Nate Blum: Unlocking the Potential of Sorghum and Millets

The Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast

In this episode of the Intentional Agribusiness Leader podcast, host Mark Jewell sits down with Nate Blum, CEO of Sorghum United, to dive deep into the world of sorghum and millets. The conversation provides a fresh perspective on intentional leadership, food security, and agricultural sustainability. Blum shares his vision for how less common grains like sorghum can play a pivotal role in addressing global challenges and creating economically sustainable markets for farmers.

Blum emphasizes the nutritional benefits of sorghum and its potential in creating healthier food options, as well as the environmental advantages of growing these grains. The discussion covers the flexibility of vision and the essential elements of staying focused amidst daily business battles. Through their exchange, Jewell and Blum highlight the vast opportunities that lie in sorghum and millets, not only for the agricultural sector but for society as a whole.

Key Takeaways:

• Sorghum and millets offer significant environmental and nutritional benefits but lack widespread leadership and consumer awareness.
• Intentional leadership involves staying true to your vision, adapting to changes, and being unwavering in your pursuit of organizational goals.
• Sorghum United connects global stakeholders through technology, eradicates geopolitical barriers, and fosters discussions that advance research and application of these grains.
• Markets for sorghum include pet food, birdseed, and gluten-free products. Processing potential spans from milling into flour to ethanol production and bioplastic manufacturing.
• Growth opportunities exist for sorghum within the food industry, especially as demand for gluten-free and nutritive options rises.

Notable Quotes:

• "To be intentional... means really developing that vision and following it and not letting people distract you and pull you away from that vision." - Nate Blum
• "We love corn, we love wheat, we love rice...but sorghum and millets... don't have the leadership, advocacy, or general consumer awareness." - Nate Blum
• "Just because we have a vision doesn't mean that vision is always set in stone. We can't be so inflexible as to not be able to adjust and adapt as things happen and things change." - Nate Blum
• "We can't ask a farmer to grow something that they can't sell and they can't make a profit doing." - Nate Blum
• "It's a question of how do we help [farmers] not only grow their own food but process their own food as well... Basic economic prosperity begins with full bellies." - Nate Blum

Tune into the full episode to explore the potential of sorghum and millets in transforming agriculture and to learn more about Nate Blum's approach to intentional leadership. Stay connected with us for more enlightening discussions on agribusiness and leadership.