October/November 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Cover crops Peanut Leadership Academy hosts session in West Texas n Congressional staff tour the Southeastern peanut belt A communication service of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

Contents October/November 2017

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

Mickey Diamond, farmer from Jay, Florida, discusses his favorite cover crop, rye, and the value of cover crops for his peanut and cotton crop.

Diamond likes to spray the cover crop with a herbicide and then roll it within the hour with his cover crop rollercrimper implement.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rye - Diamond’s favorite cover crop for peanuts and cotton

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Peanut Leadership Academy holds session in West Texas Members of Class X of the Peanut Leadership Academy completed their third session by learning about Texas agriculture and receiving media training from communication professionals in West Texas.

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Congressional staff tour held in Southeast The Southern Peanut Farmers Federation hosted 14 congressional staff members in South Georgia for a peanut educational tour of a farm, shelling plant and the University of Georgia Tifton Campus.

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: Mickey Diamond, farmer in Jay, Florida, uses rye as his main cover crop for his peanuts and cotton crop. Photo by John Leidner.

October/November 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Opinion Editorial

Calendar of Events

Power - Direct, Supply or Move ower is a word with various meanings but one meaning of the word, providing electrical energy, was missed by many people who lost their power in September. Even now, some families may still be without power from one of the many hurricanes wreaking havoc in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and other places this fall.

In addition to the verb definition of power - “supply (a device) with mechanical or electrical energy,” the noun definition - “the ability to do something or act in a particular way or the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events” fits the peanut industry. Even though many in the peanut industry may have lost power or had damage to other crops they grow, the industry as a whole came together to donate peanut butter to the areas with the hardest hit.

By joining forces together, we can continue to donate peanut butter through Peanut Proud, the U.S. peanut industry humanitarian relief organization. Together, we make a powerful statement when the pallets of peanut butter with a Peanut Proud label on it arrives at a food bank or disaster relief center. We may never know what kind of influence we may have in the future on others when they decide what to donate in disaster situations. Hopefully, they will choose peanut butter!

My family went without power for four days. It wasn’t too bad but by the last day, I think we had enough. My four-year-old son, Eli, still today when praying before a meal will thank God for our power. However, we are very grateful that is all we lost. I can’t imagine what others are going through who lost everything in the storms.

One night after our power returned we were out eating at a restaurant and saw some linemen at the table beside us. We explained to Eli what the linemen do and he immediately ran over to their table and said, “Thanks for the power!” Of course, they were most likely not the ones who restored our power but they were very appreciative of Eli’s thank you. Those linemen had been working in Florida and were on their way back home to Arkansas.

So, whether you lost power for a couple of hours or days, donated peanut butter or other items to a food bank for hurricane relief or just said “thank you” to a lineman and to God, then you understand the word power. You lived without it for a while and you showed power through your donation or gratitude of thankfulness. t

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u Sunbelt Ag Expo, Oct. 17-19, 2017, Moultrie, Georgia. For more information visit sunbeltexpo.com or call 229-985-1968.

u Georgia Peanut Festival, Oct. 21, 2017, Sylvester, Georgia. For more information visit gapeanutfestival.org. u National Peanut Festival, Nov. 3-12, 2017, Dothan, Alabama. For more information visit nationalpeanutfestival.com. u Georgia Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, Dec. 3-5, 2017, Jekyll Island, Georgia. For more information visit gfb.org. u American Peanut Council Winter Conference, Dec. 6-7, 2017, Washington Marriott at Metro Center, Washington, D.C. For more information visit peanutsusa.com. u Georgia Peanut Farm Show, Jan. 18, 2018, University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center, Tifton, Georgia. For more information visit gapeanuts.com. u Georgia Peanut Commission Research Report Day, Feb. 7, 2018, NESPAL, Tifton, Georgia. For more information visit gapeanuts.com.

Joy Carter Crosby Editor

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

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer October/November 2017

Rye eanuts and cotton are the main crops grown by farmer Mickey Diamond of Jay, Florida.

On heavy land, he grows two crops of cotton followed by peanuts, and on sandy land, he grows one year of cotton followed by one year of peanuts.

Rye is his main cover crop. “I have used wheat, rye and oats as cover crops, but I like rye the best,” he says.

“I have a lot of neighbors who plant into heavy cover crop residues, and it does well for them,” Diamond says. He is convinced that his cotton benefits directly from cover crops, and says his peanuts benefit from some, but not too much, cover crop residue.

During the 2017 growing season, Diamond hosted a demonstration project on his farm aimed at finding out how much water can be stored in soil protected by cover crops. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services,

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Diamond’s favorite peanut cover crop

the Extension Service from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and the USDANatural Resources Conservation Service were among the agencies taking part. A grant helped pay for a private firm, BMP Logic, to supply and install the soil moisture sensors used for the project.

Diamond says he kills and rolls his cover crops well ahead of peanut planting.

“I don’t want to let the cover crop get too thick before I plant peanuts,” he adds.

Moisture conservation is one of the primary benefits to cover crop residue, and Diamond says he gets a similar effect by planting his peanuts in close rows and obtaining a good early stand so that peanuts will lap the row middles early in the growing season.

Diamond has learned that rye is a good cover crop for suppressing competing weeds, and for helping to suppress crop-damaging nematodes, while also scavenging nitrogen supplies from

Mickey Diamond, Jay, Fla., has been pleased with these 2017 peanuts planted after rye.

previous crops while maintaining N levels in the soil to be used by the main crop that follows.

John Baggett works as the Best Management Practices (BMP) technician for Santa Rosa, Escambia and Okaloosa counties in Florida for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. He worked on a project at Diamond’s farm that involved measuring soil moisture levels after cover crops.

Based on the data collected on Diamond’s farm, Baggett says there is more moisture in the soil where cover crops are grown.

And this was true even during the 2017 growing season with frequent rainfall that kept overall soil moisture at good levels for crop growth.

“Using strip till planting into cover crops is the number one BMP for nutrient Continued on page 6

October/November 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Mickey Diamond, farmer from Jay, Fla., used state cost-share money to help buy this cover crop roller-crimper implement.

Continued from page 5

management,” Baggett says. He adds that rye seed costs about $15 per 50-pound bag, and that planting rye with a no-till drill will cost about $39 per acre if planting 90 pounds of seed per acre.

By comparison, a winter wheat cover crop will cost about $36.15 per acre for the seed and planting. Black oats is a more expensive cover crop with seed and planting costs at $42 per acre at 60 lbs. per acre on black oats, according to Baggett. He notes that black oats are especially good for suppressing damaging nematodes.

Baggett also helps to administer a state cost sharing program through the Office of Agricultural Water Policy that focuses on Water Quality and Water Quantity that helped provide some of the

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funds that Diamond used to buy a cover crop roller implement.

Mike Mulvaney, cropping systems specialist at the University of Florida, who works at Jay, Florida, says the project on Diamond’s farm can be useful to agencies such as USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Mulvaney says data showing improved soil moisture using cover crops, along with results from similar studies, are needed to persuade NRCS officials to increase cost share funding to help pay farmers for the costs of cover crop seed and increase the adoption of cover crops in the region.

The soil moisture probes can also be equipped with telemetry or wireless communication to relay soil moisture data so it could be analyzed. Mulvaney says

Southeastern Peanut Farmer October/November 2017

that farmers who use soil moisture sensors may want to consider signing up for the wireless service that would communicate the data to the farm office and thus save trips to the field to record the soil moisture data.

Mulvaney says such studies are especially useful on farms that do not irrigate. Without supplemental irrigation, conserving the moisture that falls naturally in rainfall is vitally important.

“We’ve seen more water in the soil where he had a cover crop, and this was especially true after Aug. 2 when it turned dry,” Diamond says.

More water infiltrates into the soil where cover crops are grown because less water runs off the field after heavy rains, while cover crops limit the amount of water that evaporates during dry spells, according to Mulvaney. “We saw that on Mickey Diamond’s field,” he adds.

The demonstration project was conducted in one of Diamond’s cotton fields. It’s possible that some of the same findings would hold up on his adjacent peanut fields.

Diamond wondered whether the cover crop could cause his main crop to produce shallower roots. Mulvaney said that would depend on the year. “You will have shallow roots in a well- watered field,” Mulvaney says. “If you have a dry field, the plant will send its roots deeper to get moisture. Normally we think that we want deep roots, but we don’t want the plant to spend a lot of energy trying to find water.”

