May/June 2019 - Southeastern Peanut Farmer

Inside: n

UGA Tifton Campus Celebrates 100 Years n Irrigation Guidebook n Congress Passes Disaster Aid Bill

A communication service of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

Contents May/June 2019

6

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

For 100 years, the University of Georgia Tifton Campus has been committed to agricultural research that benefits the state of Georgia and the world. In May, the campus celebrated their centennial with a review of historical milestones and a time of hope for the future.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Advertising: The Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. Corrections to advertisements must be made after the first run. All billing offers subject to credit review. Advertisements contained in this publication do not represent an endorsement by the Southeastern Peanut Farmer or the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation. Use of trade names in this publication is for the purpose of providing specific information and is not a guarantee nor warranty of products named. For advertising concerns call 229-386-3472.

University of Georgia Tifton Campus Celebrates 100 Years

11

Irrigation Guidebook The 2019 Southeastern Peanut Farmer Irrigation Guidebook features information on water conservation and innovation, variable rate irrigation, drip irrigation and Alabama irrigation projects.

21

Congress Passes Disaster Aid Bill Peanut farmers applaud the recent passage of the disaster aid legislation which comes eight months after Hurricane Michael devastated portions of Georgia, Alabama and Florida. The legislation package includes $19.1 billion of disaster relief.

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

Washington Outlook ............................................................................ 20 Southern Peanut Growers Update ........................................................ 22 Cover Photo: A center pivot irrigation system stands in a peanut field in Southwest Georgia.

Photo by Joy Crosby.

May/June 2019 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

3

Editorial

Calendar of Events

Alabama Peanut Producers Association Welcomes New Executive Director

u USA Peanut Congress, June 22-26, 2019, Amelia Island, Fla. For information visit peanut-shellers.org.

Editor’s note: The peanut industry has a new face in Alabama. Even though Jacob Davis is no stranger to Alabama agriculture, he will now take on the role as executive director of the Alabama Peanut Producers Association. So, in lieu of the regular editorial column, we wanted to provide this space to introduce you to Jacob.

u American Peanut Research Education Society Annual Meeting, July 9-11, 2019, The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center, Auburn, Ala. For more information visit apresinc.com or call 229-329-2949.

acob Davis joined the Alabama Peanut Producers Association as its executive director May 1. APPA serves over 900 peanut farmers and is an affiliate of the Alabama Farmers Federation. Davis takes the helm after a 25-year career focused on agriscience education.

“I’ve been privileged to work closely with individuals from the Alabama Farmers Federation through my involvement with Alabama FFA,” says Davis, 46, who was raised on a cattle farm near Opp. “Through those interactions, I’ve come to fully appreciate what the Federation means to Alabama’s agricultural community. I’m excited to join this great organization and work with the Alabama Peanut Producers Association and farmers across the state.”

As executive director, Davis will monitor federal policy issues impacting peanut farmers; oversee promotions for Alabama-grown peanuts; work on research projects with stakeholders such as Auburn University and the National Peanut Board; and manage the day-to-day operations of APPA’s Dothan office.

“We’re thankful for the great relationship between Federation leadership and the APPA board of directors,” says Brian Hardin, the Federation’s Governmental & Agricultural Programs Department director. “We work closely with APPA to advocate for peanut farmers and are excited for Jacob to join our team. Our farmers will benefit from his agricultural knowledge, organizational skills and understanding of the association’s structure.”

Davis is a two-time Auburn University graduate with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agriscience technology education. Davis taught agriscience for 10 years before joining the Alabama State Department of Education’s Career and Technical Education Section in 2004, first as an education specialist and then as education administrator. He retired in April.

He has extensive experience serving on statewide agricultural committees, including the Alabama Farm-City Committee, Alabama Ag in the Classroom Steering Committee, Alabama Soil & Water Conservation Committee, Alabama Forestry Council and Alabama Natural Resources Council. He also served as adviser to the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association board.

Additionally, Davis held leadership roles in the National Association of Supervisors of Agricultural Education, the National FFA board of directors and National FFA Foundation board of trustees.

Davis enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his wife of nearly 20 years, Sonna, and his 16year-old son, Jaken. They attend Fairview Baptist Church in Samson. t

J

u Stripling’s Irrigation Research Park Field Day, July 18, 2019, Camilla, Ga. For more details call 229-522-3623 or visit striplingpark.org. u Southern Peanut Growers Conference, July 18-20, 2019, Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort, Panama City Beach, Fla. For more details visit southernpeanutfarmers.org. u Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day, July 25, 2019, Moultrie, Ga. For more information visit sunbeltexpo.com or call 229-985-1968. u American Peanut Shellers Association and National Peanut Buying Points Association Pre-Harvest Meeting, Aug. 7, 2019, The Bindery, Leesburg, Ga. For more information visit peanut-shellers.org or call 229-888-2508. u Southeast Georgia Research and Education Center Field Day, Aug. 14, 2019, Midville, Ga. For more information call 478-589-7472. u Florida Peanut Field Day, Aug. 15, 2019, Marianna, Fla. For more information call 850-526-1600. u Wiregrass Research and Extension Center Row Crops Field Day, Aug. 23, 2019, WREC, Headland, Ala. For more information call 334-693-2010. u Georgia Peanut Tour, Sept. 17-19, 2019, Cordele, Ga. and surrounding area. For more information visit the tour blog online at georgiapeanuttour.com. u Brooklet Peanut Festival, Sept. 21, 2019. For more information visit the festival’s website at brookletpeanutfestival.com.

Jacob Davis Executive Director Alabama Peanut Producers Association

4

Southeastern Peanut Farmer May/June 2019

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

rank McGill affectionally known throughout the Georgia agricultural community as “Mr. Peanut,” received the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ Medallion of Honor during a private event on Thursday, May 2, on the UGA Tifton campus.

The Medallion of Honor is presented to an outstanding individual or couple in recognition of dedication to the college’s mission and to express gratitude for the time, advice, support and influence they have provided.

“Once in a generation, someone comes along who forever changes a segment of agriculture. When it comes to peanuts, Frank McGill is that person.

Scientists, farmers and even former U.S. President Jimmy Carter will tell you, without hesitation, that Frank McGill was extremely instrumental in developing the peanut industry in Georgia,” says CAES Dean Sam Pardue, who presented McGill with the award. “His wise counsel, steady advice and dedication to teaching the latest principles and production practices helped triple Georgia peanut yields, changing the economic future of southwest Georgia, which now produces nearly half of the nation’s total peanut crop.”

A native of Chula, Georgia, McGill earned a bachelor’s degree in agronomy in 1951 and a master’s degree in agronomy in 1962 from CAES. He began his career with UGA as a county agent in southwest Georgia and later became the state’s UGA Cooperative Extension peanut specialist. McGill, who worked at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia, was a member of the UGA Cooperative Extension peanut team that developed a “package approach” for peanut production in Georgia. From 1954 to 1982, McGill’s expertise helped Georgia’s peanut yields increase from 955 pounds per acre in 1955 to 2,040 pounds in 1967 and 3,220 pounds in 1974.

F

Over his career, McGill traveled to 21 countries as a peanut consultant.

