species for several reasons. Two data references I gave are from two different sources--don't confuse them. U.S.D.A. annual SURVEY estimates are only proso millet production and only in three states (Colorado, Nebraska, and South Dakota) of the twenty-five or so states that produce proso. Five year U.S. CENSUS data, reported by National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS/USDA) is very crude and unreliable as it must report any grower that claims she/he harvested millet (presumably for seed), but in my opinion, that survey barely touches the full scope of U.S. millet planted acres. The second link on the other hand is USA TRADE CENSUS data which reports U.S. Dept. of Commerce international trade. It has nothing to do with production. Their "Millet" data, measured in kilograms, must be proso as Dipak suggested and does not include sorghum which lists data separately. To further substantiate proso's dominance in U.S. exports, Fonio is listed separately and is internationally traded some years or at least transshipped through the U.S. U.S. and international trading codes must be divided into many subcategories to fully understand the species and forms of millet traded. When I sent proso millet seed to Mongolia and Turkey for research, I assume it was reported as "Millet". Also, as millet trade continues to develop, my fear is that millet meal (byproduct of ethanol production), millet forage, hulls, oil, millet sprays, maybe even beer (which is imported), and other forms of millet may be dumped into the same "Millet" category making trade data even more meaningless....Gary Wietgrefe On Wed, Jan 10, 2024 at 1:07 PM <collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space> wrote: > Send Collab mailing list submissions to > collab(a)lists.millets2023.space > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space > > You can reach the person managing the list at > collab-owner(a)lists.millets2023.space > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Collab digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Proso millet insights & comment on USDA "Millet Explorer" > (Re: Collab Digest, Vol 24, Issue 1) (Dipak Santra) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2024 20:06:45 +0000 > From: Dipak Santra <dsantra2(a)unl.edu> > To: Don Osborn <don(a)milletsalliance.org>, > "collab(a)lists.millets2023.space" <collab(a)lists.millets2023.space> > Subject: Re: [Collab] Proso millet insights & comment on USDA "Millet > Explorer" (Re: Collab Digest, Vol 24, Issue 1) > Message-ID: > < > CY4PR08MB3350A550FB963B728A9923299A692(a)CY4PR08MB3350.namprd08.prod.outlook.com > > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > I do not think that either USDA?s Millets Production data or the US Census > data mention the specific millet. I agree that it is difficult to decipher > without this detail. For US, it almost exclusively proso millet. For > China, it is proso millet and foxtail millet. > > Thanks > > Dipak > > [cid:image001.png@01DA43BB.85B7C6D0] > Dipak Santra, Ph.D. > Professor (Alternative Crops Breeding Specialist) > President, International Broomcorn Millet Association > Department of Agronomy and Horticulture > University of Nebraska?Lincoln > Panhandle Research & Extension Center > 4502 Ave I, Scottsbluff, NE 69361 > (308) 632-124<tel:3086321372>4 (work) / (308) 765-2324 (cell) > > > From: Collab <collab-bounces(a)lists.millets2023.space> On Behalf Of Don > Osborn > Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2024 11:30 AM > To: collab(a)lists.millets2023.space > Subject: [Collab] Proso millet insights & comment on USDA "Millet > Explorer" (Re: Collab Digest, Vol 24, Issue 1) > > Non-NU Email > ________________________________ > Thank you, Gary. I concur with Joni's assessment of your informative > email, and also your prognostication about 2024. > > We should be putting such information and links as you shared about proso > in a ready-to-reference set of webpages. Kind of a meta-reference to data > and analysis by others. (This is on NAMA's full agenda.) > > One quick remark concerning USDA's "Millet Explorer." It is not clear > which of the various species we're treating as millets are covered in this > data. However, it is clear that at least 3 or 4 crops, and perhaps more, > are collapsed under the category of "millet." That may be a function of how > data is collected in the various countries, but it all points in my > thinking to a need for more specificity. > > The selection of millets most grown in China, for example, is not the same > as that in the US, and the West African Sahel and East Africa are also > different. And India has 8 or 9 figuring prominently in annual production. > > I did not see such improvement of data collection