Diamond uses an application of glyphosate to kill the cover crop before using his crimper roller to flatten the cover crop into a mat of vegetation on the ground. “The cover crop needs to be thick to get it to roll good,” Diamond says. “We experimented with rye and oats as cover crops. My favorite is rye.”

His worst weed in establishing his cover crop is annual bluegrass. While annual bluegrass can choke out cover crop seedlings, Diamond was able to overcome the annual bluegrass by planting 100 pounds of rye seed per acre.

He says annual bluegrass isn’t as big a concern for farmers who use conventional tillage.

Diamond says his Harrell cover crop roller is easy to transport. The implement rolls and crimps the cover crop with one pass. The roller is 38 feet wide. In the field, it covers an area equal to 12 rows

Bahiagrass and the cover crops that make great peanuts rothers James, Ross and William Terry of Lake City, Florida, rotate bahiagrass with their peanuts. They grow bahiagrass for four to five years, followed by three consecutive years of peanuts. They remove bahiagrass hay from their fields, but do not harvest peanut hay. They haven’t yet seen any peanut yield declines, even during the third consecutive year of growing peanuts.

University of Florida agronomist David Wright has long advocated sod-based peanut rotations like those used by the Terry brothers. Wright says aflatoxin is less likely in peanuts that follow grazing crops such as bahiagrass.

He believes that is because the peanut roots grow deeper following the grazing crops. Wright says peanut roots reach depths of 40 inches when grown after bahiagrass, but only 16 to 18 inches where no bahiagrass is grown in the rotation. In his studies, peanut root mass was doubled when planted after grazing crops such as bahiagrass.

Wright says research studies at Quincy, Florida, are producing peanut yields of 6,500 to 8,000 pounds using the Georgia-06G variety planted after bahiagrass. He notes that the bahiagrass in these plots was not grazed.

In his plots that were grazed, Wright says the peanuts were planted with strip tillage into killed bahiagrass that was overseeded with small grain. Wright says

this cover cropping system did not increase peanut yields, but it did result in the better rooting and less aflatoxin for these peanuts. He also noted that cotton yields were increased by about 200 pounds of lint per acre when the cotton that was strip tilled into killed bahia overseeded with small grain.

“You need to slow down during digging when harvesting peanuts after bahiagrass,” Wright says.

Wright has also evaluated several other peanut rotations. One that he likes includes field corn followed by sunn hemp as a late summer cover crop. Sunn hemp is a legume that’s known to reduce nematode populations. Sunn hemp is also killed by frost, so Wright suggests that another cover crop such as rye could be planted during winter to utilize the nitrogen from the sunn hemp.

Another cover crop mix for peanuts that Wright likes includes rye and lupine planted after cotton harvest. “Lupine will help the soil be more mellow as the nitrogen from the lupine will help decompose the roots and the tops of the rye,” Wright says.

He suggests planting 30 pounds of rye seed per acre along with 15 pounds of lupine seed per acre. He says this mix should be planted after cotton is harvested and by Nov. 15.

“Allow the rye and lupine to head out, and then kill the cover crops by April 1,” Wright says. He says these cover crops could be killed a few weeks

that are 36 inches wide. “We can cover a lot of ground with this roller running 7.5 miles per hour,” Diamond says. “It’s not hard to roll and crimp 200 acres per day.”

“We see a tremendous benefit to cover crops if you are timely in getting the cover crops planted, and then in controlling the cover crop before planting your main crop,” Diamond says. “I like to spray the cover crop with a herbicide and roll it within the hour. I want to get it rolled while fresh and green since it rolls better green.”

Mulvaney suggests that if farmers

roll green cover crops, they should do it while the crop is in the soft dough stage.

Diamond sprays Roundup the same day before rolling the cover crop.

Diamond and Mulvaney agree that farmers can roll and plant their main crops in the same direction if the cover crop is thick. But if the cover crop is thin, planting can be in a different direction from the rolling.

“I have used the roller on cover crops before planting my peanuts,” Diamond says. “But I like to keep the cover crops thin for planting peanuts. I don’t like to

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University of Florida agronomist David Wright sees less aflatoxin in peanut crops that follow bahiagrass for grazing.

earlier if the soil conditions are dry and dry weather is in the forecast.

Wright also says that a cover crop roller could be used after the rye and lupine have headed out. Herbicides could be used to spray the cover crops to kill them a week or so later.

If rye is used alone as the cover crop, Wright suggests increasing the seeding rate and then adding 30 to 40 pounds of nitrogen in January to boost the growth of the rye cover.

Wright has also evaluated daikon or tillage radish as a cover crop, and found that it did not grow through the compacted soil layer as he had hoped.

“The tillage radish seemed to grow in the topsoil above the compacted layer,” Wright says.

“We use strip tillage for peanuts in our studies and continue to make high yields,” Wright says. “We are doing studies to determine if treatments are needed for burrower bugs.” t

BY JOHN LEIDNER plant peanuts into thick covers. For peanuts, I like to kill the rye early when it is about knee high. That gives the cover crop a little time to decompose before I plant my peanuts.”

He notes that wheat may be an easier cover crop to kill before peanuts. “For peanuts, you don’t want your cover crop to last more than about 90 days,” Diamond says. “When the peanut plants are lapped, the peanuts will hold their own moisture in the soil.” t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

October/November 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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

Banks and financial institutions celebrate peanuts during Georgia Peanut Bank Week The Georgia Peanut Commission and the Georgia Bankers Association join forces Oct. 16-20, 2017, in an effort to promote Georgia’s peanut industry during the 41st annual Georgia Peanut Bank Week. Financial institutions and local banks across the state will offer a tribute to Georgia’s 3,400 peanut farm families and the sustainability they provide to Georgia’s state and local economies.

The 2017 theme, “Peanuts: Sustaining Georgia’s Rural Economy,” will showcase the sustainability peanuts provide on and off the farm, as well as highlight the fact Georgia peanuts contribute more than $1.3 billion annually to the state’s economy; a contribution that helps maintain Georgia’s largest industry: agriculture.

APPA promotes peanuts during ALFA’s Commodity Conference Grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were the talk of the Alabama Farmers Federation Commodity Conference Expo held recently in Birmingham, Alabama.

Hundreds lined up to sample the sandwiches that were prepared by Alabama Peanut Producers Association board and staff.

Pictured right: ALFA president Jimmy Parnell samples grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches prepared by Donna and Carl Sanders, APPA president, and Caleb Bristow, APPA executive director.

APPA promotes peanuts at Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Conference Alabama Peanut Producers Association and Southern Peanut Growers (SPG) provided the latest on peanut allergy during exhibit hours at the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Conference in Birmingham, Alabama, on Sept. 29-30, 2017. There were about 200 pediatric providers in attendance. Many of the offices represented ordered copies of the “How can I Introduce Peanut Protein to My Infant?” brochure for parents. Leslie Wagner, SPG, also made a good contact with the state WIC (Women with Infant Children program) office and offered programming to make sure their client counselors have the latest information on introducing peanuts early to help prevent allergy.

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer October/November 2017

Georgia Peanut Commission promotes peanuts through sporting events across the state The Georgia Peanut Commission exhibited at the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff Game at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, Sept. 24, 2017. During the event, GPC promoted peanuts at Fans were able to sample peanut an exhibit in the Fan Zone products at the Georgia Peanut Commission exhibit in the Fan twice reaching an Zone at the Chick-fil-A Kickoff estimated 40,000 fans. In Game. the exhibit, fans had the opportunity to sample roasted peanuts, peanut butter powder donated by Crazy Richards Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter Clusters donated

by Little Debbie. Fans were also able to snap a photo of themselves with the GPC Instagram photo board and post it on social media.

To further the promotion, GPC designed a full-page ad in the game program and promoted peanuts through the videoboard and LED ribbon board throughout both of the weekend football games, which had a record attendance of 151,437 fans. Prior to the event, GPC was listed as an official sponsor on the game Fans were also able to website. snap a photo with the Throughout the fall, the Georgia Peanut Instagram Georgia Peanut Commission sign. sponsored peanut promotional advertisements with the Atlanta Braves baseball and the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech football.

Thirty-second and 10-second promotional messages aired on the Atlanta Braves Radio Network through 680 The Fan, which has approximately 3.5 million listeners per week throughout the Southeast from July to October.

Also, a 30-second promotional message airs during the UGA and Georgia Tech football season through IMG, where up to 56 radio affiliates broadcast the message.

The commission will also be promoting peanuts in the Statesboro area on the campus of Georgia Southern through radio ads, website and in-game promotions on the video board and a tailgate for their Ag Day event prior to the Nov. 5 football game.