He traveled to Australia and India to review research and extension programs and to Honduras, Suriname and Barbados to “jump start” local peanut production and to help eliminate pellagra, a protein University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences deficiency that was Dean Sam Pardue, left, presented Frank McGill with the Medallion of Honor during a special event on May 2 at the UGA Tifton Campus. affecting children At his retirement in 1982, McGill there. discouraged gifts and the numerous McGill served as a technical advisor monetary donations he received were to the Georgia Peanut Commission, U.S. used to create the J. Frank McGill “Up Senate Agriculture Committee, National with Peanuts” Scholarship. As a result, a Peanut Council and the National Peanut $2,000 scholarship has since been Growers Group. awarded each year to a rising junior or His honors include being named senior UGA crop and soil sciences major. president of the American Peanut After retirement, McGill remained an Research and Education Society and chairman of a special task force requested active voice in the peanut industry. He by the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee served as president of the American to determine the 40-year impact of peanut Peanut Research and Education Society, chairman of the U.S. Task Force on policy on the family farm. UGA named Peanut Policy and the U.S. Peanut him a D.W. Brooks Distinguished Improvement Working Group. He also Professor of Agronomy and Progressive worked as a peanut consultant with M&M Farmer magazine named him Man of the Mars for 16 years, followed by four years Year. as a part-time consultant with the He was inducted into the Georgia Peanut Hall of Fame in 1982 and received National Peanut Laboratory.

McGill was selected as one of 12 the Lifetime Achievement Award from the UGA scientists whose work has impacted American Peanut Council in 1999. The the world in the last 100 years as part of Council also officially named McGill UGA’s centennial celebrations. And, in “Mr. Peanut” that year. In 1996, he was October 2018, he was honored by the inducted into the Georgia Agricultural UGA Graduate School as an Alumnus of Hall of Fame and received the Distinction.

American/World Agriculture Award from “Frank is a phenomenal individual. I the National County Agents Association think he is an excellent example of what a in 2000. In 2018, he received the Valor faculty member at the UGA CAES can Award from the Southern Peanut Farmers aspire to for a career of service,” says Joe Federation.

Of his numerous accolades, a humble West, assistant dean of the UGA Tifton campus. t McGill says, “I just did what I was hired to do.”

BY CLINT THOMPSON UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA May/June 2019 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

5

Photo credit: University of Georgia.

Frank McGill honored with Medallion of Honor from UGA College of Ag

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA TIFTON CAMPUS CELEBRATES 100 YEARS or 100 years, the University of Georgia Tifton campus has been committed to agricultural research that benefits the state of Georgia and the world. As the campus turns the page to its next century, UGA-Tifton is focused on cultivating the next generation of agricultural leaders who will help feed and clothe a growing population.

On Friday, May 3, UGA-Tifton held a centennial celebration that was as much a time of hope and excitement for the future as it was a day of reflection on past accomplishments.

“Agriculture is Georgia’s No. 1 industry, and the UGA Tifton campus has played a vital role in helping our farmers build this industry and sustain its success,” says President Jere W. Morehead. “I am confident that the positive impact of our faculty, staff and students at UGA-Tifton will be even greater over the next 100 years.”

F

The History and Experimental Seed When Tift County was created in 1905, immense stands of turpentine-rich pine trees drove Georgia’s coastal plain economy. But not for long. Farming was growing in popularity.

As more and more south Georgians began tilling the soil and raising livestock, they quickly realized that profitable agriculture in the coastal plain was a challenge. The long growing season, hot summers and sandy soils often required different crops and farming practices from those used in central and north Georgia.

In 1918, the Georgia Land Owner’s Association, a coastal plain organization led by Captain H.H. Tift and William Stillwell, successfully lobbied the state legislature to create an agricultural experiment station in the coastal plain.

This was the seed of what now has grown into the University of Georgia Tifton Campus. The autonomous station would be affiliated with the state’s land-grant College of Agriculture located at UGA and would provide research-based information on coastal plain agriculture.

Captain Tift helped Tifton win the bid

6

U.S. Representative Austin Scott, R-Georgia, presents the University of Georgia Tifton Campus with a copy of his statement to Congress recognizing UGA Tifton Campus’ Centennial. Pictured left to right are UGA CAES Dean Sam Pardue, U.S. Representative Scott, UGA President Jere Morehead and UGA Tifton Campus Assistant Dean Joe West.

for the new experiment station by providing generous donations of land and facilities. Opening in 1919 under the direction of S.H. Starr, the 206-acre Coastal Plain Experiment Station became the first experiment station in the nation’s vast coastal plain, which stretches from Delaware to Texas.

UGA-Tifton held a kickoff event commemorating the centennial celebration on Aug. 21. One of the special guests in attendance at the kickoff was Catherine Tift Porter, a descendant of Captain H.H. Tift. Porter helped to blow the ceremonial whistle to cap off the afternoon’s festivities. A steam whistle was used 100 years ago to announce to downtown Tifton that the city was selected as the home of the experiment station.

Agriculture: Backbone of Georgia's Economy Coastal plain farming has undergone many changes since those early days, but agriculture remains the backbone of the region’s economy. South Georgia farmers produce about 80 percent of the state’s

Southeastern Peanut Farmer May/June 2019

row crops and are among the nation’s leading producers of peanuts, cotton, tobacco and pecans.

The research conducted by the faculty and staff of the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences on the Tifton campus has helped farmers grow the traditional crops in a more efficient and environmentally friendly way.

“Even though we have consultants who help us, we could not farm without UGA Extension and the Coastal Plain Experiment Station,” says Daniel Johnson, farmer from Alma, Georgia.

“Agriculture is moving so fast that a grower could not keep up if it wasn’t for the research they do at the experiment station. It’s a mainstay of Georgia agriculture. Economically, we can’t afford to farm without it. We hope it’s a mainstay forever.”

Growth and Change The Tifton campus has become an integral research component of the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and it has grown

Reflection on the past.

Excitement for the future.

Photo credit: University of Georgia.

University of Georgia’s first Extension peanut specialist Frank McGill (pictured above, right), worked at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton from 1954 to 1982. He developed a package approach for peanut production, which is credited for increasing both yield and quality in peanuts.

years, that’s truly an amazing feeling. The day of celebration is an opportunity to look in the rearview mirror and see what’s happened on our campus, but as scientists, we always have to be looking forward. May 3 is not an end; it really is a beginning.” t

BY JOY CROSBY

Photo credit: University of Georgia.

right along with agriculture. Research and Education Centers in South Georgia at Attapulgus, Camilla, Midville and Plains complement the research, extension and teaching efforts of the Tifton campus.

UGA researchers also collaborate with USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists based on the campus, a partnership that dates to 1924.

“Unbiased research is invaluable to me,” says Glenn Heard, farmer from Brinson, Georgia. “UGA’s job is to provide us with the information we need to make the best decisions we can make.

They’re invested in us.”

Specialists with the UGA Cooperative Extension housed on the campus create dynamic extension programs that take the research to the people who can use it. They help them apply it to improve their lives and spark economic development.

Armond Morris, farmer from Tifton, Georgia and chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission, sees the impact of the experiment station across the state, but the most significant impact, he believes, has been made by the breeders who develop new peanut varieties and the researchers who test those varieties.

