January/February 2020 - Southeastern Peanut Farmer

2020

Peanut Variety Guidebook

A communication service of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

Contents January/February 2020

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

Some of the nation’s top chefs, food bloggers and culinary arts instructors dug into the heart of peanut county when they attended the Farm-to-Table Peanut Harvest Tour in Alabama. The event provided the culinary expoerts with a first-hand education on how peanuts grow, processing and utilization.

Director of Advertising Jessie Bland jessie@gapeanuts.com Contributing Writers Kaye Lynn Hataway klhataway@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 229-386-3690.)

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.

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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 229-386-3472.

Nation’s Top Culinary Experts Attend Farm-to-Table Harvest Tour

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2020 Peanut Variety Guidebook Selecting a variety is a key management step for farmers.

SEPF’s 2020 Variety Guidebook highlights varieties available to growers in the Southeast and provides growers with the results of state variety tests.

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Florunner The peanut variety, Florunner, dominated peanut production for two decades until tomato spotted wilt virus came into the picture. Fifty years later, University of Georgia research still confirms that Florunner is highly susceptible to spotted wilt.

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

Washington Outlook ............................................................................ 24 Southern Peanut Growers Update ........................................................ 26 Cover Photo: Nino Brown (left), University of Georgia post-doctoral research associate, and Bill Branch, University of Georgia peanut breeder, review variety test plots in Tifton, Ga. Photo by Joy Crosby.

January/February 2020 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Editorial

Calendar of Events

A New Year of Collaboration ollaboration is a key for success in any organization. In fact, the peanut industry has recently witnessed success through our collaborative efforts with the “Early Introduction of Peanut Protein” campaign. The campaign, introduced by the National Peanut Board, had several components that led others in the industry to engage and collaborate. The results of our combined and collaborative efforts were an outstanding success!

The 2019 campaign was twice as successful as the one in 2018, which initiated the early introduction focus. The campaign focuses on promoting the early introduction of peanut protein to infants at 4 to 6 months of age.

One new component of the 2019 campaign included a website where individuals could purchase baby bodysuits and tees featuring eight unique designs, sized exclusively for 4 to 6 month-olds. The campaign also provided an avenue for those individuals to feel good about themselves with each purchase. So when an individual purchased an outfit, a donation was made to support the advancement of allergy solutions through a donation to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Through the collaboration, all segments of the industry had the opportunity to participate. All of the grower organizations promoted the campaign on the state level at various consumer type shows, educational events and more. The campaign also continued partnerships with allergy organizations, influential spokespersons and social influencers. In order to reach millennial parents, digital advertising, including Instagram, was a core component in 2019.

The results yielded 285 plus million impressions with 76 percent actually introducing peanut protein to their child. Also, 79 percent discussed the new guidelines with family and friends.

So, for those involved in this collaborative effort - my hats off to you! This has definitely been a win-win for everyone involved in the peanut industry. And, the collaboration doesn’t end here.

Stay tuned, there is more in store for 2020 and you can make your New Year’s Resolution to collaborate with the rest of us in the peanut industry! t

C

Joy Carter Crosby Editor

2020 Ag Forecast Schedule Jan. 21 - Georgia Farm Bureau, Macon, Georgia Jan. 23 - Jaemor Farms, Gainesville, Georgia Jan. 28 - Toombs County Ag Center, Lyons, Georgia Jan. 30 - Decatur County Ag Center, Bainbridge, Georgia Jan. 31 - UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center, Tifton, Georgia The Tifton seminar begins at 7:30 a.m. with a breakfast buffet. All of the other seminars begin at 10 a.m. and followed with a networking lunch.

Register online at: www.georgiaagforecast.com

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2020

u Mississippi Peanut Growers Association Annual Meeting, Jan. 28-29, 2020, Lake Terrace Convention Center, Hattiesburg, Miss. For more info call 601-606-3547 or visit misspeanuts.com. u South Carolina Peanut Growers Annual Meeting & Trade Show, Jan. 30, 2020, Santee Convention Center, Santee, S.C. For more information call 803-734-0338.

u Georgia Young Farmers Association Annual Meeting, Jan. 31 - Feb. 1, 2020, Jekyll Island, Ga. For more information visit gaaged.org/youngfarmers/. u Georgia Peanut Commission Research Report Day, Feb. 5, 2020, National Environmentally Sound Production Laboratory (NESPAL), Tifton, Ga. For more info visit gapeanuts.com. u Alabama/Florida Peanut Trade Show, Feb. 6, 2020, National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds, Dothan, Ala. For more info visit alpeanuts.com. u National Peanut Buying Points Association Annual Meeting, Feb. 14-17, 2020, Omni Grove Park Inn, Asheville, N.C. For more info visit peanutbuyingpoints.org. u Florida Peanut Producers Association Annual Meeting, Feb. 20, 2020, Jackson County Agricultural Complex and Conference Center, Marianna, Fla. For more info visit flpeanuts.com. u Peanut Butter & Jelly Day at the Georgia State Capitol, March 2, 2020, Atlanta, Ga. For more information visit gapeanuts.com.

u American Peanut Shellers Association Industry Spring Conference, March 3-4, 2020, The Bindery at Oakland Library, Leesburg, Ga. For more information visit peanut-shellers.org. u National Ag Day, March 24, 2020.

For more information visit agday.org. u Peanut Proud Festival, March 28, 2020, Blakely, Ga. For more information visit peanutproudfestival.com.

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

Culinarians Attend Farm-to-Table Harvest Tour in Alabama ome of the nation’s top chefs, food bloggers and culinary arts instructors dug into the heart of peanut country when they attended the Farm-toTable Peanut Harvest Tour in Dothan, Oct. 20-23, 2019.

Sponsored by the Alabama Peanut Producers Association (APPA), Southern Peanut Growers and the National Peanut Board, the event included farm tours and stops at the Wiregrass Experiment Station in Headland, a shelling plant and Golden Boy Peanut Butter Plant in Troy.

A visit at APPA board member Thomas Adams’ farm in Henry County allowed the dozen participants to see peanut harvest in full swing.

“I’ve had several tours on my farm, but those tours were usually people from within the farm industry,” says Adams, who raises peanuts, cotton, hay, cattle and poultry on his farm near Newville.

“This group was very interested in the equipment and entire process of planting and harvesting peanuts.”

But the tour taught more than just how peanuts are grown, says culinary arts teacher Dan Wagner of Waynesburg,

S

Chefs and food bloggers learn more about peanut production by visiting with Thomas Adams, farmer from Newville, Ala., during the Farm-to-Table Peanut Harvest Tour in Alabama.

Pennsylvania.

“Learning about the roots of the peanuts also gave me a symbolic connection of how the farmers are rooted in their faith and family,” he says. “It was

Farm-to-Table Peanut Harvest Tour Attendees Mary Beth Brinkerhoff - Chef, For Goodness Taste Personal Chef Services, Rochester, New York Josie DiLena - Registered Dietitian, Rutgers State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey Kathleen Hassett - Assistant Department Chef, International Culinary Institute, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Andrew Howard - Sound Designer, Savor, Atlanta, Georgia Paul Mendoza - Culinary Arts Academy Director, Galveston College, Galveston, Texas

Anney Reese - Co-Host, Savor, Atlanta, Georgia Felix Tai - Executive Chef, Polynesian Cultural Center, Iaie, Hawaii Lauren Vogelbaum - Co-Host, Savor, Atlanta, Georgia Daniel Wagner - Culinary Arts Instructor, Greene County Career and Technology Center, Waynesburg, Pennyslvania Sarah Ward - Food Editor, Taste of the South Magazine, Birmingham, Alabama

Kathleen Phillips - Blogger, GritsandGouda.com, Gardedale, Ala.

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2020

refreshing to spend time with these farmers, share a meal with them and watch them pray before our meal to thank God for rain. It was an emotional experience.”

Likewise, Polynesian Cultural Center executive chef Felix Tai of Oahu, Hawaii, said his first trip to the South was filled with pleasant surprises.

“I’ve heard about Southern hospitality, and it’s a real thing,” Tai says.

“For me, food is love. In Hawaii, we call that feeling the aloha spirit. It’s the exact same feeling here. I could tell from talking to the farmers that they care about what they do, and they love it.

“Really, I’m just a cook, but the love I put into dishes I prepare, and the joy of knowing that people like what I cook, is what makes my job special. I think it’s the same for farmers. Being able to walk through the fields with them, share a meal and get a real look into their lives was something I could never get from reading a book. It has to be experienced to really understand it.”

Adams said the sustainability of peanuts also piqued the interest of the

group, who learned that once peanuts are harvested nothing goes to waste.

“We discussed how the best peanuts are used in candy and peanut butter, while lesser-grade peanuts are crushed for highquality cooking oil,” Adams says. “The vines are rolled up for cattle feed, and even after the peanuts are shelled, the hulls are used for poultry house bedding.”