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

Florida Peanut Producers Association awards scholarships The Florida Peanut Producers Association (FPPA) recently presented two $1,200 scholarships to Grace Daffin of Marianna, Florida, and Marcus Bishop of Marianna, Florida. Each of these winners will receive $600 for the first semester and the remaining $600 after the completion of one semester and documentation of passing grades are submitted to the FPPA Office.

“The Florida Peanut Producers Association is committed to helping further the education of young people in Florida and the scholarship program is evidence of our commitment,” says Ken Barton, executive director of FPPA. Daffin plans to finish her Associates of Art at Chipola College then transfer to Florida State University for both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees to achieve her goal of becoming a speech language pathologist. Throughout high school Daffin excelled in her academics and was heavily involved in extracurricular activities in which she held active leadership roles not only in her school but also as Miss Jackson County 2016-2017. She also represented Ken Barton (right), Florida Peanut Producers Association Jackson County when she competed in the 2016 Miss executive director, presents National Peanut Festival pageant and placed third Grace Daffin, Marianna, Fla., runner-up. Daffin has a background in peanuts through with a FPPA scholarship. her step father Bud Bagget who is an active member on the FPPA board.

Bishop plans to finish his Associates of Art at Chipola then transfer to either the University of Florida, South Eastern University, or continue his education at Chipola College for a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in both agricultural business and computer science.

Throughout being homeschooled Marcus was active within his community through playing on sports teams, Ken Barton (right), Florida serving a youth preacher for his church, and working on Peanut Producers Association his family farm. He has a background in peanuts executive director, presents Marcus Bishop, Marianna, Fla., through his family farm and has been operating the with a FPPA scholarship. tractor since a young age.

Florida Peanut Producers Association welcomes new intern

Mason Taylor, Florida Peanut Producers Association intern from Cottondale, Fla.

This past July, the Florida Peanut Producers Association (FPPA) welcomed a new intern on staff. This intern is responsible for helping share the message of peanut producers and peanut production on social media outlets. The FPPA intern, Mason Taylor is a 2016 graduate of Cottondale High School in Cottondale, Florida. He recently retired in June from his position as the Area I State Vice President of the Florida FFA Association. He took off his freshmen year of college to advocate for agriculture, share the FFA message, and travel all over the state of Florida. He is now currently a student at Chipola College in Marianna, Florida, working towards his Associates of Arts in Professional Communications.

Mississippi Peanut Growers presents Don Self Memorial Scholarship to Hendrix The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association (MPGA) Don Self Memorial Endowed Scholarship for 2017-2018 has been awarded to Tristen Hendrix of Hoover, Alabama. He is a junior majoring in agribusiness.

Hendrix is the second student to be awarded this scholarship which was established in memory of Don Self, former board member for the MPGA and the National Peanut Board.

Self was a life-long farmer in the Hamilton community of Monroe County, Mississippi, and one of the pioneer peanut growers in Northeast Mississippi.

Mississippi Peanut Growers fund research grants The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association along with funding from the National Peanut Board has funded four research grants to scientists at Mississippi State University.

Two of the grants are continued funding for Standardization of Mississippi Peanut Variety Trials and Evaluation of Optimum Peanut Rotation Length as Affected by the presence or Absence of Soybean in Rotation. The third grant, Determining the Viability of Nitrogen Rescue Treatments in Mississippi Peanuts, will involve nitrogen rescue treatments where peanuts were not properly inoculated at planting. The fourth grant, Impact of Defoliating Insect Pests on Peanut Yields and Management, is using the introduction of insect cages with known insect populations (caterpillars) defoliating the peanut plants to see what numbers might be allowed before yield loss occurs.

October/November 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Checkoff Report continued Georgia Peanut Commission promotes peanuts at Celebrate Freedom in Atlanta The Georgia Peanut Commission promoted peanuts to 50,000 plus people in the metro Atlanta area at the 2017 Celebrate Freedom Festival at Jim R. Miller Park in Marietta, Sept. 2, Leslie Wagner (left), executive director 2017. GPC was a of Southern Peanut Growers, and sponsor of the Live Jessie Bland (right), project coordinator with the Georgia Peanut Well Pavilion and Commission, promoting peanuts at distributed peanut the 2017 Celebrate Freedom Festival. samples and nutrition information to attendees of all ages. Two lucky winners also walked away with a year’s supply of peanut butter and a Georgia Peanuts gift basket.

The Celebrate Freedom Festival is hosted by Salem Media Group and Atlanta, faith-based radio station, 104.7 The Fish. The day-long event offers attendees a free Christian and gospel music concert featuring well-known industry artists, as well as opportunities to interact with organizations from across the state.

FPPA sponsors Florida FFA Proficiency Award Each year at the annual Florida FFA State Convention & Expo the Florida Peanut Producers Association sponsors the Fiber and/or Oil Crop Production proficiency award. This award is presented annually to a student that shows excellence through their Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project. To qualify for this area, the student must own the enterprise, or work for a business that includes the best management practices available to efficiently produce and market crops for fiber and/or oil such as cotton, sisal, hemp, soybeans, sesame seed, flax, mustard, canola, castor beans, sunflower, peanuts, dill, spearmint and safflower. This year’s award winner is Tyler Voorhees of the Bronson FFA chapter.

Voorhees’ SAE project consists of working for Sandlin Farms out of Williston, Florida; where he assists in the growing of 1,700 acres of peanuts. Voorhees assists in all aspects of peanut production. All of the peanuts produced at Sandlin Farms are sold to Williston peanuts, where they are used to make peanut butter and roasted peanuts.

Through his project, he has learned how to use several new pieces of farm equipment and how to properly maintain and service them.

“This can be beneficial later in life, if I decide to go into the mechanical side of the industry,” Voorhees says.

He is a member of the Bronson Senior FFA Chapter and his advisor is Marcia Smith. Voorhees also received a silver ranking on his application by the National FFA Organization.

American Peanut Council hosts Canadian journalists for peanut harvest tour he American Peanut Council hosted a group of 12 influential Canadian journalists, bloggers, dietitians, and nutritionists for a peanut harvest tour in Southern Georgia. The attendees included representatives from both television and print outlets as well as from high-profile food and health blogs.

The tour kicked off with a stop at the William Brown Farm Market in Montezuma, where participants learned about the history of the stand before sampling fresh boiled peanuts and homemade peach ice cream. Next, the group visited a peanut field near Oglethorpe, where Farmer Glen Lee Chase explained the growing and harvesting process while providing a digging demonstration. He also shared some of the wisdom he’s collected through the past 65 years of growing peanuts.

Day Two of the tour began with a tour of Tifton Quality Peanuts, where the journalists learned about how peanuts are processed and stored after they leave the field while touring the company’s shelling

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Glen Lee Chase (left), farmer from Oglethorpe, Ga., visits with Canadian food editors during a field visit on the peanut harvest tour.

plant, blanching plant, and unique domed peanut warehouses. Next, the group traveled to the Georgia Peanut Commission offices in Tifton, where Executive Director Don Koehler and staff served the editors a multi-course lunch featuring peanuts and peanut butter in every dish. Following the meal, Scott Monfort, University of Georgia Extension peanut agronomist, provided an update on

Southeastern Peanut Farmer October/November 2017

the current peanut crop and answered questions about the science behind peanut farming.

The group then traveled to the Mother Administered Nutritive Aid (MANA) production facility in Fitzgerald to learn about how the company’s peanutbased RUTF and RUSF products are helping to address severe child malnutrition around the world.

The day ended with a reception and dinner in Plains featuring former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, along with other members of the Carter Family. On the final day of the tour the journalists enjoyed the Plains Peanut Festival.

Throughout the tour, attendees provided updates and photos for their social media followers and are now working on longer stories for their various news outlets and blogs. The American Peanut Council wishes to thank all the industry representatives who helped to make this year’s tour such a tremendous success. t

BY PETER VLAZAKIS

These veggies okay in peanut rotation Results of a University of Georgia study show that doublecropped sweet corn and eggplant did not hurt peanut yields in a rotation that also included a year of field corn.

University of Georgia cropping systems agronomist Scott Tubbs says that crop rotation is one of the best tools for minimizing soil-borne pest damage in peanuts. He also notes that low crop prices have prompted farmers to explore the potential of other crops besides corn and cotton, the traditional rotation crops with peanuts in the Southeast.