“The peanut varieties - increasing yields and making it to where we have sustainable agriculture in peanuts - are probably the most impactful,” Morris says.

Bill Branch, UGA-Tifton plant breeder, has released more than 20 peanut cultivars over the past 25 years. However, he’s most widely recognized for developing Georgia Green, the first peanut cultivar with resistance to tomato spotted wilt virus, a disease that threatened to destroy the state’s peanut industry.

UGA-Tifton’s faculty roster also includes world-renowned scientists who have made far-reaching impacts over the past century. Those scientists include James Shepherd, developer of the first peanut combine in 1949; Frank McGill, UGA’s first Extension peanut specialist in 1954 and Peggy Ozias-Akins, molecular geneticist who helped sequence the peanut genome in 2014.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re here in Tifton or halfway around the world, our campus is recognized as a leader in the agricultural industry,” says Joe West, UGA-Tifton assistant dean. “To be a small part of that impact that spans 100

Current University of Georgia researcher Peggy Ozias-Akins is a molecular geneticist who studies peanuts. She helped to sequence the peanut genome in 2014, which helps researchers and plant breeders across the world breed more productive, resilient peanut varieties.

Addition of whistle starts new tradition at UGA-Tifton A piece of history is on display at the newly dedicated Centennial Garden on the University of Georgia Tifton campus. On May 3, 1919, a steam whistle was blown to let the citizens of Tifton, Georgia, know that its city was chosen as the home of the Coastal Plain Experiment Station. More than 100 years of agricultural impact later, a replica of the whistle now stands in the garden located behind the Tift Building in the center of the UGA-Tifton campus.

UGA-Tifton Assistant Dean Joe West says the whistle was a perfect complement to the centennial celebration held on campus May 3. As a crowd of UGA-Tifton faculty, staff, students and supporters celebrated the dedication of the Centennial Garden, Catherine Tift Porter, a granddaughter of Captain H.H. Tift, blew the whistle to celebrate the occasion.

“We really wanted something we could use to reflect our history and the significance of being here in Tifton, Georgia, for 100 years. The whistle was a perfect choice,” West says.

Stormy Sparks, UGA Cooperative Extension vegetable entomologist and member of the centennial committee at UGA-Tifton, pitched the idea of the whistle early in the planning process. Its significance can be traced to August 1918, when the Georgia General Assembly authorized the Coastal Plain Experiment Station.

Tifton was one of at least five cities competing to be its home. Sparks spoke to Tifton’s fire department and discovered that the whistle used to notify the city’s citizens was likely a steam whistle.

UGA-Tifton established the new tradition for graduates to blow the whistle at graduation after its installation. Akin to ringing the bell upon graduating from the UGA Athens campus, the 18 UGA-Tifton students recognized as spring and summer graduates blew the whistle at a graduation reception held May 4.

“This is their rite of passage,” West says. “This will be now be a tradition tied to our history, as we begin our second century of service.”

For more information on UGA-Tifton, visit www.tifton.caes.uga.edu.

BY CLINT THOMPSON UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA May/June 2019 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

7

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

Mississippi Peanut Growers Association and National Peanut Board host Peanut Day at the baseball park The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association teamed up with the National Peanut Board to sponsor and host Peanut Day at the final game on SuperBulldog Weekend, April 14, 2019. Mississippi State played baseball against Alabama at Dudy Noble Field on the campus of Mississippi State University to a crowd of 8,593.

Malcolm Broome, executive director of MPGA was assisted by MPGA board members Lonnie Fortner and Alan Atkins and their families in handing out over 2,500 stress reliever peanuts and roasted peanuts to attendees.

In addition, Buddy McNutty attended the game and threw out the first pitch to kickoff the game. During the entire game, recognition of the MPGA and “The Perfectly Powerful Peanut” was displayed on the video board and peanut trivia was used between innings. The trivia questions coincided with additional nutritional facts about peanuts and peanut butter on the video board.

Alabama Peanut Producers Association encourages Alabama drivers to eat peanuts During the week of April 22-26, 2019, the Alabama Peanut Producers Association purchased ad space on 20 digital billboards across the state, including Birmingham, Tuscaloosa and Southeast Alabama. The ad displays for 8 seconds each time it pops up on the billboard. An estimated 57,720 impressions were tracked during the five days. National Peanut Board assisted with the design of the ad with co-promotion funds.

Georgia Peanut Commission attends Georgia School Nutrition annual meeting The Georgia Peanut Commission exhibited at the Georgia School Nutrition Association’s annual meeting April 11-13, 2019, in Athens, Georgia. The three-day event hosted nearly 700 school nutrition personnel and gave GPC the opportunity to provide school foodservice personnel nutrition resources related to peanuts and peanut butter, recipes and encourage consumption in schools across the state. New this year, GPC debuted its new School Leslie Wagner, Southern Nutrition Peanut Growers, and Jessie Promotion Kit Bland, Georgia Peanut Commission, exhibit at the and allowed Georgia School Nutrition schools to Association’s annual meeting. sign-up to receive the kit for use in the 2019-2020 school year. The kit, which focuses on nutrition education of peanuts and peanut butter, includes promotion and education resources, as well as posters and window clings the school can use.

Georgia Peanut Commission educates youth at Ag Days

Alabama peanuts promoted at Taste of Alabama event

Carole Granger, APPA, and Donna Sanders serve peanut samples at the Taste of Alabama event.

8

The Alabama Farmers Federation’s Taste of Alabama legislative reception, held on March 20, 2019, highlighted the commodities grown in Alabama, and the farmers who grow them. Legislators, state leaders, and other elected officials sampled the fruit of Alabama farmers’ labor, and mingled with producers, while discussing local and agricultural issues. The Alabama Peanut Producers Association sampled peanuts and a peanut butter toffee dip during the event.

Southeastern Peanut Farmer May/June 2019

The Georgia Peanut Commission helps educate youth at ag days across the state by providing resources and educating students about how peanut grow and the importance of peanuts to Georgia’s economy. This past spring, GPC staff attended or shipped resources for Ag Day events in the following counties: Jeff Davis, Jackson, Randolph, Montgomery, Effingham, Evans and Atkinson counties, as well as Apalachee High School. Samples of Georgia peanuts and activity books or coloring books are sent to the schools for the events.

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

FPPA attends environmental stewardship awards celebration The 2019 County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) awards were recently awarded to 11 farm families in the Suwannee and Santa Fe River Basin areas. These farmers have implemented science-based and field tested Best Management Practices that continue to protect and U.S. Representative Neal Dunn, conserve Florida’s natural resources.

R-Fla., stops by the Florida The CARES awards celebration was held at the Peanut Producers Association University of Florida Institute of Food and exhibit and samples a grilled PB&J during the CARES Awards Agricultural Sciences Suwannee Valley Agricultural Celebration. Pictured left to right: Extension Center in Live Oak, Florida, where Ken Barton, FPPA executive hundreds of attendees could visit several different director, Dunn and William food stations and sample some of Florida’s best food Carte, National Peanut Board and agricultural products. A few of the foods enjoyed representative from Florida. by the crowd were grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, gator tail, watermelon, brisket sliders, sweet corn and several others.