The massive equipment, monetary investment and enormous faith farmers have wasn’t lost on Kathleen Phillips of Gardendale, Alabama, who was among the tour participants. As a food blogger, professional food stylist and cookbook author, it was her first time to share a meal with a farmer.

“My heart broke for the farmers as I listened to one of them tell how devastating this year's drought had been to his dry land crop,” says Phillips, whose blog Grits and Gouda specializes in shortcut recipes. “Farmers put countless hours into these crops for months, working night and day, only to have their profits shriveled in the heat of the sun.”

But Phillips said she’s also optimistic about the future of farming.

“We met a farmer who introduced us to his 17-year-old son that was operating the large machinery equipped with GPSguided controls,” she says. “I was

encouraged for the future of peanut farming to hear this young man planned to continue his family’s tradition of farming as his occupation.”

The tour’s goal was to immerse culinarians and food bloggers in the entire peanut industry from farm-to-table in authentic Southern style, says Kaye Lynn Hataway, the APPA’s project coordinator.

“We wanted participants to spend time with family farmers digging up peanuts and learning about farming practices, today’s technology and the sustainability of peanut crops,” she says.

“This tour exceeded all our expectations!

It ended up being about more than the peanut industry. The attendees discovered the heart of our peanut farmers and their love for their families, farming and feeding the world.”

Attendees were asked to create recipes using peanuts, blog or write articles about their experiences and share the tour on social media.

“We want them to not only eat more peanuts but promote peanuts and spread the word about peanuts with all the people they influence,” Hataway says. t

BY DEBRA DAVIS ALABAMA FARMERS FEDERATION

Greg Grimsley, chairman of Peanut Proud, provides an update on the peanut industry’s humanitarian relief efforts during the Farm-toTable Peanut Harvest Tour in Alabama.

Larry Wells, director of the Wiregrass Extension and Research Center in Headland, Ala., explains how peanuts grow to the chefs, food bloggers and culinary arts instructors on the 2019 Farm-to-Table Peanut Harvest Tour in Alabama.

Honey Roasted Peanut Pie Created by Kathleen Phillips GritsandGouda.com Ingredients:

Directions:

1 refrigerated, rolled-up pie crust dough

Let the rolled-up pie crusts stand at room temperature according to package directions. Don’t skip this step. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3 large eggs 1cup sugar 1 cup light corn syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs in a large bowl until the white part of the egg is blended with the yolks. Whisk in the sugar, corn syrup and vanilla extract.

1 1/2 cups honey roasted peanuts Put the peanut butter in a very small microwave-safe bowl and microwave it on high for 20 seconds or just until it melts and pours easily. Whisk it into the filling mixture. Stir in the peanuts.

Gently unroll the pie crust dough and smooth out the curled edges. Fit the pie crust dough in the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Using your thumb and two fingers, pinch the pie crust to flute the edges.

Give the filling mixture a quick stir and pour into the fluted crust. Bake on the center rack for 50 minutes or just until the center is set. Let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Kathleen attended the Farm-to-Table Peanut Harvest Tour hosted by Southern Peanut Growers and the Alabama Peanut Producers Asssociation.

January/February 2020 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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

Peanut Pavilion educates attendees at National Peanut Festival The Alabama Peanut Producers Association promoted peanuts during the 76th annual National Peanut Festival in November. Visitors to the Peanut Pavilion were able to sample fried peanuts, roasted peanuts, and grilled PB&J’s. APPA also provided peanut recipes, peanut butter spreaders and educational materials regarding the early introduction of peanuts to visitors. A portion of the exhibit included educational informaJerry Bryd, Alabama Peanut Producers tion showcasing facts about peanuts, maps of Association treasurer, visits with Miss where peanuts are grown, and a video of Alabama Tiara Pennington, at the National peanut harvest.

Peanut Festival in Dothan, Ala. APPA promotes peanuts at college football games The Alabama Peanut Producers Association partnered with Auburn University’s College of Agriculture and Troy University’s Athletic department to promote peanuts before home football games.

APPA staff provided samples of a Peanut Butter Chocolate Shake and roasted peanuts to football fans and college alumni during Auburn University’s College of Agriculture’s annual homecoming celebration - Ag Roundup on Sept. 14, 2019.

Jacob Davis, APPA executive director, and Visitors to the tent also received recipes, and Kaye Lynn Hataway, project coordinator, information about the peanut industry in prepare samples to hand out to football Alabama. fans at Auburn University College of APPA tailgated before two of Troy Agriculture’s Ag Roundup.

University’s home football games, Sept. 28 and Oct. 16. Football fans were able to sample roasted peanuts at both games, and grilled PB&J’s at one of the games, along with recipes and other peanut information.

APPA also promoted peanuts throughout the game with digital messaging inside the stadium.

Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries visits APPA

APPA Board members visit with Alabama Ag Commissioner Rick Pate. Pictured left to right: Tom Corcoran, Jerry Byrd, Jesse Scott, Commissioner Pate, Jimmy Helms, Carl Sanders, Billy Hixon and Thomas Adams.

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Board members of the Alabama Peanut Producers Association recently visited with Rick Pate, Alabama’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries. Commissioner Pate stopped by the APPA office to meet and discuss current agricultural concerns within the peanut industry. During the meeting, Commissioner Pate and his staff provided a brief update on the department’s activities and answered questions from the APPA board.

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2020

FPPA attends Florida School Nutrition Association Conference Florida Peanut Producers Association exhibited at the Florida School Nutrition Association Conference in West Palm Beach, Florida. More than 700 school food service directors, managers, dieticians and lunch room staff from school districts around the state attended the annual conference. FPPA shared health and nutritional information about peanut butter and peanut products.

“We have to continue to develop relationships with our school food service so we can be an information source they can count on when allergy questions arise,” says Ken Barton, FPPA executive director.

School Food Service Staff visit the FPPA exhibit during the Florida School Nutrition Association Conference

FPPA exhibits at Southern Women’s Show in Jacksonville The Florida Peanut Producers Association exhibited at the Southern Women’s Show in Jacksonville, Florida, along with 1,400 other vendors.

Ken Barton (pictured right), FPPA executive director, showcased Peanut Butter Pie Shooters on the main cooking stage during the event. The event provides FPPA staff the opportunity to share recipes and peanut nutritional information to more than 35,000 attendees.

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

Florida Peanut Producers assist in coordinating Peanut/Cotton

Agriscience Education Leadership Program participants visit a cotton gin during the Peanut/Cotton Tour.

The Florida Peanut Producers Association assisted in coordinating a peanut and cotton tour for the Agriscience Education Leadership Program (AELP) sponsored by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The group visited Malone Peanut Company during peanut harvest and were able to see how peanuts were dried, graded and stored. Attendees were also able to tour a peanut and cotton farm at harvest as well as a cotton gin. This was the first time for many in the group to visit a

peanut or cotton farm.

The Agriscience Education Leadership Program helps agriscience teachers, science teachers and administrators improve their agriscience programs to provide quality agricultural education for students. This program allows participants to expand their curriculum to include all components of agriculture and helps lay a strong foundation that students can build on.

Mississippi Peanut Growers exhibits at nurses convention The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association exhibited at the Mississippi Nurses Association Convention, Oct. 2225, 2019, in Biloxi. More than 400 registered nurses and 800 nurse practitioners and nursing students attended the three-day event. MPGA provided samples of peanuts and information on peanut allergies and early introduction of peanut protein to infants.

Georgia Peanut Commission promotes peanuts at Peach Bowl The Georgia Peanut Commission sponsored and exhibited at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, Dec. 28, 2019. The semifinal game to the college championship included LSU and Oklahoma vying for the win.

During the event, GPC promoted peanuts at an exhibit in the Fan Fest reaching an estimated 25,000 fans. In the exhibit, fans had the opportunity to Jordan Lunsford and Joy Crosby, sample roasted peanuts and pick up a squeeze peanut, GPC staff, visit with attendees during the Fan Fest event prior to peanut butter spreader and koozie. the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Ga. To further the promotion, GPC designed a fullpage ad in the game program and promoted peanuts through the videoboard and LED ribbon board throughout the game, which had an attendance of 78,347 fans. GPC was listed as an official sponsor on signage at the game and the bowl game website.

Georgia Peanut Commission promotes peanuts at Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in Savannah

Michelle and Donald Chase, farmers from Oglethorpe, Ga., visit with attendees during the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon.

The Georgia Peanut Commission exhibited at the Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon’s Health & Fitness Expo in Savannah. The event, which took place Oct. 31 - Nov. 1, hosted more than 20,000 attendees. GPC highlighted the nutrition benefits of peanut products and passed out Georgia Peanuts along with product samples donated by Peanut Butter & Co. Attendees were also able to pick up a copies of the “Peanut Fuel” recipe booklet which contains recipes and nutrition facts for those interested in fitness and nutrition.

