Tim Lust Australian Summer Grains Conference 2013

Tim Lust

Tim Lust is the CEO of the National Sorghum Producers (NSP) and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP), two organizations dedicated to increasing profitability for more than 30,000 sorghum growers in the United States. For NSP, he works directly on legislative and regulatory issues that impact the U.S. sorghum industry and represents the industry at events throughout the United States and worldwide. For the Sorghum Checkoff, Tim works directly with producers, researchers and marketing specialists to increase producer profitability and keep the U.S. sorghum industry competitive among the world marketplace. Tim grew up on a diversified farming and cattle operation in Texas. He received a B.S. in Animal Science in 1992 from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, and an MBA in 1993 from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. He is a past member of the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Advisory Committee for Trade to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and a former board member for the United States Department of Agriculture Sorghum Crop Germplasm Committee. He has also served on the Texas Tech Center for Industry Research and Education board of directors and the Sorghum Improvement Conference of North America board of directors. Today, Tim serves on numerous industry and regional committees and advisory councils. Throughout his career, Tim has been instrumental in helping to advance the U.S. sorghum industry. His work in the legislative arena has resulted in increased sorghum price elections for farmers, equalized loan rates for sorghum, and the inclusion of sorghum as an advanced biofuel in the 2007 U.S. Energy Bill. Tim was extremely involved with the startup of the national checkoff program to increase sorghum research and market development. Tim has also been a strong supporter of the Great Plains Sorghum Initiative, a program that supports research in the agricultural economics, communications and agronomy departments annually. Tim and his wife of 22 years, Lea Ann, have two sons, Ty and Dru, and reside in Abernathy, Texas.