- Collab - lists.millets2023.space

Improvements in labeling of millets from India, since 2015
by Don Osborn 24 Oct '25

24 Oct '25

Here's a shout-out for improvements in labeling by Indian companies packaging millets for sale in the US. Although my personal history with millets goes back over 4 decades,* it was not until 2015 that I started paying attention to the range of millets imported for retail sale in the US, mainly from India, but also from China and to a lesser extent other countries in Asia and Africa. These imports complement the narrower selection of millets grown in the US - namely proso millet, sorghum, and teff. At that time, ten years ago, I found, in exploring a well-stocked South Asian foods market (Indian Spices, Falls Church, VA), that virtually all packages of millets from India had simply "millet" in the ingredients on the package back. On the front would typically be a common name from India, and sometimes, but not always, an English common name as well. A combination of asking store clerks, who often didn't know, and looking up names on my phone to figure out which ones were which: bajra or bajri = pearl millet, ragi = finger millet, etc. Since there's a similar situation with millets from China (with its own aspects, to which I'll return later), and because proso millet in general food markets in the US is also labeled simply "millet," I saw a barrier for consumers who might want to explore the variety of millets. Nowadays, packaged millets and millet products from India typically state which type in the ingredients. This is helpful and appreciated. It's also a lesson for marketers of millets domestically and imported from other countries. Generic use of the term "millet" is inadequate, and non-standard translations can be confusing. Anyway, this is to say thanks to these Indian food companies for taking the lead in clarifying labeling of millets! Don Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance Note: * Mainly as food, although I have worked with pearl millet farmers, and briefly investigated artisanal processing of pearl millet in products made in Mali.

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An insider's view of Yolélé's fonio business
by Don Osborn 09 Oct '25

09 Oct '25

Two podcast interviews earlier this year with Philip Teverow, the co-founder with Chef Pierre Thiam of the Yolélé brand line of fonio products, offer insights into their company's vision and operations. Both are good conversations, and altho some information is repeated in different ways, there are other differences. "Founder Feature: Philip Teverow of Yolélé," The Startup CPG Podcast, 28 Feb. 2025 (33:04) https://startupcpg.transistor.fm/episodes/founder-feature-philip-teverow-of… "Discovering Fonio: A Grain of Hope for Sustaining Agriculture," The FoodTalk Show, 21 May 2025 (35:00) https://foodtalk.co.uk/podcasts/discovering-fonio-a-grain-of-hope-for-susta… One interesting thing I learned was that Yolélé's introduction of fonio chips was prompted in large part by the fact that snacks are more suitable for displays than their other products, and displays in stores are a great way to boost brand awareness. In various past posts on this list, podcasts with Pierre Thiam have also been mentioned - https://lists.millets2023.space/archives/search?mlist=collab%40lists.millet… ... and of course he was a guest on our June 2023 Millets Webinar - https://youtu.be/c7pyH6ucN2U Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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IV International Symposium on Underutilized Plant Species, 24-25 Oct. 2025
by Don Osborn 04 Oct '25

04 Oct '25

Of possible interest is the upcoming IV International Symposium on Underutilized Plant Species, 24-25 Oct. 2025 in Fort Myers, Florida. https://underutilizedplants25.org/ Millets are not specifically mentioned on the event website (nor are many other crops), but appear in titles of several papers in the proceedings of the previous edition of the symposium. (See below.) The upcoming conference is "Hosted by ECHO Inc., under the auspices of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)." Other sponsors include the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences (UF/IFAS) and Cultivate Abundance (a non-profit organization). The previous (3rd) edition of this symposium series was held in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India 10 years ago, on 5-8 Aug. 2015: https://www.ishs.org/symposium/365 . Proceedings at https://www.ishs.org/ishs-book/1241 The second was in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2011: https://www.ishs.org/symposium/222 . And the first was in Arusha, Tanzania, in 2008: https://www.ishs.org/symposium/36 It will be interesting to learn how millets figure in discussions at this symposium. Thanks to Joanna Kane-Potaka for sharing information about this upcoming event. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Role of ready-to-eat snacks in growth of markets for millets
by Don Osborn 03 Oct '25

