Your note of thanks is most appreciated, Gary.
From my point of view, I'd also want to thank Joni for her pivotal role in the early days. She brought a new dimension to what Jonathon and I had begun discussing, and it was her who proposed the name we have used since: North American Millets Alliance.
And of course we're glad to have you aboard with your considerable knowledge and experience as we chart out 2025 and beyond.
Some further thoughts, if I may:
This is a long game in several respects. Millets are not widely known in North America, and even those that are part of our agriculture and food are not known that well beyond some uses. So part of our role is "educational," spreading the word, and creating interest.
That said, I believe it is true as you, Gary, have suggested that there is probably more experience than we reading here are aware of, particularly among farmers, agronomists, processors, nutritionists, and culinary specialists. And we also learn from time to time about enterprises and research initiatives that we hadn't been aware of previously. So part of our role is "networking," and linking people across geography and sectors.
Millets - each of them - have a value and potential both in ag and as food. As a group they are a significant group among the many "minor" crops that we must look to in order to diversify our agriculture in a time of climate change. So part of our role is advocacy.
With regard to which millets, if we were to prioritize, we need to start where we are, with crops and varieties that are established (for food, that currently means sorghum, proso, and teff). But "where we are" is changing, and given research and even commercial interest, it may evolve fairly quickly (who would have imagined, 50 years ago, the current roles of teff as grain and forage in the US?). In the meantime, a number of millets are available as food only as imports (that may change for some but not all). So part of our role is promoting conversations about the future.
As for the practical side of how we - NAMA - operate, that has been fairly informal. As a volunteer initiative, without external funding, there have been time and financial limits to what we can do. So part of our role, especially now, is to connect with funders and determine how to develop revenue with which to facilitate upping our game.
Anyway, along the way, we appreciate the support all of you reading this have shown us, and invite your feedback and ideas as we start 2025 (in effect our 4th year, believe it or not).
All the best,
Don