Truckloads of seed are ready to roll from sorghum research leader, Chromatin, to bring low-cost seed to farmers and ranchers affected by the Anderson Creek Fire that burned 467,000 acres in northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas the last week of March quickly grow feed for their livestock.

Daphne Preuss, CEO for Chromatin, said the seed will be offered at a "generous cost share" price to allow farmers and ranchers to get quick ground cover in the areas affected by fire and help them restore supplies of forage for livestock.

SEED AVAILABLE: Sorghum research firm Chromatin is providing low-cost seed to help farmers and ranchers hit by wildfires quickly establish grazing and forage crops and cover crops. CEO Daphne Preuss says that the company is gratefull to be in a position to have enough inventory to help ranchers recover from the tragedy,

"We will be offering both forage sorghum seed and seeds for other types of quick-growing cover crops," she said. "We are so glad to be in a position where we have enough inventory that we can offer this help."

Preuss said that sorghum grows well in tough conditions, requires limited water and germinates and puts down a root system quickly, making it an especially good crop for fire recovery.

"The root system is spread out and deep, which is really good for holding down the soil," she said. "That is especially good to stop wind and water erosion. It caqn offer pasture for livestock in a short time frame or can be used to produce silage or hay.

"We klnow that it will take time for the native prairie grasses to be strong enough for livestock grazing and forages and cover crops can help producers have green pasture sooner and give those native pastures a little more time," Preuss said.

Pruess said the seed will be trucked to local retailers in the burn area so farmers will be able to deal directly with retailers they already know.

Seed will be available at Anthony Farmers Coop in Sharon, OK Coop in Kiowa, Farmers Cooperative Equity in Isabel, Farmers Cooperatie Equity in Medicine Lodge of Farmers Cooperative of Carmen in Cherokee, Okla.

The sorghum seed program is aimed primarily at Barber and Comanche counties in Kansas and Woods County in Oklahoma, she said.

Growers and livestock producers can also call 1-855-SORGHUM for program details.

Chromatin, Inc. is a rapidly growing global company that is 100 percent focused on sorghum. It provides high quality sorghum seeds to growers and producers who are attracted to the crop’s rapid maturation, tolerance to heat, cold and drought and high yields.

For more information on Chromatin, visit www.chromatininc.com.