“The CARES awards provides Florida Peanut Producers Association the opportunity to show our support for and honor the award recipients for their efforts in conserving and protecting Florida’s natural resources,” says Ken Barton, executive director of the FPPA.

Georgia Peanut Commission sponsors Georgia FFA The Georgia Peanut Commission and the Peanut Institute teamed up to sponsor the Georgia FFA Star in Agriscience Award during the state convention held in Macon, Georgia. The State Star in Agriscience Award was presented to Gracey Sexton of Sonoraville FFA. The additional state finalists included Cedric Montgomery, south region winner from Lowndes County and Meredith Camp, central region winner from Pike County.

The Georgia Peanut Commission also exhibited during the career show and sponsored the Georgia FFA Alumni photo booth during the career show. Each member received a 4x6 print with the Georgia Peanuts logo displayed on their photo.

Florida Welcome Centers serve roasted peanuts during National Tourism Week The Florida Peanut Producers Association provided roasted peanuts, recipe brochures, health and nutritional information and general information on peanut production in Florida to welcome centers during National Tourism Week. The Florida Welcome Centers located on I-75 in Jennings, I-95 in Yulee, I-10 in Pensacola and U.S. 231 in Campbellton served Florida Peanuts during the celebration. More than 10,000 one ounce packages of Florida Peanuts were distributed to visitors at the welcome centers.

Georgia peanuts promoted at HungerWalk 5K in Atlanta The Georgia Peanut Commission sponsored the Atlanta Community Food Bank Hunger Walk 5K on April 28, 2019. Through the silver level sponsorship, GPC was able to promote Peanut Proud, the humanitarian relief organization for the peanut industry. Peanut industry representatives from GPC, Southern Peanut Donald Chase, right, Georgia Growers, National Peanut Board, Golden Peanut and Peanut Commission board Tree Nuts all assisted at the exhibit and walked in the member, visits with an 5K. The event helped raise $418,769 for the Atlanta attendee during the Hunger Community Food Bank. The food bank provides food Walk in Atlanta, Ga. and grocery products to more than 600 nonprofit partner agencies with hunger relief programs throughout 29 counties in metro Atlanta and north Georgia. The peanut industry representatives distributed samples of Georgia peanuts, peanut butter and protein bars to attendees. The exhibit also included info on Peanut Proud and how peanut butter is a great item to donate to food banks.

Donald Chase, Georgia Peanut Commission board member from Oglethorpe, Georgia, congratulates the Star in Agriscience winners for Georgia FFA. Pictured left to right, Chase, Gracey Sexton, state winner from Sonoraville; Cedric Montgomery, south region winner from Lowndes County and Meredith Camp, central region winner from Pike County.

Peanut industry representatives from the Georgia Peanut Commission, National Peanut Board, Southern Peanut Growers, Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts all participated in the Hunger Walk 5K.

May/June 2019 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

9

21st Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference July 18-20, 2019 Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort Panama City Beach, Florida ark your calendars for the 21st Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference, July 18-20, 2019, at the Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort, Panama City Beach, Florida. This year’s conference offers farmers an opportunity to learn more about legislative issues, peanut promotions and production issues. The registration fee for growers is $145 which includes all conference events and meals. The registration deadline is June 30.

The registration fee increases by $50 on July 1. To register and view the conference schedule visit southernpeanutfarmers.org.

The theme for this year’s conference, “Super Farmers Grow Super Peanuts,” plans to highlight the amazing attributes of farmers and peanuts. General sessions plan to provide an update on promotional activities within the peanut industry, research on the horizon and an update on legislative issues.

There is definitely something for everyone at the 21st annual conference at the Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort!

M

Tentative Schedule of Events Thursday, July 18 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

Friday, July 19 7:00 a.m.

8:30 a.m.

10:30 a.m.

10:30 a.m.

Noon 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 20 7:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

Noon 12:30 - 6 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

10

Ice Cream Social and Conference Registration Welcoming Reception Welcoming Dinner

Prayer Breakfast Tony McBrayers, Peanut Butter & Jesus General Session I - Peanuts Rise to Superfood Parker Wallace, Parker’s Plate Sherry Coleman Collins, National Peanut Board Dr. Samara Sterling, The Peanut Insitute Spouse Program - Entertaining with Peanuts Parker Wallace, Parker’s Plate General Session II - Super Research for Super Farmers Dr. Soraya Bertioli, Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Geneomics, University of Georgia Dr. Edward M. Barnes, Cotton Incorporated Precision Ag Clicker Session with Dr. Scott Monfort, University of Georgia, as moderator Luncheon - Agriculture: Superpower to Feed the World!

Rodney Miller and Jann Carl, Small Town, Big Deal Sea Dragon Pirate Cruise (limited tickets available, pick up at FMC exhibit)

Breakfast - Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Awards General Session III - Trade and Market Update U.S. Representative Drew Ferguson, R-Georgia George Lovatt, Lovatt and Rushing Dr. Stanley Fletcher, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Industry Export Panel & Clicker Session with Bob Redding, The Redding Firm, as moderator Don Koehler, Chairman of the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for Trade Karl Zimmer, President of the American Peanut Shellers Association Joe Parker, President of the National Peanut Buying Points Association Lunch on your own and afternoon free!

Golf Tournament, The Executive Course at Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort Reception Dinner and Entertainment Featuring the Swingin’ Medallions

Southeastern Peanut Farmer May/June 2019

2019

IRRIGATION GUIDEBOOK

Valley Irrigation celebrates 18 years in Tifton with expansion alley® Irrigation, The Leader in Precision Irrigation®, is celebrating 18 years in Tifton, Georgia, and is pleased to announce their expansion into a larger distribution center to serve the eastern United States.

“We were the first irrigation company to start a remote warehouse to serve dealers in the area, first opening our doors in 2001,” says Kenneth Bracht, senior director of Global Aftermarket Parts. “We’ve grown and expanded our offering since that time, which prompted our move to a much larger distribution center.”

The new distribution center is fully operational and ready for the spring season, so dealers that depend on the Tifton DC can give growers unsurpassed service and can be assured they have access to the largest supply of irrigation parts.

The Tifton Valley distribution center supports Valley dealers in 15 states, with the largest parts inventory for both Valley and non-Valley irrigation machines, delivering necessary parts to dealers within 24 to 48 hours. It’s that kind of dedication that helped hundreds of growers who dealt with lost or damaged irrigation machines during Hurricane Michael last October.

“We pride ourselves on ensuring our dealers have what it takes to get their growers up and running as fast as possible,” says Derick Snow, Eastern

V

Valley Irrigation staff and customers cut the ribbon on the larger distribution center in Tifton, Ga.

Regional Distribution Center Manager.

“After the hurricane hit, our ability to move parts immediately to our dealers, who had feet on the ground, enabled them to begin fixing pivots, giving growers the service they expect from Valley.”

The new distribution center houses more than products. Valley is the industry leader in technology, so not only do they stock parts for pivots, linears and corners, they have everything growers could possibly need for AgSense® remote telemetry, ICON® smart control panels, Valley GPS and Valley SchedulingTM, an advanced irrigation management software.