and reporting on the > agenda of the International Year of Millets, but it probably should be a > goal moving forward. (FAO would seem best placed to promote such > evolution.) > > All the best, > > Don > > DO, EL, MI, US > NAMA > > > On Thu, Jan 4, 2024 at 7:32?PM Joni Kindwall-Moore < > joni(a)snacktivistfoods.com<mailto:joni@snacktivistfoods.com>> wrote: > This is very insightful Gary, as usual, your content is very well thought > out and reflects your experience. > thanks > > On Thu, Jan 4, 2024 at 11:29?AM Gary Wietgrefe via Collab < > collab(a)lists.millets2023.space<mailto:collab@lists.millets2023.space>> > wrote: > With NAMA, there has never been a better opportunity for the U.S. millet > future, especially proso. NAMA is best positioned to promote all North > American millets based on their multi-million acre base, climate > resilience, food quality, and international acceptance. > > A fundamental economics rule is that market growth slows as prices > increase. Alternatively, as price decreases opportunities increase by > finding new users at their initial price point. Once a market is > established, barriers to exit drives prices up. > > Without promotional budget or government interference, proso production, > use, and exports have fluctuated for the last half-century based on that > economic rule. As markets developed, caged and wild birdseed packagers have > been forced by consumers to put white proso into mixes. > > Another example is black oil-seed sunflowers as birdseed. In 1978 only > confection sunflower seed was used in birdseed mixes. Those confection > seeds were too large for most caged birds and low-quality confections were > discarded at low prices into the wild bird mixes. Working for the South > Dakota Department of Agriculture, I introduced black oil sunflower seed as > wild birdseed. It took off! Black oilseed sunflower farm prices have ranged > from under 10-cents/lb to 40-cents/lb only because birdseed market demand > sets the price. South Dakota follows North Dakota in sunflower production. > North Dakota black oilseed sunflowers primarily are crushed for oil. Nearly > all South Dakota black oilseed sunflowers go into the birdseed market. In > fact, the largest SD grain elevator quotes daily black oilseed sunflowers > only as "Birdseed." See Oahe Grain Corporation< > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.oahegraincorp.com/__;!!PvXuogZ4sRB2p-… > J5Q2Ujc5Br_jUz99zO7dRQ$>. Market demand drives price! > > For a brief U.S. proso economics lesson, review one minute segment > (2:20-3:20) of this "Proso Millet Pricing" YouTube video > https://youtu.be/pVQclIw5Rbw?si=UMNZg6Ne1RSEkQWp< > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/youtu.be/pVQclIw5Rbw?si=UMNZg6Ne1RSEkQWp… > >. > > Two other items: > 1.) USDA's December 2023 World Millet Production is available at Millet > Explorer (usda.gov)< > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/ipad.fas.usda.gov/cropexplorer/cropview/… > >. > > 2.) U.S. Census data is only out through Oct. 2023, but with current proso > supplies, it would not surprise me if 2024 U.S. millet exports do not > exceed 2019 (at 129,286,000 lbs.). In the last five years, as expected, > U.S. millet exports have decreased as prices increased. See > https://usatrade.census.gov/data/Perspective60/View/dispview.aspx< > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/usatrade.census.gov/data/Perspective60/V… > >. > > Again, 2024 should be a very dynamic millet year....Gary Wietgrefe > > On Thu, Jan 4, 2024 at 5:06?AM <collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space > <mailto:collab-request@lists.millets2023.space>> wrote: > Send Collab mailing list submissions to > collab(a)lists.millets2023.space<mailto: > collab(a)lists.millets2023.space> > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab< > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo… > > > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space<mailto: > collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space> > > You can reach the person managing the list at > collab-owner(a)lists.millets2023.space<mailto: > collab-owner(a)lists.millets2023.space> > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Collab digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: "Year of Millets: Farmers willing, but market needs to > develop" (Joni Kindwall-Moore) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2024 22:04:17 -0800 > From: Joni Kindwall-Moore <joni(a)snacktivistfoods.com<mailto: > joni(a)snacktivistfoods.com>> > To: Don Osborn <don(a)milletsalliance.org<mailto:don@milletsalliance.org>> > Cc: collab(a)lists.millets2023.space<mailto:collab@lists.millets2023.space> > Subject: Re: [Collab] "Year of Millets: Farmers willing, but market > needs to develop" > Message-ID: > < > CAHVJMLJrcz3s3QPNBWif-beNHvBcknd9tqCfo4CrgcLbN-gsdQ(a)mail.gmail.com<mailto: > CAHVJMLJrcz3s3QPNBWif-beNHvBcknd9tqCfo4CrgcLbN-gsdQ(a)mail.gmail.com>> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Thanks Don, I am always appreciative of the share. We must focus on the > markets, go to market partners, processing, and education. Awareness with > influencers, chefs, buyers, and consumers is critical for the adoption of > underutilized crops and for the markets to gain any traction. > Unfortunately, the Proso millet market had more growers this year but then > without any market development, it was harmful to the economics for the > farmers unfortunately. > We will keep working but there are so few people working on this > critical side of the equation and almost no financial support so it remains > very difficult. > Warm regards, > Joni > > On Sun, Dec 31, 2023 at 8:44?AM Don Osborn <don(a)milletsalliance.org > <mailto:don@milletsalliance.org>> wrote: > > > Here's a recent article on the potential for proso millet in the Pacific > > Northwest, which includes thoughts from NAMA co-founder Joni > Kindwall-Moore > > on the potential of this crop in general: > > > > "Year of Millets: Farmers willing, but market needs to develop," by > > Matthew Weaver, Capital Press (Salem, OR), 26 Dec. 2023 > > > https://www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/grains/year-of-millets-farmers-will… > < > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/grains/y… > > > > > > I hope Joni won't mind my copying her additional comments on posting this > > article to LinkedIn: > > > > "Thank you Matthew Weaver at the Capital Press for doing a follow-up on > > the work we have been doing to develop our domestic Millets (including > > Sorghum) industry. > > > > "We have made strides this year in pushing for education and promotion > > thanks to the United Nations/FAO Year of Millets and several domestic > > organizations like the North American Millets Alliance (NAMA), the United > > Sorghum Checkoff Program, and Nate Blum's visionary work at Sorghum > United. > > > > "Hundreds of conversations with farmers have left me feeling confident > > that there is a major yearning to plant more climate-resilient crops like > > millets to diversify their rotations and transition to crops that require > > less water, fewer chemical inputs and positively impact soil health. > > > > "We can not fuel regeneration without the diversification of crops. But > > this requires diversification of markets. > > > > "Unfortunately, the markets are not developing as fast as we need them to > > for a variety of reasons. Several factors persist that are hampering the > > development of market segments that support crop diversity and the > adoption > > of millets. > > > > "First and foremost, I will say that I am personally extremely > > disappointed at the lack of interest in crop diversity and > > climate-resilient crops in general from leaders in the Natural Products > > industry. We tried to raise awareness and put millets on the topics of > > conversations at events like Expo West and in buyer groups at leading > > retailers like Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market but they > were > > stubbornly unreceptive to the topic. > > > > "Interestingly enough, the 3 retailers who wanted to hear about millets > > and the potential role they play in the food system of the future were > > Walmart, The GIANT Company and Market of Choice. I am so appreciative of > > their willingness to lean in, take responsibility, and truly understand > the > > pivotal role that retailers will play in shaping the food system of the > > future. > > > > "They invited the conversations, they wanted to learn. I applaud them! > > > > "While very positive conversations continue, I refuse to just sit here > and > > watch other nations lead the transformation toward a climate-resilient > food > > system, the sluggish adoption of the US markets is truly a shame. > > > > "We will keep pushing these initiatives domestically because of the > > critical role that climate-resilient crops play in the future of our food > > system." > > (Joni Kindwall-Moore at > > > https://www.linkedin.com/posts/joni-kindwall-moore-57a81014_year-of-millets… > < > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.linkedin.com/posts/joni-kindwall-moo… > > > > ) > > > > Don > > > > DO, EL, MI, US > > NAMA > > > > bcc: Matthew Weaver > > > > > > -- > > Collab mailing list > > Collab(a)lists.millets2023.space<mailto:Collab@lists.millets2023.space> > > https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab< > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo… > > > > >