03 Oct '25

An interesting article from The Economic Times (India) on the role of snacks in the evolving millets market in India also appeared on the same page as the piece by Dr. Prabhakar in the Global Eye (#66, 24 Sep. 2025) that I previously mentioned (see below for link). See "Millet Mania: ITC, PepsiCo and startups spice up India's snacking game." The Economic Times (updated 22 Sep. 2025) at https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/food/millet-man… This calls attention to how companies in India are shifting focus to snacks in a "sluggish packaged-food market." It also has some relevance to developments in the US market. Here's a quick tour of some examples in the latter: For example, a number of Kind breakfast protein bars "made with 5 super grains" include "millet" (in this context, certainly proso millet). See https://www.kindsnacks.com/products/breakfast-bars (thanks to Gary for bringing this to our attention). Another example is the Good & Gather brand multibran rice crackers, that also have "millet" (again, certainly proso millet). https://www.target.com/p/gluten-free-multi-grain-with-flax-rice-crackers-3-… (again, thanks Gary) A couple of years ago on this list I mentioned the line of "millet & flax" pita chips by Sami's Bakery that is marketed nationally through specialty stores: https://www.samisbakery.com/product/millet-flax-plain-chips/ (once again, the "millet" would be proso). https://www.samisbakery.com/product/millet-flax-plain-chips/ Regarding teff. the Teffola granola company also has a "Teffola Bites" line of sweet snacks. https://eatteffola.com/pages/bites I'll also mention Yolélé's venture into fonio chips - interestingly that seems to have been motivated by the desire to have a product suitable for displays in stores. More on that in one of two podcasts featuring Yolélé co-founder Philip Teverow that I'll post separately. Don DO, EL, MI, US NAMA On Wed, Oct 1, 2025 at 10:30 AM Don Osborn <don(a)milletsalliance.org> wrote: > Dr. Vijay G. Prabhakar, head of GSA, which held a Global Millets Conclave > last month in Hillside, Illinois, recently published an article entitled > "Growing more ancient grain millet could help American farmers adapt to > climate change" in GSA's online periodical, The Global Eye (#66, page 23) > at https://globaleyedigital.com/Newspaper/2025/66/GE-66.pdf , > > GSA's GlobalEye serves readers in the Indian-American community in the US, > as well as some in India. > > I have a text copy of the article, extracted from the above, that I can > share with any who are interested. > > This is a good article, outlining important points that are familiar to > those of us working on millets (and some of which have been made previously > by readers of this list): > * Significance of the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023) > * Marginalization of millets > * Resilience, diversity, and versatility > * Potential markets > * Lack of crop support in the US > * Importance of research > * Increased awareness and growing popularity of millets > * Economic aspects > > Some specific observations on content of the article. > * The Missouri farmer growing Japanese millet who was mentioned in the > article is probably Linus Rothermich, who was featured in Eva Tesfaye's > 2023 piece on IYM2023 (Harvest Public Media / NPR - audio and print > versions) - see > https://www.npr.org/2023/06/08/1180964010/the-united-nations-declares-2023-… > & https://modernfarmer.com/2023/05/millets-midwest-climate-change/ (this > item was mentioned on Collab in Nov. 2023) > * The quote from Makiko Taguchi comes from that same piece > * The item about how an additional $1 million would have a much greater > impact on millets research than it would on corn research is the same as > what Prof. James Schnable is quoted as saying in that same piece > * The annual growth projections in the global millets market may have been > sourced from more than one commodity marketing sites - I have seen similar > figures in headlines, but not these particular ones > > Altogether this is a helpful contribution to the ongoing public discussion > of millets in North America. It is especially important, I think, in > reminding us of the importance of the Indian-American market for millets, > both domestically produced and imported. > > Finally, we note that Dr. Prabhakar in his byline, lists himself as Chair, > GSA Millets Promotion & Research Council of America. We'll share further > information on the latter initiative as we receive it. > > Don Osborn, PhD > (East Lansing, MI, US) > North American Millets Alliance > > >

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GSA "Global Eye" article on millets in the US
by Don Osborn 01 Oct '25