The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association exhibited at the Mississippi Nurses Association Convention in Biloxi, Miss.

Mississippi Peanut Growers sponsor Diabetes Walks The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association sponsored the Mississippi Diabetes Foundation Walks in Hattiesburg, Jackson and Meridian, Missississippi, in October 2019. This is the eight year MPGA has promoted peanuts at the event with an exhibit.

MPGA distributed complimentary bags of peanut bags, recipes and educational materials. There were an estimated 4,000 walkers at the three walks.

Mississippi Peanut Growers sponsor annual HobNob event The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association provided peanuts for the annual “HobNob” event at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson. This event is sponsored by the Mississippi Economic Council each October to allow the state elected officials the opportunity to meet with the business leaders around the state.

January/February 2020 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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2020 Peanut Variety

Guidebook

tate, 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.

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 2020 crop year.

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Runner Type ACI 3321 is a large seeded, high-oleic runner peanut. ACI 3321 is a top yielding variety for ACI Seeds and in

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State Variety testing in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. ACI 3321 has a high level of TSWV resistance, best in class white mold resistance and very good leaf spot resistance. ACI 3321 has demonstrated stability across diverse U.S. peanut production areas. ACI 3321 is well adapted to irrigated and dry-land production. ACI 3321 was developed by Kim M. Moore of ACI Seeds, a privately funded peanut research and development company based in South Georgia with ongoing research and development across all U.S. peanut growing regions. ACI 3321 seed will be commercially available for the 2020 planting season.

ACI 789 is a high oleic runner variety with a high percentage of medium kernels. The variety matures in about 135 days in South Georgia and has good resistance to TSWV. This variety has very good peg strength giving flexibility during harvesting when weather condition delay digging and/or picking. ACI 789 was released in 2015 by ACI Seeds under the Plant Variety Protection Act. ACI 789 was developed by Kim M. Moore of ACI Seeds, a privately funded peanut research and development company based in South Georgia with ongoing research and development across all U.S. peanut growing regions. ACI 789 has

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2020

demonstrated stability and success across many U.S. peanut production areas.

AU-NPL 17 is a runner type peanut with high-yielding and medium maturity, very good resistant to TSWV, highly tolerant to leaf spot, very good resistant to white mold, and superior shelling characters. AU-NPL 17 has a prostrate growth habit with main stem and with large vines. It has high oleic fatty acid content and excellent flavor. AU-NPL 17 is well adapted to irrigated and non-irrigated lands across diverse U.S. peanut production area. AU-NPL 17 has a very decent grade. The seeds have pink testa and medium large runner seed size, which is a little smaller than Georgia-06G. AU-NPL 17 was released by Auburn University and USDA-ARS National Peanut Research Laboratory in 2017.

FloRunTM ‘331’ is a high-yielding, medium maturity, disease tolerant runner-type variety released from the University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education center, Marianna, Florida, in 2016. It has medium runner seed size with very good grades.

FloRunTM ‘331’ has had excellent pod yield in both irrigated and non-irrigated trials over several seasons of testing across several locations in Florida. Of the

runner-type varieties tested for resistance to leaf spots and white mold, FloRunTM ‘331’ has had among the best pod yield and lowest disease scores and it is moderately resistant to tomato spotted wilt. FloRunTM ‘331’ has high oleic oil chemistry beneficial for extended shelflife and marketability of peanuts and peanut products.

Georgia Greener is a high-yielding, TSWV-resistant, typical-seeded, runner-type 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, Georgia. Georgia-06G has a high level of resistance to TSWV. In multilocation tests conducted in Georgia during the past several years, Georgia06G 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. Georgia06G combines high 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, Georgia. 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 shelf-life 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, Georgia. Georgia-12Y is similar to another runner-type variety ‘Georgia10T’ 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. Georgia-12Y 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-14N is a new high-yielding, high-oleic, TSWV-resistant, and RKNresistant, small-seeded, runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2014 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton. Georgia14N 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, Georgia14N had significantly less TSWV and total disease incidence and higher yield, grade, and dollar value return per acre compared to Tifguard. Georgia-14N combines high-yield, tomato spotted wilt virus resistance and root knot nematode resistance with smaller seed size, and the high-oleic trait for longer shelf-life and improved oil quality of peanut and peanut products.

Georgia-16HO is a high-yielding, high-oleic, TSWV-resistant, large-seeded, runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2016 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia. Georgia-16HO is similar to other high-oleic, runner-type varieties in having the high-oleic and low-linoleic fatty acid profile. However during several years averaged over multilocation tests in Georgia, Georgia-16HO had less TSWV and total disease incidence and higher yield, grade, and dollar value return per acre compared to Florida-07, FloRun ‘107’, and TUFRunner ‘727’.

Georgia-16HO was also found to have a large runner seed size similar to two of these other large-seeded, high-oleic, runner varieties, Florida-07 and TUFRunnerTM ‘727’.

During the past few years averaged over multilocation tests in Georgia, Georgia-16HO was again found to have less TSWV and total disease incidence and higher yield, grade, and dollar value return per acre compared to TUFRunnerTM ‘297’ and TUFRunnerTM ‘511’. Georgia16HO was also found to have a large runner seed size similar to TUFRunnerTM ‘511’, but not as large of seed size as

January/February 2020 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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TUFRunnerTM ‘297’. Georgia-16HO combines high-yield, TSWV resistance with large runner seed size, and the high-oleic trait for longer shelf-life and improved oil quality of peanut and peanut products.

Georgia-18RU is a new high-yielding, normal-oleic, TSWV-resistant and leaf scorch-resistant, medium-large seeded, runner-type peanut variety that was released by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station in 2018. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, Georgia. During five-years averaged over multiple location tests in Georgia,

Georgia-18RU had the highest percent TSMK grade and the lowest number of seed per pound compared to the Georgia06G runner-type variety. Georgia 18RU was also found to have a similar low percent TSWV and total disease incidence, high yield and dollar value return per acre as Georgia-06G. Georgia18RU combines high yield, high grade, high dollar value, and TSWV and leaf scorch resistance with the desirable normal-oleic trait requested by peanut butter manufacturers. It also has similar roasted flavor, blanchability, and maturity as Georgia-06G. 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 was 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.

Table 1: Official State Variety Yield Data 2018 Yield

Variety Runner

Georgia Midville1

Georgia Plains1

Georgia Tifton1

Florida Marianna, Gainesville & Live Oak

Irrigated Irrigated Dryland

Irrigated Dryland Irrigated Dryland

Dryland

Alabama Headland2

(Marianna, Gainesville, Live Oak)

(Marianna & Gainesville)

Irrigated

Dryland

Mississippi (Dryland)

Beaumont Raymond Stoneville Verona

AC3321

5530

3243

4846

3666

5372

4308

-

-

6917

6579

-

-

-

-

AU-NPL 17

5590

3273

4628

3328

5082

4308

7315

6161

-

-

5543

6706

6730

5635

FloRunTM ‘331’

7054

4253

5790

4574

5935

4574

6907

6118

6917

6542

5357

7082

7150

6560

Georgia Greener

5971

3715

4580

3285

6014

4949

-

-

6915

6190

-

-

-

-

Georgia-06G

6921

3878

4646

3600

6183

5403

7189

5107

6933

6724

5965

6437

7739

6300

Georgia-07W

6371

3981

5705

4011

5469

4538

-

-

6843

6636

-

-

-

-

Georgia-09B

6782

3787

5136

3757

5832

4525

7126

5663

6426

6921

4179

6751

5712

5742

Georgia-12Y

6601

4090

5034

3939

6159

5003

7512

5629

6484

6820

5011

7101

7338

5597

Georgia-14N

6044

3642

5257

4011

4997

5360

6837

5720

5965

5856

4105

5813

5323

4162

Georgia-16HO

6056

3775

4961

3539

6002

5330

7942

5914

7168

7028

5328

6755

7731

6298

Georgia-18RU

6861

4060

5651

3957

6068

5421

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Tifguard

5506

3557

4689

2904

5663

5639

5721

4309

6101

6457

-

-

-

-

TifNV-High O/L

6123

3533

4628

3642

5590

5687

7175

5625

6300

6047

4737

6527

5495

6079

TUFRunnerTM ‘297’

5887

3545

4743

3563

5838

5100

7221

5844

7096

5892

5358

5904

6838

6115

TUFRunnerTM ‘511’

4961

3152

4628

3703

5463

4737

6795

4972

6467

6398

4901

6684

7197

6388

Table 1: The data above contains the yield results from the 2018-2019 state variety trials by the University of Georgia in Tifton, Ga., North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Gainesville and Live Oak, Fla., Auburn University Wiregrass Research and Extension Center in Headland, Ala. and Mississippi State University.