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Re: [Collab] Collab Digest, Vol 24, Issue 1
by Gary Wietgrefe 10 Jan '24

10 Jan '24

With NAMA, there has never been a better opportunity for the U.S. millet future, especially proso. NAMA is best positioned to promote all North American millets based on their multi-million acre base, climate resilience, food quality, and international acceptance. A fundamental economics rule is that market growth slows as prices increase. Alternatively, as price decreases opportunities increase by finding new users at their initial price point. Once a market is established, barriers to exit drives prices up. Without promotional budget or government interference, proso production, use, and exports have fluctuated for the last half-century based on that economic rule. As markets developed, caged and wild birdseed packagers have been forced by consumers to put white proso into mixes. Another example is black oil-seed sunflowers as birdseed. In 1978 only confection sunflower seed was used in birdseed mixes. Those confection seeds were too large for most caged birds and low-quality confections were discarded at low prices into the wild bird mixes. Working for the South Dakota Department of Agriculture, I introduced black oil sunflower seed as wild birdseed. It took off! Black oilseed sunflower farm prices have ranged from under 10-cents/lb to 40-cents/lb only because birdseed market demand sets the price. South Dakota follows North Dakota in sunflower production. North Dakota black oilseed sunflowers primarily are crushed for oil. Nearly all South Dakota black oilseed sunflowers go into the birdseed market. In fact, the largest SD grain elevator quotes daily black oilseed sunflowers only as "Birdseed." See Oahe Grain Corporation <http://www.oahegraincorp.com/>. Market demand drives price! For a brief U.S. proso economics lesson, review one minute segment (2:20-3:20) of this "Proso Millet Pricing" YouTube video https://youtu.be/pVQclIw5Rbw?si=UMNZg6Ne1RSEkQWp. Two other items: 1.) USDA's December 2023 World Millet Production is available at Millet Explorer (usda.gov) <https://ipad.fas.usda.gov/cropexplorer/cropview/commodityView.aspx?cropid=0…> . 2.) U.S. Census data is only out through Oct. 2023, but with current proso supplies, it would not surprise me if 2024 U.S. millet exports do not exceed 2019 (at 129,286,000 lbs.). In the last five years, as expected, U.S. millet exports have decreased as prices increased. See https://usatrade.census.gov/data/Perspective60/View/dispview.aspx. Again, 2024 should be a very dynamic millet year....Gary Wietgrefe On Thu, Jan 4, 2024 at 5:06 AM <collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space> wrote: > Send Collab mailing list submissions to > collab(a)lists.millets2023.space > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space > > You can reach the person managing the list at > collab-owner(a)lists.millets2023.space > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Collab digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: "Year of Millets: Farmers willing, but market needs to > develop" (Joni Kindwall-Moore) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2024 22:04:17 -0800 > From: Joni Kindwall-Moore <joni(a)snacktivistfoods.com> > To: Don Osborn <don(a)milletsalliance.org> > Cc: collab(a)lists.millets2023.space > Subject: Re: [Collab] "Year of Millets: Farmers willing, but market > needs to develop" > Message-ID: > < > CAHVJMLJrcz3s3QPNBWif-beNHvBcknd9tqCfo4CrgcLbN-gsdQ(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Thanks Don, I am always appreciative of the share. We must focus on the > markets, go to market partners, processing, and education. Awareness with > influencers, chefs, buyers, and consumers is critical for the adoption of > underutilized crops and for the markets to gain any traction. > Unfortunately, the