01 Oct '25

Dr. Vijay G. Prabhakar, head of GSA, which held a Global Millets Conclave last month in Hillside, Illinois, recently published an article entitled "Growing more ancient grain millet could help American farmers adapt to climate change" in GSA's online periodical, The Global Eye (#66, page 23) at https://globaleyedigital.com/Newspaper/2025/66/GE-66.pdf , GSA's GlobalEye serves readers in the Indian-American community in the US, as well as some in India. I have a text copy of the article, extracted from the above, that I can share with any who are interested. This is a good article, outlining important points that are familiar to those of us working on millets (and some of which have been made previously by readers of this list): * Significance of the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023) * Marginalization of millets * Resilience, diversity, and versatility * Potential markets * Lack of crop support in the US * Importance of research * Increased awareness and growing popularity of millets * Economic aspects Some specific observations on content of the article. * The Missouri farmer growing Japanese millet who was mentioned in the article is probably Linus Rothermich, who was featured in Eva Tesfaye's 2023 piece on IYM2023 (Harvest Public Media / NPR - audio and print versions) - see https://www.npr.org/2023/06/08/1180964010/the-united-nations-declares-2023-… & https://modernfarmer.com/2023/05/millets-midwest-climate-change/ (this item was mentioned on Collab in Nov. 2023) * The quote from Makiko Taguchi comes from that same piece * The item about how an additional $1 million would have a much greater impact on millets research than it would on corn research is the same as what Prof. James Schnable is quoted as saying in that same piece * The annual growth projections in the global millets market may have been sourced from more than one commodity marketing sites - I have seen similar figures in headlines, but not these particular ones Altogether this is a helpful contribution to the ongoing public discussion of millets in North America. It is especially important, I think, in reminding us of the importance of the Indian-American market for millets, both domestically produced and imported. Finally, we note that Dr. Prabhakar in his byline, lists himself as Chair, GSA Millets Promotion & Research Council of America. We'll share further information on the latter initiative as we receive it. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Browntop millet as a cover and forage crop outside the US southeast
by Don Osborn 30 Sep '25

30 Sep '25

We usually think of browntop millet (Brachiaria/Urochloa ramosa) in North America as primarily a crop of the US southeast, where it serves as a cover crop and apparently quite often as a crop to attract game birds for hunting. However, it evidently has wider, if perhaps still limited, use as a cover crop and for animal forage. Here are a few videos Browntop is one of "8 Amazing Cover Crops for Vegetable Production" introduced by Moriah Bilenky, at Iowa State University's Horticulture Research Station in 2020 (I see she's now on the faculty at Purdue). This has a nice view of browntop in the field, where it seems to be doing very well, and of course allows comparison with some other cover crops. https://youtu.be/KY2MhKspNBc (starting at 2:12; BTW, note also teff at 4:49; the video begins with sorghum-sudan grass) "Brown Top Millet" is a short (1:51) discussion by Keith Berns & Dale Strickler of Green Cover (Nebraska) about characteristics of this crop, including how it maintains forage quality after maturity better than other millets. https://youtu.be/W6iPJBKc6Bc Noble Research Institute (Oklahoma) looks at browntop in experimental plots in two locations in two years in its "Cover Crop Series: Browntop Millet": 2017 (1:05) https://youtu.be/DxBGHOH6aNo & 2018 ("Location 2"; 0:55) https://youtu.be/Yd-RvkoyZbk . These give quick evaluations. A less favorable evaluation is given in "2025 Summer Cover Crop Brown Top Millet" (1:17) by RioGro, LLC (New Mexico). This may not have been the ideal environment for browntop? https://youtu.be/WJCesrX50X8 In sum, browntop millet is quick maturing, has good root structure, competes well with weeds, and when cut for feeding animals, keeps its forage value longer than some other crops. It seems to do well at least as far north as Iowa, and being a short season crop might conceivably be successfully grown further north. On the other hand, its poor performance in the plot in New Mexico raises questions (it should be fine at higher altitudes, but maybe the rainfall level was marginal for this crop?). We have yet to see experiments on it in this part of the world, as a grain crop for food. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Browntop millet's alkaline nature (in food)
by Don Osborn 30 Sep '25