Plus, the Tifton facility offers dealer service and technician training, and has a full team of water management experts in

place to help dealers with complicated pumping and water delivery designs.

They also support the very latest industry innovations stemming from the Valley partnership with Prospera Technologies.

This partnership is working toward autonomous crop management technology, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to transform center pivots into total crop management machines.

“Tifton has been a hub to keep our Eastern growers up and running. We are very proud to be part of the Tifton community – and the entire area – for more than 18 years and counting,” Bracht says.

For more information, please visit www.valleyirrigation.com. t

May/June 2019 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

11

Water Conservation and Innovation Through a “Pro” Partnership

ome have called water “the new gold.” When you consider the fact that about one percent of the Earth’s water supply is available for human use, coupled with a growing global population, the comparison makes sense. Irrigator Pro is one irrigation scheduling tool available to farmers. Now, you can access the tool right from your mobile device.

Across the United States and beyond, farmers are looking for innovative ways to conserve water while maintaining or boosting crop yields. With this goal in mind, leading farmers like Marty McLendon are helping others manage water more efficiently. McLendon and his fellow Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District members in Southwest Georgia have used a Conservation Innovation Grant from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to partner with other like-minded groups to advance technology available for water conservation.

The result? Irrigator Pro now comes with a new tool – an app that allows farmers to access irrigation water management practices right from their mobile

S

12

device.

“Our goal through this project, and many others, is to significantly advance conservation through partnership and innovation,” McLendon says. “Irrigator Pro will aid farmers throughout our region in making decisions that enhance both water conservation and on-farm efficiency.”

What is Irrigator Pro? Irrigator Pro is an irrigation scheduling tool for peanuts, cotton, and corn that was first developed by the Agricultural Research Service’s National Peanut Research Laboratory in Dawson, Georgia. It’s a system designed to provide recommendations based on scientific data resulting in conservation-minded irrigation management.

A team of agriculture and conservation partners in Georgia recently unveiled an updated version of the system to now include a smartphone app and web-based platform to increase accessibility. Irrigator Pro is available for free in the Apple and Google Play Stores, or online at IrrigatorPro.org.

Southeastern Peanut Farmer May/June 2019

Georgia peanut farmer, Adam McLendon of Leary, Ga., uses his smartphone to monitor his crop’s water needs.

How was the new Irrigator Pro developed?

The Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District partnered with the ARS National Peanut Research Laboratory and the University of Georgia to develop a smartphone app and cloud-based web platform for Irrigator Pro. Over the last two years, the team has worked to further develop, refine, and test the new version of Irrigator Pro to ensure it is consistent and user-friendly.

What makes Irrigator Pro better than before?

Irrigator Pro is a trusted tool by many farmers and crop consultants in the Southeast. However, a major barrier to increased accessibility and adoption was the time-consuming nature of the original version of the tool, which required hand-reading soil moisture sensors in the field and manual entry of data into a desktop software platform to generate an irrigation recommendation.

The new version, supported through a

Photo credit: Matt Hanner, Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District.

Irrigation Guidebook

Irrigation Guidebook

Photo credit: Austn.

What’s next for Irrigator Pro? This season, with funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Southeast Aquatics Resources Partnership, the partner team will be launching a hands-on project with over 40 farmers in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama to use Irrigator Pro and soil moisture sensors on irrigated peanut farms. In the future, project partners would like to expand both the crops and geographic capacity of this tool to help farmers across the country optimize their irrigation decisions.

Examples of Irrigator Pro’s smartphone app display.

How can farmers access Irrigator Pro? Visit flintriverswcd.org/irrigator-pro to learn more about Irrigator Pro and access a link to download the app – it’s free!

Visit farmers.gov/conserve to learn about additional tools and programs that are available to help you meet conservation goals across your working land. t

BY CHRIS GROSKREUTZ, USDA & CASEY COX, FLINT RIVER SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

CIG, takes the science and models from the old version and integrates them with modern technology to automate the process.

Data is retrieved remotely from sensors in the field and automatically sent to the Irrigator Pro server, generating a real-time irrigation recommendation on the app. The website, IrrigatorPro.org, syncs with the app and has additional capabilities that can be configured by users to help document meeting USDA conservation program requirements.

How does Irrigator Pro help farmers enhance both efficiency and production?

Irrigator Pro is designed to optimize water use while maintaining or improving yields. The tool utilizes real-time field conditions – including soil moisture, soil temperature, and crop growth stage – to generate an irrigation recommendation.

In a 2018 study at the University of Georgia’s Stripling Irrigation Research Park, researchers evaluated several irrigation scheduling methods for peanuts.

The new version of Irrigator Pro out-performed all other treatments in both yield and irrigation water use efficiency.

May/June 2019 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

13

Irrigation Guidebook

Site Specific Variable Rates he University of Georgia has worked on variable rate irrigation since 2000. The technology has advanced since then to using zone control or speed control. “Variable rate is a site specific water application, and it refers to both hardware and software applied to a pivot,” says Calvin Perry, superintendent of the University of Georgia’s C.M. Stripling Irrigation Center near Camilla, Georgia.

Variable rate irrigation is precision irrigation or site-specific irrigation, according to Perry.

He notes that variable rate irrigation is ideal for use in fields where the soil is not uniform, where soil water holding capacity varies greatly, or where there are significant non-cropped areas within a field.

“Variable rate irrigation helps insure water use efficiency, or more crop per drop,” Perry says. It will also eliminate the overwatering from overlap of two adjacent irrigation systems.

T

With a variable rate irrigation system, you do not actually vary the rate but you do vary the depth of the application, according to Perry.

Growers will have options, Perry notes, for sector control, for speed control that will require a software prescription, and other systems such as variable rate zones for groups or even individual sprinklers that also require a prescription.

Major irrigation manufacturers such as Reinke, Lindsay, and Valley all have control options that can upgrade a pivot to perform at a variable rate, Perry explains.

He says most irrigation companies will look at the outer 30 to 50 percent of a pivot circle to determine the base speed of the pivot. They’ll check soil type, soil texture, soil electroconductivity and topography. A variability map and a prescription map will become valuable controls growers will use in setting the speed of their pivots.

In setting up a variable rate system, the base rate will run at 100 percent to cover most of the ground under a pivot,

and then, with a map-based prescription, portions of the pivot would run as low as 40 percent, or 80 or 90 percent in certain zones, according to Perry.

“The pivot follows the map,” he adds.

Among the choices for variable rate irrigation, sector control can be managed with controls at the pivot point and does not require a prescription, speed control or variable rate zone control or individual nozzle control will require a prescription.

Dynamic variable rate irrigation would be the next step, and it has already been studied for a number of years by Perry’s University of Georgia research colleague, George Vellidis.

All of the new components add costs to pivots and are vulnerable to lightning strikes. So Perry suggests adding insurance protection for pivots equipped with variable rate and site specific technology. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Smartphone Apps Coming Soon niversity of Georgia researcher George Vellidis has been working for several years to develop smartphone apps for estimating and recommending the correct amount of irrigation water for crops at the right time.

Some of the farmers he has worked with have suggested that data be delivered to their smartphones or they won’t use it.

