January/February 2016 - Southeastern Peanut Farmer

Congratulations Zippy!

Inside: n

Duvall elected AFBF President n Variety Guidebook n APC Celebrates 75 years A communication service of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

Contents January/February 2016

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Joy Carter Crosby Editor joycrosby@gapeanuts.com 229-386-3690

Zippy Duvall has been elected to a two-year term as American Farm Bureau Federation president. Duvall succeeds Bob Stallman, who served 16 years at the helm of the nation’s largest general farm organization.

Director of Advertising Jessie Bland jessie@gapeanuts.com Contributing Writers John Leidner johnleidner@bellsouth.net Teresa Mays Teresa2@alpeanuts.com Southeastern Peanut Farmer P.O. Box 706, Tifton, Ga. 31793 445 Fulwood Blvd., Tifton, Ga. 31794 ISSN: 0038-3694 Southeastern Peanut Farmer is published six times a year (Jan./Feb., March, April, May/June, July/Aug., and Oct./Nov.) by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

The publisher is not responsible for copy omission, typographical errors, or any unintentional errors that may occur, other than to correct it in the following issue. Any erroneous reflection which may occur in the columns of Southeastern Peanut Farmer will be corrected upon brought to the attention of the editor. (Phone 229-3863690.)

Postmaster: Send address changes (Form 3579) to Southeastern Peanut Farmer, P.O. Box 706, Tifton, Georgia, 31793.

Circulation is free to qualified peanut growers and others allied to the industry. Periodical postage paid at Tifton, Georgia and additional mailing office.

Editorial Content: Editorial copy from sources outside of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation is sometimes presented for the information and interest of our members. Such material may, or may not, coincide with official Southern Peanut Farmers Federation policies.

Publication of material does not necessarily imply its endorsement by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

For editorial concerns call 229-386-3690. No portion of this or past issues of the Southeastern Peanut Farmer may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the written consent of the editor. By-lined articles appearing in this publication represent views of the authors and not necessarily those of the publisher.

Advertising: The Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. Corrections to advertisements must be made after the first run. All billing offers subject to credit review. Advertisements contained in this publication do not represent an endorsement by the Southeastern Peanut Farmer or the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation. Use of trade names in this publication is for the purpose of providing specific information and is not a guarantee nor warranty of products named. For advertising concerns call 229-386-3690.

Duvall Elected AFBF President

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Variety Guidebook Selecting a variety is a key management step for farmers.

SEPF’s 2016 Variety Guidebook highlights varieties available to growers in the Southeast and provides growers with the results of state variety tests.

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American Peanut Council Celebrates 75th Anniversary The American Peanut Council celebrated their 75th anniversary in 2015. The council represents all segments of the peanut industry through marketing, export promotions, research efforts through the Peanut Foundation and managing the Peanut Butter for the Hungry initiative.

Departments: Checkoff Report .................................................................................. 8 Alabama Peanut Producers Association, Florida Peanut Producers Association, Georgia Peanut Commission and Mississippi Peanut Growers Association

Washington Outlook ............................................................................ 32 Southern Peanut Growers Update ........................................................ 34 Cover Photo: Zippy Duvall smiles with excitement after being elected the American Farm Bureau president during the organization’s annual meeting on Jan. 12, 2016. Photo by Joy Crosby.

January/February 2016 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Editorial

Calendar of Events

The Future of Agriculture “I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists...”

he words above were written by E.M. Tiffany and adopted at the third National FFA Convention in 1930. Those words have been recited by me and most likely millions of other FFA members through the past 85 years. Those words are still a reminder to me on the importance of my job and the role I play in helping farmers by promoting their product or writing about issues or research advancements that will help them on the farm.

Recently, the abundance of jobs in agriculture has been highlighted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In fact, USDA forecasts that over the next five years the annual demand for college graduates in agriculture and food industries will be 57,900 jobs per year. The need for students pursuing a degree in agriculture is needed and so is the desire to believe in the future of agriculture.

Throughout the past two and a half years, I have had the pleasure of working with Whitney Yarbrough, Georgia Peanut Commission communications intern, and from what I can tell the future is bright for agriculture with students like her graduating in the field of agriculture. So, I decided to provide Whitney the opportunity to share her story with you regarding her Joy Carter Crosby internship. t Editor

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They say all good things must come to an end. After two and a half years my time as the communications intern at the Georgia Peanut Commission has come to a close. During my time at GPC I have been granted with many amazing opportunities. Growing up, I always loved boiled peanuts, but that was the extent of my peanut knowledge. I was raised on a small cattle farm in the Panhandle of Florida and always had a passion for agriculture. In August of 2011, I moved to Tifton, Georgia where I began my college career at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College studying Agricultural Communications. Ken Barton, executive director of the Florida Peanut Producers, recommended I visit with Joy Crosby, director of communications for GPC, about an internship. Once the internship came open in 2013 I started an internship with GPC. During my internship I have been able to travel to many events promoting peanuts, from the Southeastern Peanut Growers Conference, Ag Issues Summit, Georgia Peanut Tour, school ag days and even two NASCAR race promotions.

Through these various events I have been able to network with peanut farmers, researchers and other industry experts. I have been able to write articles for the Southeastern Peanut Farmer, work closely with the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, and I even completed an internship with the Florida Peanut Producers this past summer in Marianna, Florida.

As I move on to this next chapter in my life after college graduation, I cannot begin to thank not only GPC, but the peanut industry as a whole for this amazing experience. To see the passion everyone in this industry has is unbelievable! Thanks to the GPC board, staff and peanut farmers across the state of Georgia for everything you do to fund an internship program. The hands-on experience I have learned is something I will forever be grateful for. I always hear people say they “work for peanuts” like it is a bad thing - I’m here to tell you, it isn’t half bad. t

Whitney Yarbrough

Georgia Peanut Commission Intern

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2016

u University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Ag Forecast Seminar, Jan. 21, 2016 - Carrollton, Jan. 22 - Cleveland, Jan. 25 - Bainbridge, Jan. 26 - Tifton, Jan. 27 - Alma and Jan. 29 Macon, Ga. For more information visit georgiaagforecast.com. u South Carolina Peanut Growers Annual Meeting & Trade Show, Jan. 28, 2016, Santee Convention Center, Santee, S.C. For more information call 803-734-0338. u Georgia Agribusiness Council Annual Meeting & State Legislative Breakfast, Feb. 2-3, 2016, Atlanta, Ga. For more information visit GAC online at ga-agribusiness.org.

u Mississippi Peanut Growers Association Annual Meeting & Trade Show, Feb. 3-4, 2016, Lake Terrace Convention Center, Hattiseburg, Miss. For more information visit misspeanuts.com or call 601-606-3547. u Georgia Peanut Commission Media Training, Feb. 9, 2016, NESPAL Seminar Room, Tifton, Ga. For more information visit gapeanuts.com or call 229-386-3470. u Georgia Peanut Commission Research Report Day, Feb. 10, 2016, NESPAL Seminar Room, Tifton, Ga. For more information visit gapeanuts.com or call 229-386-3470. u Alabama/Florida Peanut Trade Show, Feb. 11, 2016, National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds, Dothan, Ala. For more information visit alpeanuts.com or call 334-792-6482. u American Peanut Shellers Pre-Planting Meeting, March 8-9, 2016, Merry Acres Conference Center, Albany, Ga. For more information visit peanut-shellers.org. u Florida Peanut Producers Annual Meeting, March 10, 2016, Jackson County Conference Center, Marianna, Fla. For more information visit flpeanuts.com or call 850-526-2590. u Peanut Butter & Jelly Day at the Georgia State Capitol, March 16, 2016, Atlanta, Ga. For more information visit gapeanuts.com.

(Let us know about your event. Please send details to the editor at joycrosby@gapeanuts.com.

Why Peanut Maturity is Important s important as it is to harvest mature peanuts, it’s even more important to plant peanut seed that is mature. Maturity is an elusive plant and seed trait that is passed on from one season to the next.

Maturity is a component of flavor and overall peanut quality. Old peanut harvesting methods produced the most mature and most flavorful peanuts, according to Tim Sanders, retired USDAAgricultural Research Service scientist at North Carolina State University. He says the old stack pole method of curing peanuts produced the most flavorful peanuts and the most black pods. Black pods, a color in the mesocarp revealed when pods are subjected to blasting or hull scraping, are the most mature seed.

Seed maturity impacts important traits for growers. Immature seed can result in poor germination and plant emergence. Plants from immature seed are less able to withstand stress from pests and weather. And plants from immature seed are likely to produce lower yields and grades, as well as mature seed more slowly which leads to perpetuating immaturity in the crop.

Maturity is complicated because peanut plants are indeterminate. That means the plants continue producing flowers throughout the growing season.

So at harvest, you have both mature and immature pods on the same plant.

Halting flower production may improve peanut maturity. Sanders points to work by USDA-ARS scientist Marshall Lamb at the National Peanut Research Lab in Dawson, Ga. Lamb is using herbicides to shut down late season flowering. This allows the plant to redirect its energy to maturing the pods already on the plant.

Placing blasted or hull-scraped peanut pods on a profile board can give an indication of peanut quality and maturity. Sanders says, “All big peanuts are not necessarily mature, and all small peanuts are not necessarily immature.” He says it’s not unusual to find peanuts of every stage of maturity in one kernel size or pod size.

While genomics may one day play a role in improving peanut flavor, Sanders

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says this work will take many years. He also notes that overall peanut flavor has decreased over the past 30 years, and it remains a concern for the entire peanut industry.

University of Florida crop physiologist Diane Rowland is leading important studies on peanut maturity. She says seed maturity is important for both above- and below-ground plant growth.

In these studies, seed from black, mature pods produced a plant canopy faster than seed from yellow pods. Plants from immature seed don’t “catch up,” according to Rowland.

Studies by University of Florida graduate student Marco Goyzueta showed that mature seed also produces deeper roots than immature seed from yellow hulls.

Rowland says seed maturity of a crop one year can affect the maturity of the crop the next year. So planting immature seed leads to harvesting immature seed.

And when this seed is planted, then immaturity and poor flavor continue to be problems for years into the future.

“So we think there may be a problem with commercial seed,” Rowland says. Ethan Carter, one of her graduate students, conducted a study that suggested changes in the shelling process might improve the maturity of peanuts shelled for seed.

In Carter’s study, plant emergence from commercial seed was about 70 percent, while emergence from brown and black pods was 80 percent, and emergence from yellow pods was only 50 percent.

While large seed are not always mature seed, there is a general trend in that direction. And that

may be one way for shelling plants to improve the quality of the seed they sell.

Shelling plants have the capability to separate pods by size, and Carter suggests that shelling plants could save seed for planting by just separating pods prior to shelling into large and small sizes.

Carter and Rowland also noticed some variety differences. For instance, seed from yellow pods had better emergence for the FloRun 107 variety than for the TufRunner 727 variety. They believe that seed maturity issues may explain why some varieties are more acceptable during the shelling, manufacturing and marketing phases than other varieties.

Rowland says researchers and the peanut industry have ignored seed physiology for too long. “It makes a bigger impact than we realized,” she says.

“The problem with the success of certain cultivars may be due to seed maturity, and there may be things we can do during shelling that will address this problem.”t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

January/February 2016 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Duvall elected AFBF president Long becomes Georgia Farm Bureau president ippy Duvall has been elected for a two-year term as American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) president by the voting delegates at the 97th AFBF Annual Convention on January 12, in Orlando, Florida. Duvall succeeds Bob Stallman, who served 16 years at the helm of the nation’s largest, most influential general farm organization. Duvall, a broiler, cattle and hay producer from Greensboro, Georgia, becomes the 12th president during AFBF’s almost 97-year history.

“I am so humbled and thankful for your support and belief in my leadership for AFBF president. I will continue to represent all farmers and ranchers across the states. May God bless each of you as AFBF moves forward,” Duvall says after his election.

This election marks the first time in more than 30 years that more than one candidate has been nominated for the president. Duvall defeated Don Villwock, Indiana; Barry Bushue, Oregon and Kevin Rogers, Arizona.

Three votes were needed before Duvall reached a majority vote. Each time a vote was held, the candidate with the least votes is removed for the next round of voting. The third and final round of voting was held between Duvall and Villwock with Duvall securing the majority vote of the AFBF delegates.

Cheers and applause could be heard

by Duvall’s family, friends and supporters when his name was announced by Stallman. Duvall then headed to the stage to provide his acceptance speech. Once at the podium, he immediately recognized his family and asked them to join him on stage.

In his acceptance speech, Duvall says, “The people who have carried this country have been farmers. We are the ones that sent our children to war to fight for our freedoms. We are the ones who stayed up all night taking care of the livestock. We are the ones who have plowed the field and wiped the sweat off of our brow. We are the back of the

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Photo credit: Jennifer Whittaker, Georgia Farm Bureau.

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Former American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Bob Stallman, left, hands the gavel to newly elected AFBF President Zippy Duvall of Georgia. Stallman did not seek re-election after serving as AFBF President for 16 years.

economy of this great U.S.A. And it will continue to be that way and I promise and commit to you that we are going to be better and stronger so your families and grandchildren will have an industry and way of life that they can continue. Thank you for putting your trust in me.”

Duvall even spoke to those who didn’t vote for him and received an array of laughter and applause from the delegates.