Proso millet market had more growers this year but then > without any market development, it was harmful to the economics for the > farmers unfortunately. > We will keep working but there are so few people working on this > critical side of the equation and almost no financial support so it remains > very difficult. > Warm regards, > Joni > > On Sun, Dec 31, 2023 at 8:44?AM Don Osborn <don(a)milletsalliance.org> > wrote: > > > Here's a recent article on the potential for proso millet in the Pacific > > Northwest, which includes thoughts from NAMA co-founder Joni > Kindwall-Moore > > on the potential of this crop in general: > > > > "Year of Millets: Farmers willing, but market needs to develop," by > > Matthew Weaver, Capital Press (Salem, OR), 26 Dec. 2023 > > > https://www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/grains/year-of-millets-farmers-will… > > > > I hope Joni won't mind my copying her additional comments on posting this > > article to LinkedIn: > > > > "Thank you Matthew Weaver at the Capital Press for doing a follow-up on > > the work we have been doing to develop our domestic Millets (including > > Sorghum) industry. > > > > "We have made strides this year in pushing for education and promotion > > thanks to the United Nations/FAO Year of Millets and several domestic > > organizations like the North American Millets Alliance (NAMA), the United > > Sorghum Checkoff Program, and Nate Blum's visionary work at Sorghum > United. > > > > "Hundreds of conversations with farmers have left me feeling confident > > that there is a major yearning to plant more climate-resilient crops like > > millets to diversify their rotations and transition to crops that require > > less water, fewer chemical inputs and positively impact soil health. > > > > "We can not fuel regeneration without the diversification of crops. But > > this requires diversification of markets. > > > > "Unfortunately, the markets are not developing as fast as we need them to > > for a variety of reasons. Several factors persist that are hampering the > > development of market segments that support crop diversity and the > adoption > > of millets. > > > > "First and foremost, I will say that I am personally extremely > > disappointed at the lack of interest in crop diversity and > > climate-resilient crops in general from leaders in the Natural Products > > industry. We tried to raise awareness and put millets on the topics of > > conversations at events like Expo West and in buyer groups at leading > > retailers like Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market but they > were > > stubbornly unreceptive to the topic. > > > > "Interestingly enough, the 3 retailers who wanted to hear about millets > > and the potential role they play in the food system of the future were > > Walmart, The GIANT Company and Market of Choice. I am so appreciative of > > their willingness to lean in, take responsibility, and truly understand > the > > pivotal role that retailers will play in shaping the food system of the > > future. > > > > "They invited the conversations, they wanted to learn. I applaud them! > > > > "While very positive conversations continue, I refuse to just sit here > and > > watch other nations lead the transformation toward a climate-resilient > food > > system, the sluggish adoption of the US markets is truly a shame. > > > > "We will keep pushing these initiatives domestically because of the > > critical role that climate-resilient crops play in the future of our food > > system." > > (Joni Kindwall-Moore at > > > https://www.linkedin.com/posts/joni-kindwall-moore-57a81014_year-of-millets… > > ) > > > > Don > > > > DO, EL, MI, US > > NAMA > > > > bcc: Matthew Weaver > > > > > > -- > > Collab mailing list > > Collab(a)lists.millets2023.space > > https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab > > >

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[Organic Sorghum Supply] Request for bulk supply
by Vishal Ramakrishnan 10 Jan '24

10 Jan '24

Hello All, I previously reached out to this group in regards to establishing a millets advisory board focused on creating additional value-added products from millets besides food products. As part of this initiative, I am reaching out to understand if there are any bulk suppliers of Organic Sorghum in this group. I would like to establish a steady source of supply in large quantities of this grain and would greatly appreciate any assistance on this matter. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or requests for further information. Best regards, Vishal Ramakrishnan Whatsapp: +1-732-218-2522

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Introducing Early-stage CPG healthy food startup, KUKU Bars
by Jangu Anika 10 Jan '24

10 Jan '24

Hello Everyone, I am Jangaiah Anika from India, the founder of ANIKA ORGANICS AND NATURALS. I am reaching out on behalf of our early-stage CPG healthy food startup, KUKU Bars, specializing in the manufacturing and branding of millet-based value-added products. Our product range includes Nutrition/Energy Bars, Millet Pancakes, Muesli, and Ready-to-Eat (RTE) and Ready-to-Cook (RTC) items. We are actively seeking partners and strategy mentors for the North American market. Our key focus areas encompass market occupancy, direct-to-consumer (D2C) initiatives, supply chains for supermarkets and hypermarkets, partnerships with gyms and hospitals 🏥 🏋️‍♂️, and collaboration with local manufacturing to create employment opportunities. If all progresses successfully, we have plans to establish manufacturing operations in the USA, contributing significantly to local farmers, employment, and environmental sustainability. Please find the attached Pitch Deck for a better understanding. Best Regards, -- Jangaiah Anika Founder | Product Head Office +91 6304 005 447 Cell +91 97048 75752 Anika Organics & Naturals <https://anikaorganic.com/>

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New fonio beers
by Don Osborn 09 Jan '24

09 Jan '24

Starting a new year, am alredy playing catch-up, as I try to clear some things off my desk. Saw an item last October on a fonio beer collaboration by Yolélé and Brooklyn Brewery (possiby the same outfit hinted at by Robin in her question about sorghum spirits), and had meant to post here on it earlier. In the meantime, I came across other items, one about another fonio beer involving Brooklyn Brewery, and yet another by Terra Ingredients and Wolf & Warrior Brewing Co. Here are a few items on these: ** Brooklyn Brewery and Yolélé ** "Brooklyn Brewery and Yolélé Collaborate to Release ‘Fonio Rising’ Beer Worldwide," Brewbound, 4 Oct 2023 (press release) https://www.brewbound.com/news/brooklyn-brewery-and-yolele-collaborate-to-r… "We Tried Brooklyn Brewery's New Yolélé Fonio White Beer. Here's How It Went," by Adam Swierk, Mashed, 13 Oct. 2022 (a very positive early review) https://www.mashed.com/1052978/we-tried-brooklyn-brewerys-new-yolele-fonio-… Brooklyn Brewery product page: https://brooklynbrewery.com/brooklyn-beers/limited/brooklyn-brewery-x-yolel… ** Brooklyn Brewery and Brewgooder (in UK) ** "African ‘super grain’ beer launches in UK as cereal prices remain high," by Eloise Feilden, The Drinks Business, 25 May 2023 https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2023/05/african-super-grain-beer-launches… ** Wolf & Warrior Brewing Co. & Terra Ingredients ** "Andes to Africa Golden Ale with Fonio: A Unique Beer Collaboration by Terra Ingredients and Wolf & Warrior Brewing Company," Terra Ingredients https://www.terraingredients.com/news/andes-to-africa-golden-ale-with-fonio… I'm not that familiar with the craft brewing industry (and don't drink) so can't offer any insights.on the products described above. I would however recall that sorghum and proso millet are also popular alternatives to wheat for beers. Our Millets Webinar last September featured a presentation by Twila Soles, whose company - Grouse Malt House - works with proso. For those of you who missed it, see https://youtu.be/RgkSnqIeHAU More soon and best to all, Don Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Presentation Opportunity: International Conference on Global Food Security Challenges Related to Climate Change and Disaster Management
by Sorghum United 07 Jan '24

07 Jan '24

Indo-U.S. Millets Initiative: International Conference on Global Food Security Challenges Related to Climate Change and Disaster Management (signupgenius.com) <https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084DABAA29A0F9C34-47081833-international…> All: The newly minted Indo-U.S. Millets Initiative (a collaboration between Sorghum United, NAMA, India Millet Initiative, Daugherty Water for Food GLobal Institute, and the University of Nebraska) is hosting an international conference on 2 February (Indian Standard Time). The International Conference on Global Food Security Challenges Related to Climate Change and Disaster Management, is seeking virtual presentations germane to this subject. There are seven spots left. We have several participants from the subcontinent registered. It would be fantastic to have other regions represented as well. You can register using the link at the top of this message. All the best, *Nate Blum*Chief Executive OfficerSorghum United+1 402 802 1850 sorghumunited(a)gmail.com