1 - Complete Test data is available online at www.swvt.uga.edu.

2 - Complete Test data is available online at www.aces.edu/anr/crops/varietytesting.

12

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2020

TifNV-High O/L is a 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 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. TifNVHigh 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.

TUFRunnerTM ‘297’ is a high yielding, extra-large seeded, medium maturity 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 semi prostrate growth habit.

TUFRunnerTM ‘511’ is a large seeded, medium maturity runner-type peanut with high oleic oil chemistry. The University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Florida released TUFRunnerTM ‘511’ peanut in 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. t

2019 Yield Georgia Midville1

Georgia Plains1

Georgia Tifton1

Florida Marianna, Gainesville & Live Oak

Alabama Headland2

Mississippi (Dryland)

Irrigated Dryland

Irrigated

Dryland

Irrigated

Dryland

Irrigated

Dryland

(Marianna, Gainesville, Live Oak)

(Gainesville)

-

-

-

-

-

-

6889

7006

2057

5560

4435

6449

5899

7786

2577

5905

5034

6879

6480

2626

4205

4646

7363

2753

5034

6667

2335

7659

Irrigated

Dryland

Beaumont

Raymond

Stoneville

Verona

4847

5706

4901

-

-

-

-

6259

5058

5778

5227

6197

3045

2369

4897

6207

7017

5270

5144

4864

5507

3533

2729

6086

6867

5009

-

-

6625

6013

-

-

-

-

4683

6716

5953

6603

5293

6462

6031

5658

3393

3569

5664

4870

4961

6716

5699

-

-

5354

5500

-

-

-

-

2323

5130

4501

6437

5572

6473

4964

5427

5445

5611

2963

1637

5660

7883

2505

6262

4979

7109

5711

6455

4089

6419

5480

6398

3431

3903

5664

7097

2099

4501

3860

6177

5052

-

-

4565

4235

5074

2712

1797

5099

7145

2626

5106

4961

6933

6195

6887

4970

5845

6306

6262

3877

1584

6331

7314

1936

5808

4731

6867

6062

6660

5526

6376

5155

5696

3551

1372

6343

5826

2232

3781

4223

6510

5572

5754

5214

5808

5316

-

-

-

-

6002

1960

5058

4622

6244

5136

5905

3461

5127

4792

5667

3507

2224

5996

6709

2087

5530

5003

6516

6346

7020

5256

5869

5409

6481

3762

1943

5855

-

-

-

-

-

-

6668

5008

5941

5372

-

-

-

-

Videos from the Georgia Peanut Farm Show Peanut Seed Seminar are available online at GaPeanuts.com.

The seminar is sponsored by the: American Peanut Shellers Association, Georgia Peanut Commission and Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

January/February 2020 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

13

FLORUNNER

An industry favorite destroyed by TSWV lorunner was one of the most successful runner varieties ever until tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) came into the picture. The variety was released in 1969 by Dr. Allan J. Norden at the University of Florida.

“At that time the yield and grade potential of Florunner was far superior to any other commercial varieties,” says Barry Tillman, University of Florida peanut breeder. “As a result, it’s popularity soared in the United States and later on became popular internationally.”

Florunner remained one of the most widely grown varieties in the United States from the 1970s through the early 1990s. In fact, Florunner was as prominent then as Georgia-06G is today. In the late 1990s, TSWV became endemic in the Southeastern U.S. peanut region and because Florunner was very susceptible to the disease, production ceased.

During the time frame Florunner was grown, growers didn’t have many options to control TSWV or white mold, another disease which impacted the variety.

Chlorothalonil was the primary fungicide used.

F

14

“Today, I hear a few farmers talk about Florunner with a little bit of nostalgic in their voice,” says Albert Culbreath, University of Georgia plant pathologist. “I don’t think we ever really had a chance to see what Florunner could do with fungicides that could help control white mold once spotted wilt came upon the scene.”

According to Tillman, there are at least 16 breeding lines or cultivars developed from Florunner. Many of these have been used as parents of new varieties as well. Nearly all of the current Southeastern runner cultivars can trace at least some of their ancestry to Florunner.

“Florunner has had a major impact on nearly all peanut breeding programs, including the peanut breeding program at the University of Florida,” Tillman says.

“Specifically, Florunner was used as a parent in many crosses throughout the United States.”

If Florunner was still in production then the variety would have celebrated 50 years in 2019. Due to the important history and nostalgia of this variety, Culbreath decided to see how Florunner could handle TSWV when compared to a current variety, Georgia-16HO.

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2020

“The main reason of the test was to give an indication, something measurable, of how far we have come with developing new varieties with resistance to spotted wilt,” Culbreath says.

Another reason for the test – to make a point that spotted wilt still lurks.

Culbreath says many farmers, extension agents and researchers today have not really had the opportunity to see how bad spotted wilt can be.

TSWV was first noticed in the Southeast in 1988 and really took off throughout the 90s damaging peanuts with peak losses. Researchers were focused on control measures to assist farmers and peanut breeders were also looking at a new variety replacement.

“As a peanut breeder, I was told in the 1980s you can release any variety as long as it looks like Florunner,” Branch recalls. “TSWV was rising and we were scrambling to find something similar to Florunner with resistance to spotted wilt.

So, we released Georgia Green in 1996 which had moderate resistance to spotted wilt.”

Georgia Green was a cross between Southern Runner and Sunbelt Runner.

Even though the cultivar had been in the development pipeline for a few years, Branch began seriously looking at it due to the spotted wilt resistance in the field.

“It was truly a team effort,” Branch says. “Everyone was working on spotted wilt from a breeding standpoint and a look at production practices which led to the development of the spotted wilt index.”

There were other varieties developed around the same time as Georgia Green but this variety resembled Florunner the closest so it took off. Georgia Green appealed to growers and manufacturers due to the pod size and shape as well as flavor, Branch adds.

“Spotted wilt virus is always at top of mind when developing new varieties – that it is must,” Branch says. “People today may say we haven’t had much spotted wilt but we have. I can show anyone that wants to see spotted wilt damage in several non-resistance breeding lines.”

According to Branch it is important to remember that resistance is multigenetic with more than one gene. Immunity is different, he explains, and you don’t want immunity with spotted wilt, leaf spot and some other diseases.

“If you put too much pressure on spotted wilt in the field then it might mutate and you don’t want that to happen,” he says. “You want to work with general field resistance that allows a good level of resistance to be maintained without putting too much pressure on the virus to mutate.”

In addition to the development of new cultivars with resistance to spotted

Albert Culbreath, University of Georgia plant pathologist, shows a comparison of the damage from tomato spotted wilt virus on Florunner (left) and Georgia-16HO (right) in Tifton, Ga.

wilt, researchers also worked to develop the TSWV Index, currently known as the Peanut Rx program. The Peanut Rx program can help growers manage disease according to the pressures present in each field. The program takes into account the variety selected to plant, planting date and seeding rates.

Culbreath says researchers began noticing a reduction in incidence of spotted wilt when planting later and increased seeding rate of six seed per foot. He also credits research on conservation tillage and twin row in reduction of spotted wilt.

“Even if we put all the production tools and crop protectants together that we currently have and plant Florunner, we still couldn’t get control of spotted wilt,” Culbreath says.

In 2019, Culbreath planted Florunner and Georgia-16HO is side by side tests for a real comparison and to reiterate to those who have may been a little slack in their production practices just how real spotted wilt still is.

In fact, Culbreath even planted his test plots in April since the majority of peanuts planted in the Florunner era would have been planted in April. The month of April is also the highest risk planting date according to the Peanut Rx program.

The beginning of the test reminded Culbreath of why Florunner was so popular by how good it looked early on with a nice, vigorous look. In fact, the first month of the test, Florunner looked better than Georgia-16HO. However, the Continued on page 17

Comparison Test of Florunner and Georgia-16HO in 2019

Genotypes

Application

Severity Rate for Thrips: 0 - 10 0 = Less Severity 10 = Greatest Severity

Percent of the length of the plot that is severly stunted or yellow by Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus.

Thrips A May 23

Thrips B May 31

TSWV June 25

TSWV July 16

TSWV Aug. 14

TSWV Aug. 27

Yield lb/A

TSMK (Grade)

Other Kernels

8.8

8.1

37.8

51.8

79.5

98.5

2268

66.2

4.6

Florunner

Nontreated

Florunner

Thimet 5 lb/A

In Furrow

6.5

5.8

24.4

39.3

67.6

92.9

2952

69.4

4.1

Florunner

Admire Pro 10 fl oz.