“If you didn’t vote for me this time, I’m going to work so hard, you are going to want to vote for me next time,” Duvall says.

Duvall is committed to working for the American farmer and rancher and reinforced that commitment during his speech.

“I’m going to wake up every morning and work for these (holding his hands up) - the working hands of the American farmer and rancher,” Duvall says. “I will not forget where the strength of this organization is, it’s in those hands. We are the strength and the hope for the people in this country and all around this world

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2016

because we are the ones that are going to provide the nourishment they need.”

Duvall recited a quote from Bob Doyle, “There is no other human right more precious than the right to eat.”

Duvall explained to the delegates how the statement touched his heart because that’s how important we are.

“We should be proud to be American agriculture,” Duvall adds. “We are going to continue to fire that flame, that eternal flame that we call the American dream.”

The delegates also elected Scott VanderWal from South Dakota as vice president.

Duvall began his Farm Bureau journey as a volunteer at his local Greene County Farm Bureau, where he still serves on the board of directors. In 1982, he won the GFB Young Farmer Achievement Award and went on to win the AFBF Award in 1983. Duvall chaired the GFB Young Farmer Committee, and in 1987, he served as chairman of the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee and on the AFBF Board under the leadership of the late AFBF President

Dean Kleckner from Iowa. Duvall and his wife, Bonnie, have four children and three grandchildren.

Following the results of the AFBF election, Duvall resigned as president of GFB. Therefore, Gerald Long of Bainbridge, Georgia, becomes the new president of GFB. Long has served as GFB 1st vice president since 2008.

The GFB bylaws provide a succession plan for the organization to fill the office of president if it is vacated.

Long, who was serving as 1st vice president, assumed the responsibilities of GFB president effective Jan. 12. He will serve as GFB president until December 6, 2016, at which time GFB members will elect the next GFB president during their annual convention. Long is eligible to run for the position if he chooses.

Long is a diversified farmer who raises cattle and grows peanuts, vegetables, corn, cotton, hay, small grains and timber with his family on their farm near Bainbridge. He was first elected to the GFB Board of Directors in December 1999 as a GFB 9th District director representing 14 counties in Southwest Georgia. In 2006, GFB voting delegates in the 53 counties in GFB’s South Region elected Long as GFB South Georgia vice president. GFB voting delegates statewide have designated Long to serve as GFB 1st vice president each year since 2008.

“Georgia Farm Bureau is an organization that represents all of Georgia agriculture. We communicate with our elected officials on the local, state and national level to voice the needs of agriculture and advocate for the farmer,” Long says. “ While I served as 1st vice

Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) President Gerald Long, right, and GFB 1st Vice President Robert Fountain Jr. begin new leadership roles for the organization effective Jan. 12 after former GFB President Zippy Duvall was elected president of the American Farm Bureau Federation during the 97th Annual AFBF Convention in Orlando, Fla. on Jan. 12. Long previously served as GFB 1st vice president and GFB South Georgia vice president. In addition to serving as GFB 1st vice president, Fountain will continue to serve as GFB Middle Georgia vice president.

president I had the opportunity to represent all of Georgia and travel all over the state and meet county Farm Bureau leaders in their respective counties. Even though we may grow different commodities, we pretty much have the same issues. Serving as 1st vice president gave me an opportunity to see those issues and work through them to try to make it better for the farmers back on the farm. I will continue to do this as Georgia Farm Bureau president.”

Following Long becoming the new GFB president, Robert Fountain Jr. of

Emanuel County, who has served as the GFB Middle Georgia vice president for a total of 15 years, was designated by the GFB Board of Directors to serve as the organization’s 1st vice president until December 6, 2016, at which time GFB members will designate the next GFB 1st vice president during their annual convention. Fountain is eligible to run for the position if he chooses.

Founded in 1937, Georgia Farm Bureau is the state’s largest general farm organization. t

BY JOY CROSBY

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall is congratulated by his wife, Bonnie (above right), following his election as president.

Pictured left is the Duvall family on hand during the election on Jan. 12, 2016, Orlando, Fla.

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Checkoff Report Investments Made by Growers for the Future of the Peanut Industry.

Georgia Peanut Commission educates children about peanuts The Georgia Peanut Commission continues its education mission by attending ag days and schools to help educate children about agriculture, specifically how peanuts grow and the nutritional qualities of peanuts and peanut butter. Throughout the fall of 2015, GPC attended the ag day or career day in Bleckely County and Lowndes County, and supplied peanuts Jessie Bland, GPC staff, teaches students from Bleckley County Elementary School and educational materials to ag teach- about peanuts during the school’s ag and ers throughout the state of Georgia. career day.

The Georgia Peanut Commission also hosted first and third grade students last fall from Len Lastinger Elementary School in Tifton, Georgia, for a day of peanut education. The students visited the GPC headquarters and learned more about the history of peanuts, how peanuts grow and nutrition. The students also played some nutty games and were able to plant their very own peanut seed.

Photos from all of these events are available on the GPC website at gapeanuts.com.

Alabama Peanut Producers Association promotes peanuts at Brundidge Peanut Butter Festival Thousands of consumers who attended Caleb Bristow, the annual Peanut Butter Festival in APPA executive Brundidge, Alabama, were treated to samples director, grills up of fresh grilled peanut butter and jelly sand- one of the many batches of wiches. Staff members from Alabama Peanut Grilled PB&J Producers Association joined the city to cele- sandwiches durbrate this tasty and nutritious product that is ing the festival in result of a home grown commodity – peanuts. Brundidge, Ala.

Mississippi Peanut Growers sponsor Diabetes Walks The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association sponsored the Mississippi Diabetes Foundation Walks in Hattiesburg, Jackson and Meridian. This is the fifth year MPGA has sponsored the walks held annually in October. The MPGA tent exhibit featured the peanut industry’s slogan “The Perfectly Powerful Peanut” and #peanutpower across the canopy. MPGA also distributed complimentary bags of roasted peanuts and educational materials.

According to Malcolm Broome, MPGA executive director, the presence of “Buddy McNutty” from the National Peanut Board helped to bring a crowd of attendees by the booth. All participants in the walk received educational information on peanuts and diabetes and a t-shirt with the MPGA logo. All the walks had an estimated attendance of approximatel 4,000 consumers.

According to Broome, the goal of this 5-year sponsorship by MPGA is to show some of 392,000 citizens of Mississippi with diabetes that peanuts and peanut butter should be a staple in their daily routine.

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2016

Georgia promotes peanuts through Pandora and social media The Georgia Peanut Commission’s National Peanut Board Co-Promotion took place during the months of November and December. GPC started with a Pandora Radio ad that began in mid-November and continued throughout the holiday season. This ad targeted millennial females in the Atlanta metro area and ran for 30 days. The ad’s key messaging included NPB’s Perfectly Powerful Peanut platform and promoted giving the power of peanuts throughout the holiday season. The ad also encouraged listeners to visit the GPC online gift shop to make purchases and provided a clickthrough link directing listeners to the online gift shop.

To compliment the Pandora ad, GPC also hosted a social media campaign on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Through these platforms, GPC promoted giving the power of peanuts during the holidays through gifting peanuts, peanut novelty items, peanut recipes/dishes, as well as donations to organizations, such as Peanut Butter for the Hungry. To increase engagement with millennials, GPC hosted a photo contest with the campaign and encouraged viewers to post a photo of how they were giving the power of peanuts and share the photo on social media using #GivePeanuts and #PeanutPower. The photo contest winner was awarded with a Fitbit Flex, an item popular amongst millennials to track fitness and nutrition habits.

Morris, Chase and Dawson renominated for Georgia Peanut Commission board Three Georgia Peanut Commission board seats were filled without opposition recently at nomination meetings. District 2 Director Armond Morris of Irwin County, District 4 Director Rodney Dawson of Pulaski County and District 5 Director Donald Chase will each serve another three-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2016. They were all renominated without opposition during meetings held Dec. 21 and 22, 2015. The meetings were conducted by Georgia Farm Bureau.

Reports from the: Alabama Peanut Producers Association Florida Peanut Producers Association Georgia Peanut Commission Mississippi Peanut Growers Association

Florida Peanut Producers and Southern Peanut Growers exhibit at Southern Women’s Show in Jacksonville The Florida Peanut Producers Association and Southern Peanut Growers partnered again this year to bring peanuts center stage at the Southern Women’s Show in Jacksonville, Florida. Approximately 35,000 people attended the 4-day show held in October 2015.

The popular Jacksonville event attracts more than 1,400 vendors including The Taste of Home Cooking Schools, Wine and Canvas painting

Ken Barton, FPPA executive director, talks about peanut production in Florida as he prepares Beef Kabobs with Peanut Sauce and Asian Peanut Slaw on the cooking stage during the Southern Women's Show in Jacksonville, Fla.

parties in addition to all the returning favorites.

FPPA offered sampling opportunities at the exhibit which included roasted peanuts, peanut butter and peanut butter toffee dip. FPPA also provided recipe cards and brochures as well as literature on the healthful benefits of consuming peanuts and peanut products.

On the cooking stage, FPPA staff prepared and served Beef Kabobs with Peanut Sauce and a side dish of Asian Peanut Slaw.

Alabama and Mississippi Peanut Associations donate peanut butter to food banks across the state The Alabama Peanut Mississippi Food Network Producers Association in Jackson, Mississippi, in (APPA) recently donated October.

11,220 jars of peanut but“Mississippi Food ter to three food banks Network is pleased to be within the state. The partnering with the donations were made Mississippi Peanut Growers possible by the check-off Association,” says Charles The Alabama Peanut Producers dollars APPA receives Association donated peanut butter Beaty, CEO of Mississippi from the approximately Food Network. “Peanut to foodbanks in Dothan, 1,200 peanut growers in Montgomery and Theodore. butter is a staple food item Pictured left to right at the Dothan the state and Peanut for many families and one delivery are David Hanks, execuProud, a non-profit that is a great benefit to our tive director, Wiregrass Area organization created to food bank, our member United Way Food Bank; Caleb Bristow, APPA executive director, assist in humanitarian agencies and the clients relief efforts. Facilities in and peanut growers George they serve.”

Jeffcoat of Gordon, Ala., and Alabama receiving the The network feeds Thomas Adams of Newville, Ala. peanut butter include the 150,000 people a month Wiregrass Area United Way Food Bank in and was very appreciative of the donation.

Dothan, Montgomery Area Food Bank in The Mississippi Food Network is the only Montgomery and Bay Area Food Bank in food bank located in the state and last Theodore, Alabama. year they distributed over 19.5 million The Mississippi Peanut Growers pounds of food. The delivery of the Association and Peanut Proud donated peanut butter was promoted in print 10,080 jars of peanut butter to the media across the state plus a video was

Florida Peanut Producers Association exhibit at Central Florida Peanut Festival The Florida Peanut Producers Association recently attended and exhibited at the Central Florida Peanut Festival in Ken Barton, executive Williston, Florida. This day director of FPPA and wife Rhonda visit with to celebrate the Mr. Peanut at the peanut was start- Central Florida Peanut ed 27 years ago Festival. by local peanut farmers. Some 15 years ago the Williston Area Chamber of Commerce began to manage the festival and coordinate the activities.

The Festival has grown to more than 11,000 attendees visiting more than 140 vendors. All things peanut were enjoyed by the attendees. The wonderful smell of boiled peanuts, fried peanuts, roasted peanuts, grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, peanut brittle, and a wide assortment of peanut candy, pies and cakes filled the air and gave excitement to festival goers. The Planters Peanut Mobile made its way along the parade route and then Mr. Peanut visited with the crowd. filmed by the Friday Night Under the Lights crew and added to their website at FNUTL.com. MPGA is a sponsor of their high school football program.

Their website is www.msfoodnet.org where you can learn more about the network.

The APPA, MPGA and Peanut Proud would like to thank Southern Ag Carriers, Inc. for providing the delivery of peanut butter to each facility.

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State, federal and private peanut breeding programs are actively involved in the development of improved varieties with desirable traits for increasing dollar value, yield, grade, disease resistance, insect resistance, virus resistance, nematode resistance, aflatoxin resistance, drought tolerance, better shelling characteristics, longer shelf-life, and enhanced flavor and nutritional qualities.

“Possibly, no other single research effort can benefit the whole peanut industry as much as an improved variety,” says Bill Branch, University of Georgia peanut breeder.

In the U.S., there are four peanut market types (runner, virginia, spanish, and valencia), and within each market type, there are different varieties. The varieties contained in this guidebook reflect those varieties commonly planted in the Southeast and those varieties recommended by agronomists for this area due to resistance to tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV).

Variety selection is an important process in the overall management of the farm. This guidebook serves as a resource for growers when they select a variety for the 2016 crop year.

Runner Type Florida-07 is a medium-late (140± days) runner market-type peanut with runner growth habit. It was released from the University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Florida, in 2006. It has shown excellent yield potential (7000+ lbs/A) with good grades. Seed of Florida-07 is similar in size to C-99R and for this reason, gypsum is recommended. It has good to excellent resistance to TSWV with some white mold resistance, and tolerance to leafspot. Florida-07 has high oleic (80±%) oil chemistry with good to excellent roasting, blanching and processing characteristics.