Tubbs and his colleagues evaluated the incidence of root knot nematodes, southern stem rot or white mold and rhizoctonia limb rot in peanuts grown with four

rotations. The rotations were: 1. corn-cornpeanut; 2. cotton-corn-peanut; 3. doublecropped sweet corn and eggplant-cornpeanut; and 4. continuous peanuts.

The test also included three levels of nematode control that Tubbs labeled as premium, moderate, and non-treated.

As you might expect, root galling from nematodes and the incidence of both white mold and limb rot were worse in the continuous peanuts. During only one of the study’s seven years, there was more stem rot and limb rot in the cotton-corn-peanut rotation than in the vegetable-corn-peanut rotation.

For each year of the trial, peanut yields were highest in the corn-corn-peanut and the vegetable-corn-peanut rotations.

Yields were lowest in the continuous peanuts.

Tubbs says the study showed the importance of using a good rotation in reducing pest incidence and increasing peanut yields.

Based on the study, a rotation that includes doublecropped sweet corn and eggplant will not hurt peanut yields. Peanut yields from this rotation were just as good as those from the corn-corn-peanut rotation.

According to Tubbs, a premium nematicide program should benefit poorly rotated peanuts, but such benefits are not enough to equal the yields of peanuts grown in a good rotation. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

How cover crops tolerate herbicides Plant oats if you’re worried about residual cotton and peanut herbicides hurting your cover crops.

That’s the conclusion of a study by Auburn University scientists who evaluated 12 soil herbicides and their effects on six potential cover crops. The study took place at two locations, the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center at Headland, Alabama, and the E.V. Smith Research and Extension Center near Shorter, Alabama.

Extension weed scientist Steve Li says the cover crops evaluated included daikon radish, cereal rye, oats, crimson clover, winter wheat and common vetch. The herbicides in the test were Dual Magnum, Warrant, Zidua, Strongarm, Cadre, Classic, Storm, Staple LX, Envoke, Direx, Caparol and Valor. Each herbicide was applied on the day the cover crops were planted at 10 percent of the labeled rates, according to Li. Herbicides were incorporated in with irrigation within the next day. All cover crops were planted with a grain drill in mid-October.

Seven of these herbicides, Dual Magnum, Warrant, Zidua, Strongarm, Cadre, Classic and Storm, injured the rye and wheat cover crop stands. At 50 days after planting, the growth reductions from these herbicides for the rye were about 3052 percent, and 28-75 percent for the wheat.

Li reports that Dual Magnum, Zidua and Warrant caused the most damage to the rye, wheat and vetch stands.

All 12 of the tested herbicides reduced the stands of the vetch. Direx, Cadre and Classic caused the most damage to the

daikon radish cover crop.

By 150 days after planting, all of the cover crops recovered from the herbicide damage, according to Li. No significant stand and yield loss were found as compared to non-treated check.

Overall, the oats showed the most

tolerance to these herbicides and the vetch is the most sensitive cover crop species. Based on the study, Li recommends that producers plant oats as a cover crop if there is a concern for residual herbicide injury. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

October/November 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Peanut Leadership Academy hosts third session in West Texas embers of Class X of the Peanut Leadership Academy (PLA) completed session three of the 18-month program Aug. 14-17, 2017, in Lubbock, Texas. This session focused on learning about Texas agriculture and receiving media training from communication professionals.

Day one of the session began with farm tours in Brownfield, Texas. Jarred Ericson, former PLA graduate, gave attendees a tour of his family’s operation, Lahey Farms, where participants were able to see just how different Texas peanut production is when compared to its Southeastern and Virginia/Carolina counterparts. After visiting with Ericson, attendees toured Birdsong Peanuts’ shelling facility in Brownfield and Texas Wine Company (TWC) in Meadow.

Birdsong’s Brownfield plant, the newest shelling plant in the Birdsong system, can handle up to 175,000 tons per year and is unique in that they can (and have) shelled all four types of peanuts grown in the United States. TWC focuses on custom crushing and wine formulations and caters to a growing Texas wine industry led by winegrowers like Andy Timmons, who farms peanuts, as well. The class rounded out the day by visiting some local farms that grow organic peanuts and learning about their production methods.

Training with media professionals

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kicked off day two. PLA participants were given media training from a local news representative, as well as Leslie Wagner, executive director of Southern Peanut Growers. Class members were able to participate in interviews and receive feedback on ways to improve, how to dress for an interview, preparation techniques, etc. To conclude the day, participants visited with a local cotton grower about his current crop, as well as toured Lubbock Feeders and South Plains Compost. Lubbock Feeders is a large-scale feed yard located on the southeast side of Lubbock with a capacity of approximately 30,000 cattle. South Plains Compost, parent company of Back to Nature, Inc., supplies bagged cotton burr composts and blends to the lawn and garden industry.

The Peanut Leadership Academy, sponsored by Syngenta Crop Protection and the American Peanut Shellers Association and coordinated by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, provides leadership training for young farmers and sheller representatives within the U.S. peanut industry. Throughout the program, participants gain valuable leadership skills to be used in the future and are given an insight into many different issues the peanut industry faces.

Current participating states include: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina Texas and

Virginia.

Class X of the Peanut Leadership Academy will be traveling to Washington, D.C. in late February/early March for their fourth and final education session.

Additional information on the Peanut Leadership Academy is available online at southernpeanutfarmers.org. t

BY JESSIE BLAND

Pictured left to right: Peanut Leadership Academy (PLA) class members David Rushing, Zach Morris and Jonathan Mann take a look at some organic peanuts grown by former PLA graduate, Jarred Ericson.

Jarred Ericson, former Peanut Leadership Academy graduate, visits with the group at Lahey Farms and talks about the farm’s operation.

Peanut Leadership Academy Class X pictured with sponsors and staff in West Texas.

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer October/November 2017

Members of the Peanut Leadership Academy toured Texas Wine Company and learned about different grape varieties.

Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference set for January 18 roducers can fine-tune their farming operation with information gained at the 42nd annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference, held at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center, Jan. 18, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Peanut farmers and those involved in the peanut industry will be able to learn more about the latest products, services and peanut research at the 2018 Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference. The show is sponsored and coordinated by the Georgia Peanut Commission.

The one-day show offers farmers a full day to view the products and services of more than 100 exhibitors and a day of education. A free luncheon begins at noon for all peanut farmers in attendance and an opportunity for farmers to win more than $40,000 in door prizes. The Georgia Peanut Commission will present a short program beginning at 12:15 p.m. that will cover award presentations and other special recognitions.

The University of Georgia will present an educational peanut production seminar from 9:00 until 10:30 a.m.

An industry seed seminar will also be held from 10:35 to 11:35 a.m. during the show. This event is sponsored by the American Peanut Shellers Association Committee on Variety & Seed Development, Peanut Foundation,

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Peanut farmers and those involved in the peanut industry will be able to learn more about the latest products, services and peanut research at the 2018 Georgia Peanut Farm Show set for Jan. 18, 2018, at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center.

Southern Peanut Farmers Federation and the Georgia Peanut Commission. Growers will be able to learn about farm-saved seed, peanut varieties available for 2018 and varieties on the horizon.

Farmers will also have the opportunity to earn credit toward their private or commercial pesticide applicator certification.

The Georgia Peanut Commission, in cooperation with One Blood, will hold a blood drive from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center during the show.

For more information on the show, contact GPC at 229-386-3470 or online at www.gapeanuts.com. t

Georgia Young Peanut Farmer award nominations due Dec. 15 Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Georgia Young Peanut Farmer. The state winner will be announced during the Georgia Peanut Farm Show on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018, in Tifton, Georgia. The award is sponsored by the Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) and BASF. The Outstanding Georgia Young Peanut Farmer Award is based upon the applicant’s overall farm operation; environmental and stewardship practices; and leadership, civic, church, and

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community service activities.

“We have so many young peanut farmers making a difference in their communities and I consider this awards program a great opportunity to recognize one young peanut farmer for their contributions to the agricultural industry,” says Armond Morris, GPC chairman.

The award is open for any active Georgia peanut farmer who is not over 45 years of age, as of Jan. 18, 2018. An individual may receive the award only once. There is no limit on the number of

Southeastern Peanut Farmer October/November 2017

applicants from each county in Georgia.

Applications are due to the GPC office by Dec. 15, 2017. The application is available on the GPC website at gapeanuts.com or by calling the GPC office at 229-386-3470.

The award winner receives registration and hotel accommodations to attend the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in July 19-21, 2018, at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, Miramar Beach, Florida, and a sign to display at his or her farm. t

Georgia Peanut Achievement Club Yield winners honored total of 14 Georgia farms have been recognized for high yields during the 2016 growing season and were welcomed as members of the Georgia Peanut Achievement Club.