30 Sep '25

Came across this Instragram item on browntop millet, and pass it on without being able to give much context. However it seems to introduce a factor in the chemistry of this grain worth noting: From "The Millet with Alkalizing Effects," by MJ, food technologist https://www.instagram.com/reel/DComdJDSEKG/?hl=en "Browntop millet stands out among millets for its remarkable alkaline nature. This unique property stems from its nutrient composition. "What Are Alkaline-Forming Foods? Alkaline-forming foods help maintain the body’s optimal pH balance by reducing acidity and promoting a slightly alkaline state (pH 7.35–7.45). This balance is crucial for metabolic functions, bone health, and reducing inflammation. Browntop millet among millets is one such food that supports this balance naturally. "Why Is Browntop Millet Alkaline-Forming? Rich in Alkaline Minerals: Browntop millet contains minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and potassium, which are metabolized into alkaline compounds. These minerals neutralize acidic by-products in the body, helping maintain pH balance. Magnesium, in particular, plays a critical role in reducing acidity and supporting enzyme functions that aid in detoxification. "Low Acid-Forming Potential: Unlike many processed grains and acidic foods, browntop millet has a low acid-forming potential. This means that its digestion and metabolism result in minimal acidic residue, making it easier on the stomach and the body’s buffering systems. "Antioxidant Content: Browntop millet is rich in polyphenols and flavonoids, which combat oxidative stress and reduce inflammation caused by an acidic diet. These antioxidants further support the body’s detoxification and pH-regulating processes. "High Fiber Content: Its abundant fiber not only aids in detoxification but also creates an alkaline environment in the gut by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria. A healthy gut microbiome plays a crucial role in maintaining overall pH balance. "While all millets offer health benefits, browntop millet is particularly noteworthy for its potent alkalizing effect. "Incorporating browntop millet into your meals—whether as porridge, dosa, or pilaf—can be a simple yet effective way to harness its alkalizing power. This humble grain truly exemplifies how traditional foods can provide modern health solutions." Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Fwd: First millet planting report FSA/USDA August 2025
by Don Osborn 28 Sep '25

28 Sep '25

Earlier this month, Gary produced this interesting spreadsheet and set of bar graphs on the top 10 states in terms of the area planted for: millets in general, proso millet, "common millet," pearl millet, foxtail millet, Japanese millet, and teff. I produced an "article" on LinkedIn using the lists and graphics, which you can read at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/millets-planted-us-state-aug-2025-rodkc/ His original email follows. I apologize for not sharing it here earlier - I had thought of reworking it into a different format, but ultimately its the data and not the presentation that are the priority. This kind of sharing of data is important for our understanding of the current status and trends of millets in the US and North America. DO, EL, MI, US NAMA ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Gary Wietgrefe <g ... m> Date: Thu, Sep 11, 2025 at 1:18 PM Subject: First millet planting report FSA/USDA August 2025 Attached is a spreadsheet I developed from USDA's Farm Service Agency August report of acres planted by crop. As mentioned earlier "Common" and "Dove Proso" titles will be modified in next year's report. Graphs highlight the diversity of states by type of millet....Gary [image: image.png] [image: image.png] [image: image.png] [image: image.png] [image: image.png] [image: image.png] [image: image.png] -- Author, Gary W. Wietgrefe, https://www.RelatingtoAncients.com/ *Destination North Pole--5,000 km by bicycle* is an exciting, endearing, humorous, dangerous and sometimes quirky travel adventure. Hardcover, paperback and e-books are available on Amazon or other on-line retailers. My other books tie education, school system, parenting, technology, and business with 21st century culture and learning.

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Is Guinea millet a lost crop?
by Don Osborn 27 Sep '25