FlorunTM ‘107’ is a medium maturity runner-type variety released by the

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University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Florida, in 2010. The seed size of FlorunTM ‘107’ is slightly larger than Georgia Greener and it produces a high percentage of medium kernels in the grading process. FlorunTM ‘107’ has demonstrated very good yields and grades with good resistance to spotted wilt (TSWV) and moderate resistance to white mold.

The maturity of FlorunTM ‘107’ is similar to Georgia Green and requires about 135 days to maturity under irrigated conditions in Florida. The oil of FlorunTM ‘107’ is high oleic and will help fill the need for a medium-sized runner peanut seed with high oleic oil chemistry.

Georgia Greener is a high-yielding, TSWV-resistant, typical-seeded, runnertype peanut variety that was released in 2006 by the University of Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia. Georgia Greener has a high level of resistance to spotted wilt disease caused by tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and CBR. In multi-location tests conducted in Georgia during the past several years, Georgia Greener was found to have among the lowest disease incidence, highest pod yield, highest TSMK grade, and highest dollar value return per acre compared to other runner-type varieties tested each year. Georgia Greener has darker green foliage, a typical runner seed size, and a medium maturity similar to Georgia Green.

Georgia-06G is a high-yielding, TSWV-resistant, large-seeded, runnertype peanut variety that was released in 2006 by the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Ga. Georgia-06G has a high level of resistance to TSWV. In multilocation tests conducted in Georgia during the past several years, Georgia-06G was found to have among the lowest disease incidence, highest pod yield, highest TSMK grade, and highest dollar value return per acre compared to other runner-types tested each year. Georgia-06G combines high

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2016

TSWV resistance with medium maturity and excellent yield and high TSMK grade which results in greater dollar value return per acre.

Georgia-07W is a high-yielding, TSWV-resistant and white mold-resistant, runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2007 by the University of Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Ga. Georgia-07W has a high level of resistance to TSWV and to white mold or stem rot. Georgia-07W combines high TSWV and white mold resistance with medium maturity and excellent yield, grade, and dollar value return per acre.

Georgia-09B is a high-yielding, high-oleic, TSWV-resistant, mediumseeded, runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2009 by the University of Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia. Georgia-09B has a high level of resistance to spotted wilt disease caused by TSWV. Georgia-09B also has the high-oleic and low-linoleic fatty acid ratio for improved oil quality and longer shelf-life of peanut and peanut products. Georgia-09B originated from the first backcross made with Georgia Green as the recurrent parent. It has an intermediate runner growth habit and medium maturity, similar to Georgia Green. Georgia-09B has a medium runner seed size as compared to the larger-seeded, high-oleic, runner-type variety, Florida-07. Georgia-09B combines the excellent roasted flavor of Georgia Green with the high-oleic trait for longer shelflife and improved oil quality of peanut and peanut products.

Georgia-12Y is a high-yielding, TSWV-resistant, white-mold resistant, medium-seeded, runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2012 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations.

It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Ga. Georgia-12Y is similar to another runner-type variety ‘Georgia-10T’ in having low TSWV disease incidence

and total disease incidence. However, during several years averaged over multilocation tests in Georgia, Georgia-12Y had significantly higher pod yield and higher dollar value return per acre compared to Georgia-10T. Georgia-12Y also has a smaller seed size (greater number of seed per pound) than Georgia-10T. During 2012, Georgia-12Y and Georgia-10T were compared to two other new runner-type varieties over multilocation tests in Georgia. Georgia12Y and Georgia-10T were both found to have among the best overall performance compared to FloRunTM ‘107’ and TUFRunnerTM ‘727’. Georgia12Y should be an excellent variety for an earlier planting (April) option in the southeast because of its high TSWV and white mold-resistance and later maturity.

Georgia-13M is a high-yielding, high-oleic, TSWV-resistant, small-seeded, runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2013 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia. Georgia-13M is similar to other high-oleic, runner-type varieties in having higholeic and low-linoleic fatty acid profiles. However, during several years averaged over multilocation tests in Georgia, Georgia-13M had significantly less total disease incidence and greater dollar value return per acre compared to four other high-oleic, runner-type varieties. Georgia-13M was also found to have a smaller runner seed size as compared to these larger high-oleic runner-type varieties which should save growers in seed cost.

Tifguard is a high-yielding, medium-maturity, runner market-type peanut variety. It was jointly released by the USDA-ARS and the University of Georgia. It is the first peanut variety with a high level of resistance to both the peanut root-knot nematode and TSWV. Tifguard has a runner-type growth habit with dark green foliage and a prominent main stem.

It has demonstrated very good yields and grades when tested with no nematode pressure in tests in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina.

When tested in fields with high nematode pressure it has demonstrated very good yields and grades without the use of nematicides. Tifguard also has a moderate level of resistance to leaf spot.

TUFRunnerTM ‘297’ is an extra-large seeded runner-type peanut with high oleic oil chemistry developed by the University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Florida.

It was released in 2014. TUFRunnerTM ‘297’ has demonstrated very good resistance to white mold, good resistance to TSWV and is susceptible to leaf spots. Yield and grade of TUFRunnerTM ‘297’have been excellent. It has a prominent center stem with a

12

Table 1: Official State Variety Yield Data 2012 Yield GA - Tifton1

FL-Marianna, Gainesville & Jay

AL-Headland2

Irrigated Dryland

Irrigated Marianna & Gainesville

Dryland

Variety

Runner Florida-07

6286

5161

6250

5826

FloRunTM ‘107’

5530

4460

6590

4792

Georgia Greener

5158

5147

5328

5463

Georgia-06G

5614

5924

5902

6026

Georgia-07W

5974

4734

6301

6262

Georgia-09B

5651

5288

5969

5227

Georgia-12Y

5974

6162

-

-

Georgia-13M

5696

5037

-

-

Tifguard

5239

5475

5714

5790

TUFRunnerTM ‘297’

-

-

6607

-

TUFRunnerTM ‘511’

-

-

6429

-

TUFRunnerTM ‘727’

5400

4280

6098

-

semi prostrate growth habit. Seed supply will be limited to production of Foundation and Registered seed in 2016.

TUFRunnerTM ‘511’ is a a large seeded, medium maturity runnertype peanut with high oleic oil chemistry. The University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Florida released TUFRunnerTM ‘511’ peanut in July 2013. It has very good resistance to white mold, moderate resistance to TSWV, and is susceptible to leaf spots.

Yield and grade of TUFRunnerTM ‘511’ have been excellent. The seed size is similar to Georgia-06G with a similar out-turn of medium, number one and jumbo kernels. The growth habit of TUFRunnerTM ‘511’ is prostrate with a good center stem. The seed supply for 2016 will be limited.

TUFRunnerTM ‘727’ is a medium to medium maturity, high oleic, runner market type peanut cultivar with very good resistance to white mold, resistance to TSWV and some resistance to late leaf spot developed by the University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Florida. It has a prostrate, runner growth habit with large vines and medium large runner seed size. Yield and grade of TUFRunnerTM ‘727’ have been excellent. The prefix “TUF” is an acronym for The University of Florida from which it was released in 2011. TUFRunnerTM ‘727’ was developed at the North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Florida. t

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2016

2013 Yield GA - Tifton1

FL-Marianna & Gainesville

Irrigated Dryland

Irrigated Marianna & Gainesville

2014 Yield ALHeadland2

GA - Tifton1

Irrigated Dryland Irrigated Dryland

2015 Yield

FL-Marianna, Gainesville & Jay

AL Headland2

Irrigated Marianna & Gainesville

Irrigated

GA - Tifton1

FL -Marianna, Gainesville, Jay & Live Oak

AL Headland2

Irrigated

Irrigated Dryland

Dryland Irrigated Dryland

5151

5119

5408

4828

6244

5739

4113

5344

6153

3439

5049

5696

6387

6516

3666

5388

4834

5258

5962

4683

5928

4155

5637

5754

3621

5091

5596

6210

6788

5862

5031

5016

5262

6398

5273

5877

4242

5692

5881

3131

5654

6241

-

-

-

5264

5291

5525

6870

5409

6026

4562

6176

5844

3748

5572

6885

6906

7442

6697

5324

5369

5360

6089

5209

5743

4583

6595

6280

3585

5866

5793

-

-

-

5118

4548

5359

6062

5909

6140

3031

5930

5899

3222

5515

6428

6106

6752

5754

5838

5880

5963

6579

5971

7058

4837

6416

5699

3113

5288

5999

6620

7115

7042

5149

5203

-

-

-

5372

4449

5928

5527

2986

6123

6407

6196

6389

6389

5460

4628

4783

5663

4556

5676

4262

5570

5617

3258

4858

5611

6044

6371

5009

-

-

5780

-

-

5964

4336

6305

-

-

5357

6253

6938

7587

6607

-

-

5569

-

-

5930

4881

6274

6334

3603

4998

6059

6514

7133

5990

5149

5143

5386

6207

5481

5724

4773

5509

6461

3694

5100

5811

6559

6570

5899

Table 1: The data above contains the yield results from the 2012-2015 state variety trials by the University of Georgia in Tifton, Ga., North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Gainesville, Jay and Live Oak, Fla. and Auburn University Wiregrass Research and Extension Center in Headland, Ala. 1 - Complete Test data is available online at www.swvt.uga.edu.

2 - Complete Test data is available online at www.aaes.auburn.edu/peanutvarietyreports.

Peanut Seed Seminar Sponsored by the: American Peanut Shellers Association Georgia Peanut Commission Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, The Peanut Foundation

Georgia Peanut Farm Show & Conference Jan. 21, 2016 - 10:35 to 11:35 a.m.

University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center, Tifton, Georgia View video of the presenations online at gapeanuts.com following the show.

AL/FL Peanut Trade Show Feb. 11, 2016 Following luncheon at noon National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds Dothan, Alabama

2015 Mississippi Peanut Yield Data City

Starkville

Beaumont

Stoneville

Overall Average

Variety

lbs/A

lbs/A

lbs/A

lbs/A

Florida 07

3381

3790

4204

3792

FloRunTM ‘107’

3297

3040

4611

3649

Georgia-06G

3261

2978

4726

3655

Georgia-09B

3449

2205

4152

3269

Georgia-12Y

3544

3540

5165

4083

Georgia-13M

3311

4066

4777

4051

Georgia-14N

3015

3079

3835

3310

Tifguard

3126

2281

3975

3127

TUFRunnerTM 297

3631

3598

4649

4079

TUFRunnerTM ‘511’

3409

2701

4904

3671

TUFRunnerTM ‘727’

3403

3114

4322

3613

January/February 2016 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

13

New varieties released for Southeastern growers Georgia-14N is a new high-yielding, high-oleic, TSWV-resistant, and RKNresistant, small-seeded, runnertype peanut variety that was released in 2014 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It was developed at the University of Georgia-14N Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton.

Georgia-14N is similar to other high-oleic, runner-type varieties in having high-oleic and low-linoleic fatty acid profiles.

However, during three-years averaged over multilocation tests in Georgia, Georgia-14N had significantly less TSWV and total disease incidence and higher yield, grade, and dollar value return per acre compared to Tifguard. Limited seed supplies will be available for Georgia-14N in the 2016 planting season. Georgia-14N combines high-yield, tomato spotted wilt virus resistance and root knot nematode resistance with smaller seed size, and the higholeic trait for longer shelf-life and improved oil quality of peanut and peanut products.

FlorunTM ‘157’ is a medium maturity, high oleic, runner-type variety released by the University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Florida, in 2015. It has small runner seed similar to Georgia Green and produces a high percent percentage of medium kernels in the grading process. FlorunTM ‘107’ has moderate resistance to spotted wilt and late leaf spot similar to Georgia-06G and is susceptible to white mold, similar to Georgia-09B. It matures in about 140 days under irrigation in Marianna, Florida. Its yield potential and grade have been excellent. Seed supply of FloRunTM ‘157’ is limited to seed increase and likely will not be available for commercial production until after the 2017 season.

TifNV-High O/L is a new high oleic peanut variety developed and released by USDA-Agricultural Research Service peanut breeder Corley Holbrook. It’s a new high oleic version of the nematode resistant Tifguard that Holbrook released several TifNV-High O/L years ago.

The new variety offers high yields, nematode resistance, a high concentration of oleic acid, resistance to spotted wilt virus, moderate resistance to leaf spot and medium maturity.

TifNV-High O/L resulted from a cross between Tifguard and the Florida-07 varieties. Holbrook worked with University of Georgia researchers Peggy Ozias-Akins and Ye Chu in using molecular markers for nematode resistance and the high O/L trait.

Using the molecular markers, they were able to greatly speed up the process of developing the new variety. t

14

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2016

Drought Tolerant Peanuts in the Future A lthough peanuts are a very efficient crop in terms of water use, they demand a lot of water during certain plant growth periods. To make good yields, the crop will use about 25 inches of water from the time of planting until harvesting.

Droughts have caused 43 percent yield losses in the U.S. during the past 50 years, according to Virginia Tech scientists. Drought losses are especially large in non-irrigated fields, and about 65 percent of the U.S. peanut acreage is not irrigated.

It’s little wonder that many scientists are looking at genetics to make peanuts more efficient in the use of water. And they’re making some headway in the search for more drought tolerant peanuts.