The Georgia farms were honored for their high peanut yields at a recent meeting held on Amelia Island, Florida.

Three overall state yield winners were recognized. These included Faith Farms of Baker County with a yield of 7,105 pounds per acre in the category of 100 to 299.9 acres. Al Sudderth of Calhoun County produced the highest yield in the 300 to 699.9-acre category with a yield of 6,515 pounds per acre. In the category for 700 acres or more in peanuts, the state winner was 4 Miller Farms of Seminole County with a yield of 6,880 pounds per acre.

District winners for each acreage category were also recognized for each of four Georgia Extension districts where peanuts are grown.

District winners in the 100 to 299.9acre category included Hillside Farms in Early County with 6,919 pounds per acre, John Gaines, Jr., of Baker County with 6,538 pounds per acre, Chris Rogers of Jefferson County with 6,057 pounds per acre and Gary Waters of Emanuel County with 6,011 pounds per acre.

For farms with 300 to 699.9 acres of peanuts, the district winners included Chase Farms of Macon County with 6,046 pounds per acre, Rick LaGuardia of Miller County with 5,669 pounds per acre, Scott Moore of Dooly County with 6,379 pounds per acre and Robert Davison of Brooks County with 5,258 pounds per acre.

District winners for the category with 700 or more acres of peanuts included Bob McLendon of Calhoun County with 6,260 pounds per acre, Jerry & Jeff Heard of Baker County with 6,464 pounds per acre and Ken Hall Farms of Worth County with 5,617 pounds per acre.

Sponsors for the Georgia Peanut Achievement Club are BASF Crop

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2016 Georgia Peanut Achievement Club winners pictured left to right, John Gaines Jr., Baker County; Glen Lee Chase, Macon County; Mike Newberry, Early County; Jerry Heard, Baker County; Bob McLendon, Calhoun County; Scott Moore, Dooly County; Eddie Miller Jr., Seminole County; Chris Rogers, Jefferson County; Paul Wigley, Calhoun County; Robert Davison, Brooks County; and Ken Hall Jr., Worth County.

Protection, Bayer Crop Science, Amvac Chemical Company, the American Peanut Shellers Association, the Georgia Peanut Commission, the National Peanut Buying Points Association, the University of Georgia Peanut Team and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service.

Production practices of the yield winners Retired county Extension agent Paul Wigley from Calhoun County has become a key peanut production advisor to grower Al Sudderth of Sudderth Farms. Wigley represented Sudderth Farms at the Peanut Achievement Club presentation.

“Timeliness is the key to his high yields,” Wigley says. “He is never late with any of his production practices.” Sudderth has been a longtime member of the Georgia Peanut Achievement Club, and Sudderth’s father was a high-yield peanut producer in the 1960’s, according to Wigley.

Chris Rogers of Jefferson County is a first-time member of the Georgia Peanut Achievement Club. He grows peanuts on 170 acres and says paying close attention to

details and being aggressive in the use of fungicides helps increase his yields.

Rogers says the Georgia-06G variety is generally considered to have a 140-day growing season. “This past year, I left the 06G in the ground a little longer,” recalls Rogers. “I had good plant health on those peanuts and I feel like I improved my yields a little by digging them at 152 and 155 days after planting. The grades were also very good, in the high 70’s.”

A yield of about 5,500 pounds per acre is typical for Rogers. He says his peanuts from 2015 suffered yield losses of about 1,500 to 1,800 pounds due to wet conditions at harvesting. “We dug those peanuts and they stayed on top of the ground for three to four weeks,” he recalls.

Grower Ken Hall Jr., of Worth County is a returning member of the Georgia Peanut Achievement Club. During previous years Hall was one of the few members of the achievement club to produce high peanut yields by using strip till planting.

He switched back to conventional tillage a few years ago when his peanuts suffered yield losses from burrower bugs.

Continued on page 16

October/November 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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2016 Georgia Peanut Achievement Club State Winners Name

County

Acreage Category

Yield

Faith Farms (Matt Bryan)

Baker

100 to 299.9

7,105

Sudderth Farms

Calhoun

300 to 699.9

6,515

4 Miller Farms

Seminole

700+

6,880

Hillside Farms (Mike Newberry)

Early

100 to 299.9

6,919

John Gaines Jr.

Baker

100 to 299.9

6,538

Chris Rogers

Jefferson

100 to 299.9

6,057

Gary Walters

Emanuel

100 to 299.9

6,011

Chase Farms

Macon

300 to 699.9

6,046

Rick LaGuardia

Miller

300 to 699.9

5,669

Scott Moore

Dooly

300 to 699.9

6,379

Robert Davison

Brooks

300 to 699.9

5,258

Bob McLendon

Calhoun

700+

6,260

Jerry & Jeff Heard

Baker

700+

6,464

Ken Hall Farms

Worth

700+

5,617

Continued from page 15

“I still use cover crops of wheat and rye,” Hall says. “Instead of strip tilling into the cover, I spray and kill it, and then harrow it in before planting my peanuts. I don’t do any deep turning of the land.” Hall uses cover crops as part of his participation in the Conservation Security Program. “The cover corps provide erosion control up until the time I harrow them under,” he adds.

He says his typical crop rotation is two years of cotton followed by one year of peanuts.

His peanut yields have been high enough to be recognized by the achievement club during nine of the past ten years. And prior to that, his father Ken Hall Sr., was often recognized for high yields when the award program was known as the Moneymaker Peanut Club. Now, his son Edwin Kenneth Hall has decided to pursue a career in the family business, and Hall, Jr., hopes that one day his son will represent the family farm in the Peanut Achievement Club.

John Gaines Jr., of Baker County has only been farming since 2014, yet he is a repeat member of the achievement club.

His overall yields were actually higher in 2015 than in 2016. Gaines says his peanuts were challenged by heat and moisture evaporation during the 2016 season. He says his 2016 yields were good enough to be recognized by the achievement club

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because he was timely in planting, applying fungicides and in harvesting. He says that timely rains during the 2017 growing season have set the stage for another potential high yield.

Scott Moore of Dooly County also anticipates harvesting a good yielding crop in 2017. “We should have another good crop in 2017 because we don’t have dry corners that can bring down the yields of our pivot-irrigated fields,” Moore says.

Moore uses rye as a cover crop. He uses herbicides to kill the cover crop, and then subsoils the land at an angle to the direction that he uses for planting. “We also use subsoil shanks on our bedder so we plant into mellow ground,” Moore adds.

Eddie Miller of 4 Miller Farms in Seminole County has been frequently recognized for high yields by the Peanut Achievement Club. He says the four Millers in the farm include he and his wife Paige, his son Dee and daughter-in-law Karen. Both Karen and Paige contribute by harvesting peanuts.

Their rotation typically includes two years of cotton, or cotton followed by corn, before planting peanuts. Their peanut fungicides include Bravo 720, Folicur and Convoy. “We use Telone on all our acres for nematode control,” Miller says. “We farm sandy soil and nematodes are prevalent. We have also used Velum Total to control nematodes.”

Southeastern Peanut Farmer October/November 2017

Miller says twin rows and high seeding rates help insure good yields. “We use 175 to 180 pounds of seed per acre,” he adds. Miller also uses Lorsban to control soil insects. He notes that Telone has been in short supply, and that it could be prudent to order Telone early to be sure it will be on hand for use on his 2018 peanuts. He also adds in-furrow nitrogen-fixing inoculants because the Telone effectively kills all soil organisms.

Mike Newberry of Hillside Farms in Early County attributes his high yields to fungicides and peanut genetics. “We have seen yields produce 8,000 pounds per acre, and that shows you what the genetic potential of peanuts can be,” Newberry says.

This was the third time for Newberry’s yields to be recognized by the Peanut Achievement Club. “The production methods we use haven’t changed,” he adds.

He uses his past experience with Irrigator Pro to help in scheduling peanut irrigation.

He is also working with remote sensing to help determine how much water is in the soil profile.

Bob McLendon of Calhoun County grows 1,400 acres of irrigated peanuts, and says this is the sixth year for his farm to be recognized for its high yields. He attributes his yields to having good labor. “These are people who take a real interest in what they do,” he explains. “We also follow Extension recommendations, except that we plant 175 pounds of seed per acre.”

McLendon says he will continue planting the Georgia-06G variety until another variety demonstrates better yields.

McLendon says his farm was one of the first in his area to plant peanuts in twin rows shortly after tomato spotted wilt virus became a widespread problem.