In Furrow Spray

4.4

4.8

48.2

58.9

85.4

99.4

3047

66.2

5.6

Georgia-16HO

Nontreated

8.9

8.3

9.8

19.6

24.7

19.6

5272

72.6

2.6

Georgia-16HO

Thimet 5 lb/A

In Furrow

7.0

6.6

7.6

12.8

14.9

15.2

6547

73.6

2.2

Georgia-16HO

Admire Pro 10 fl oz.

In Furrow Spray

4.3

4.8

8.0

9.8

19.9

14.6

6080

73.0

2.7

January/February 2020 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

15

From Cotton to Peanuts

A Breeding Education plant breeding background in cotton from Texas to Georgia with universities and a private seed company transitioned Nino Brown to be the first postdoctoral research associate with longtime peanut breeder Bill Branch at the University of Georgia.

“I came on board to learn more about Dr. Branch’s peanut breeding program,” Brown says. “This includes learning about the details of breeding peanuts which differ from some of the details of breeding cotton. There are many important details that can have a large impact on your breeding success, and

A

16

learning these is integral to understanding how to run a peanut breeding program.”

With his background in cotton, Brown has had to learn about the diseases and insects that have an impact on peanut production. He has also learned about the peanut industry, the different market types, grading and seed chemistry, and how important runner peanuts are in peanut butter production.

One of his first steps under Branch has been learning how to cross-pollinate a peanut plant. He learned this tedious and meticulous step during his first season in the greenhouse with Branch in 2018.

Peanut flowers are much smaller than the

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2020

Nino Brown (left), University of Georgia postdoctoral research associate, reviews variety test plots with longtime peanut breeder Bill Branch.

cotton flowers he was used to working with, and the process takes much more practice and expertise to be successful.

According to Branch, Brown is taking the lead on a lot of the molecular diversity aspects of breeding.

“We are working together closely while he is learning more about peanuts,” Branch says. “He is making crosses and has some hybrids he is working with.

He is also looking at incorporating a lot of wild species for future cultivar development.”

One aspect of peanut breeding that Brown learned about quickly is how labor-intensive peanut breeding is.

According to Brown, a large portion of the peanut breeding plots are harvested by hand, thrashed and cleaned by hand.

Brown and Branch also handle all of the grading in-house as well.

Knowing how labor-intensive, and

therefore expensive, the breeding are currently being used in multiple program can be has encouraged breeding programs. According to Brown to use some newer Brown, the use of these markers technologies to find ways to be as allows breeders to identify efficient as possible with his nematode resistant plants before breeding projects. growing them in nematode infested Branch and Brown actively fields. cross examine each parent, cultivar, “This saves significant amounts and new breeding populations of time and resources for breeding carefully each year at multiple programs,” Brown says. “It is locations so that they use their imperative for us to continue to limited field space for research plots locate genes controlling other wisely. They want to be sure the economically important agronomic populations and breeding lines traits and to develop DNA markers selected are the best in order to use for use in breeding programs their funds and field resources similar to the root knot nematode effectively. example.”

Nino Brown (right), University of Georgia postdoctoral research One of the primary traits Brown associate, and Bill Branch (left), University of Georgia peanut Brown dreamed of being a has learned to look for from Branch breeder, reviews their variety trials at the 2019 UGA Cotton plant breeder in Georgia, working Peanut Research Field Day. is resistance to tomato spotted wilt for Georgia growers, and feels virus in peanut cultivars. If a incredibly lucky to have the program has made incredible improvebreeding line doesn’t show acceptable opportunity to work alongside Branch and ments on peanut yields and disease resistance, then it is cut from testing and learn more about peanut breeding and be resistance.” not used in further field plots. Brown able to evaluate genetic diversity and Brown continues to focus his efforts says it is important to make that similarity among peanut cultivars that on cultivating genetic diversity within the distinction early on since it takes ten to will benefit the future of the peanut breeding program. Through his research, twelve years to develop new cultivars. industry.

Brown is utilizing genotyping platforms During the University of Georgia “From a grower standpoint, having a and DNA sequence analysis methods to Cotton and Peanut Field Day in 2019, postdoc is a benefit to the industry,” identify markers within the peanut Branch and Brown presented their Branch says. “It is important to have genome with agronomic significance. research showing a field plot comparing someone down the road with this “Incorporating these technologies cultivars from 70 years of peanut knowledge and experience of peanut into the UGA peanut breeding effort breeding at UGA. The data is still being breeding.” will make a significant impact on the analyzed from the test but the variety SE Who knows what the future will hold identification and development of new Runner 56-15, which was released in for Brown? In the meantime, Brown is germplasm enhanced with novel alleles 1947 had very few pods at harvest time, gaining an education from a renowned for yield, grade characteristics and Brown says. peanut breeder who has been breeding resistance to pests and stress,” Brown “It is exciting to see old cultivars in peanuts for more than 40 years. t says. our plot research compared to the newer One example of this are the markers cultivars,” Brown says. “It is like night

BY JOY CROSBY for Root Knot Nematode resistance that and day. The UGA peanut breeding

Florunner Continued from page 15

end result would not yield the same results.

“After about six weeks, Florunner really started going down with a lot of stunting as well as yellowing and ring spots on the leaves,” Culbreath says.

“Then Georgia-16HO started with a growth spurt and did well against spotted wilt the rest of the season.”

During the test Culbreath had untreated rows of Florunner and Georgia16HO as well as rows comparing an in-furrow application of Thimet at 5 lbs. per acre and an in-furrow spray application of Admire Pro at 10 fluid ounces per

acre. In every comparison, Georgia-16HO showed less damage of stunted or yellow leaves from spotted wilt.

Even though Culbreath wanted to dig both cultivars at the same time, spotted wilt prevented him from doing so. The spotted wilt was killing Florunner and he was afraid there wouldn’t be anything left to dig if he waited to the optimum maturity. So, the Florunner cultivar was dug on Sept. 4, 2019, and harvested on Sept. 12, 2019, while Georgia-16HO plots were dug on Sept. 13, 2019, and harvested on Sept. 17, 2019.

The end result showed nearly double

the yield for Georgia-16HO than for Florunner. So, Culbreath’s test proved the point that spotted wilt is still alive and well today.

“We are fortunate to have the management tools and new cultivars today to help with our management of spotted wilt,” Culbreath says. “Growers should follow the Peanut Rx program to help them manage risk from spotted wilt and other diseases.”

Culbreath plans to continue the test again in 2020. t

BY JOY CROSBY

January/February 2020 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

17

National Peanut Board Elects Officers eter Froese Jr., a peanut farmer from Seminole, Texas, was elected chairman of the 12-member National Peanut Board recently during the National Peanut Board’s quarterly meeting in Washington, D.C. Last year, Froese served as vice-chairman. He will begin his one-year term as chairman January 1.

Dan Ward of Clarkton, North Carolina, is immediate past chairman.

Froese is a fourth-generation farmer and owner/operator of Froese Land and Cattle in Seminole where he has produced peanuts for 30 years.

“I’m humbled and honored to serve fellow farmers as chairman of the National Peanut Board this year,” Froese says. “We’re looking forward to a busy and productive year implementing the

P

National Peanut Board 2020 officers pictured are (l-r) Les Crall, Oklahoma, treasurer; Peter Froese Jr., Texas, chairman; Andy Bell, Georgia, vice chairman; and Paul Rogers, Virginia, secretary.

consumer campaign, Spreading Good by Spreading Peanut Butter, as well as continuing our reputation management program working with health professionals and parents to educate about reducing the risk of peanut allergies by introducing infants early to peanut foods.”

Also, the National Peanut Board elected Andy Bell of Climax, Georgia, as vice chairman; Les Crall of Weatherford, Oklahoma, as treasurer; and Paul Rogers of Wakefield, Virginia, as secretary. Dan Ward of Clarkton, N. C., will serve as immediate past chairman. Officers will serve one-year terms beginning January 1.

USDA appointed new and returning members and alternates to serve for three years beginning in 2020. National Peanut Board members are Greg Baltz, Arkansas; Bruce Lee, New Mexico and Les Crall, Oklahoma. Alternates are Allen Donner Arkansas; Gayle White, Oklahoma and Neal Baxley, South Carolina.

For more information on the promotions and activities of the National Peanut Board, visit their website at www.nationalpeanutboard.org. t

Five State Peanut Organizations Seek National Peanut Board Nominees ive state peanut organizations are seeking eligible peanut producers who are interested in serving on the National Peanut Board.

Nominations election meetings will be held to select two nominees each for member and alternate from each area to serve on the National Peanut Board. All eligible producers are encouraged to participate. Eligible producers are those who are engaged in the production and sale of peanuts and who own or share the ownership and risk of loss of the crop.

The schedule is as follows: The Alabama Peanut Producers Association will hold a nominations election to select two nominees each for member and alternate to the National Peanut Board during a meeting Thursday, Feb. 6, at the close of the AL-FL Peanut Trade Show at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds, 5622 US-231, Dothan, Ala. Tom Corcoran of Eufala is the current Alabama National Peanut Board member and Thomas Adams of Newville serves as the current alternate.