Developing drought tolerant varieties will take some time. That’s because drought tolerance is a complex trait. No one or two genes will solve the challenge of drought resistance. Developing new drought tolerant varieties will take many years, even with marker assisted selection that speeds up the breeding process.

And for farmers in the Southeast, any new drought tolerant varieties will also need to yield under normal rainfall or irrigation with the best widely grown varieties such as Georgia-06G. While drought tolerant varieties would be important for use in the Southeast, the need for such peanuts is even greater in the Southwest where drought seems to be a persistent and ongoing concern.

Also, most widely grown peanut varieties have good tolerance to short term droughts of a few weeks or less.

As to the progress in recent years, scientists in Texas have identified four molecular markers associated with transpiration efficiency. This is the kind of information plant breeders can use with marker-assisted selection to develop

peanut plants that have the ability to squeeze more growth and yields from a limited amount of water.

The research in Texas is also showing that differences in plant canopy temperatures are often associated with susceptibility to drought and the ability to overcome drought.

Likewise, studies by University of Georgia scientists have shown that lower canopy temperatures indicates that plant respiration is lower, and as a result, the plants are better able to withstand the stress that comes with drought.

A drought tolerant peanut variety may be one that produces more flowers, or one that grows at a shorter height under the stress of drought.

Studies in Virginia using rainout shelters to impose a severe drought found that a breeding line yielded three times as much as a widely grown Virginia type variety.

Studies at Auburn University in Alabama are targeting peanuts growing during mid-season droughts. These studies also took place with 149 lines of runner peanuts in rainout shelters.

Results showed that a measurable trait called specific leaf area was closely associated with drought tolerance and yields. In essence, plants with thicker leaves were the most drought tolerant.

These lines should also provide valuable genes for breeders to use in developing drought tolerant varieties.

All of these studies are basically showing that there is a lot of genetic diversity in the ability of peanuts to withstand and overcome the effects of drought. And genetic diversity is the lifeblood of plant breeding programs.

Drought tolerance is one of the goals of the peanut breeding program jointly conducted by Auburn University and the USDA’s National Peanut Research Laboratory in Dawson, Ga.

Marshall Lamb with the USDAAgricultural Research Service at the Dawson Lab says this breeding program has discovered three genes associated with drought tolerance. “Drought tolerance is important for dryland and for irrigated producers,” Lamb says.

Before he left his position with The Peanut Foundation earlier in 2015, Howard Valentine encouraged and worked closely with the Peanut Genome Initiative. He said molecular markers for drought tolerance are among the important traits that should soon be available to peanut breeders. He noted that peanut plant collections from India have provided much information on drought tolerance.

Likewise, Valentine noted that varieties from China seem to have great resistance to aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is more likely to be a problem during years when heat and drought occur during the latter part of the growing season, especially during the last three to six weeks prior to harvest.

In the Southeast and elsewhere, the real damage from drought depends in large part on when the drought takes place. In Georgia, for example, peanuts can often recover from a drought that occurs during July. But a drought during August may be catastrophic.

Drought tolerance for some varieties may come from breeding for a shorter growing season. For instance, a new variety two weeks earlier in maturity than the widely grown varieties should allow peanuts to escape much of the damage that comes from drought. Short-season varieties would also allow for doublecropping peanuts that are planted after harvesting wheat.

Varieties that grow and yield well with a limited amount of water would benefit the entire peanut industry. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

January/February 2016 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

15

Root work for drought tolerant genetics uperior root growth is a great trait to have in a peanut plant. Peanut scientists have long been interested in characterizing peanut root growth and how it can help the plant cope with stress.

For instance, scientists 30 or more years ago suggested that extensive roots help peanut plants tolerate drought. Then, studies during the 1990s confirmed that peanut lines yielding well during drought were able to withstand stress because of large root systems. Studies 20 years ago showed that high yields came from peanut plants with deep roots.

Now, there’s renewed interest by peanut scientists in looking at peanut roots. For instance, Craig Kvien at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus is looking for peanut varieties and breeding lines with superior root growth. He says root growth is influenced by soil conditions, seed size and seed maturity.

Kvien points out that peanut roots do not grow to reach pockets of water in the soil, but rather roots grow where water is already present in the soil.

There is also a direct relationship

S

Craig Kvien, University of Georgia, hopes to identify genetic links that will allow the planting of peanuts with deeper and stronger roots. The new studies are designed to identify which peanut breeding lines can contribute genes that will allow peanuts to become more drought tolerant.

between the weight of the roots and the size of the above-ground plants. Kvien has evaluated 20 lines of peanut plants.

After two years of testing, the top two lines with the best roots were the same during both years. Kvien also hopes to identify genetic links that will allow the

How farmers can improve peanut roots Meanwhile, growers can improve peanut rooting depth on their own when they include sod for grazing in their crop rotations.

University of Florida agronomist David Wright says that strip till planting will help plants produce deeper roots. In his studies, using a sod-based rotation produced 7,000 pounds of peanuts per A field of peanuts being harvested. The acre with the Georgia-06G variety, with a peanuts were strip tilled behind winter grazing profit of about $700 per acre. Wright says which was overseeded into killed bahiagrass the previous fall. The peanuts yielded 7,000+ the profit from one year of peanuts in a pounds per acre. sod-based rotation will equal the money made over five years with continuous peanuts. Sod-based non-irrigated peanuts produce yields as good as irrigated peanuts following two years of cotton, according to Wright.

Root systems are deeper when peanuts are planted following a grazing crop such as bahiagrass, according to Wright. Infrared and thermal images taken of the peanuts showed that peanut plants grown following bahiagrass were cooler during the hot summer months when compared to peanuts following conventional rotation crops such as cotton. Wright says this is due to the tremendous root systems of the peanuts following grazing.

“If you graze cattle, your roots grow deeper and faster than they would after other cover crops,” Wright says. “Try cattle in your peanut rotation, even if you have to use cattle from your neighbors.” t

16

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2016

planting of peanuts with deeper and stronger roots.

At the University of Florida, graduate student Brendan Zurweller is studying root architecture in response to different amounts of irrigation. He used a small rhizotron or root tubes to analyze roots for length and diameter along with the growth of tap roots and lateral roots.

He found that the breeding line COC 041 had deep rooting depth, similar to that seen in the TUFRunner 511 variety.

In general, he observed that the Valencia type peanuts in his trial produced a more fibrous root architecture which could be a beneficial trait for exploring more soil volume.

In his studies, deficit or supplemental irrigation produced better rooting than did full irrigation. He found the best rooting occurred when 60 percent of full irrigation was applied.

Diane Rowland, University of Florida agronomist, says it is exciting to be able to identify peanut genotypes that may have the ability to lift water from deep in the soil for use during days when the weather is dry.

Root plasticity is the ability of the roots to alter their normal response to stresses such as drought. The new studies of roots are designed in large part to identify which peanut breeding lines can contribute genes that will allow peanuts to become more drought tolerant. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Special Review

January 21, 2016 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton, Georgia

Photos & video of seminars will be available online following the show at www.gapeanuts.com.

Georgia Peanut Farm Show Award Winners The Georgia Peanut Commission presents the following awards to individuals who have contributed greatly to the peanut industry.

The awards are presented during the Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference awards luncheon on Jan. 21, 2016 at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center.

Distinguished Service Award - Jerry Chandler The Distinguished Service Award is presented to Jerry Chandler, CEO of McCleskey Mills.

In 1978, Chandler joined his brother Tom Chandler, who had purchased a small Americus business with a negative net worth four years earlier. Chandler came on board as vice-president and part owner of the operation, McCleskey Mills, Inc. Over the next five years the brothers and their partners grew the business and built a new shelling plant in Smithville to replace the outdated and dilapidated plant in Americus. The Smithville facility opened in 1983 and is still the site of the corporate office of McCleskey Mills, a shelling and farmer-stock storage facility. Ten years after the Smithville plant was operational, Chandler succeeded his brother Tom as the President of the company. With a strong support system that had been established in the eighties and early nineties, Chandler led the way for McCleskey to establish itself as a leader and promoter of Southeastern U.S. peanuts. Since joining the company in 1978, Chandler has been involved in nearly every facet of the business.

During his 36 years in the peanut shelling business, Chandler has found time to be active in the Southeast Peanut Association, now American Peanut Shellers Association. He served as president of the organization in 1986. Chandler served on numerous committees and chaired four, including the Committee on Peanut Marketing Agreement. He was a member of the APSA Executive Committee from 1982-2000 and of the Board of Directors from 2000-2004. He continues to be a valuable resource for the shelling segment of the industry and has many friends in all segments of the industry.

In 2006 Chandler assumed the chairmanship of McCleskey, and in 2011, he and his partners nearly doubled their company’s shelling capacity after purchasing Doster Warehouse from partners Jack and Norma Chastain located in Rochelle, Georgia.

Chandler has also been generous to his community. He has been a member of the Dawson Rotary Club and has served on the Advisory Committee of Terrell Academy and is currently on the Board of Directors for both the Bank of Terrell and the Bank of Lee County. He is a member of the First Baptist Church in Dawson where he and his wife, Cheryl, reside today. They have three children (Chad with wife Cathie, Chevin with son-in-law George and Kendall with son-in-law, Anthony) and six grandchildren (Hayden, Collins, Carson, Parker, Madison and Chandler).

Special Award - Zippy Duvall The Georgia Peanut Special Award is presented to Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Duvall was elected to serve a two-year term as AFBF president during the organization’s annual meeting on Jan. 12, 2016. Duvall previously served as president of the Georgia Farm Bureau. Prior to being elected GFB president, he served on the GFB Board of Directors representing the fourth district.

In addition to serving as president of Georgia Farm Bureau Federation and its affiliate companies, he is a member of the Greene County Farm Bureau board of directors, a member of the board of directors of the American Farm Bureau and Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company based in Jackson, Mississippi. He has also received various distinguished honors and recognitions including Georgia Agri-Leaders, Georgia Dairy Family of the Year, Georgia Distinguished Co-operator and Greene County Agri-business of the Year.

He and his wife, Bonnie, operate a 300 brood cow beef operation, and are poultry producers, producing about 750,000 broiler chickens each year. Together they have four children and three grandchildren. The Duvall’s are members of New Hope Baptist Church where he serves as a deacon.

Export Award – Stephanie Grunenfelder The Georgia Peanut Export Award is presented to Stephanie Grunenfelder, senior vice president of the American Peanut Council, based in Alexandria, Virginia. She has been at the council since August of 2006 and supervises export marketing programs on behalf of the peanut industry in Canada, Latin America and Asia and manages the industry’s Peanut Butter for Hungry Initiative, which began in 2007. Before joining the council, Grunenfelder was the director of nutrition research and education for the Mushroom Council and director of marketing for the Florida Tomato Committee, both agricultural trade associations.

Grunenfelder has a master’s degree in Nutrition Education and completed the University of Florida’s Leadership Program for Agriculture and Natural Resources in 1999. She has served on several committees representing agricultural industries including the Produce for Better Health Foundation, the Produce Marketing Association, and USDA’s Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee for Horticultural. Currently, she is serving as the chairman for the U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council. She grew up on a soybean and corn farm in Indiana. Grunenfelder and her husband Brian have three children and live in Northern Virginia.

18

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2016

Research and Education Award – Dr. Nathan Smith The Georgia Peanut Research and Education Award is presented to Dr. Nathan Smith, professor and Extension economist in Agribusiness Production with Clemson University. He is located at the Sandhills Research and Education Center in Columbia, South Carolina, where he serves as Agribusiness Team Leader and his major responsibilities are production economics and risk management of row crops.

Dr. Smith was an Extension economist with the University of Georgia prior to joining Clemson University. He was located on the Tifton Campus in Tifton, Georgia where his major responsibilities were production economics, marketing and policy for peanuts, feed grains, and soybeans. Dr. Smith was a member of the UGA Peanut Team where he collaborated with production specialists and researchers on the economics of peanut production. He was also a member of the Grains Team covering corn, soybeans and wheat. As part of the teams he produced crop budgets and developed the crop comparison tool shortly after coming to Georgia.

He developed a successful marketing education and outlook program for peanuts, feed grains and soybeans. He developed policy education programs since the beginning of the debate for the 2002 Farm Bill. During the last three farm bills, Dr. Smith was an integral part of the Extension Ag Economics Farm Bill Education effort that includes a website, spreadsheet decision aid, and many meetings with over 9,000 Georgians in attendance (producers, landlords, lenders and industry professionals). He has been an invited speaker regionally and nationally on the implications of the peanut program on peanut profitability and peanut marketing.

Dr. Smith received the Farm Service Agency Administrator's Award for ensuring the Administration's goals were met in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. As part of the National Extension Farm Bill Training Team he was also awarded the Outstanding Public Issues Education Program Award for the National Extension Farm Bill Train-the-Trainer Program from the Farm Foundation and the National Public Policy Education Committee in 2003. He received the State Extension Award from the Georgia/Florida Soybean Association in 2015. Dr. Smith has also conducted several education programs on cooperatives for producers including feasibility analyses of peanut marketing and shelling cooperative and, organic peanut production and processing in Georgia. Dr. Smith’s most recent work focuses cost analyses of peanut production research results, market situation and outlook, implementation of peanut revenue insurance, and implications of the 2014 Farm Bill.