“Our design criteria for the smartphone apps is that they are engaging, easy to use, and require a minimum amount of user input,” Vellidis says. “We are going on the assumption that when half (50 percent) of the available soil water is used, then it is time to irrigate.”

Collecting reliable weather data is a key to getting the apps to work, according to Vellidis.

“Users have the option of getting the weather data for their app from one of UGA’s 86 weather stations or from national gridded data sets which estimate

U

14

rain and temperature on a 4 km grid.

Users also have the option of using rain data from an automated rain gage installed on their farm,” Vellidis says.

“We have been using crop coefficients that we have developed which are based on the developmental growth stage of the crop driven by heat units or growing degree days,” Vellidis explains.

“The apps work on both the IOS and Android platforms. Our challenge is to make sure the programs and apps work on every phone model.”

The apps use the GPS system on the phones to determine the current location of the user so they can more easily find their fields in combination with a map or satellite view.

“As a user, you would input the crop type, planting date, and add the soil type,” Vellidis adds.

Growers should also designate the irrigation equipment type.

“Then the app applies an application

Southeastern Peanut Farmer May/June 2019

efficiency of the selected irrigation system” Vellidis says. “Our apps send notifications which suggest that you irrigate when your field approaches a 40 percent soil water deficit and it also tells you how much water you’d need to apply to refill your soil profile. The apps also send notifications if rain is detected by the weather data source you selected.”

A cotton app has been available for several years. The most recently released app is for soybeans. He and his team are now working on blueberry and corn apps with the University of Florida. The corn app will also have a nutrient component with predictions on nitrogen side dressing.

All the apps are free and available to download in the app stores or from the website, www.smartirrigtionapps.org.

For peanuts, he has joined others in adopting the USDA-developed Irrigator Pro system. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Irrigation Guidebook

Drip Irrigation C

Pros and Cons

alvin Perry, superintendent of the C.M. Stripling Irrigation Center near Camilla, Georgia, recently explained some of the basics of drip irrigation for farmers attending an Alabama Irrigation Workshop in Dothan, Alabama.

“One of the big advantages of drip irrigation is that you don’t have evaporative losses like you do with overhead sprinklers,” Perry says. “You also have slow water release. You can apply your water and nutrients directly in the rooting zone.”

For a small drip system, you could even install it to run off a home well, according to Perry.

“The foliage stays dry so there is less disease,” Perry says. “Drip irrigation is easily automated, so you can fertigate and chemigate. Overall, drip saves water and increases yields. There are also low labor requirements, unless your system has a lot of leaks.”

Aside from leaks, there are other aspects of drip that some might consider disadvantages. For instance, drip irrigation requires clean water, which often means a lot of filtration equipment in the water lines.

“It also requires a high degree of management, much more management than simply turning on and off a center pivot,” Perry says.

Also, labor during assembly can be extensive. And there can be damage from equipment if the irrigation lines are aboveground.

“You can’t see problems under the ground, which is not the case with a center pivot where you can see problems,” Perry says.

Once when he was using drip irrigation in peanuts, the vines lapped the rows, and rodents chewed or destroyed the drip tape within a few days, he

Drip irrigation research is ongoing at the University of Georgia Stripling Irrigation Research Park in Camilla, Georgia.

recalled.

“Frequent irrigation is often needed with drip irrigation,” Perry says.

Although not an issue with peanuts, other drip-irrigated crops require plastic mulch that face tricky disposal issues.

That said, the life expectancy of drip systems can be good. Perry has been using some drip systems that have lasted as many as eight to ten years. Perry says one line of subsurface drip irrigation should be enough to water two rows of crops.

Subsurface drip irrigation also has a high initial cost, about $1,200 to $1,500 per acre, according to Perry. He notes that shallow drip tape, two inches or closer to the surface, is easily damaged by equipment, and that rodents are likely to chew on shallow tape and tape on the surface.

Perry also says that drip can be used in conjunction with overhead irrigation, for instance when watering peanuts outside the band covered by a center pivot circle.

It is also difficult to get water from drip irrigation to move up to where the seed is placed. “You’re more dependent on getting rainfall to germinate your seed,” Perry says.

Perry says he prefers drip lines at 12 inches deep for peanuts. He’s concerned that placing them six inches or shallower could result in damage to the lines when peanuts are being dug.

“I think 16 inches deep is too deep in our sandy land,” Perry says. He notes that drip lines for West Texas peanuts are placed at 12-14 inches deep. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

May/June 2019 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

15

Irrigation Guidebook

Alabama Extension Offers Insight on Center Pivot Irrigation Costs roducers face difficult decisions day in and day out. Alabama Cooperative Extension System professionals have compiled information to help farmers consider all options when deciding whether to purchase and install irrigation equipment on the farm.

Brittney Goodrich, an Alabama Extension economist, said irrigation can mitigate one of the largest risks in crop production.

Center pivot irrigation investment and operating costs vary substantially across locations based on access to water and electricity, size and elevation of the field and other factors. The three scenarios explored by Extension

P

professionals can be used as guides for investment decisions.

Goodrich, who is also an assistant professor in the Auburn University College of Agriculture’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, said it is important to keep in mind that each field should be individually evaluated to determine the suitable design and components of the irrigation system.

Brenda Ortiz, an Alabama Extension precision agriculture specialist, said a thorough report with information about involved costs of irrigation is important.

“As Alabama farmers prepare to submit applications to the new Alabama Irrigation Initiative cost-share program

Alabama Irrigation Project William Puckett, former State Conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, is now working as executive director for the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee. Puckett is working with soil and water conservation districts to develop a multi-watershed irrigation cost-sharing project.

The project hopes to fund nine watersheds statewide.

Currently two watersheds are underway, one watershed (Wheeler) is in North Alabama, and the other watershed (Choctawhatchee-Pea) is in South Alabama, in the heart of Alabama’s peanut growing region. The project would make funds available for farmers in the watersheds to get cost-share for new irrigation systems.

The project funds would come from Public Law 566.

“It’s for irrigation projects on a watershed basis,” Puckett says. He noted that scientists from Auburn University and the University of Alabama-Huntsville will be writing the watershed plans.

Of the $10 million assigned to the project, some $8 million will go directly to farmers. “It will be geared to installing irrigation on new land,” Puckett says. “We’re trying to help farmers develop locally based water systems for irrigation on new land.”

BY JOHN LEIDNER

16

Southeastern Peanut Farmer May/June 2019

sponsored by the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee a better understanding of the costs involved in irrigation investment is necessary,” Ortiz says.

Factors to Consider Two factors causing some of the largest variations in irrigation investment costs are access to surface water and electricity.

Some producers may choose to dig a well, but well digging may cost $30,000 to $60,000. A field’s distance from the electric grid can also significantly affect the initial costs of irrigation. The further a field lies from the grid, the more expensive it will be to run power.

Ortiz, who is also an associate professor in the Auburn University College of Agriculture’s Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Science, said researchers recognize the groundwater aquifers in Alabama are not as shallow as in Georgia, so this has been one of the limiting factors to irrigation adoption in the state.