The Florida Peanut Producers Association will hold a nominations election to select two nominees each for member and alternate to the National

F

18

Peanut Board during a meeting Thursday, Feb. 20 during the FPPA annual meeting.

Registration for the annual meeting is at 6:00 p.m., dinner is at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting is at 7:00 p.m. at the Jackson County Agricultural Complex and Conference Center, 2741 Penn Avenue, Marianna, Fla. William Carte of Live Oak is the current Florida National Peanut Board member and Jeremy Rolling of Westville serves as the current alternate.

The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association will hold a nominations election to select two nominees each for member and alternate to the National Peanut Board during the MPGA annual meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 4:00 p.m., at Lake Terrace Convention Center, 1 Convention Center Plaza, Hattiesburg, Miss.

Joe Morgan of Hattiesburg is the current Mississippi National Peanut Board member and Lonnie Fortner of Port Gibson serves as the current alternate.

The North Carolina Peanut

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2020

Growers Association will hold a nominations election to select two nominees each for member and alternate to the National Peanut Board on Friday, March 6; time and place to be announced.

Dan Ward of Clarkton is the current North Carolina National Peanut Board member and Ray Garner Jr. of Roanoke Rapids serves as the current alternate.

The Virginia Peanut Growers Association will hold a nominations election to select two nominees each for member and alternate to the National Peanut Board on Wednesday, Feb. 26 following the state peanut production meeting held that morning at the Workforce Development Center, 100 N. College Drive, Franklin, Va. Paul Rogers III of Wakefield is the current Virginia National Peanut Board member and Westley Drake of Newsoms serves as the current alternate.

The terms for the current Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina and Virginia members and alternates expire Dec. 31, 2020.

USDA requires two nominees from each state for each position of member and alternate. The National Peanut Board will submit the slate of nominees to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, who makes the appointments. t

Peanut Efficiency Awards seeking nominees Achieving high yields and grades are only part of the equation for efficient, long-term sustainable peanut production.

The Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Award is based on production efficiency, honoring growers who produce the highest yields by using inputs wisely. The awards are presented based on the producer’s entire peanut operation and not on individual farms or small plots.

A second major component of the Peanut Efficiency Award is education. Southeast Farm Press, Delta Farm Press and Southwest Farm Press support the education element by publishing articles throughout the year focusing on peanut production efficiency.

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

“The elements of production cost and price are equally important factors in our evaluation of nominees. Marketing expertise definitely has given an edge to recent winners of the

award,” says Marshall Lamb, research director for the National Peanut Research Laboratory and primary advisor of the PEA program.

Please submit nomination forms directly to the National Peanut Research Laboratory, or local county Extension agent, peanut specialist or economist. The deadline for all nominations is April 15, 2020. Growers can access the nomination form online at www.farmprogress.com/peanuts. To receive a hard copy of the form, call Farm Press headquarters at 662-624-8503.

The awards program has honored 20 classes of winners from the U.S. peanut belt. Since the program’s beginning in 2000, the Peanut Efficiency Awards have honored 57 deserving growers and farms. The awards program began with the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in conjunction with the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation and the two have grown together over the years.

Winners of the 2020 awards will receive an expense-paid trip for two to the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in July at the Edgewater Beach Resort in Panama City Beach, Florida. t

USDA Safety Net Program Enrollment Opens for 2019 and 2020

USDA invites input on Environmental Quality Incentives Program Rule

Agricultural producers now can enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs – two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) safety net programs – for the 2019 and 2020 crop year.

ARC provides income support payments on historical base acres when actual crop revenue declines below a specified guaranteed level. PLC provides income support payments on historical base acres when the effective price for a covered commodity falls below its reference price. The 2018 Farm Bill reauthorized and updated both programs.

Signup for the 2019 crop year closes March 15, 2020, while signup for the 2020 crop year closes June 30, 2020. Producers who have not yet enrolled for 2019 can enroll for both 2019 and 2020 during the same visit to an FSA county office.

ARC and PLC have options for the farm operator who is actively farming the land as well as the owner of the land. Farm owners also have a one-time opportunity to update PLC payment yields beginning with crop year 2020. If the farm owner and producer visit the FSA county office together, FSA can also update yield information during that visit.

Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium and short grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat.

For more information on ARC and PLC including two online decision tools that assist producers in making enrollment and election decisions specific to their operations, visit the ARC and PLC webpage. t

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) seeks public comments on its interim rule for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), USDA’s flagship program that helps producers plan and implement 150-plus conservation practices on working lands. The rule – now available on the Federal Register – takes effect upon publication and includes changes to the program prescribed by the 2018 Farm Bill.

NRCS will make available $1.2 billion for interested producers in fiscal 2020. NRCS state offices will announce signup periods for EQIP in the coming weeks.

The 2018 Farm Bill created incentive contracts, which address up to three priority resource concerns within targeted watersheds and other high priority landscapes. While typical EQIP contracts last five years, these contracts last five to 10 years.

The Farm Bill also enabled increased payments for priority practices, through which NRCS can designate up to 10 practices in each state to receive the higher rates.

NRCS invites comments on this interim rule through February 17, 2020. Electronic comments must be submitted through regulations.gov offsite link image under Docket ID NRCS-2019-0009. All written comments received will be publicly available on http://www.regulations.gov.

NRCS will evaluate public comments to determine whether additional changes are needed. The agency plans on publishing a final rule following public comment review.

For more information on how to sign up for EQIP in your state, visit your state website from nrcs.usda.gov. t

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2020

he U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced recently it is awarding more than $16.7 million this year for feral swine pilot projects in select areas of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas. In the Southeast, USDA is awarding $3.7 million to Alabama and approximately $1.5 million each to address feral swine in Florida, Georgia and Mississippi.

These projects are part of the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP) – a joint effort between USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to help address the threat that feral swine pose to agriculture, ecosystems and human and animal health.

“Feral swine are the cause of significant damage to crops and grazing lands, while also impacting the health of our natural resources,” says Alabama NRCS State Conservationist Ben Malone.

“By collaborating with our partners nationally and here in Alabama, our hope is to control this invasive species – improving operations for farmers while also protecting our natural resources for the future.”

NRCS and APHIS are working with the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee on three pilot projects in Alabama. These projects will significantly reduce environmental and economic damage caused by wild pig rooting. Wild pigs cause millions of dollars in damage on farms across the Southeast each year.

They also damage native ecosystems and compete with native wildlife species for habitat and food. In addition, they degrade water quality and pose a serious disease threat to livestock and humans.

Feral swine have been sighted in all 67 counties in Alabama.

NRCS, APHIS and the Alabama State Technical Committee worked together to define the critical areas to be considered for projects within the state. These

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projects include select watersheds in Houston, Henry, Geneva, Baldwin, Escambia and Sumter Counties. The Alabama pilot projects run three years in duration.

USDA is awarding approximately $1.5 million to fund a project to control feral swine in the Red Hills region of Florida and Georgia, from Tallahassee Florida to Thomasville Georgia.

NRCS and APHIS are working with Tall Timbers Research Station offsite link image in Jefferson and Leon counties in Florida and Brooks, Grady and Thomas counties in Georgia. The project consists broadly of three coordinated components: 1) feral swine control by APHIS; 2) restoration efforts supported by NRCS; and 3) assistance to producers for feral swine control provided through partnership agreements with non-federal partners.

As a result, partners will be conducting outreach and educational efforts and facilitating landowner activities in the project areas. A monitoring program will evaluate water quality, general damage to the area, crop land damage, and estimate the cost of restoring Ag land back into production.

NRCS, APHIS and the Florida and Georgia State Technical Agriculture Committees worked together to define the critical areas to be considered for the project. The project runs one to three years in duration.

USDA is awarding approximately $1.5 million for feral swine control projects in Georgia. NRCS and APHIS are working with the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District in portions of Baker, Calhoun, Dougherty, and Terrell counties on one project. Additionally, the group is working with Tall Timbers Research, Inc., in portions of Brooks, Grady and Thomas counties, as well as several counties in North Florida.

The Georgia pilot project runs from one to three years in duration.

USDA is awarding approximately $1.5 million for feral swine control projects in Mississippi. NRCS and APHIS

Photo credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture.

USDA Announces Funding to Control Feral Swine in Southeast

are working with Delta Wildlife, Inc., on one pilot project in Mississippi to deliver NRCS funded assistance to producers for eradiation and control activities.

Collaboration in the pilot area will provide outreach, training opportunities, trap distribution, monitoring and evaluation. Activities will also allow efforts to focus on their eradication and control of feral swine by educating landowners and providing tools and equipment that can be used after the project has ended.