Dr. Smith was Extension Marketing Specialist for row crops at the University of Arkansas before coming to the University of Georgia. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Clemson University, Master of Science degree from Auburn University and PhD from the University of Kentucky, all in agricultural economics. Dr. Smith was raised in Easley, South Carolina and met his wife, Kim, while attending Clemson University. They have two sons Douglas and Daniel.

Media Award – Cairo Messenger and Sam Smith The Georgia Peanut Media Award is presented to individuals or businesses for their outstanding commitment to the peanut industry by providing vital information to peanut farmers and consumers in Georgia. The 2016 awards are presented to the Cairo Messenger and Sam Smith, news photographer, for WALB in Albany, Ga. The Cairo Messenger, founded in 1904, has been owned and operated by the Wind family for 111 years. Currently, the fifth generation of the family is carrying on the tradition. With a paid circulation of over 6,000 copies weekly, The Messenger is the trusted source for news and advertising for Cairo, Grady County and the surrounding area. Grady County is known as one of the most diversified farming sections in the nation and The Messenger has consistently focused on agriculture in this thriving southwest Georgia community. Herbert S. Wind serves as president and Randolph H. Wind is editor and publisher. They are supported by talented writers Mesha C. Wind and Darrell Mudra.

News photographer Sam Smith has worked for 55 years at WALB in Albany, Georgia. Smith started working at WALB on October 1, 1960. When the station started covering local news a few months later, he volunteered to shoot the film. He has seen many changes in his years from shooting 16 mm film to digital video before his retirement in September 2015.

Smith also played a part in the Civil Rights movement by shooting iconic footage of Martin Luther King and peaceful protests in Albany. He's covered just about every major story in South Georgia since then - from Jimmy Carter's presidential run to the flood of 1994.

Smith set an example for many in news production and took a serious responsibility to serve the people of South Georgia. He has seen incredible changes in technology over the years, but he always stayed on top of advancements and shared his vast knowledge freely with generations of young journalists. Smith has also received more than 40 awards for his photography journalism coverage from the Georgia Association of Broadcasters and Associated Press.

He is married to Linda and they have two sons, Sikes and Bryan, who are employed in law enforcement. Smith plans to spend more time playing golf and time with his grandson, Taylor. Smith is a member of First Methodist Church in Albany and an Eagle Scout.

Congratulations to the 2016 Georgia Peanut Farm Show Award winners!

January/February 2016 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

19

Outstanding Georgia Peanut Farmer of the Year District Winners District 1 – Louie Grimes, Colquitt, Georgia The District 1 winner is Louie Grimes of Colquitt, Ga. Grimes is fourth generation farmer who still farms on original family farm land dating back to the 1860s. Grimes has farmed for fifty years on a small family farm and has to micromanage the farm to make it work. His wife, Alma Jean, assisted him on the farm by running the peanut dryers or delivering peanuts to the buying point. Prior to retiring in 2004, Grimes grew peanuts, corn and watermelons. Today, Grimes manages pasture, hay, pecans and 50 head of beef cattle.

Grimes served for 30 years on the GFA Peanut Association as a board member, vice president and chairman. He also served as an advisory board member for the Georgia Peanut Commission and represented farmers on the National Peanut Growers Group and the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation. Grimes also served on the Miller County Farm Bureau board and represented Miller County on the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District. Grimes is a member of Georgia Farm Bureau, Miller County Young Farmers and FFA Alumni. Grimes served as a Georgia FFA state officer in 1953-54 and received his American FFA Degree. Grimes has also served as a Sunday school teacher for twenty-five years at Thompson Freewill Baptist Church and serves as chair of the Board of Deacons.

Grimes enjoys hunting and fishing. He is most proud of his 11-point deer killed at the farm and the 39 pound striper fish he caught at Lake Seminole in 1984. He also enjoys collecting arrowheads on the farm. The Grimes have one son, Mark and one granddaughter, Kelsey who is married to Allen.

District 2 – Wavell Robinson, Pavo, Georgia The District 2 winner is Wavell Robinson of Pavo, Ga. Robinson’s grandfather moved to Pavo from Americus and started farming in 1908. In 1960, Robinson began his college career at the University of Georgia where he studied agricultural engineering. In 1963 Robinson, a third generation farmer, returned home to help his dad farm the land. Today, Robinson grows peanuts, cotton, tobacco and watermelon on 2,000 acres.

Robinson helped start BCT Gin and served as the first president of the gin that serves Brooks, Colquitt and Thomas counties. He stepped down as president for a few years and returned as the current president in 1990, where he has served for the past twenty-five years. Robinson has also served on the Georgia Cotton Commission for nine years, The Brooks County Hospital Board for four years and the Farm Service Agency for nine years.

Robinson served as president of the Brooks County Farm Bureau for six years and Director of the Southern-Southeastern Cotton Growers Association. From 1986-1990, he served on the Georgia Boll Weevil Eradication Board for the state of Georgia. He has also served as a deacon at Pavo Baptist Church for several years.

He is married to Darlene and they have two children, Regina and Brian. Regina and husband Steven have three children, Lewis, Brooks and Peyton. Brian and wife Tracy have two children, Tyler and Rylee Claire. Robinson enjoys bird hunting with his three dogs.

District 3 – James M. Dixon, Girard, Georgia The District 3 winner is James M. Dixon of Girard, Ga. Dixon began farming in 1954 with his dad and farmed with him for forty years. During that time, Dixon grew 1,800 acres of peanuts, cotton, corn, soybeans, wheat and raised cattle and pigs.

Dixon served as president of the Georgia Corn Growers Association and as a board member for the Georgia Peanut Producers Association, Georgia Soybean Board and the Georgia Federal State Inspection Service. He also served on the Farm Service Agency board, Burke County FHA Board and Advisory Board for the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Science. Dixon served on the Burke County Board of Commissioners for 15 years, Association of County Commissioners of Georgia Board and the National Association of Counties Board. He also served as ag advisor for the late Georgia Senator Paul Coverdell and peanut advisor to the Secretary of Agriculture during the President Reagan’s administration.

Dixon was awarded the Region III Conservationist of the Year award in 1988 by the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. He also participated in Leadership Development for Food and Ag Policy hosted by Kellogg’s.

Dixon is a member of the Rosemont Baptist Church in Waynesboro, Georgia. He is married to his wife Joanne and they have three children, Joni, Rick and one son, Robert, who passed away earlier. They have five grandchildren, five great grandchildren and one on the way.

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2016

District 4 – Sam Floyd Jr., Danville, Georgia The 2015 District 4 winner is Sam Floyd Jr. of Danville, Georgia. He began farming in 1956 with a one row tractor, a plow and two mules on rented land. During the 1960s, Floyd purchased around 50 acres of land and has continued to grow the operation. His sons came on board in the 80s and 90s and the operation has continued to grow to around 4,000 acres of row crop land of which they own over half. Floyd farms along with his sons, Clay and David, and his nephew, Chris Meadows. Together they produce peanuts, cotton, corn and beef cattle, in Twiggs and Bleckley counties.

Floyd has served on many agricultural boards and has fully supported the industry throughout his career.

He has served on the Georgia Cotton Commission advisory board, Farm Service Agency county committee for Twiggs County, Region IV Soil and Water Conservation District Board since 1981 and the Twiggs County Farm Bureau Board. He is a member of the Georgia Farm Bureau and has assisted the University of Georgia with cotton variety trials. Floyd was honored in the Peanut Achievement Club in 1979 and has received the Twiggs County Young Farmer Award.

He has two children, Clay (Sherry) and David (Lianne), three grandchildren, Kyle, Tori and Lainey, and three great-grandchildren, Emily, Rhett, and Olivia. Floyd resides on his family home place in Danville.

District 5 – Wilbur T. Gamble Jr., Dawson, Georgia The District 5 winner is Wilbur T. Gamble Jr. of Dawson, Ga. Gamble began college at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and then transferred to Georgia Southwestern College which allowed him to begin farming with his dad since the college was closer to home. He began farming on his own in 1958.

Today the farm consists of 4,000 acres of cropland including peanuts, cotton, corn, soybeans and wheat.

The Gamble family received the Centennial Farm Award in 2001. The Georgia Centennial Farm Program was developed in 1993 to distinguish family farms that have contributed to preserving Georgia's agricultural history by maintaining working farms for more than 100 years.

Gamble was elected to Terrell County Board of Commissioners in 1969 and took office January 1, 1970, and has served as chairman (elected at large) consecutively ever since. He currently serves on the Bank of Dawson executive board. Gamble served on the Georgia Peanut Commission board for 24 years and 12 years as chairman. He also served as chairman of the National Peanut Growers Group, president of the National Peanut Council in 1987-1988 and served on the National Peanut Council export committee. He received the Master Farmer award from ABAC in 1974.

He is married to Lila and they have two children, Myra and T. Gamble III. T. is married to Cheryl and they have two children, Layla and Wilbur Thomas Gamble IV. Gamble enjoys Georgia football and hunting and fishing.

The Georgia Peanut Commission presents the Outstanding Georgia Peanut Farmer of the Year awards to one farmer in each of the commission’s five districts. This award is designed to honor farmers who have given life-long devotion to peanut farming and who have the passion, diligence, leadership and desire to see that the peanut industry in the state of Georgia continues to represent the highest quality possible. The awards are presented during a breakfast held prior to the opening of the Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference on Jan. 21, 2016, at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center.

Thanks to Agri Supply for sponsoring the Outstanding Georgia Peanut Farmer of the Year award and to BASF for sponsoring the Outstanding Georgia Young Peanut Farmer.

Thanks to Kelley Manufacturing Co. for sponsoring the Grand Door Prize Package and to Amadas Industries for sponsoring the Grower Door Prize.

Check out the Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference UGA Peanut Team Seminar and Seed Seminar presentations online at gapeanuts.com.

The presentations will be available following the Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference.

January/February 2016 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Thanks to the 2016 Georgia Peanut Farm Show Exhibitors 92.5 The Farm, WKZZ ABAC Adkinson Motorsports Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. Advanced Trailer AgAmerica Lending Agri Supply Ag Technologies, LLC Aimtrac Alltech Crop Science Amadas Industries American International TN American Peanut Council Ameris Bank AMVAC Chemical Corp.

Angus Energy American Peanut Research & Education Society Arysta LifeScience Atlantic & Southern Equipment BASF Corp.

Bayer CropScience Central Life Sciences Chandler Equipment Colombo NA Inc. Conger LP Gas/Propane Education & Research Council Crustbuster Speed King Inc. Domtec International, LLC Dow AgroSciences Dupont Crop Protection Dupont Pioneer Erickson's Forklifts, Inc. Farm Credit Associations of Georgia Fellowship of Christian Farmers Fleming & Riles Insurance Flint Ag & Turf Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. Georgia Crop Improvement Assn.

Georgia Department of Agriculture Georgia Development Authority Georgia Farm Bureau Georgia Federal-State Inspection Service Georgia's Integrated Cultivar Release System Georgia Organic Solutions Georgia Peanut Commission Golden Peanut Company Greenleaf Technologies Growers Mineral Solutions Hannah Solar, LLC Hays LTI H.B.T. Supply Co. Jager Pro JLA International Kelley Manufacturing Co. Lasseter Equipment Group Lindsay Corp.

LMC-Ag, LLC Massey Logistics, LLC Meherrin Ag & Chemical Merrill Lynch Microtherm, Inc. Monsanto Monsanto BioAg Nachurs National Peanut Board National Peanut Buying Points Association Newton Crouch Nichino America Inc. Nolin Steel Peanut Proud, Inc. Pearman Corp.

Peerless Mfg. Co. PhytoGen Cottonseed PNC Bank Poly Tech Industries Premium Peanut P.W.B. Ag Consulting Rainbow Mfg. Co. Rick Heard Co. Robert Hutson Ford & Ram South Georgia Banking Company Southeast Farm Press Southeastern Peanut Farmer Southeastern Pneumatic, Inc. Southern AGCOM, Inc. Southern Peanut Farmers Federation Southern Peanut Growers Specialty Sales Co. Sumner Ag Services, Inc. Surefire Ag Systems Sunbelt Ag Expo Suwannee Hi-Cal Syngenta Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc. The KBH Corporation Peanut Foundation The Peanut Grower The Peanut Institute Thrush Aircraft Tyson Steel Building Products Ubly Peanut Blade Mfg. University of Georgia Peanut Team University of Georgia Tifton Campus U.S. Ag LLC USDA-ARS Nat. Peanut Research Lab USDA U.S. Peanut PAC Valent Valley Irrigation Verdesian Life Sciences Walinga USA, Inc.

American Peanut Council celebrates

75th anniversary he American Peanut Council celebrated a milestone anniversary of 75 years in 2015. The anniversary called for a special celebration held during the APC’s Winter Conference, Dec. 8-10, 2015, in Atlanta, Georgia. The event brought back memories for some while stories were shared and laughter was heard around the room.

The American Peanut Council (APC) was formed in 1997 through a merger of the National Peanut Council and the National Peanut Council of America. APC is the only U.S. organization which represents all segments of the peanut industry including peanut growers, shellers, product manufacturers and allied industry including brokers and international members.

“I think the American Peanut Council serves the entire industry extremely well,” says John Powell, executive director of the American Peanut Shellers Association.