Robert Davison of Brooks County was recognized for the first time by the achievement club for his high yields in 2016. “I was shocked and honored to receive this award, because two thirds of our peanuts are not irrigated,” he explains.

He credits “the Good Lord above” for his farming success. He also uses a good rotation to produce high yields. He plants three years of cotton followed by peanuts.

He also pays close attention to harvest timing and believes it pays off to be patient to allow peanuts to reach maturity. “You can wait a while and maximize the weight of your peanuts,” he adds.

Glenn Lee Chase of Chase Farms in Macon County was recognized by the predecessor of the achievement club during the early 1980’s for high peanut yields, and

Production practices used by top yielding Georgia growers he Georgia Peanut Achievement Club yield recognition program received a total of 22 entries from the 2016 season, about twice as many entries as during each of the previous four years.

In part due to the increased number of entries from 2016, the average yields of the winning entries declined to 5,918 pounds per acre. By comparison, yields from the contest entries averaged more than 6,200 pounds in 2012 and peaked at 6,425 pounds per acre in 2015.

University of Georgia Extension peanut agronomist Scott Monfort encourages Georgia growers to contact their local Extension agents to enter the Georgia Peanut Achievement Club program for the 2017 production season.

Monfort has been keeping track of production practices since 2012. He encourages peanut farmers to compare their own production practices with those used by these high-yield producers.

He says the 2016 growing season was characterized by an unusually high amount of irrigation on the top-yielding fields.

For instance, growers applied a minimum of three inches of irrigation to a maximum of 25 inches, and they averaged 14 applications over the entire season. By comparison, growers used 13 applications during 2012 and 2014, 10 applications in 2015 and only six applications in 2013. During the previous four years, 21 inches was the maximum amount of irrigation water applied by the Achievement Club members.

The farmers entering the yield contest are big fans of conventional

tillage. Bottom plows, disk harrows and field cultivators are the three most popular tillage tools used by these farmers. HydraTill and ripper-bedder implements were used on a small portion of these farms.

Strip tillage planting, the most popular type of conservation tillage used in the Southeast, was used on less than 15 percent of the entries from the 2016 growing season, and 10 percent or less during the previous four years.

It’s probably not surprising that Georgia-06G was the most widely planted cultivar or variety from the contest entries. The popularity of 06G for the yield contest is a reflection of the widespread planting of this variety on the vast majority of peanut acreage in Georgia and the Southeast. Other varieties that were entered in the contest during only one or two years starting in 2012 included Georgia Greener, Georgia07W, Tifguard, Georgia-09B, FloRun 107 and Georgia-14N. Row patterns for the entries were 100 percent twin rows during 2012 through 2015. Twin rows were still the most popular during 2016, however there were a few entries of modified twin, single row and modified single row patterns from last year’s season.

The most popular seeding rates for the high-yield entries ranged from 6 to 7.5 seed per foot of row. During the past five growing seasons, about 20 to 30 percent of the entries used seeding rates of 8 to 8.5 seed per foot. Just under 20 percent of the entries from the 2016 season had seeding rates of 8 to 8.5 seed per foot.

Valor, Strongarm and Sonalan are the

three most popular pre-emergence herbicides among the high-yield farmers.

Prowl, Dual, Proline and Gramoxone were others listed by these growers. The most popular post-emergence herbicies were Cadre and 2,4-DB. Other postemergence herbicides listed by the growers included Dual, Dual Magnum, Basagran, Gramoxone, Impose, Warrant, Select and 2,4-D. These growers used a large number of fungicides for peanut disease control.

In 2016, the most widely of these fungicides were Bravo, Convoy, Provost, Abound, Folicur and chlorothalonil.

These were generally followed in popularity by tebuconazole, Elatus, Priaxor, Alto, Evito, Bravo-Folicur, Proline, Headline, Fontelis, Bravochlorothalonil, and Artisan.

For thrips control in 2016, Thimet/phorate was the most popular insecticide, followed by Orthene, Velum Total, acephate and imidachloprid.

For foliar insect control, the insecticides most often used in 2016 included Prevathon, Karate Z and Belt.

These were followed in popularity by Bifenthrin, Besiege, Cavalier, Asana XL, other pyrethroids, Steward, and Dimilin.

Soil insecticide use included Lorsban on 27.2 percent of the entries, followed

by Diamond on 4.5 percent of the entries, and no insecticide used on the remaining 68.2 percent.

Nematicides applied in 2016 included Velum Total on 22.7 percent of the entries, Telone II on 18.1 percent, Cruiser Maxx on 9.1 percent and no nematicides on 54.5 percent of the entries. t

was recognized again for his yields in 2016. He notes that peanuts rely on residual fertilizer. So except for minor elements, he doesn’t directly fertilize his peanuts. Chase says he has ten chicken houses on his farm, and learned not to apply chicken litter directly to peanuts. “One year, we applied litter to our peanuts and the vines grew way too much,” he adds.

Jerry Heard says his family has been recognized for their high peanut yields ten times off and on since 2000. He is with Jerry & Jeff Heard Farm in Baker County.

The Heard family continues to expand and

they look forward to transitioning the farm onto the next generation. This was one of three farms from Baker County honored for high peanut yields in 2016.

Matt Bryan with Faith Farms, also from Baker County, produced the highest yields from 2016 with 7,105 pounds per acre. Bryan is no stranger to high yields.

He almost reached 7,000 pounds per acre with his 2015 peanut crop. Bryan has a reputation for being a good farmer. He received the 2016 Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Award for the lower Southeast region.

A long rotation helps Bryan achieve his high yields. He typically grows corn, cotton, and corn again, before growing peanuts.

Bryan was unable to attend the achievement club award ceremony but was represented there by Lanier Jordan, Baker County Extension agent. “Matt is a third or fourth generation member of a family farm, and he produces high peanut yields by being very timely in his production practices,” Jordan says. “He doesn’t cut any corners.” t

T

BY JOHN LEIDNER

BY JOHN LEIDNER

October/November 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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2017 Georgia Peanut Tour showcases Albany Georgia area he thirty-first annual Georgia Peanut Tour was held Sept. 19-21, 2017, and based out of Albany, Georgia. Each year, the tour provides attendees the most up-to-date information on peanuts by showcasing a broad view of the industry through farm visits, processing and handling, as well as research facilities in the state. For 2017, tour stops were made in Dougherty, Sumter, Terrell and Lee Counties.

Tour attendees began day one with a Hot Topics session highlighting an update on the 2017 crop update, farm bill update and a focus on food safety in the peanut industry. During the remainder of the tour, attendees were able to see nearly every aspect of peanut production in the state.

Tour stops were made at local peanut farms, President Jimmy Carter’s Boyhood Home, University of Georgia’s Southwest Georgia Research and Education Center and the Georgia Seed Development facility in Plains. The tour continued looking at the peanut process by visiting the McCleskey Mill’s peanut buying point in Smithville, the USDA-ARS National Peanut Research Lab in Dawson and JLA in Albany.

A popular highlight of the tour every year includes seeing peanut harvest. This

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Glen Harris, Georgia Peanut Tour chairman, provides an overview of peanut harvest to attendees at the Israel Farm, Smithville, Ga., during the Georgia Peanut Tour held Sept. 19-21, 2017.

year attendess were able to see both digging and picking of peanuts on the farm. Hal Israel welcomed tour attendees to Israel farm in Sumter County, where he showcased peanut digging. The Israel family farms 1,500 acres of peanuts, cotton, corn, soybeans and wheat. During the afternoon, attendees visited the farm of Ronnie and Neil Lee in Bronwood and

2017 Georgia Peanut Tour Sponsors Platinum Sponsors American Peanut Shellers Assn.

Bayer CropScience Concept Ag LLC Dow AgroSciences Golden Peanut & Tree Nuts Nichino America Gold Sponsor Monsanto BioAg Silver Sponsors Farm Credit Associations of Georgia Georgia Federal State Inspection Service Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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UGA Innovation Gateway UPI Bronze Sponsors Agri Supply Conagra Brands Little Debbie National Peanut Buying Points Assn.

Olam Edible Nuts The Peanut Grower Verdesian Life Sciences Supporter Sponsors John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. Mars Chocolate North America The Hershey Company

Southeastern Peanut Farmer October/November 2017

were able to see peanut picking. The Lee family grows peanuts, cotton, corn and pecans along with cattle.

The Georgia Peanut Commission, University of Georgia-Tifton Campus and Griffin Campus, Southwest Research and Education Center, Attapulgus Research and Education Center and the USDA Agricultural Research Service National Peanut Research Lab coordinate the tour.