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Maybe it's time for a sorghum spirit?
by Robin Asbell 07 Jan '24

07 Jan '24

As we consider how to popularize millets, perhaps a US based Baijiu-maker would get more farmers to grow sorghum. Apparently, the sorghum based spirit is the most consumed spirit in the world. There must be a hipster distiller in Brooklyn looking for the next ultra-cool spirit to introduce to Western cocktail aficionados. https://plateonline.com/drink/cocktails/get-crash-course-baijiu-vancouver-s… (article copied from Plate online) Get a Crash Course in Baijiu at This Vancouver Speakeasy Robin CatalanoJANUARY 2, 2024 [image: Photo: Courtesy of Laowai] Dance Monkey baijiu cocktail at Laowai, VancouverPHOTO: COURTESY OF LAOWAI <https://plateonline.com/drink/cocktails/get-crash-course-baijiu-vancouver-s…> [image: Marketing & Technology] <https://mtgad.com/www/delivery/cl.php?bannerid=4773&zoneid=104&source=sourc…> In a narrow, warmly lit bar, under dozens of pale, papery phoenix suspended from the ceiling, customers chatter while a musician taps out a ragtime tune on the upright piano. A server glides past, pausing at a corner table to deposit a pair of foam-topped cocktails and a tray bearing five shot glasses filled with baijiu. >From the secret location behind a faux dumpling house door to the crystal chandeliers, and prime menu real estate occupied by China’s favorite spirit, it wouldn’t be hard to envision this speakeasy in 1920s Shanghai. But three-year-old *Laowai*, hidden away in Vancouver’s Chinatown neighborhood, has amassed a loyal audience with an innovative cocktail program that takes a storytelling-first approach in bringing to life a forgotten era of Chinese culture. *Lewis Hart* was an economics student and aspiring pro rugby player in England, who parlayed his imposing size and gregarious nature into working as a bouncer at bars. “I never had this idea of keeping people out. It was, how do I make people happy coming in, especially when they have to wait in line for three hours?” he says. After moving to Vancouver at 20, he worked his way up through nightclub management to VP of operations. He struck out on his own a few years later, choosing Chinatown, which had entered the early stages of a revival, as his location. (Laowai means “foreigner” in Chinese.) A self-described history nerd, Hart wanted to honor Chinese culture while highlighting a lesser-known time period. He landed on the Prohibition era, where famous American rogues like Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly had across-the-Pacific counterparts. [image: Photo: Courtesy of Laowai] The wall of a faux dumpling shop that leads to Laowai speakeasy in VancouverPHOTO: COURTESY OF LAOWAI Laowai’s menu relies on these outsize personalities to bring baijiu to the mainstream. Although the sorghum-derived spirit is the world’s most consumed, thanks to China’s massive population, it’s rare in Western bars. The pungent, high-proof beverage is unfamiliar to North American palates, and can be acquired taste. Hart started by bringing in one of each of the four main types of baijiu, which are categorized by aroma: light, strong, phoenix, and sauce. “People loved it. They wanted to try more,” Hart says. “They were bringing in their grandparents, telling us, ‘My granddad hasn’t had this baijiu in 30 years.’” To meet the demand, Hart kept doubling his selections. The Laowai beverage list currently features 56 labels of the Chinese spirit. For cocktails, the mixology team uses brands like Yanghe Baiju, which are less intense flavors and more consistently available. They’re also the most affordable, running between $20 and $50 per bottle. The next tier, including popular Luzhou Laojiao, makes the jump to $80 to $150 per bottle. Premium baijiu, such as Wuliangye and Maotai, costs between $300 and $600 per bottle. Each Laowai cocktail menu takes about nine months to develop, beginning with research into historical figures. Then the team gets to work on pairing the 120-proof spirit with other ingredients that reflect the time period and the person. The esters in each aroma type dictate the best flavor combinations, says Hart. For example, the fermented-pineapple flavor of strong-aroma baijiu works well with tropical juices and stone fruits. Light aroma, which has the undertone of a grappa, is a natural in drier drinks, such as martinis; the bar team sometimes includes rice to help give the drink a bit of body and prevent it from tasting too sharp. Sauce-aroma baijiu has the earthy taste of soy and fungus. The mixologists lean into its truffle essence with chocolatey flavors, including red wine. As for phoenix aroma, Hart says, “It’s the bartender’s fernet. It’s got a lot going on, so we use it very delicately.” [image: Photo: Courtesy of Laowai] Goodbye Marilou baijiu cocktail PHOTO: COURTESY OF LAOWAI For instance, Don’t Let Them See You Bleed is based on W. E. Fairbairn, a British marine who moved to China and joined the Shanghai Municipal Police, which had one of the roughest beats in the world. (He’s believed by some to be the inspiration for Q in Ian Fleming’s James Bond books; the libation’s name derives from a snippet of dialogue.) Using a light-aroma baijiu, Laowai’s bartenders homed in on a dry martini flavor, fusing it with toasted rice to round out the body, and blood orange oil for a bit of zing. Hart recommends a lighter hand when starting out with baijiu. “You’re effectively pouring one and a half ounces to everybody else’s ounce,” he explains. “As a businessman, I want people drinking more cocktails, not getting wasted off two and then dipping out.” The cocktail menus—printed in slim, cloth-bound books, with a description and original illustrations of the historical figures each drink is based on—are the “most collectible item in the world,” Hart says with a laugh. “I swear they have legs. We’ve gotten to the point where we have to do a menu count at the end of the night, because so many go walking.” Beyond their keepsake-like feel, the menus serve an important role: they help articulate the bar’s concept without either the customer or the staff having to remember all the details of each cocktail’s story. The storytelling formula has been successful for Laowai, whose team delights in the theater of mixology, and of walking guests through baijiu tastings and cocktail selections to fit their palate and mood. “The best bars in the world, they’re no longer just opening the doors and saying, ‘Hey, I would like your money, and you would like a good drink,’” Hart says. “I think people are very cognizant of their spending power now, and they’re no longer just choosing a good product. They’re choosing an experience.” *Robin Catalano is a travel, food and beverage, and conservation journalist based in New York’s Upper Hudson Valley. * -- *Robin Asbell* *http://robinasbell.com/ <http://robinasbell.com/>*