“Farmers can build irrigation ponds to store surface water during winter months and use it for irrigation during the summer,” Ortiz says. “We are currently demonstrating the benefits of irrigation ponds, soil sensors for irrigation scheduling and variable rate irrigation at several fields in Lawrence, Limestone and Geneva counties.”

More Information Producers considering implementing center pivot irrigation may benefit from the irrigation scenario descriptions found in the publication developed by Extension professionals Guilherme Morata, Brittney Goodrich and Brenda V. Ortiz. The publication —Investment Costs of Center Pivot Irrigation in Alabama — is available online at www.aces.edu.

Viewers can download a printable PDF of ANR-2541 from the website. t

BY KATIE NICHOLS ALABAMA EXTENSION SERVICE

Peanut Leadership Academy Class XI hosts second session articipants of Class XI of the Peanut Leadership Academy met April 3-5, in Albany, Georgia, for the second session of the 18-month program.

During this session, peanut growers and sheller representatives had the opportunity to learn about themselves and the industry, as well as tour peanut industry facilities in the area. Participants also attended the American Peanut Shellers Association’s 100th Anniversary Gala and Industry Spring Conference.

On day one of the session, participants heard from Kristi Farner, program and staff development specialist for Cooperative Extension at the University of Georgia. Farner introduced the class to True Colors, a personality assessment that allows them to learn more about themselves, as well as others and how to best work as a team. PLA participants were also given a thorough overview of food safety from John Takash with Olam. The highlight of the afternoon was an industry issues discussion period.

During this time participants had a chance to review various issues the peanut industry faces and give thoughts/feedback on what to do different and/or how to improve the issue.

Day two of the session was made up of area tours. The group began by traveling to Tifton and touring Kelley Manufacturing Co.’s facility, where they received the most up-to-date information from KMC and learned about the

P

Class XI of the Peanut Leadership Academy visited the Georgia Peanut Commission headquarters in Tifton, Georgia, during their second session in South Georgia.

equipment fabrication process. Upon leaving KMC, the group traveled over to the University of Georgia’s Tifton Campus and heard from Scott Monfort, along with his graduate students, about the latest updates in peanut research and Extension. The group then visited the Georgia Peanut Commission office, where they had lunch and then traveled to Tara Foods in Albany, where they toured the peanut butter manufacturing facility.

To wrap the session up, participants attended the APSA’s 100th Anniversary Gala and Industry Spring Conference.

Here they were able to celebrate the association’s milestone and hear from various industry representatives covering a variety of topics from crop updates to nutrition research. They were also

Class XI of the Peanut Leadership Academy toured Kelley Manufacturing Co. headquarters in Tifton, Georgia, during their second session in South Georgia.

18

Southeastern Peanut Farmer May/June 2019

introduced to the meeting attendees and had an opportunity to visit with those in attendance.

Members of Class XI of the Peanut Leadership Academy include: Alabama: Wade Helms, Dothan; Kevin Holland, Bay Minette; Justin House, Uriah; and Lance Miller, Boaz; Florida: Tyler Brown, Jay; and Ashby Massey, Graceville; Georgia: Knapp Boddiford, Sylvania; Blake Edenfield, Brooklet; Andrew Grimes, Tifton; and Kevin Rentz, Brinson; National Peanut Board: Mikaela Massey, Graceville; and Lexi Floyd, Brownfield; North Carolina: Brandon Belch, Conway; South Carolina: Neal Baxley, Mullins; Texas: Rustin Knight, Brownfield; and Benny Teichroeb, Seminole; Virginia: Wesley Barnes, Courtland; Sheller Representatives: Brook Birdsong, Birdsong Peanuts; Carson Daughtrey, Birdsong Peanuts; and Megan Fletcher, Golden Peanut & Tree Nuts.

The Peanut Leadership Academy is coordinated by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation and sponsored by Syngenta Crop Protection and the American Peanut Shellers Association.

For more information on the Peanut Leadership Academy, visit the website at www.southernpeanutfarmers.org. t

BY JESSIE BLAND

Washington Outlook

by Robert L. Redding Jr.

Peanut Industry requests MFP payments and research for trade mitigation

White House includes peanut growers in Tariff Mitigation Plan

The Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, National Peanut Buying Points Association and the American Peanut Shellers Association have asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide Market Facilitation Program payments and export research assistance in an effort to assist growers and the peanut industry impacted by tariffs placed on U.S. peanut exports.

The organizations sent a letter on May 15 to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in May regarding the program established to assist commodities impacted by current international market conditions.

The letter stated, “We appreciate the Administration’s response in the 2018 trade mitigation program including assistance for peanuts through the Food Purchase and Distribution Program and the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP). Although the ATP funds are an investment in the future of the peanut industry, we did not see a market impact of the Food Purchase Program.

American peanut farmers continue to suffer from stagnant prices, fewer new market opportunities and slow international demand. We are very concerned about the Chinese market with tariffs now at 35 percent on farmer stock, 30 percent on shelled peanuts, 40 percent on peanut oil and 20 percent on peanut butter. Peanut sales to China continue to decline. So far in 2019, only 2,000 metric tons have been exported to China from the U.S. Separately, the European Union has levied an additional tariff on U.S. produced peanut butter of 25 percent.

Growers, shellers and buying points have discussed how a second trade mitigation round might help our industry. We believe growers will see the most benefit from participation in the Market Facilitation Program (MFP). Second, we believe research to improve our export markets will help all segments of the industry in the short-term and long-term. The industry is working on critical issues relative to resolving European Union (EU) aflatoxin testing procedures, pesticide and heavy metal residue levels, and additional barriers to EU markets. Specifically, the industry supported organization, The Peanut Institute, has been working on expanding U.S. exports through nutrition science research. Funding for this research would help our efforts to increase peanut exports.

We ask that the Department consider including peanuts as part of the MFP program in the second round of trade mitigation and assist the peanut industry in funding our key export research initiatives at The Peanut Institute.

We appreciate the Administration and USDA’s efforts to continue to find solutions for America’s farmers.”

The Trump Administration announced its plan for tariff mitigation following the retaliatory tariffs imposed by China on May 23. Standing alongside President Trump in the Roosevelt Room of the White House was Donald Chase.

Chase is a peanut farmer from Oglethorpe, Georgia, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Peanut Commission.

The Administration’s plan is a $16 billion aid program intended to help ease the impact of decreased agricultural purchases from China, one of the consequences of the trade war with Beijing. The aid will include $14.5 billion in direct payments to farmers through the market facilitation program. Peanut producers will be eligible for these direct payments. There will be three payment installments, starting in July. Additional payments will come in November and January as needed.

Another $1.4 billion will be allocated to the Food Purchase and Distribution Program to purchase surplus commodities affected by the trade war. Those goods will then be distributed to schools, food banks and other groups.

The remaining $100 million will go to developing new export markets for American producers through the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program.

The SPFF is comprised of the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, the Florida Peanut Producers Association, the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association and the Georgia Peanut Commission. The NPBPA represents America’s 350+ buying locations that receive, weigh, clean, dry, inspect, grade and prepare peanuts for storage and shelling. The APSA works to advance the industry, both at home and abroad. The APSA members handle roughly 90 percent of the U.S. peanut tonnage.