Glen Harris, chairman of the 2017 Georgia Peanut Tour committee commended all who helped make the tour possible.

“The tour committee and sponsors did a great job pulling together another successful and educating tour,” Harris says. “The tour committee would like to thank all of the participants and sponsors for being part of the thirty-first annual Georgia Peanut Tour.”

The 2017 tour included 182 industry representatives from 19 states and three countries including Canada, Malawi and Kenya. To learn more about the 2017 tour stops visit the tour blog online at georgiapeanuttour.com. t

BY JOY CROSBY

2017 Southern Peanut Growers Conference 017 marked the 19th annual year for the Southern Peanut Growers Conference held July 20-22 at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, Miramar Beach, Florida. This year’s theme was “Navigating the Marketplace.” General sessions during the three-day conference provided farmers with information on market growth opportunities, production practices, future of crop protectants, navigating consumer opinions with facts and an overview of what’s needed in the new farm bill.

Farming legislation is always a concern for peanut producers. This year during the conference, attendees heard from U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, RAlabama, member of the House Committee on Agriculture, and U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Georgia, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit. They both shared their thoughts and outlook for a 2018 farm bill.

“It’s going to be a tough fight, I don’t want anybody to fool themselves,” says U.S. Rep. Rogers about getting the next farm bill passed in Congress. He says he would like to see the legislation – which is about 80 percent nutrition programs – split just for a vote to see who votes for or against. “Neither one of them will pass on their own, but it’ll show us who our friends are.”

U.S. Rep. Scott says his number one concern is to make sure “we don’t get splits between the commodity groups and within the commodity groups” with respect to farm programs. “I think one of the big debates in the farm bill will be planted acres versus base acres, I can tell you it’s coming,” he says.

“The discussion of permanent law versus temporary law is another issue that we’re going to have some honest discussion about.”

During the awards breakfast on Friday morning, Valent U.S.A. LLC presented the annual Valor award to the National Peanut Board. The National Peanut Board was recognized for the work they have done in peanut allergy research and education. The organization has invested 22 million dollars in food allergy research and education.

Three farm families were also recognized John Altom (left) of Valent during the conference with the annual Peanut presents Ed White, chairman Efficiency Awards, which are sponsored by Farm of the National Peanut Board, with the Valor Award Press. The awards are based solely on production during the Southern Peanut efficiency, honoring those growers who produce Growers Conference in July. the highest yields at the lowest cost per acre. The awards are based on a producer’s entire farm operation, and not just on individual farms or small plots.

This year’s honorees include: Southwest Region - Jake Teichroeb, Welch, Texas; Lower Southeast Region - Curry Parker, Headland, Alabama; and the Upper Southeast Region - Ray Davis Jr., Winners of the 2017 Peanut Efficiency Awards were honored at Southampton County, Virginia.

Highlights of the conference including the Southern Peanut Growers Conference. Pictured left to right are photos, presentations and speaker Lower Southeast Region winner interviews are all available on the Southern Curry Parker, Headland, Ala., Upper Southeast Region winner Ray Davis Peanut Farmers Federation website at Jr., Southampton County, Va., and southernpeanutfarmers.org. t Southwest Region winner Jake

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BY JOY CROSBY

Thanks to the 2017 Conference Sponsors Syngenta Bayer CropScience BASF National Peanut Board DuPont Crop Protection Farm Press Ag Leader Technology AgriLogic Insurance Services Birdsong Peanuts Colombo NA AgGeorgia Farm Credit AgSouth Farm Credit Farm Credit of Florida Farm Credit of Northwest Florida First South Farm Credit Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Kelley Manufacturing Co. UPI Valent U.S.A. LLC Vantage South Vantage Southeast LMC LMC Ag John Deere Lasseter Equipment Group SunSouth LLC Amadas Industries Dow AgroSciences Golden Peanut & Tree Nuts McCleskey Mills/Brooks Peanut/Olam Edible Nuts Specialty Sales Co. Southeastern Peanut Farmer The Peanut Grower AMVAC Chemical Alabama Farmers Federation Georgia Farm Bureau Georgia Federal-State Inspection Service National Peanut Buying Points Assn.

Premium Peanut LLC Verdesian Life Sciences Visjon Biologics Nachurs-Alpine Solutions Nichino America, Inc. Agri-Supply InformedAg LLC Monsanto BioAg Rabo AgriFinance Sessions Co. Inc. Southern Ag Carriers The KBH Corporation

Teichroeb, Welch, Texas.

October/November 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Washington Outlook

by Robert L. Redding Jr.

Congressman Carter leads coalition on ag labor

Southern Peanut Farmers Federation joins industry partners in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Georgia, led a group of House members in a meeting with U.S. Department of Labor Sec. Alexander Acosta to discuss regulatory initiatives to improve the H2A agricultural worker program. Agricultural employers have struggled with numerous, onerous administrative issues related to H2A for a number of years. Congressman Carter had previously drafted a letter to Sec. Acosta outlining proposed regulatory reforms.

Priority changes to the H2A program include: 1. Make the Wage Rate more transparent and predictable. Provisions need to be made for a fair, transparent, and predictable wage rate. With a national minimum wage, having H-2A calculated as a component of minimum wage will allow full disclosure to employers and workers. Establishing the H-2A wage at 115 percent of the federal minimum wage would incentivize workers to work the jobs and allow for the H-2A wage to scale as the U.S. minimum wage increases. The Farm Labor Survey conducted to establish the current wage formula has been noted by USDA not to be effective or designed for that purpose.

2. Streamline the application process and improve operating efficiencies. Modernize the application process, potentially by using a biometric system, to reduce redundancy.

Reduce the number of agencies involved in the application process and allow for a procedure in which applications can seamlessly transfer from one agency to the next.

3. Reduce bureaucratic delays in the system when workers cross the border. Allow a worker on a single contract to have multiple crossings and allow for workers who come to the U.S. in multiple years a fast track crossing option.

4. Change program eligibility. The Immigration and Nationality Act permits employment H-2A employment for less than a year, rather than the 10 months currently allowed.

Consider expanding the eligibility to greater than 10 months, but less than a year. Allow the definition of ‘temporary or seasonal’ to apply to the worker rather than the job.

5. Provide for mediation and arbitration agreements.

Allow growers the option to include mediation and arbitration provisions in their employment contracts to streamline conflict and grievance settlement through alternative dispute resolution systems.

6. Improve housing availability. Allow housing allowance, or vouchers for workers to have greater access to housing. Allow employers to charge a minimum fee per day or take credit against wages for employer provided housing to cover basic building maintenance needs.

U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Virginia, has introduced agricultural worker legislation and plans a committee mark-up of the bill in October.

The Southern Peanut Farmers Federation (SPFF), American Peanut Shellers Association and National Peanut Buying Points Association were in Washington, D.C. recently to meet with congressional leaders on several issues including the 2018 Farm Bill.

The SPFF has emphasized to policymakers that the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program, included in the 2014 Farm Bill, has worked for rural economies encouraging local jobs. In addition, the 2014 Farm Bill peanut provisions continue to assure consumers a safe, affordable food supply. The SPFF emphasized maintaining the current PLC program in the 2014 Farm Bill including these key provisions: current reference price for peanuts, separate peanut payment limit (as established in the 2002 Farm Bill) and storage and handling provisions.

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Chairman Conaway leads delegation to NAFTA talks U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, is leading a congressional delegation to Ottawa for the NAFTA talks. Chairman Conway’s bipartisan delegation hopes to assure discussions protect U.S. agricultural interests.

Included in the delegation are U.S. Congressmen David Rouzer, R-North Carolina, John Faso, R-New York, Ted Yoho, R-Florida, and Kurt Schrader, D-Oregon.

The next round, Round 4, of NAFTA discussions begins quickly after the conclusion of this current Round 3.

U.S. House Ag Committee hosts listening session at Sunbelt Ag Expo The U.S. House Agriculture Committee hosts a listening session on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Georgia. U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Georgia, will chair the session to hear from agricultural interests in Georgia. Other members of the committee who plan to attend include U.S. Reps. Rick Allen, R-Georgia, and Al Lawson, D-Florida.

Global Food Security Roundtable held U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Georgia, and U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Georgia, recently hosted a global food security roundtable discussion at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton. Joining Rep. Scott and Sen. Isakson were representatives from Malawi Ministry of Agriculture, CARE International, U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), USDA Agricultural Research Service, Georgia Department of Agriculture, UGA School of Agriculture, American Peanut Council, and MANA Nutrition, among others.

