All grain sorghum sold through commercial channels in Nebraska or delivered into Nebraska is to be checked off. The checkoff is assessed at the time of sale or at the time of delivery for out of state delivered sorghum in which no sales transaction occurs. For sorghum going under a Farm Service Agency (FSA), Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) loan, the assessment is made at the time of the loan.

The current grain sorghum checkoff is 1 cent per cwt.

Detailed information about the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board, how funds are utilized, and budget information can be found at the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board website at nebraskasorghum.org/board or the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board can be contacted at 301 Centennial Mall South 4th Floor, P.O. Box 94982, Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4982, 402-471-4276, fax 402-471-3040.

In general, there is no refund provision for the grain sorghum checkoff.

If grain sorghum is pledged as collateral for a CCC loan through the FSA, producers are eligible for a refund if the grain is redeemed and then fed by the producer to his or her livestock.

To receive a checkoff refund for loan grain that is redeemed to be fed to that producer's livestock, the producer must send a copy of his/her farm storage note and security agreement (Form CCC 677) and all loan repayment receipts (Form CCC 500) to the Fee Collection Program in care of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 94668, Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4668. A refund request can be made at any time after repayment or up to 30 days after the life of the loan.

Grain sorghum grown by a producer and then fed to the producer's livestock is not subject to the checkoff.

Generally, the only time this type of situation could happen would be if the producer had the grain under a CCC loan and the loan was redeemed and the grain then marketed into commercial channels. It is important that, if the producer redeems the sorghum and then sells it, the CCC repayment sheets (showing the payment of the checkoff) be used as proof to prevent the checkoff from being assessed a second time. In situations when an assessment is taken a second time, it is the producer's responsibility to contact the purchaser of the redeemed loan sorghum and ask for a refund after providing the necessary proof of assessment. Refunds can only be requested from the entity that purchased the grain. FSA offices are not responsible to make any refunds if grain was checked off twice. An individual has one year from the point in time a double assessment occurred to request a refund. Any questions relative to this can be made to the Fee Collection Program.

The Fee Collection Program, administered by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, in cooperation through contractual arrangements with the various commodity groups, administers a joint fee collection program for all of the agriculture checkoff programs authorized by statute. Please write or call the Fee Collection Program, P.O. Box 94668, Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4668, phone 402-471-6819.