“Not only is it an organization where all segments can get together and work on common problems, the APC has stepped forward as a leader in any emergency issue that faces the industry, such as food safety.”

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The Beginning Four major peanut cooperatives convened on March 29, 1940, in Washington, D.C., with the goal of organizing a peanut industry association. The initial organizers represented more than 50,000 peanut growers from Virginia, North Carolina, the Southeast and Southwest growing regions. They collected $400 of initial funding to begin the work of establishing an umbrella organization for all segments of the peanut industry. The group met again in August of 1940 to complete incorporation, officially chartering the “National Peanut Council.” Work began immediately, funded by an initial budget of $15,000. The goal of the organization

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from the very beginning – which remains in place today – was to improve peanut quality.

Modane Marchbanks became the first staff director of the NPC in 1942, staffing an office in Georgia. NPC’s motto was “Cooperation Brings Success”.

In the 1970s the American Peanut Council (formerly National Peanut Council) promoted peanuts at a variety of While the world was consumer shows as pictured above. embroiled in World War II, the National Peanut Council was cussion were: After-Victory Problems of looking to the future, and held the very Interest to the Peanut Industry, Consumer first annual meeting in Pensacola, Florida, Acceptance of Peanut Products in on May 25, 1941. In addition to plans to Wartime, Peanuts After the War and improve peanut quality, the industry Rehabilitation for Industry and established National Peanut Week, in Agriculture by Means of Better Nutrition. order to focus attention on the nutritional In 1945, the industry’s research and value of peanuts; worked with USDA on development investment yielded one of protecting rates for peanuts; looked at the most significant and successful innonew uses for the peanut; and fought unfavations in the history of the industry. vorable legislation.

That year, with funding from the In 1941, the first marketing quotas Council’s research budget, “Napeco” was were established. At that time, a parity introduced as a stabilizer to reduce oil price of $122 was established for “quota” separation in peanut butter. This innovapeanuts. Two crops were common, one, tion, patented by the NPC and re-named on allotted acres for shelling and edible “Fix-X,” was later sold to Proctor & use, and another on excess acres. The Gamble, a move that funded the associaexcess acres produced peanuts that were tion for a few years. Proctor & Gamble crushed for oil. Farmers who agreed to did not own a peanut butter brand at the grow peanuts for the war effort received time, but did own Crisco and was interestmore favorable “quota” acreage allotment ed in hydrogenation technology. Soon after the war. after the purchase, P&G bought “Big It wasn’t long before the National Top” peanut butter from W.T Young Peanut Council had 248 members in 18 Foods in Lexington, Kentucky. The brand states. In 1943, official bylaws for the name was changed to Jif, which is now association were adopted, setting the stage owned by the J.M. Smucker Company, for the association of today. and remains America’s best-selling peanut The object of the Council was “To butter brand. improve the quality of peanuts and to proIn 1946, the annual meeting was held mote the sale of peanuts and peanut prodin Virginia Beach and was focused on the ucts.” The very first activities of the future of the peanut industry. Committees Council were an educational campaign for Advertising and Publicity, Research and a publicity campaign to keep peanuts and Development and Advancing the top of mind with consumers.

Cause of the Improvement of the Peanut At the fourth annual “Wartime were established.

Conference” held at the Biltmore Hotel in Beginning that year, the NPC was the Atlanta in May of 1944, the topics of disorganization designated by the industry to

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2016

conduct consumer promotions. The goal of the new promotions was to increase consumption of peanuts and peanut butter.

The NPC conducted activities to celebrate National Peanut Month, conducted promotions with food editors and other influencers, and developed materials to be used in schools. They also conducted retail promotions over the years, until 1999, when the National Peanut Board was established, and took over this role.

Benjamin Birdsong served as Chairman of the NPC in 1955, presiding over the 16th annual industry convention held in New Orleans. A major topic on the agenda that year was to push USDA to allocate more of its oilseed research budget to peanut research. The industry was looking for ways to develop the market and to improve production quality; both issues still relevant today.

In 1972, the NPC launched the “Peanuts Pack Protein Power” campaign, in response to consumer perceptions that peanuts were “fun, but fattening.”

Between 1972 and 1976, the NPC conducted programs stressing the nutritive value, the versatility and the tastiness of peanuts and peanut butter to encourage consumers to buy and use more peanut products. Consumer perception of peanuts as not only fun, but also nutritious began to emerge. Promotions during the campaign included work with food editors of prominent magazines and newspapers, as well as a campaign to get peanuts on TV.

The Future Today, the American Peanut Council continues to serve as the umbrella trade association representing all segments of the U.S. peanut industry. The APC’s mission is to provide the industry with the means to address all issues which may impact the trade and marketing of U.S. peanuts and peanut products.

Headquartered in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, the APC monitors developments in the domestic and international markets and responds with a diverse array of domestic and international marketing, trade servicing, research and issues management programs. The APC maintains close working relationships with government agencies, research institutions and related peanut and agricultural trade associations.

APC’s Export Division administers the U.S. peanut industry’s export market

Peanut Butter Spreading Party provides hunger relief On Friday, December 11, 2015 more than 40 volunteers gathered in Atlanta’s Colony Square for a PB&J spreading party. Hosted by Which Wich, National Peanut Board and APC’s Peanut Butter for the Hungry initiative, the volunteers prepared more than 2,000 sandwiches in just over an hour. The sandwiches were then donated to local Atlanta organization, Action Ministries, Deena and Douglas Harrell, Whigham, Ga., which addresses the challenges of poverty by meeting the basic needs of help load the Action Ministries truck with more than 2,000 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. hunger relief, housing and education.

This spreading party came at the heels of APC’s annual winter conference, which also celebrated its 75th anniversary. The community spirit that’s at the core of the spreading party was an appropriate way to conclude the week’s activities, as individuals from various segments of the peanut industry collaborated to make healthful sandwiches for those in need. Immediately following the spreading party, Peanut Butter for the Hungry made a donation of seven pallets—or 10,000 jars—of Peanut Proud peanut butter to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Peanut butter is often the number one requested item from food banks due to its nutritious, versatile and shelf-stable nature.

Additional information about this project is available online at pb4h.org. development program. APC’s European headquarters in London, U.K., maintains contact with European customers and oversees European public relations agencies conducting promotional programs on behalf of U.S. peanuts in the U.K., Germany and the Netherlands.

Representatives in Mexico, Canada and Japan conduct trade servicing, market research and public relations activities in those markets as well.

In addition to market promotion activities, APC’s Export Division works closely with worldwide peanut associations and international organizations to monitor technical issues and regulatory actions which could impact the peanut trade. In cooperation with U.S. and international organizations, APC participates in discussions regarding international trade regulations in order to ensure that international standards reflect commercial practicalities.

The U.S. peanut industry conducts research in many areas including peanut allergy causes and cures, peanut production improvement, peanut quality, food safety, and peanut genomics. The Peanut Foundation, the research arm of the American Peanut Council, is charged with coordinating the Peanut Genomic Initiative and focuses primarily on peanut production research to improve the quality and yields of U.S. peanuts.

Peanut Butter for the Hungry, managed by the APC, is a humanitarian initiative of the peanut industry in the U.S. to help malnourished children in places where resources are limited. Peanut Butter for the Hungry works with food banks across the U.S. and donates peanut paste for the development of ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF).

Through 75 years, APC has contributed to the betterment of the peanut industry through organizing consumer promotions, issues management, funding research, export promotions and more.

The APC has also been like an extended family to many of the members who cherish the friendships they have made through the years. One of those members, Norma Chastain, retired owner of Doster Warehouse in Rochelle, Georgia had this to say.

“Being a part of the peanut world has been like being a part of a family where your last name is peanut. We were competitors, yet we were willing to help each other,” Chastain says. “And being a part of the peanut world has just been a magnificent part of my life, a real treasure; especially being able to work with the growers because that’s where it all begins.

Without the grower, there are no peanuts.” t

BY JOY CROSBY

January/February 2016 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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UGA has a $4.4 billion economic impact on Georgia eorgia’s flagship university has a $4.4 billion annual economic impact on the state, according to a new study that analyzed how the three-part teaching, research and service mission of the University of Georgia contributes to the state’s economy.

The study, conducted by UGA economist Jeffrey Dorfman, of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, quantified variables such as the increase in earnings that graduates of the university’s schools and colleges receive, revenues from the licensing of university inventions, and the creation of business and jobs resulting from the university’s public service and outreach units.

“Nowhere is the bond between the state of Georgia and the University of Georgia more evident than in our far-reaching economic impact,” says President Jere W. Morehead. “The contributions of UGA faculty, staff, students and alumni are helping to ensure a strong economic future for our state.”

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Educating Students Each year, more than 9,000 UGA students earn undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees in fields ranging from business to engineering, the sciences, arts and humanities. To measure the economic impact of these degrees, Dorfman and his colleagues took data on earnings by major and multiplied the estimated value of each degree and major

offered by UGA by the number of graduates in the 2013-2014 academic year. To ensure they were capturing the economic impact in Georgia alone, they multiplied the economic impact of the degrees awarded by the percentage of each college’s alumni who remain in the state after graduation. Overall, 62 percent of UGA graduates remain in the state after earning their degrees.

The researchers also found that UGA generates nearly $39 for each dollar of state instructional funding.

Fueling Discoveries Discoveries by UGA scientists have resulted in more than 575 products that have reached the marketplace, including medicines, vaccines and software, as well as crop, ornamental plant and turfgrass varieties.

Licensing and royalty revenue from these inventions contribute to UGA’s economic impact, as do companies that are launched based on UGA inventions.

More than 60 Georgia companies are based on UGA inventions, including biotech, agricultural technology and educational software companies.

The research enterprise at UGA is on an upward trajectory, with a 7 percent increase in external funding from federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health as well as private organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation over the past fiscal year.

Using a commonly used model known as IMPLAN, Dorfman and his colleagues found that UGA generates nearly $2 in

economic impact for each $1 of federal and foundation research funding it receives.

Serving Georgia Service to the state of Georgia is an integral part of UGA’s land-grant mission, and the university’s public service and outreach units contribute to economic prosperity and quality of life through programs for individuals, businesses and communities. Public Service and Outreach at UGA has a $345 million annual impact on the Georgia economy, the study found.

Dorfman noted that he designed the study to only capture economic impacts that would not exist were it not for the presence of the University of Georgia. He also emphasized that many UGA programs create economic impacts that are difficult if not impossible to measure.

The university’s 4-H youth development and mentoring programs, for example, have been shown to encourage healthy choices, civic participation and interest in science, technology, engineering and math. In the 2103-2014 school year, 4-H served more than 115,000 students in schools across Georgia.

“Our findings are a conservative estimate of the university’s economic impact on the state of Georgia,” Dorfman noted, “so the $4.4 billion figure that we arrived at should be treated as the minimum impact UGA has on the state.” t

BY SAM FAHMY UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

Survey aims to collect farmer feedback on USDA programs A new online survey launched by the American Farm Bureau Federation will collect feedback from farmers and ranchers about their experiences with 10 Agriculture Department programs housed in three agencies. Results will be used by AFBF to develop recommendations on how USDA can enhance its programs and make them more useful to farmers and ranchers.

All farmers and ranchers, not just Farm Bureau members, are encouraged to take the survey, which takes about 10 minutes to complete.

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The survey focuses on the following USDA programs from the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Rural Development: • Environmental Quality Incentives Program; • Conservation Stewardship Program; • Conservation Reserve Program; • Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program; • Value-Added Agricultural Producer Grants; • Rural Energy for America Program; • Farmers’ Marketing and Local Food

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2016

Promotion Program; • Direct Farm Ownership Loans; • Direct Farm Operating Loans; and • Guaranteed Farm Loans (farm operating and farm ownership).

The AFBF will share feedback from the survey about what is working well with the programs and how they can be improved with USDA. The survey is available online at usdaprograms.questionpro.com. Farmers have until March 15 to complete the survey. t

Pardue named Dean of UGA's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences amuel Pardue, a noted poultry science researcher and administrator at North Carolina State University, has been named dean and director of the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Pardue is currently associate dean and director of academic programs at NC State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and his appointment at UGA is effective March 14.

“I am pleased that Dr. Pardue is joining the university as the next dean and director of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,” says President Jere W. Morehead. “His academic background and professional experience are ideal for leading the College at a very exciting time in its history and working with key stakeholders and alumni who are critical to our future success.”

Since 2012, Pardue has overseen the academic programming in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ 16 departments. Prior to being named associate dean, he served for seven years as the head of the department of poultry science, which in 2012 was named the Prestage Department of Poultry Science in honor of a $10 million gift he helped secure.

“Dr. Pardue has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in advancing agricultural instruction, research and extension,” says Senior Vice President for

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Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten. “I am confident that he will work with our faculty, staff, students, alumni and other supporters to take our College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to an even higher level of excellence.”

Pardue helped double the number of poultry science majors, expanded distance education offerings and acquired external funding to modernize teaching laboratories. In addition, he served as the co-principal investigator on a USDA grant to increase the multicultural diversity of agriculture students and was a founding member of the college’s Diversity Council.

The department of poultry science ranked in the top 10 in five research publication and citation criteria among departments of animal and poultry science under his leadership. He invested in a Biological Safety Level 2 facility to expand the department’s research capabilities and also supported the development of a poultry processing laboratory to address the needs of the state’s largest agribusiness.

