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Payne Burks, Co. Director of Research and DevelopmentGrassy weeds have long plagued sorghum farmers, limiting sorghum yield. Data suggests such infestations can reduce yields by 7.5 to 15 bushels per acre and cause an annual economic loss of up to $340 million in the United States, explains Mark Herrmann, S&W Seed Co. president and CEO. Traditional weed control methods were often ineffective, leaving farmers with few options. S&W is changing this paradigm with its game-changing DT Trait® technology, which allows over-the-top herbicide application during the growing season to transform how producers manage weeds.
Resistant to Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) inhibitor-rich herbicides, the DT Trait technology offers farmers a reliable tool to combat grassy weeds without harming their crops. Since its 2021 launch, adoption has skyrocketed, with the technology estimated to have covered 10 percent of U.S. sorghum acres in 2024 and reach up to 15 percent coverage in 2025. With these advancements, S&W leads the herbicide-tolerant sorghum market, providing farmers with a much-needed solution to maximize yields.
Eliminating Prussic Acid Risks
Prussic acid, a naturally occurring toxin in sorghum when the plant is damaged, frozen or under drought stress, poses a lethal risk to grazing animals. In a partnership with Purdue University, S&W developed the prussic acid-free (PF™) trait to address this critical challenge head-on.
With the PF trait, farmers can safely graze livestock on sorghum stover after harvesting the grain, reinstating sorghum as a dual-purpose crop. This innovation ensures year-round feed availability, reduces costs and helps eliminate toxicity risks—unlocking sorghum’s full potential for grazing and grain production.
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By working with over 15 independent seed companies, we ensure innovations reach farmers efficiently through trusted local brands and agronomic advisors
Founded as a germplasm provider, S&W has evolved into a pioneer in sorghum trait technology. The company’s success lies in its strategic partnerships with chemical manufacturers, universities and independent seed companies.
“By working with over 15 independent seed companies, we ensure innovations reach farmers efficiently through trusted local brands and agronomic advisors,” says Brent Johnson, vice president, sales & marketing for Americas.
Prioritizing farmer education through a “train the trainer” model, S&W ensures private label partners and licensees are equipped with the knowledge to guide farmers in adopting these technologies effectively. This is complemented by direct outreach to large growers and crop consultants, as well as partnerships with agricultural retailers who provide agronomic support beyond the sale, ensuring the technologies are used optimally at the farm level.
Third-party university trials highlight the value of S&W’s DT Trait system, demonstrating a $137 per acre return on investment. The launch of additional DT Trait hybrids in January 2025 further raises the bar. These hybrids offer earlier spraying windows, simplifying weed control and reducing risks for farmers, all while being accessible through S&W’s vast dealer network.
Sorghum’s Sustainable Edge
Sorghum stands as a powerhouse in sustainable farming. With its ability to thrive on less water (one-third) than corn, grow in drought-prone regions and flourish in marginal soils, sorghum is an environmental champion. It holds incredible promise for farmers looking to maximize productivity while minimizing their ecological footprint.
Innovation is at the heart of S&W’s adeptness in enhancing sorghum’s potential. By improving yield reliability and expanding the crop’s utility for grazing, it has positioned sorghum as a highly sustainable crop that offers lasting value, added Payne Burks, S&W Seed Co. director of research and development. The company’s commitment to the future doesn’t stop here. With new trait technologies set to roll out through 2028, S&W is ensuring that sorghum will remain a resilient, high-value crop for future generations.
S&W Seed Company is more than just a leader in sorghum. It is a dedicated partner helping farmers progress. Pioneering solutions like the DT and PF traits, it is not only enhancing yields and reducing risks but maximizing the utility of every sorghum acre. As sustainable agriculture takes center stage, S&W continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible, providing farmers with the tools they need to succeed in an ever-evolving agricultural landscape. The result is a brighter, more sustainable future for farmers, consumers and the planet alike.
Evaluating Sorghum Seed Providers for Yield Stability and Flexibility
Uneven yield performance and persistent grassy weed pressure increasingly influence procurement strategies for sorghum seed, disrupting planning across large-acre farming systems. Weed competition during critical growth stages limits access to moisture and nutrients, resulting in field-to-field variability that weakens seasonal forecasting reliability for both grain and forage programs. At the same time, sorghum genetics have historically advanced more slowly than other major row crops in combining herbicide tolerance with livestock-safe traits, leaving buyers to balance productivity goals against downstream feed and grazing constraints. Distribution structures further compound variability, where fragmented advisory support can lead to inconsistent application of agronomic practices across regions. These pressures define the framework through which seed providers are assessed, where consistency of field performance, trait integration depth and clarity of agronomic guidance become central decision filters rather than secondary attributes.
Modern sorghum systems increasingly define performance expectations by their ability to reduce in-season yield loss without narrowing the practical window for herbicide application. Herbicide-tolerant traits that enable effective over-the-top weed control change how fields are managed from reactive intervention to more structured spray timing, particularly in environments where weather volatility compresses operational flexibility. At the same time, sorghum’s growing role as a dual-purpose crop introduces additional complexity, requiring genetic systems that support both grain production and forage utilization without introducing livestock safety risks linked to stress-induced compounds. This expands the evaluation lens beyond yield potential alone and places emphasis on how effectively seed systems align with chemical programs, farm management routines and advisory ecosystems that influence adoption consistency. Procurement decisions increasingly reflect the need for trait integration that reduces operational friction while maintaining flexibility across diverse production objectives.
Adoption outcomes across sorghum production systems increasingly depend on whether innovation pipelines translate into measurable field economics that remain consistent across regions rather than isolated trial environments. Third-party validation plays a growing role in procurement decisions, particularly when yield protection claims are tied to weed suppression systems and trait stacking strategies that interact with herbicide programs already in use. In addition, the speed at which seed technologies move from trial acreage to broader commercial integration influences confidence in long-term scalability since slower diffusion often signals limited compatibility with dealer networks or agronomic support structures. Decision-makers also place weight on return metrics that can be compared across hybrids and seasons since isolated yield improvements do not fully capture variability introduced by weather and management differences. These factors shape a preference for seed providers that demonstrate repeatable performance signals supported by independent validation and a distribution model capable of sustaining adoption without complexity in management practices.
S&W Seed Company advances sorghum seed systems through trait-led development focused on in-season grassy weed control and livestock safety constraints that have historically limited crop utilization. Its Double Team herbicide-tolerant platform enables over-the-top control using ACCase-compatible chemistries, reducing yield variability tied to late-stage weed pressure. The prussic acid-free trait expands post-harvest and grazing utility while reducing livestock risk exposure under stress conditions. Through a licensing model anchored in independent seed company partnerships, it extends market reach while maintaining agronomic delivery through established dealer networks. Third-party findings indicating approximately $137 per acre return on investment reinforce its adoption trajectory, supported by a development pipeline focused on advancing next-generation trait systems across commercial sorghum production environments.
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Company
S&W Seed Company
Management
Payne Burks, Co. Director of Research and Development
Description
S&W Seed Company is a leader in sorghum seed innovation through its Sorghum Partners brand, which emphasizes high-yielding, drought-tolerant and pest-resistant varieties. It also offers the Double Team Sorghum Cropping Solution, a unique system combining trait-specific hybrids with over-the-top herbicide control for effective grass weed management. The company’s sorghum solutions are designed to meet the needs of farmers in diverse growing conditions, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions.