The Mississippi pilot project runs from 2020 to 2022. Participating counties will consist of Issaquena, Sharkey, Warren, and Yazoo.

The funding limit for a single award is $1.5 million. Awardees are required to provide at least 25 percent of the partnership agreement budget as a match to NRCS funding. APHIS is providing $23.3 million this year to the Wildlife Services programs located in the pilot projects states.

The 2018 Farm Bill provides $75 million for the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program. These funds are for the life of the farm bill and divided evenly between NRCS and APHIS. Additional information on NRCS’s feral swine control work can be found at http://nrcs.usda.gov/fscp. t

January/February 2020 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show set for Feb. 6 Kelley Manufacturing Co. is donating he 15th annual the Grand Door Prize this year. The Alabama-Florida winner will receive the use of a new Peanut Trade Show is model 74 series peanut combine, on fast approaching. This the winner’s farm, for the 2020 peanut year’s show will be held Thursday, harvesting season, with the option of Feb. 6, 2020, at the National Peanut purchasing the combine through an Festival Fairgrounds, located on Hwy. authorized KMC dealer with $15,000 231 South in Dothan, Alabama. off the list price. The winner must be Sponsored by the Alabama Peanut certified as a peanut grower with an Producers Association and the Florida FSA farm number, must have a miniPeanut Producers Association, the mum of 75 acres of peanuts and be one-day event offers farmers a full day present to win. to view the industry products and All peanut growers are invited services of more than 80 exhibitors.

Attendees have the opportunity to view the products and The trade show opens at 8:30 a.m. and services of more than 80 exhibitors at the Alabama-Florida and encouraged to attend. For more Peanut Trade Show, Feb. 6. 2020, in Dothan, Ala. information on the show, contact will continue until noon with a lunch immediately following.

APPA at 334-792-6482 or FPPA at Following the catered lunch, 850-526-2277. For exhibit space Peanut growers who attend will not availability, contact Kaye Lynn Hataway Marshall Lamb, National Peanut Research only be able to fine tune their farming Lab, will speak to growers about crop at klhataway@alpeanuts.com. t operations, but will have a chance to win outlook as well as the current market prizes valued at thousands of dollars.

BY KAYE LYNN HATAWAY status.

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February 6, 2020 National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds Dothan, Alabama

2020 Alabama Peanut Production Meetings Monday, Feb. 10, 2020 11:00 a.m. - Mobile County; Lighthouse Restaurant 5:00 p.m. - Baldwin County; ALFA Office, Robertsdale

Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020

Registration/Trade Show 8:30 a.m.

11:00 a.m. - Geneva County; Ketchum’s Restaurant, Hartford 5:00 p.m. - Henry County; Wiregrass Research & Ext. Ctr., Headland

Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020 5:00 p.m. - Covington County; Extension Office, Andalusia

Door Prizes Catered Lunch More than 80 exhibitors For more information contact: Alabama Peanut Producers Assn.

Ph. 334-792-6482 www.alpeanuts.com

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Florida Peanut Producers Assn.

Ph. 850-526-2590 www.flpeanuts.com

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2020

Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020 11:00 a.m. - Dallas County; Sportsman’s Lodge, Selma 5:00 p.m. - Macon County, EV Smith Research Center, Shorter

Friday, Feb. 28, 2020 11:00 a.m. - Cullman County; All Steak Steakhouse, Cullman

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

Mississippi Peanut Growers Association annual meeting set for Jan. 28-29, 2020 he Mississippi Peanut Growers Association plan to hold their 15th annual meeting and trade show Jan. 28-29, 2020, at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. 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. Exhibits open at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

Speakers during the annual meeting will provide an update on peanut varieties, agronomic practices, peanut market outlook for 2020, weed and insect research in Mississippi peanuts. Growers will also hear reports on checkoff activities of MPGA and the National Peanut Board. For more information visit www.misspeanuts.com. t

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Jan. 28-29, 2020 Lake Terrace Convention Center Hattiesburg, Mississippi Tues., Jan. 28 - 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., Wed., Jan. 29 - 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

For More Information, contact: Malcolm Broome, Executive Director Mississippi Peanut Growers Association (601) 606-3547 or malcolm@misspeanuts.com www.misspeanuts.com

Peanut Buying Points Winter Conference set for Feb. 14-17 The National Peanut Buying Points Winter Conference is set for Feb. 14-17, 2020, at the Omni Grove Park Inn, Ashville, North Carolina.

The 2020 conference theme is “Building Unity, Service and a Profitable Future” with sessions on markets, new grading system, USDA assistance, exports and the farm bill. All buying points, shellers and industry associates are invited to attend.

The program will kick off on Friday night with a Welcome Reception. Educational sessions will be held on Saturday and Sunday mornings. There will also be a Prayer & Awards Breakfast on Sunday morning. The Great Cash Giveaway Reception and Auction will be held Sunday evening.

Registration is available on the NPBP website at www.peanutbuyingpoints.org. For more information or to obtain a registration form, email Angela Elder at spearmanagency@friendlycity.net. t

45th Annual Membership Meeting February 20, 2020 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)

For More Information: Phone: 850-526-2590 www.FLpeanuts.com

January/February 2020 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Washington Outlook

by Robert L. Redding Jr.

USMCA Passes U.S. House of Representatives Senate to Consider in 2020

U.S. Senator Perdue Makes Committee Change

The United States, Mexico, and Canada have reached an agreement to modernize the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). According to the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, the new United StatesMexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will support mutually beneficial trade leading to freer markets, fairer trade, and robust economic growth in North America.

Chief Deputy Whip Drew Ferguson, R-Georgia, stated, “This agreement will level the global playing field for American businesses and implement policies that will build upon the growing successes we have seen from tax reform and deregulation. By opening new markets for the United States to sell more American products abroad, the outlook for our manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, tech workers, small businesses, and American consumers is once again positive.”

Congressman Ferguson, a member of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, spoke at the 2019 Southern Peanut Farmers Federation Growers Conference.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal, D-Massachusetts, released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5430, legislation to implement the Agreement between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada attached as an Annex to the Protocol Replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement: “Today is a momentous day for America’s economy, workers, environment, and families. With the House’s passage of implementing legislation for the vastly improved, enforceable version of the USMCA, we replace a deeply flawed trade deal and set enhanced standards for all future U.S. trade agreements to build upon,” Congressman Neal says. “Now, the Senate must do its job and pass this landmark bill in short order.”

Ways and Means Committee Republican Leader Kevin Brady, R-Texas, offered the following statement on the successful passage of the implementation bill for USMCA. “The House’s successful vote in favor of USMCA’s implementing legislation ensures America can continue its strong record of improving lives and providing opportunity and peace, not just for ourselves, but for the world. I am honored to vote today in support of an agreement that embraces and enhances this freedom,” Congressman Brady says. “I am thankful to Republican leadership and to my colleague, Chairman Neal, for ensuring USMCA made its way through the House. Members should take pride in the work they have put in to make today’s vote a reality, and I urge the Senate to do its part to bring North American trade into the 21st Century.”

U.S. Senator David Perdue, R-Georgia, announced he will serve Georgians on the Senate Armed Services, Banking, Budget, and Foreign Relations committees for the remainder of the 116th Congress. As the senior Senator for Georgia, Senator Perdue’s role on these influential committees will put him at the intersection of solving our national debt and global security crises. Senator Perdue’s new committee assignments will become effective in January 2020.

As the only Republican who will serve on both the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, Senator Perdue will be uniquely positioned to address global threats.

“With a myriad of threats around the globe, the world needs America’s leadership,” says Senator Perdue. “After years of disengagement and failed foreign policy under the previous administration, President Trump has reengaged with the rest of the world. We have made it clear that America’s national security comes first, but America first does not mean America alone. Defense, development, and diplomacy go hand-in-hand and are key components of an effective national security strategy. I look forward to serving on both the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee and supporting America’s national interests at home and abroad.”

Senator Kelly Loeffler, R-Georgia, will take Senator Perdue’s place on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

“Georgia is leading the way on agriculture nationally with Secretary Perdue at the helm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Historically, Georgia has also had strong representation on the Senate Agriculture Committee, and that will not change,” says Senator Perdue. “Kelly Loeffler and I will work closely with Georgia’s farmers and producers to ensure their voices are heard in the United States Senate. Together, we will continue to fight for farm families and rural communities.”

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U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler Appointed to the U.S. Senate Ag Committee

SPFF Supports Efforts to Protect Crop Insurance Crop Insurance Coalition Opposes Cuts The Southern Peanut Farmers Federation joined other members of the crop insurance coalition in a letter to the Administration seeking opposing crop insurance cuts in the next budget proposal. (see letter on page 25) Coalition members stated, “Given this picture of the agricultural economy, now is not the time to make cuts to crop insurance, a program that farmers have described time and again as a linchpin of the farm safety net. No other piece of the farm safety net can provide this reassurance to lenders.”