Pardue sits on the administrative board of NC State’s Graduate School, served as the university’s Faculty Athletics Representative for five years and served as the college’s liaison for accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

He has conducted his research with $2.5 million in external funding, holds three patents and has published nearly 100 journal Samuel Pardue articles, book Dean and Director of the chapters and University of Georgia College of Agricultural and abstracts.

Environmetal Sciences Pardue has given invited presentations across the United States and in Australia, Switzerland, Costa Rica and Mexico.

His additional honors include being named to the NC State Academy of Outstanding Teachers, Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor and receiving the Purina Mills Award for Teaching.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to work with UGA’s outstanding administration, faculty, staff, students, alumni, friends, and Georgia’s dynamic agricultural community,” Pardue says.

“The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences has played a significant role in growing Georgia’s #1 economic sector. It is a college with a long and honored history. I look forward to an even brighter future for CAES.” t

Registration open for UGA's 2016 Ag Forecast Good information is the best defense against the unforeseen circumstances — like changing governmental regulations and weather patterns — that can impact agriculture.

That’s why the University of Georgia’s team of agricultural economists kicks off each year with the Georgia Ag Forecast seminar series. There, they present valuable insights into what the upcoming year will hold for the state’s largest industry.

The 2016 Ag Forecast sessions will be held on Thursday, Jan. 21, at the Carroll County Ag Center in Carrollton; Friday, Jan. 22, at Unicoi State Park in Cleveland; Monday, Jan. 25, at the Cloud Livestock Facility in Bainbridge; Tuesday, Jan. 26, at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton; Wednesday, Jan. 27, at the Blueberry Warehouse in Alma; and Friday, Jan. 29, at the Georgia Farm

Bureau Building in Macon.

Registration for the series is now open at georgiaagforecast.com.

The UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences hosts the annual seminar series, and its attendance grows every year. Nearly 1,000 producers, agribusiness representatives and community leaders attended the seminars in 2015.

For more information on the 2016 Ag Forecast series, visit georgiaagforecast.com, follow @UGA_CollegeofAg on Twitter or search for #agforecast on social media. t

January/February 2016 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show set for February 11 he annual Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show is fast approaching. This year’s show will be held Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016, at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds, located on Hwy. 231 South in Dothan, Alabama.

Sponsored by the Alabama Peanut Producers Association and the Florida Peanut Producers Association, the one-day event offers farmers a full day to view the products and services of more than 80 exhibitors and a day of education. The trade show opens at 8:30 a.m. and will continue until noon with a lunch immediately following.

Following the catered lunch, a seed seminar will be held.

Topics and guest speakers for the seed seminar are: Varieties Currently in Production and on the Horizon – Bill Branch, peanut breeder with the University of Georgia and Corley Holbrook, peanut breeder with USDA/ARS; Current Breeding Research update – Marshall Lamb, National Peanut Research Lab/Auburn University; The Peanut Genomic Initiative – Steve

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Brown, executive director of The Peanut Foundation.

Peanut growers who attend will not only be able to fine tune their farming operations, but will have a chance to win prizes valued at thousands of dollars. Kelley Manufacturing Company is donating the Grand Door Prize this year. They are offering the use of a new six-row peanut combine for the 2016 harvesting season, (valued at $15,000), with the option of purchasing the combine through an authorized KMC dealer with $15,000 off the list price. In lieu of the six-row combine the winner can choose the use of another KMC peanut harvest implement with a 10 percent discount off the list price for purchase.

The winner must be certified as a peanut grower with an FSA farm number, and must be present to win.

All peanut growers are invited and encouraged to attend.

For more information on the show, including exhibit space availability, contact Teresa Mays with APPA at 334-792-6482 or teresa2@alpeanuts.com. t

February 11, 2016 National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds Dothan, Alabama

Registration & Trade Show 8:30 a.m.

Door Prizes

GRAND Catered Lunch DOOR PRIZE More than 80 exhibitors sponsored by KMC Seed & Production Seminar For more information contact: Alabama Peanut Producers Association Ph. 334-792-6482 www.alpeanuts.com Florida Peanut Producers Association Ph. 850-526-2590 www.flpeanuts.com

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2016

Peanut Profitability Awards seeking nominees rom adverse drought to historic flooding to some pretty good irrigated yields, the 2015 peanut crop was a rollercoaster. And peanuts remained the backbone of many farming operations, and the fallback position for growers now facing the toughest economic times in decades.

The Farm Press Peanut Profitability Awards are based on production efficiency, honoring growers who produce the highest yields at the lowest cost per acre.

Awards are presented to growers from the Lower Southeast, including Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Arkansas; the Upper Southeast, including Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina; and the Southwest, including Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.

“While achieving consistently high yields and grades is important, it’s only part of the equation to maximizing profits.

The elements of production cost and price

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are equally important factors in our evaluation of nominees. … Marketing expertise definitely has given an edge to recent winners of the award,” said Marshall Lamb, research director for the National Peanut Research Laboratory.

The grower nomination form for the Peanut Profitability Award is very extensive, and it considers both fixed and variable costs. Achieving high yields is just a component of profitability. This program looks deeper at per-unit cost and how effectively a nominee manages cost structure, Lamb said. Actual per-unit costs and returns information will remain confidential to Lamb and his staff.

Growers may submit their nomination form directly to the National Peanut Research Laboratory, or they may submit it to their county Extension agent, peanut specialist or economist. The deadline for all nominations is April 15, 2016.

Growers can access the nomination form online at southeastfarmpress.com,

southwestfarmpress.com or deltafarmpress.com. To receive a hard copy of the form, call Farm Press headquarters at (662) 624-8503.

The awards program has honored 16 classes of winners from throughout the U.S. Peanut Belt. Since the program’s beginning in 2000, the Peanut Profitability Awards have honored 45 deserving growers or farms. The awards program began with the first-ever Southern Peanut Growers Conference in conjunction with the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation and the two have grown together over the years.

Winners of the 2016 awards will receive an expenses-paid trip for two to the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in July at the SanDestin Golf and Beach Resort. In addition, the winners are featured in special Peanut Profitability issues of Southeast Farm Press, Southwest Farm Press and Delta Farm Press. t

January/February 2016 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Unmanned Aircraft Registration System Takes Flight The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) new web-based registration system for small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) is now active.

Hobbyists and recreational users who fly UAS, which include remote controlled aircraft, may register at www.faa.gov/uas/registration.

Owners must register small UAS weighing more than 0.55 pounds (250 grams) and less than 55 pounds (approx.

25 kilograms) if they are to be flown outdoors for hobby or recreation.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and FAA Deputy Administrator Mike Whitaker announced the rule requiring registration earlier this month.

Aircraft operated by the current

owner before Dec. 21, 2015 must be registered no later than Feb. 19, 2016. For all others, registration is required prior to the first outdoor flight. Owners must provide their complete name, physical address, mailing address (if different), and a valid email address to register.

Federal law requires a $5 registration fee that will be collected at the time of registration via credit card. To encourage speedy compliance, the FAA is making the process free for the first 30 days.

(The registration website will initially charge the owner’s credit card $5, but a refund credit will appear shortly afterward.)

After completing registration, owners will receive a personal registration num-

ber. If a person owns more than one small UAS, each aircraft must be marked with that number. Any method may be used to mark the UAS, as long as the number is legible. Registrants may put the number in the battery compartment if it is easily accessible.

The FAA will immediately email a certificate containing the holder’s name, registration number, and the dates of issuance and expiration. The operator must keep either a printed or electronic version of this certificate on hand for inspection as proof of registration.

Registration must be renewed every three years. If assistance is needed with registration, email UAShelp@faa.gov. t

Unmanned Systems in Precision Agriculture Conference to be held in Tifton The University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center will host the fourth annual Unmanned Systems in Precision Agriculture Conference on Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 3 and 4, 2016.

The Atlanta and Coastal Plain chapters of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International are sponsoring the conference.

The focus of the conference is to update farmers, Cooperative Extension personnel, researchers, agricultural consultants and agricultural business profes-

sionals on the latest research regarding agricultural drone use and the proposed federal and state regulations.

“We will have flight demonstrations, presentations on how to get started using drones on the farm and information on the latest research in the agricultural uses of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles),” said Glen Rains, a College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences agricultural engineer on the UGA Tifton Campus.

The keynote speaker for the event will be Georgia state Rep. Jimmy Pruett, who is a member of the National

Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).

He is a member of the National Unmanned Aircraft Systems Study Committee initiative established by the NCSL to examine drone use in the United States.

Registration for the conference is $125 for both days or $85 for one.

Applications are being accepted for exhibitor space and sponsorships. For more information, please visit ugatiftonconference.org. t

Auburn and Alabama Extension host Precision Ag Workshop in Alabama Auburn University and Alabama Extension professionals will host a Precision Agriculture Workshop in Auburn, Ala. on Jan. 28, 2016. The event will take place at the Auburn University Dixon Hotel and Conference Center.

Cutting edge precision agriculture presentations and precision ag demonstrations will be led by Extension professionals and private companies.

Alabama Extension Precision Ag and Grain Crops Specialist Brenda Ortiz said there are many producers who have not fully adopted precision agriculture practices and site-specific management strategies.

“We want to provide current information, access to current technology and connect farmers with private

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companies and consultants who can assist producers with this move,” Ortiz says.

Topics covered by presenters will include precision planting, precision spraying, variable rate nitrogen, variable rate irrigation and data management.

Ortiz said the workshop will combine presentations and demonstrations to give attendees a thorough overview of site specific management practices.

“Site specific management can help farmers increase yield and profitability, increase efficiency and be better stewards of the environment,” she says. “We want to help farmers understand how to better use our natural resources, and how to analyze data collected in their fields and use it effectively.”

Ortiz said the conference will have

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2016

information for producers who are new to precision ag practices and for those who have already implemented practices on their farms.

Speakers include Dr. Ajay Sharda from Kansas State University, Dr. Brian Arnal from Oklahoma State University, Dr. Timothy Stombaugh from the University of Kentucky and Dr. Kenneth Stone from USDA/ARS. Company presenters include Trimble, SunSouth John Deere Dealer, TriGreen John Deere Dealer, MapShots, Valley and Russell Planter Service.

There is no registration fee, but registration is required. Register online at https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ cYE8U4TToCTfmhT. t

National Peanut Board elects new officers; New members and alternates sworn in Gayle White, a farmer from Frederick, Okla. was elected chairman of the 12-member National Peanut Board last week during the Board’s quarterly meeting in Atlanta, Ga. White, who is the Oklahoma member and had been the board’s treasurer, will begin her one-year term Jan. 1.

“I’m honored to serve all peanut farmers as chairman of the National Peanut Board this year,” White says. “I feel confident that the direction we’ve set for 2016—understanding our target market of 80 million millennials while continuing to focus on peanut allergy education,

outreach and research—will only increase consumer confidence in and preference for peanuts.”

National Peanut Board also elected Ed White of Newville, Ala. as vice-chairman; Greg Gill of Walnut Ridge, Ark. as treasurer; and Dan Ward of Clarkton, N.C. as secretary. These officers will serve oneyear terms beginning Jan. 1.

USDA officially instated new board members and alternates, who will begin their three-year terms Jan. 1. New board members sworn in were Eileen Jordan (At-Large), Andy Bell (Georgia), Bud Bowers (South Carolina) and Peter Froese

Jr. (Texas). New alternates sworn in were Micah Barham (At-Large), William Carte (Florida), Neil Lee (Georgia), Neal Baxley Jr. (South Carolina) and Bob White (Texas.).

National Peanut Board would like to recognize the following outgoing board members and thank them for their years of service to the peanut industry: Vic Jordan (at-large member and past chairman), John Harrell (Georgia member and past chairman), Monty Rast (S. C. member and chairman) and Bob White (Texas member and immediate past-chairman.) t

Peanut researchers honored at D.W. Brooks Awards The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (UGA CAES) recognized two members of the UGA Peanut Team with the D.W. Brooks Awards for Excellence. The winners include Peggy Ozias-Akins and George Vellidis.

Ozias-Akins, professor in the Department of Horticulture and director of the UGA Institute for the Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, received the D.W. Brooks Distinguished Professor Award. The award recognizes her 30-year career at UGA developing new breeding techniques for peanuts.

Vellidis, professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, received the D.W. Brooks Faculty Award for Excellence in Research. The award recognizes his work developing precision agri-

culture techniques that allow farmers to grow more with less water and his international collaborations that focuse on precision agriculture technologies.

The D.W. Brooks Awards and Lecture Series was launched more than 30 years ago in honor of Brooks, an alumnus and former faculty member of the UGA CAES, who devoted his career to the improvement of life through contributions to agriculture.

As the founder and chairman emeritus of Gold Kist, Inc., Brooks advised seven U.S. presidents on various agriculture and trade issues. He helped create the integrated poultry production system that transformed Georgia agriculture during the 20th century, and also started Cotton States Mutual Insurance Companies in 1941 to provide farmers with insurance.

“I want to congratulate all of our 2015 D.W. Brooks awards recipients,” said Josef Broder, interim dean of CAES and associate dean for academic affairs for the college. “They truly represent the finest the college has to offer in the realms of teaching, research and Extension. It’s through their work that the college is able to improve the lives of Georgians and communities across the country and the world. We are truly grateful for their outstanding work.”

