2012 Peanut Achievement Club winners
T
he University of Georgia has recognized ten farmers as members of the 2012 Peanut Achievement Club for producing high yields in 2012. The farmers were honored at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference held this past summer in Panama City Beach, Fla. The Georgia peanut producers recognized included Art Dorminy of Irwin County with a yield of 6,808 pounds per acre from 322 acres, Al Sudderth of Calhoun County with a yield of 6,623 pounds per acre from 411.9 acres, Eddie Miller, Jr., of Seminole County with a yield of 6,752 pounds per acre from 637.9 acres, Michael David Selph of Wilcox County with a yield of 6,610 pounds per acre from 577.3 acres, Philip Grimes from Tift County with a yield of 6,474 pounds per acre from 659.1 acres, Jimmy Webb of Calhoun County with a yield of 6,465 pounds per are from 890 acres, Kevin Rentz of Decatur County with a yield of 5,376 pounds per acre from 974.9 acres, Ken Hall from Worth County with a yield of 5,252 pounds per acre from 1,266 acres, Wayne Sayer of Irwin County with a yield of 5,301 pounds per acre from 3,889 acres, and Eddie Miller, III of Seminole County with a yield of 6,383 pounds per acre from 179 acres. Many of these high yield producers or members of their families have been recognized by the Achievement Club in previous years. Statewide yields increased considerably in 2012, from 3,625 pounds per acre in 2011 to the whopping 4,550 pounds per acre for 2012. However, average yields for the newest members of the Achievement Club were up only slightly in 2012, from 6,202 pounds per acre in 2011 to 6,204 pounds per acre in 2012. Nathan Smith, University of Georgia Extension economist, has analyzed some of the production practices from the highyield producers. He says most of the farmers are using four-year crop rotations. In addition to peanuts, the other crops in their rotations typically include cotton and corn. The dominant peanut variety for all of the 2012 growers was Georgia-06G. Three of the ten farms planted Georgia
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Highest Average Yield in the 100-300 acre category Eddie Miller III - Seminole County 6,383 lbs/acre on 179 acres Highest Average Yield in the 300 acres and above category (and highest overall average yield in Georgia in 2012) Art Dorminy - Irwin County 6,808 lbs/acre on 322 acres The remaining eight producers are recognized for highest yields in the 300-700 acre category and 700 acre plus category: 300-700 acre category Al Sudderth – Calhoun County 6,623 lbs/acre on 411.9 acres Eddie Miller Jr. - Seminole County 6,752 lbs/acre on 637.9 acres Michael David Selph - Wilcox County 6,610 lbs/acre on 577.3 acres Philip Grimes – Tift County 6,474 lbs/acre on 659.1 acres 700 acres plus category Jimmy Webb - Calhoun County Kevin Rentz - Decatur County Ken Hall - Worth County Wayne Sayer - Irwin County
6,465 5,376 5,252 5,301
lbs/acre lbs/acre lbs/acre lbs/acre
on on on on
890 acres 974.9 acres 1,266 acres 3,889 acres
The Georgia Peanut Achievement Club is sponsored by Syngenta and BASF.
Greener and Georgia-07W in addition to Georgia-06G. “All but one of the Achievement Club farmers from the past three years planted in twin rows,” said Smith. “These farms used seeding rates of six to ten seed per foot.” Bottom plowing was also used extensively in land preparation, according to Smith. He sees a declining trend among the high yield producers in the use of disk harrows and field cultivators. Ken Hall of Worth County was the only producer from the 2012 Achievement Club to use strip till planting. “I plant my peanuts into rye cover crops,” he says. “I started farming in 1980 right out of high school.” He was recognized for his yields by the Achievement Club in 2008, 2009, 2011 and for 2012. “We missed being recognized in 2010
Southeastern Peanut Farmer October/November 2013
because another farm had a higher yield by one pound per acre,” he adds. In earlier years, his father, Ken Hall, Sr., won the high yield award many times. This year, the Halls have not needed irrigation for their peanuts. Last year, the high yields were produced with about eight inches of water in ten irrigation applications. Phillip Grimes of Tift County has been a consistent member of the Achievement Club, going back some 20 years when he said he was first recognized for a yield of about 5,200 pounds per acre. John Beasley, University of Georgia Extension peanut agronomist, explained that the Achievement Club winners are recognized by region within the state and by acreage category. Separate awards are