20

Southeastern Peanut Farmer May/June 2019

Administration lifts Section 232 Tariffs The Trump Administration has finalized a deal with Mexico and Canada that lifts steel and aluminum tariffs.

The agricultural community supports the agreement.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue released the following statement after the Section 232 Tariffs were removed from Canada and Mexico. “Today’s announcement is a big win for American agriculture and the economy as a whole. I thank President Trump for negotiating a great deal and for negotiating the removal of these tariffs. Canada and Mexico are two of our top three trading partners, and it is my expectation that they will immediately pull back their retaliatory tariffs against our agricultural products. Congress should move swiftly to ratify the USMCA so American farmers can begin to benefit from the agreement.”

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson of Minnesota issued the following statement, “The removal of tariffs on Canadian and Mexican steel is an encouraging development, because it removes another barrier that was preventing the consideration of USMCA. I look forward to reviewing today’s news in more detail, and I hope this means we can move toward trade deals that stop the harm to the rural economy and restore the export markets for our farmers and ranchers.”

DISASTER AID Long-awaited legislation passes Congress eanut farmers applaud the U.S. House of Representatives passage of the long-awaited disaster aid legislation by 354-58 on June 3. The passage comes eight months after Hurricane Michael devastated portions of Georgia, Alabama and Florida. The passage has come at a critical time as farmers are in the midst of planting their 2019 crops.

Previously, the disaster aid legislation passed the Senate by a vote of 85-8 on May 23. Following the Senate passage, bipartisan leaders had planned for swift action in the House during the Memorial Day break but the legislation was delayed.

In three separate attempts to pass the legislation by unanimous consent, Reps.

Chip Roy, R-Texas; Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky and John Rose, R-Tennessee, objected to approving a funding package of that size without having the full House present to vote. Once the full House resumed on June 3, the legislation passed.

“I am overwhelmingly relieved that Americans will finally receive much needed disaster assistance after months of waiting for the Administration and the Senate to stop playing politics,” says U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Georgia, chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies. “After several unnecessary delays last week by three House GOP members, the vote today sends the disaster bill to the President to be signed into law.”

This package contains $19.1 billion of disaster relief, including $605 million for Puerto Rico’s Nutrition Assistance Program, $300 million for additional Community Development Block Grants for Puerto Rico, $3.2 billion to rebuild military bases like Tyndall Air Force Base and Camp Lejeune, $3.3 billion for flood damage repair, and $3 billion for

P

Hurricane Michael caused damage to crops, barns, infrastructure and irrigation pivots as it wreaked havoc on farms in Alabama, Florida and Georgia this past October.

agricultural losses. Additionally, California will be eligible to receive more than $8 billion in assistance for wildfire recovery.

“We are thankful for the work of Georgia’s Congressional delegation in staying strong and never giving up on passage of the disaster aid legislation,” says Armond Morris, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission. “The work of Senators David Perdue and Johnny Isakson as well as Congressmen Sanford Bishop and Austin Scott have been tremendous in helping farmers obtain the disaster relief that is greatly needed.”

Hurricane Michael impacted agriculture throughout the tri-state area leaving an estimated $3 billion in agricultural damages in Georgia, $1.5 billion in agricultural damages in Florida and $204 million in agricultural damage in Alabama.

“We are pleased that Congress passed a disaster bill,” says Carl Sanders, Alabama Peanut Producers Association president. “This should provide much needed help for our producers.”

For months, congressional leaders from Alabama, Florida and Georgia have worked tirelessly negotiating with the

Administration, members of Congress, visiting areas impacted by the storm to understand the need, and introducing legislation and amendments in order to pass the final disaster aid package.

“We want to thank all of the Congressional Delegation who worked for, supported and finally passed a supplemental appropriations bill that includes aid to farmers and ranchers who experienced extreme losses from Hurricane Michael and other natural disasters in 2018,” says Michael Davis, president of the Florida Peanut Producers Association. “We respectfully request the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture take the necessary actions to implement the program as soon as possible.”

U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Georgia, says, “While I remain frustrated that it has taken eight months to get this relief, today Georgians can rest a little easier knowing that this package has passed through Congress and is on its way to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.”

A summary of the disaster relief package is available online at www.gapeanuts.com. t

BY JOY CROSBY

May/June 2019 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

21

Southern Peanut Growers Southern Peanut Growers Teams Up Southern Peanut Growers Capitalizes on with Alabama Peanut Producers at the National Peanut Board’s New 4 - 6 Months Alabama Chapter, American Academy Campaign for Social Media Promotion The Southern Peanut Growers of Pediatrics Meeting The Alabama Peanut Producers and Southern Peanut Growers teamed up to promote early introduction of peanuts to help prevent peanut allergies at the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics meeting May 2-5.

The booth featured early introduction information and product samples to show how easy it is to introduce peanuts early to help prevent peanut allergy. Attendees also picked up recipes, peanut butter spreaders, Alabama peanuts, and peanut butter sandwich keepers at the booth.

“This is our third year attending Alabama AAP meetings,” says Leslie Wagner, executive director of Southern Peanut Growers. “I was very happy this year to see how far we’ve come. This was completely new information three years ago. Last year we were still offering research and information to doctors who had heard about it but still weren’t sure about making the recommendations. This year, most of the doctors were aware of the recommendations and many were asking us to send 100+ copies of the NPB how to introduce cards to share directly with their patients!”

capitalized on the National Peanut Board’s new 4 - 6 Months campaign to share early introduction information on social media.

National Peanut Board launched the new 4 - 6 Months infant clothing to call more parents to action around introducing peanut products at 4 - 6 months to help prevent peanut allergies. NPB and their clothing partner introduced 10 introduce peanuts early designs which will be available at www.PreventPeanutAllergies.org through May 31. Each purchase directly supports the advancement of allergy solutions through a donation to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

SPG used the launch to create early introduction gift boxes to be given away to new parents and grandparents through a social media contest on Instagram and Facebook. The boxes included two of each (one to keep and one to share!) — 4 - 6 Months onesies, information cards on early introduction, Puffworks baby peanut butter puffs, PB2 powdered peanut butter, Jif-To-Go cups, MyPeanut squeezable pouches of blended peanuts and apples and MeWe flavored peanut butter from the makers of life-saving Plumpy Nut. The social media outreach gained 1,323 total impressions on Instagram (up 169 percent) and 8,866 total impressions on Facebook (up 74 percent). Three lucky winners were randomly selected from entrants to receive an early introduction gift box from SPG.

Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes Ingredients: 1/2 cup 4% fat cottage cheese 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pure maple syrup 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 cup peanut powder 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour

Directions: In a blender, add cottage cheese & almond milk & blend until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, maple syrup & baking powder to blender & pulse just until mixed. Add peanut powder & flour to blender & blend until fully incorporated, taking care not to overmix batter.

Heat non stick pan over medium-low heat; coat with butter or coconut oil. When butter starts to bubble, pour batter into pan. Flip when surface of pancake starts to form bubbles; cook until both sides are golden; remove from heat. To freeze pancakes, stack pancakes with wax paper in between layers & place in freezer safe bag.

Recipe courtesy of Kristina LaRue, RD, CSSD at www.loveandzest.com.

Marketing arm of

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