The Georgia Peanut Commission and the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation will continue to monitor the budget process as it relates to agricultural programs.

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2020

December 13, 2019 The Honorable Sonny Perdue Secretary US Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence Avenue SW Washington, DC 20250 Mr. Russell Vought Acting Director The Office of Management and Budget 725 17th Street NW Washington DC 20503 Dear Secretary Perdue and Acting Director Vought: As the Administration develops its budget proposal for FY 2021, we respectfully urge you to protect crop insurance from harmful cuts. Crop insurance is more important than ever to farmers, lenders and all of rural America as farmers face a dire time in the farm economy.

For good reason, the state of the agricultural economy has been the subject of numerous recent hearings, reports, and media coverage. Cash crop receipts have dropped more than $34 billion since 2012, and despite a recent bump in net farm income this year, net farm income is still down $44 billion from 2013 in inflation-adjusted dollars. Multiple years of hardship have taken their toll on farm families across the country. Farm debt has increased 55 percent over the last decade, and now stands at $415 billion. Moreover, inflation-adjusted farm debt is at a level just shy of the record set prior to the farm financial crash of the early 1980’s. More farms are struggling to service this debt and as a result, farm bankruptcies have increased 24 percent since just last year.

Given this picture of the agricultural economy, now is not the time to make cuts to crop insurance, a program that farmers have described time and again as a linchpin of the farm safety net. This Administration has gone the extra mile during these difficult times to provide much-needed aid to farmers suffering from unfair retaliatory tariffs from China through ad hoc assistance such as the Market Facilitation Program. It would undercut these efforts to then recommend cuts to a program such as crop insurance that provides predictable, on-budget assistance to farmers in a way that helps lenders continue to support America’s farmers and ranchers. No other piece of the farm safety net can provide this reassurance to lenders.

The need for a strong crop insurance safety net was put to the test in 2019 when farmers across the Midwest and Midsouth experienced historic precipitation amounts during the planting season and then, during harvest, faced unprecedented and earlier than anticipated winter conditions. Many farmers were unable to plant a crop, and some may be unable to harvest the crops they did plant until next spring, if at all. However, because of crop insurance, these losses will not further risk the financial stability of the family farm.

The 2018 Farm Bill signed by the President less than a year ago continued the emphasis on risk management from previous farm bills, and in doing so, protects the interests of American taxpayers. Farmers spend as much as $4 billion per year of their own money to purchase insurance from the private sector. On average, farmers also must incur losses of almost 30 percent before their insurance coverage pays an indemnity. Crop insurance allows producers to customize their policies to their individual farm and financial needs. Federal crop insurance is based on fundamental market principles, which means higher risk areas and higher value crops pay higher premiums for insurance.

Cuts to crop insurance during this difficult time for rural America should be avoided. Farmers and lawmakers agree that crop insurance is a linchpin of the farm safety net and is crucial to the economic and food and fiber security of urban and rural America. We urge you to support America’s farmers and ranchers during this difficult time and oppose cuts to crop insurance during this year’s budget process.

Sincerely, Agricultural Retailers Association American Association of Crop Insurers American Bankers Association American Farm Bureau Federation American Farmland Trust American Malting Barley Association American Property Casualty Insurance Assn.

American Pulse Association American Seed Trade Association American Sesame Growers Association American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers American Soybean Association American Sugar Alliance American Sugarbeet Growers Association Association of Equipment Manufacturers Corn Refiners Association Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau Crop Insurance Professionals Association Ducks Unlimited

Environmental Defense Fund Equipment Dealers Association Farm Credit Council Independent Community Bankers Association Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies National Assn. of Professional Insurance Agents National Assn. of State Departments of Agriculture National Association of Wheat Growers National Barley Growers Association National Corn Growers Association National Cotton Council National Council of Farmer Cooperatives National Crop Insurance Services National Farmers Union National Grain and Feed Association National Milk Producers Federation National Oilseed Processors Association National Peach Council National Potato Council

Cc: Sen. Pat Roberts, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry

National Sorghum Producers National Sunflower Association Organic Trade Association Panhandle Peanut Growers Assn.

Rural & Agriculture Council of America Southern Peanut Farmers Federation Southwest Council of Agribusiness Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership United Fresh Produce Association United States Cattlemen’s Association US Apple Association US Canola Association US Dry Bean Council US Durum Growers Association USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council USA Rice Western Peanut Growers Association Women Involved in Farm Economics

Rep. Collin Peterson, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture Rep. K. Michael Conaway, Ranking Member, Committee on Agriculture

January/February 2020 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Southern Peanut Growers Peanuts Featured at Southern Women’s Show in Alabama

Farm-to-Table Event at University of Georgia Dining Services

Southern Peanut Growers and Alabama Peanut Producers teamed up to feature peanuts at the Southern Women’s Show in Birmingham, Ala. October 4—6. Nearly 30,000 people attended the show during the three days.

Stephanie Miller and Brandy Abel came from their peanut farms in Snead, Ala. to talk to attendees on Friday. The booth featured recipes, promotional items like sandwich keepers and peanut butter spreaders, early introduction inforBrandy Abel, Alabama peanut farmer, mation to help prevent and Leslie Wagner, Southern Peanut peanut allergy, and the Growers executive director, visit with new Alabama Peanut consumers during the Southern Producers online store.

Women’s Show in Birmingham, Ala. Leslie Wagner did a cooking demonstration each day where she prepared a Peanut Orange Glazed Salmon and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups which she discussed peanut nutrition, early introduction, sustainability, new products, and how to support Alabama’s peanut farms.

The Southern Peanut Growers and Georgia Peanut Commission teamed up to promote Georgia peanuts during a Farm-to-Table event at the University of Georgia’s Village Summit Dining Hall on Nov. 14, 2019. One of five University of Georgia dining halls, Village Summit is located in the Joe Frank Commons near the University’s gym and in the midst of the athletic dorms.

Chef Ezekial Somar’s focus is providing students with healthy food choices, especially Leslie Wagner, executive director of introducing vegetables in new the Southern Peanut Growers, visits with University of Georgia students and delicious ways so they can during the Farm-to-Table Dining experience the benefits of a Event in Athens, Ga. plant-forward diet. Chef Somar uses 300 pounds of Georgiagrown runner peanuts to make fresh peanut butter every week. The peanut butter is available for spreading on toast or sandwiches, as a protein add-in on the smoothie bar, featured in peanut butter cookies and more!

The dinner-time event featured special displays of Georgia Grown products and extra fruit and cheese buffets. Georgia Peanuts distributed branded string backpacks, stickers, peanut butter spreaders, sandwich keepers and on-the-go snacks like Georgia Peanuts, JIF To-Go, and Jif Power Ups. These ‘back-pack snacks’ were very popular with the students.

Georgia Peanuts Represented at Les Dammes d’Escoffier’s Afternoon in the Country Georgia Peanuts were featured in the Georgia Grown tent at the Atlanta chapter of the Les Dammes d’Escoffier’s Afternoon in the Country event on Nov. 3, 2019. Leslie Wagner, executive director of Southern Peanut Growers, attended the event on behalf of the Georgia Peanut Commission.

Les Dammes is an international society of women aimed at promoting excellence and advancement of women in the culinary professions. The Atlanta chapter consists of 100 of the most influential women in the culinary professions in Atlanta and this event is their signature fundraising event to fund scholarships, Georgia’s farming community and organizations to help feed the hungry.

Marketing arm of

Visit Southern Peanut Growers at these upcoming events • Jan. 16 – Georgia Farm Show, Tifton, Georgia • Jan. 28-29 – Mississippi Peanut Growers Annual Meeting, Hattiesburg, Mississippi • Feb. 28- March 1 – Southern Women’s Show, Savannah, Georgia • March 25-26 – Georgia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Atlanta, Georgia

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

Southern Peanut Growers Conference EDGEWATER BEACH & GOLF RESORT July 16-18, 2020 Panama City Beach, Florida

l a u n n A 22nd t!

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Key topics: Legislation, Research and Promotion For more information contact: Alabama Peanut Producers Association P.O. Box 8805 Dothan, AL 36304 334-792-6482 Florida Peanut Producers Association 2741 Penn Avenue, Suite 1 Marianna, FL 32448 850-526-2590 Georgia Peanut Commission P.O. Box 967 Tifton, GA 31793 229-386-3470

Brought to you by the: Alabama Peanut Producers Association Florida Peanut Producers Association Georgia Peanut Commission Mississippi Peanut Growers Association

Mississippi Peanut Growers Association P.O. Box 284 Petal, MS 39465 601-606-3547

Registration opens April 1, 2020. www.southernpeanutfarmers.org