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Some technical notes as we begin 2024
by Don Osborn 06 Jan '24

06 Jan '24

Happy New Year 2024 to all of you! And thank you for your support during the International Year of Millets 2023. (I understand that the official closing ceremony for the Year is still ahead of us,so we'll have more to say around that time). NAMA is already working on plans for 2024 and beyond. Stay tuned! Here are some technical notes of interest to subscribers: * The Collab list will continue on this domain, millets2023.space. It is not possible to port the archives to our destination URL, milletsalliance.org, and so maintain full continuity. Therefore, we'll keep Collab here for now. We'll continue this list in some form for as long as it continues to fill a communication function (in tandem with other media) for the millets interest & action community. * Collab may be the only forum for communication about all millets across all domains of activity, and with a North American focus (plus international awareness, of course). It currently has about 80 subscribers. * Since there have been a number of substantive posts about millets on Collab since its start in January 2022, I have been spending some time to make sure that messages are properly archived with Archive.org. In addition, I am trying to see if the list traffic can be stored on Mail-archive.com from this point in time on. All of this, again, to make the content of this list more accessible now and later. * NAMA also continues to use social media for communication - notably LinkedIn, where we have a page (and 700+ followers) at https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-american-millets-alliance-nama/ * We're also returning to the need for a proper NAMA website. To that end, if you have strong skills with WordPress (including Elementor), and would have time to lend a hand (no major commitment), please contact me offlist. Thank you, and we look forward to the coming year! Don Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance, co-founder don(a)milletsalliance.org

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