The awards were presented Nov. 10 at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education in Athens, Georgia. For more information on the D.W. Brooks awards and lecture series, see caes.uga.edu/events/dwbrooks. t

Sec. Vilsack Appoints Peanut Standards Board Members Agriculture Sec. Tom Vilsack has appointed three producers and three industry representatives to serve on the Peanut Standards Board. All six members will serve on the board through June 30, 2018. Their appointments are effective immediately.

Sec. Vilsack selected producer Carl Sanders of Brundidge, Alabama, and industry representative Ann D. King of Douglas, Georgia, to represent the

Southeast Region; producer Jimbo Grissom of Seminole, Texas, and industry representative Shelly Nutt of Lubbock, Texas, to represent the Southwest Region; and producer Lee Swinson of Warsaw, North Carolina, and industry representative Carl Gray of Courtland, Virginia, to represent the Virginia-North Carolina Region.

The Peanut Standards Board is made up of eighteen members representing the

Southeast Region, the Southwest Region and the Virginia-North Carolina Region.

One third of the board is appointed each year.

The Peanut Standards Board is authorized under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. USDA consults with the board to establish or change quality and handling standards for domestically produced and imported peanuts. t

January/February 2016 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Washington Outlook

by Robert L. Redding Jr.

Budget agreement includes severe crop insurance cuts - Ag leaders negotiate transportation bill fix The Administration, House and Senate Budget leaders proposed a Budget Package opening up crop insurance provisions of the 2014 Farm Bill. The bill included $3 billion in crop insurance cuts as well as requiring a new U.S. Department of Agriculture Standard Reinsurance Agreement by the end of 2016.

House and Senate Agricultural leaders as well as major farm organizations lined up in opposition to the crop insurance cuts. House and Senate leadership assured stakeholders that these funds will be reinstated in the Fiscal Year 2016 Omnibus Appropriations legislation to be considered during early December 2015.

The Georgia Peanut Commission and Southern Peanut Farmers Federation opposed the cuts to crop insurance programs.

House and Senate Ag leaders determined later that the best approach was to restore the funding and eliminate the policy language via the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 or Transportation Bill. The Transportation Bill has passed both the House and the Senate and has been signed by the President.

After an agreement was reached with House leaders, Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, and Ranking Member Collin Peterson, D-Minnesota, acknowledged the deal.

Chairman Conaway said, “I want to thank my colleagues who have made it very clear over the last 24 hours that the attempt to gut crop insurance in the budget agreement was not acceptable. Our nation’s farmers and ranchers did their part in reigning in our nation’s debt in the 2014 farm bill, saving an estimated $23 billion. It is imperative that we do not undermine their trust by attacking the primary tool they use to manage the tremendous risks involved in producing food and fiber. I will continue fighting against policies that hurt our farmers and ranchers, and I am thankful to leadership for working with us to avoid these harmful cuts.”

Ranking Member Collin Peterson, D-Minnesota, said, “I’m pleased that we have an agreement to fix the crop insurance cuts and not open the farm bill. We have assurances that the cuts will be removed and the farm bill will not be raided. We produced a fiscally responsible and bipartisan farm bill in 2014 that saved $23 billion. We’ve done our part. I can now support the Budget Agreement with these assurances.”

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Senator Grassley seeks to eliminate commodity certificate language U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has initiated an effort to remove commodity certificate language from the Fiscal Year 2016 Omnibus Appropriations legislation. The current continuing resolution will expire December 11, 2015 and Congress will need to act prior to the expiration to avoid a government shutdown. Some congressional leaders believe that a short extension will be necessary but Congress will still complete work on the Omnibus by the congressional Christmas Break.

Senator Grassley opposes the addition of the commodity certificate language which reinstates a program used by southern producers in earlier farm bills. Politico quoted Senator Grassley as stating, “If the agriculture community wants to be taken seriously, we should heed our own advice …, adding that he hoped “I don’t have to oppose commodity certificates in the omnibus because a few people want to reinstate unlimited farm subsidies.”

The Georgia Peanut Commission supports the commodity certificate language in the Omnibus.

U.S. export-import bank update Although there was much opposition in the U.S. House of Representatives, the House voted overwhelmingly to reauthorize the U.S. Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank). The vote was 313 to 118. A number of amendments were considered but the Ex-Im Bank reauthorization moved forward. Ex-Im reauthorization was strongly supported by the Administration.

The U.S. Senate had already passed identical Ex-Im Bank reauthorization language attached to their Transportation Reauthorization legislation. The House bill was wrapped into a larger House passed Transportation Reauthorization bill.

The House and Senate completed their work on the Transportation Bill conference report which was passed by both the House and the Senate and has been signed by the President. The Ex-Im Bank language remained intact in the conference report.

U.S. Congressman Stephen Fincher, R-Tennessee, led the effort in the House to reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank. Congressman Fincher worked diligently to acquire enough signatures for a discharge petition pushing House leaders to consider the legislation.

Congressman Buddy Carter, R-Georgia, was also a leader in the Ex-Im Bank debate. Congressman Carter noted the threat to American jobs and the irreparable damage expiration of the Export-Import Bank has caused in the First District, the State of Georgia, and the entire nation. While on the floor, Carter said “in the First District of Georgia, the Ex-Im Bank facilitates exports for over 17 companies, more than half of which are small businesses, over $500 million in exports and supports over 3,200 jobs. Around Georgia, these numbers jump to more than $4 billion in exports from 205 companies supporting almost 30,000 jobs. With the recent expiration of the Ex-Im Bank, many of these companies have suffered the loss of millions of dollars in new business growth, market access, and risked thousands of jobs."

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2016

Mississippi Peanut Growers Association annual meeting set for Feb. 3-4, 2016 he Mississippi Peanut Growers Association plan to hold their annual meeting and trade show Feb. 34, 2016, in Hattiesburg, Miss. The event provides growers with the latest information on peanut production, research and new products.

Growers will have the opportunity to visit with several exhibitors showcasing equipment and services for the peanut industry.

Speakers during the annual meeting will provide an update on Mississippi State University, furrow irrigation strategies for midsouth peanut production systems, peanut diseases and control measures, peanut market outlook, insect reseach and unmanned aerial systems.

Growers will also hear reports on checkoff activities of MPGA and the National Peanut Board.

Kelley Manufacturing Co. is donating the Grand Door Prize of the use of a new six-row peanut combine for the 2016 peanut season, with the option of purchasing the combine through an authorized KMC dealer with $15,000 off the list price. In lieu of the six-row combine the winner can choose the use of another KMC peanut harvest implement with a 10 percent discount off the list price for pur-

T

February 3-4, 2016 Lake Terrace Convention Center Hattiesburg, Miss.

Feb. 3 - 1:00 to 5:15 p.m. Feb. 4 - 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (CST)

Lake Terrace Convention Center 1 Convention Center Plaza Hattiesburg, MS 39401 For More Information, contact:

Malcolm Broome, Executive Director Mississippi Peanut Growers Association

(601) 606-3547 or malcolm@misspeanuts.com chase.

Amadas is donating the use of an Amadas four or six-row digger/inverter for the 2016 peanut season.

The winner of both door prizes must

be a certified peanut grower with an FSA farm number, and must be present to win.

The meeting is free for all peanut farmers to attend. t

USDA removes farm program payments to managers not actively engaged in farming he U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently finalized a rule to ensure that farm safety-net payments are issued only to active managers of farms that operate as joint ventures or general partnerships, consistent with the direction and authority provide

by Congress in the 2014 Farm Bill. The action, which exempts family farm operations, closes a loophole where individuals who were not actively part of farm management still received payments.

“The federal farm safety-net programs are designed to protect against unanticipated changes in the marketplace for those who actively share in the risk of that farming operation,” says Agriculture Sec. Tom Vilsack. “To ensure that help

T

goes to those who genuinely need it, such as America’s farm families, the Farm Bill authorized USDA to close a loophole and limit payments from those not involved on a daily basis in nonfamily farm management.”

Since 1987, the broad definition of “actively engaged” resulted in some general partnerships and joint ventures adding managers to the farming operation, qualifying for more payments, that did not substantially contribute to management.

The rule applies to operations seeking more than one farm manager, and requires measureable, documented hours and key management activities each year. Some operations of certain sizes and complexity may be allowed up to three qualifying managers under limited conditions. The

changes apply to payments for 2016 and subsequent crop years for Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) Programs, Loan Deficiency Payments (LDP) and Marketing Loan Gains (MLG) realized via the Marketing Assistance Loan program.

As required by Congress, the new rule does not apply to family farms, or change regulations related to contributions of land, capital, equipment, or labor.

The changes go into effect for the 2016 crop year for most farms. Farms that have already planted fall crops for 2016 have until the 2017 crop year to comply. For more details, producers are encouraged to consult their local Farm Service Agency office or visit www.fsa.usda.gov. t

January/February 2016 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Southern Peanut Growers #myPBjoy Instagram contest increased Southern Peanut Grower’s followers by 75 percent Southern Peanut Growers hosted its first Instagram contest for November, Peanut Butter Lovers Month. People were asked follow @peanut.butter.lovers on Instagram and then share a photo of their favorite peanut butter treat or favorite place to eat peanut butter with the hashtag #myPBjoy. The contest resulted in 140 posts, 98 contest entries, 78 new followers on SPG’s new Instagram site and 711 click-throughs to www.peanutbutterlovers.com.

Weekly winners received a peanut butter prize box filled with new peanut butter products. Caroline enjoys her peanut butter on a roasted sweet potato with a little cinnamon. Shawna makes PB Oat Balls for a quick energy boost. Tiffany carries peanut butter with apples or crackers for handy snack for her kids while running errands. Nici eats peanut butter daily by adding it to smoothies or mixing it with some chocolate as a dip for apples, bananas or celery.

Southern Peanut Growers and Alabama Peanut Producers Association sponsors Magic City Marathon On Sunday, November 23, 2015, 1,500 runners hit the roads of downtown Birmingham, Alabama, for the fourth annual Magic City Half Marathon, 5k, and Fitness Festival.

Thousands of runners, families and friends from Birmingham, the state of Alabama, and across the country gath- Magic City Half Marathon runners ered to enjoy downtown Birmingham. visit the Alabama Peanut Producers Association and Southern Peanut The Alabama Peanut Producers Growers booth to sample peanuts Association and the Southern Peanut and peanut butter.

Growers were sponsors of the races and distributed Alabama peanut packets, peanut butter samples and nutritional information about peanuts.

This event benefits the Ruben Studdard Foundation for the Advancement of Children in the Musical Arts through sponsorships and other charitable groups while driving positive economic impact to Birmingham.

Marketing arm of

Southern Peanut Growers puts peanut butter front and center for holiday eats and treats Southern Peanut Growers was able to include Peanut Butter Saltine Brittle in a Holiday Eats & Treats food page offered to publications nationwide in November and December. This sweet and salty treat is perfect for a holiday party or for holiday gift giving!

This full-color food page was picked up by 245 print publications for a total circulation of more than 3.5 million and by 1,150 online publications with a total audience of more than 135 million.

Southern Peanut Growers website has been updated The Southern Peanut Growers updated www.peanutbutterlovers.com to make it more friendly for mobile devices. Check out the new recipe pages which were reformatted for visual appeal and now resemble a Pinterest feed.

Visit Southern Peanut Growers at these upcoming events • Jan. 21 – Georgia Farm Show, Tifton, Ga. • Feb. 3-4 – Mississippi Peanut Growers Annual Meeting, Hattiesburg, Ms. • Feb. 11 – Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show, Dothan, Ala. • Feb. 26-28 – Southern Women’s Show, Savannah, Ga. • March 10 – Florida Peanut Producers Annual Meeting, Marianna, Fla.

Southern Peanut Growers 1025 Sugar Pike Way · Canton, Georgia 30115 (770) 751-6615 · FAX (770) 751-6417 email: lpwagner@comcast.net Visit our website at http://www.peanutbutterlovers.com

2016 Alabama Peanut Production Meetings

Florida Peanut Producers Assn.

41th Annual Membership Meeting

February 22 - 5:30 p.m.

Wiregrass Research & Extension Center, Headland

March 10, 2016

February 23 - 11:00 a.m.

5 County Complex, New Brockton

Jackson County Agricultural Complex & Conference Center 2741 Penn. Ave., Marianna, Florida Registration begins at 6:00 p.m. (CST) Dinner at 6:30 p.m. (CST)

February 25 - 11:00 a.m.

11:00 a.m. - Lighthouse Restaurant, Irvington 5:30 p.m. - Baldwin County Farmers Federation, Robertsdale

For More Information: Phone: 850-526-2590

February 18 - 11:00 a.m.

Alabama Department of Ag & Industries, Montgomery February 19 - 11:00 a.m.

North Alabama Agriplex Center, Cullman

February 26 - 11:00 a.m.

Grace Fellowship Church, Atmore

For more information contact:  APPA at 334-792-6482 or www.alpeanuts.com

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Congratulations Zippy and Bonnie!

American Farm Bureau President

For more information contact: Georgia Peanut Commission P.O. Box 967, Tifton GA 31793 Phone: 229-386-3470 Fax: 229-386-3501 Email: info@gapeanuts.com www.gapeanuts.com