Southeastern Peanut Farmer October/November 2017

Congressional staff tour held in Southeast Tour provides an avenue for education of the peanut industry he Southern Peanut Farmers Federation hosted 14 congressional staff members in South Georgia Aug. 10-12, 2017, for a peanut education tour. The tour’s purpose was to educate the staffers about the peanut industry in the Southeast by visiting farms, research facilities and industry groups, as well as discuss the upcoming farm bill.

The tour took place in the heart of Georgia’s peanut belt with stops in Crisp, Turner and Tift Counties. The group began in Cordele at Lake Blackshear Resort with dinner and fellowship with local farmers and industry representatives.

The next morning, the group traveled to Turner County to visit with peanut farmer, Ross Kendrick. Kendrick spoke to the group about his farming operation and how the current peanut program has played an important role. The group then traveled to Tifton Quality Peanut (TQP) and heard from Bill Park and his team about the history of TQP and its current operations. TQP staff also took the group

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Tifton Quality Peanuts team member speaks with congressional staffers about the shelling process.

Congressional staff tour attendees pictured with Turner County farmer, Ross Kendrick, and Southern Peanut Farmers Federation staff.

on a tour of the facility to show the shelling process from start to finish.

Upon leaving TQP, the group traveled to the National Environmentally Sound Production Agriculture Laboratory (NESPAL) located at the University of Georgia (UGA) Tifton Campus. Here, staffers heard from Scott Monfort, UGA Extension peanut agronomist, and graduate student, Sarah Beth Pelham, about current research of unmanned aerial vehicles being used in peanut production.

They also heard from Corley Holbrook,

USDA-ARS crop genetics and breeding researcher, and Juliet Chu, about the introgression of the wild peanut species in current peanut breeding research. The day concluded with a visit to the Georgia Peanut Commission office and a discussion on agricultural lending from Allen McCorvey with Ameris Bank.

Upon conclusion of the tour, staffers returned to their offices with a greater understanding of the peanut industry and the importance of federal farm policy. t

BY JESSIE BLAND

Congressional Staff Members who attended:

Congressional staffers learned from Scott Monfort, University of Georgia Extension peanut agronomist, about ongoing research related to peanuts.

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Craig Anderson, Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) Ben Ayres, Senator David Perdue (R-GA) Mary Dee Beal, Congressman Drew Ferguson (GA-03) Brent Blevins, Senator Luther Strange (R-AL) Kenneth Cutts, Congressman Sanford Bishop (GA-02) Zellie Duvall, Congressman Rick Allen (GA-12) Miriam Fry, Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-01) Alex Hill, Congressman Rick Allen (GA-12) Alice Johnson, Congressman Austin Scott (GA-13) Evan Lee, Congressman Neal Dunn (FL-02) Torie Ness, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) Jody Redding, Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) Ashley Osterkamp Smith, Congressman David Scott (GA-13) Charles White, Senator David Perdue (R-GA)

October/November 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Southern Peanut Growers Southern Peanut Growers partners with Eat Y’all and local chefs to highlight peanuts at regional events Made South Southern Whiskey Society - Franklin, Tennessee, Aug. 5 The night consisted of 30 plus Southern whiskey tastings, an array of unique and creative guest experiences from folks like Peter Nappi, Blue Delta Jeans, Tesla and more. Peanuts were featured in the Eat Y’all Chef Spotlights featuring nine Southern chefs sharing regional flavors from their states. Kelly Fields, chef at Willa Jean in New Orleans, Louisiana, created Whipped Chocolate with Southern Peanuts, Candied Bacon and Whiskey.

Sweetest Chefs of the South – Ridgeland, Mississippi, Sept. 11 The evening featured sweet desserts, a deck full of savory foods, dessert cooking demonstrations, sweet fall fashion, a gorgeous cigar porch, picture perfect weather and lots of smiles from a full house of happy foodies. Cesar Barachina, chef at Pearl River Resort, Philadelphia, Mississippi, won the People’s Choice Most Creative Dessert title for his “Mississippi” Chocolate Cola Fudge, Roasted Cajun Peanuts and “Ridgeland” Vanilla Rice Sable, Cathead Vodka Cremeux, Mango Gel.

Thai Peanut Chicken Wraps Ingredients: 3 cooked chicken breasts, cut into strips 8 ounces cream cheese 1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger ½ head of savoy cabbage, chopped 1 red bell pepper, julienned 4 green onions, julienned 2 carrots, grated

Peanut Sauce ½ cup creamy peanut butter 2 Tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions: In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese and ginger together and set aside.

In another small bowl, whisk together all the peanut sauce ingredients until smooth. Set aside.

Spread the tortillas with the cream cheese mixture. Top with chicken, cabbage, bell pepper, green onions, carrots and peanut sauce. Roll the tortilla like a burrito. Serve with additional peanut sauce.

Marketing arm of

Southern Peanut Growers prepares for fall events Southern Peanut Growers has a host of new things available for its fall promotional events. The most important new information is the new recommendation to introduce peanuts early to help prevent allergy.

National Peanut Board has provided brochures explaining the new recommendation for parents and for health professionals. Southern Peanut Growers also has new recipes perfect for fall, the new diabetes brochures, new peanut butter products to taste and new promotional items.

Visit with Southern Peanut Growers at these fall events: • Oct. 5-8 – Southern Women’s Show, Birmingham, Alabama • Oct. 19-22 – Southern Women’s Show, Jacksonville, Florida • Nov. 5 – Les Dames d’Escoffier, Atlanta, Georgia

SPG and FPPA promote peanuts at Good for You Girls Day Out Southern Peanut Growers and Florida Peanut Producers exhibited at the Good for You Girls Day Out event in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday, Sept. 17.

Sherry Saunders, Florida About 1,200 people Peanut Producers Association and Leslie Wagner, Southern attended the day-long Peanut Growers, provides health event which recipes and nutritional included a keynote information to consumers during the Good for You Girls opening session by Day Out event in Jacksonville, Jennifer Berman from Fla. The Doctors television show, health screenings, exhibitors, and breakout presentations on different health topics.

“This group of women is particularly interested in health issues and is primed to hear our peanut powered health messages regarding diabetes control and prevention, heart health and weight control,” says Leslie Wagner, executive director of Southern Peanut Growers.

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

Peanut Proud delivers peanut butter to hurricane victims he U.S. Peanut Industry is uniting to donate more than 150,000 jars of peanut butter to the survivors of Hurricane Harvey, Irma and Maria’s massive and historic flooding. The donation effort is being coordinated through Peanut Proud, a non-profit organization of the U.S. peanut industry.

Deliveries have been made by Southern Ag Carriers and Early Trucking Company to the Houston and San Antonio Food Banks in Texas and the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida and Feeding Northeast Florida food bank.

Peanut Proud is also working on sending peanut butter donations to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

The shipments will include peanut butter manufactured by Algood Food Company, Kroger Company, Severn Peanut Company, John B. SanFilippo & Son and Golden Boy Foods. The Alabama

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Peanut Producers Association, Florida Peanut Producers Association, Georgia Peanut Commission, South Carolina Peanut Board, Texas Peanut Producers Board, Virginia Peanut Growers Association, Virginia-Carolinas Peanut Promotions, National Peanut Board, South Carolina Farm Bureau, National Peanut Buying Points Association, Peanut Leadership Academy Class X, Florida Peanut Federation, Birdsong Peanuts, Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts, Olam Edible Nuts, Premium Peanut, Peanut Proud Festival and numerous individuals were gracious in their donations to help with disaster relief from the recent hurricanes.

Gregg Grimsley, president of Peanut Proud, says he was very moved by the outpouring of donations from the peanut industry.

“I am always overwhelmed by the generosity of people in general and

The peanut industry donated more than 150,000 jars of peanut butter following Hurricane Harvery, Irma and Maria.

especially the people who work in the peanut industry. From all the groups that make our industry, the response to the recent disaster and flooding has been amazing.”

To contribute to the relief efforts, visit Peanut Proud’s website at http://www.peanutproud.com or send a check to: Peanut Proud, Hurricane Relief, P.O. Box 446, Blakely, Georgia 39823. t

BY JOY CROSBY

October/November 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Georgia’s Largest Commodity Show January 18, 2018 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton, Georgia Free farmer lunch Pesticide applicator certification More than 100 Exhibits Door prizes

Learn more about the 2018 Georgia Peanut Farm Show by scanning this code with your smartphone.

www.gapeanuts.com

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