Hi Joni, Yes, by replying to the collab@lists.millets2023.space address, you have replied to the list.

Thank you for your kind remarks. Here's a follow-on perspective that might be of interest and perhaps of use. It's kind of a parallel formulation:

In North America, we'll be growing more millets in the future, for various uses, and consuming more millets (as human food) from various sources.

Which is to say that even as cultivation of millets increases for various purposes, notably for animal feed and forage, our (human) consumption of millets will increase as more people learn about them and their benefits. The gap between the former and latter parts will be filled by imports, especially in the near term. Only if and when demand expands outside of "niche" markets will farmers in the region find it feasible to grow more food grade millets.

As always, any and all feedback welcome!

Don



------- Original Message -------
On Monday, February 7th, 2022 at 9:35 AM, D. Joni Kindwall-Moore <joni@snacktivistfoods.com> wrote:

Can I reply to this?
I will reach out to your primary as well.
This is great work!

ᐧ

On Sun, Feb 6, 2022 at 4:00 AM <collab-request@lists.millets2023.space> wrote:
Send Collab mailing list submissions to
collab@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@lists.millets2023.space

You can reach the person managing the list at
collab-owner@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. North American Millets Alliance, and the concept of
"Alliance" (Don Osborn)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2022 20:38:51 +0000
From: Don Osborn <donosborn@protonmail.com>
To: "collab@lists.millets2023.space" <collab@lists.millets2023.space>
Subject: [Collab] North American Millets Alliance, and the concept of
"Alliance"
Message-ID:
<nocfTEW6LpY1ULoOIHTUA1Wb5btFN3PghkAuSylv6YP2hApmTCfXWAyMYiczEEyzI9oDjAWj-VGPoV2JjUHgEPjzClMwvTBwEqll5tufxrY=@protonmail.com>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

North American Millets Alliance (NAMA) is the name used by our ad hoc group working on plans for the International Year of Millets in North America. (This is our own initiative, and not with any connection to FAO, which is the UN agency responsible for the IYM, or with any governmental or parastatal entity within or outside North America.)

NAMA as I see it is potentially an association of various people and potentially organizations in the region who are connected with millets as crops and/or food:
* growers
* processors & vendors
* producers
* importers
* marketers
* nutritionists
* agronomists
* researchers on any and all of the above
* activists & advocates

The term "alliance" is used in relation to grains often with a "value chain" connotation. NAMA does not have that focus, as I see it, being more interested in networking and public education.

The closest of the "alliances" that I am aware of, at least in the range of audiences it address might be:
* Common Grain Alliance https://www.commongrainalliance.org/ . which seeks to "connect grain farmers, regional millers, brewers, chefs, bakers, and consumers to build a Mid-Atlantic grain value chain that serves everyone."

Similar groups include:
* Northeast Grainshed Alliance https://northeastgrainshed.com/ - "a growing number of grain growers, processors, producers, organizations, institutions, researchers, & the public; all key components of a regional grain supply chain"
* Maine Grain Alliance https://kneadingconference.com/ - "We create connections and share grain traditions and innovations from earth to table"
* And perhaps others? Further info appreciated....

Other "alliances" that appear to function more as trade or growers' associations:
* Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance https://soyagrainsalliance.org/ - "a national association of companies focused on production, processing and shipping of U.S. Identity Preserved field crops and their related products worldwide" (at least a couple of the companies listed have "millet" or "teff" in the products they deal in)
* Kansas Wheat Alliance https://kswheatalliance.org/ - "a not-for-profit organization that was founded in 2007 with the goal of maximizing value for wheat farmers from new wheat varieties developed by Kansas State University and other wheat-breeding programs"

All of the above is just for background. It may be that some folks, on hearing "Millets Alliance" might assume based on knowledge of organizations like the above, that NAMA is linking farmers and producers, and perhaps also consumers. That might be an interesting objective for this initiative at some point, or perhaps for one or more other organizations, but it is not the current aim of NAMA as I understand it.

The immediate need addressed by NAMA, as I see it, is public education, linking various "stakeholders" and experts involved with millets, and perhaps some lobbying (e.g., for more precise labelling of millets included in products).

Don Osborn. PhD
East Lansing, MI, US

*

*
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/private/collab/attachments/20220205/e6b716e9/attachment-0001.htm>

------------------------------

Subject: Digest Footer



--
Collab mailing list
Collab@lists.millets2023.space
https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab


------------------------------

End of Collab Digest, Vol 2, Issue 2
************************************