27 Sep '25

Guinea millet - one of the *Brachiaria* / *Urochloa* species spotlighted this month as "millet-of-the-month" - is or was a cultivated crop only in the northern part of the Futa Jalon region of Guinea. Locally there it is considered a variety of fonio (*Digitaria exilis*), or *foññe* in the Pular language of the region. Recent research on fonio land races in Futa Jalon did not find any evidence of current cultivation of this species. Apparently farmers in the region distinguished two varieties of what we call Guinea millet: *foññe-kullii* (lit. "fonio of the animals" - some West African languages use such references to designate plants that resemble the main useful plants that are cultivated or managed), and what I'm guessing by the form of the name in the article is *foññe-gaaɓarɗi* (lit. "fonio of the edges," probably meaning banks of streams). Reference made to the "Dictionnaire Pular" at https://www.webonary.org/pular/ (thanks also to Dr. Fousseynou Bah, for help on a question re *kulli*). This excerpt from the research article (cited afterwards) explains: "The varieties *kulli* and *gabardi* were also described as previously popular in the northern villages; however, participants associated these names with photos shown of the crop Guinea Millet (*Brachiaria deflexa* [Schumach] C.E. Hubbard). This is a separate crop known in the region, as noted by Portères (1976). It is described as having very large, black spikelets, is more difficult to process and dehusk, and less enjoyable in food preparations. It could not be found or collected as part of this study. Guinea millet has only ever been recorded as a domesticated crop in the Fouta Djallon region (NRC, 1996), and more fieldwork would be needed to establish whether it [is] still cultivated anywhere in the region or if it is now a truly lost crop. All villages who recognised and previously cultivated Guinea millet said that it was abandoned because of the very different, almost bitter taste." Burton, G., Gori, B., Camara, S., Ceci, P., Conde, N., Couch, C., Magassouba, S., Vorontsova, M. S., Ulian, T., & Ryan, P. (2025). "Landrace diversity and heritage of the indigenous millet crop fonio (*Digitaria exilis*): Socio-cultural and climatic drivers of change in the Fouta Djallon region of Guinea." *Plants, People, Planet*, 7(3), 704–718. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10490 This article is of course of greater interest for its data and discussion on 22 varieties of fonio proper (*D. exilis*) in the region, but I'll leave discussion of that to another time, or to others whenever they wish to do so. For ease of reference, here are the two citations from the excerpt: Portères, R. (1976). "African cereals: Eleusine, Fonio, Black Fonio, Teff, Brachiaria, paspalum, Pennisetum, and African Rice." In J. Harlan, J. M. J. Wet, & A. B. L. Stamler (Eds.), *Origins of African plant domestication* (pp. 409–463). Mouton. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110806373.409 National Research Council. (1996). Lost crops of Africa: Volume I: Grains. The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/2305 Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Browntop millet: Review of crop, & use in nutrient-rich muffins
by Don Osborn 24 Sep '25

24 Sep '25

Browntop millet, along with Guinea millet, are spotlighted as "millet-of-the-month" in September. These are both in the *Urochloa *or* Brachiaria *genus. Here are two items on browntop - one older but concise and still useful review of it as a crop, and the other a very recent article evaluating muffins in which its flour is the primary ingredient: Bhat, Sujata, et al. (2018). "Browntop Millet- A Review." *Agricultural Research & Technology: Open Access Journal*. 14. 10.19080/ARTOAJ.2018.14.555937. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331655537_Browntop_Millet-_A_Review ABSTRACT: "Browntop millet is a warm season annual grass that is a heavy seed producer. This millet seed is grown in a variety of soils and climates. Browntop millet is used as a wild life food plot crop, livestock summer grazing crop, for erosion control, hay production and as a food grain crop. Under ideal conditions seed will germinate within five days and forage or seed will be ready to harvest within two months time. Browntop millet is an effective nurse crop, much like oats, in stabilizing erosive hill slopes and providing cover for slower growing target species to become established. With the ability to easily reseed and that seed to remain viable in the soil profile for years, makes browntop millet an excellent regenerating food plot for wild life." Bano, S., Awasthi, M., Tripathi, A.D. *et al.* "Formulation and shelf life evaluation of nutrient rich *Urochloa ramosa* muffins enriched with *Madhuca longifolia* extract." *Scientific Reports* *15*, 30616 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12486-6 ABSTRACT: "This study investigates the development and shelf life of nutrient-enriched muffins suspended with Mahua flower extract (MFE) and brown top millet (BTM) flour. BTM is a nutrient-dense grain, while mahua flowers are rich in bioactive compounds. Muffins were prepared with varying BTM (5–7%; w/w), MFE (4–6%; v/w) levels and baking temperature (170–180 °C) and their physicochemical properties, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (AA), and sensory qualities were analyzed. Process optimization was done by CCRD (Central Composite Rotatable Design) using design expert software tools. Results showed significant (p < 0.05) increases in proximate composition and bioactive compounds in MFE-enriched muffins. Muffins with 6% BTM flour and 5% MFE, baked at 175 °C showed maximum scores for sensorial properties and overall acceptability. Similarly, TPC and TFC were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in optimized muffins compared to the control. The muffins maintained their quality over 28 days storage, demonstrating the potential of mahua and BTM in enhancing nutritional value and extending shelf life in baked goods. UPLC (Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography) Analysis of optimized muffin showed p-benzoic acid, caffeic acid, mericitin and catechin as potential phenolics having antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic properties. SEM EDX (Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) showed optimized muffin having better hygroscopicity and high amount of potassium, sulphur and phosphorus. Future work should aim to bridge the gap between laboratory-scale formulation and industrial application, including detailed assessments of consumer perception, product positioning, and market readiness." Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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