January/February 2017 - Southeastern Peanut Farmer

Inside: n n n

Peanut Plant Collection Peanut Variety Guidebook KMC Celebrates 50 Years

A communication service of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

Contents January/February 2017

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

An impressive collection of some 10,000 plants that includes almost every cultivated peanut along with more than 600 peanut lines representing the wild species is located at the Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit in Griffin, Georgia. The collection is the foundation of peanut breeding.

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.

Peanut plant collection is a national treasure

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

SEPF’s 2017 Variety Guidebook highlights varieties available to growers in the Southeast and provides growers with the results of state variety tests.

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Kelley Manufacturing Co. celebrates 50th anniversary Kelley Manufacturing Co., an industry leader in peanut harvesting, tillage and poultry equipment is celebrating 50 years of developing farm equipment for an ever changing agricultural economy.

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

Washington Outlook ............................................................................ 32 Southern Peanut Growers Update ........................................................ 34 Cover Photo: Hundreds of plots from the core collection were recently grown out in a University of Florida research field in Citra, Fla. Photo by Greg MacDonald, University of Florida.

January/February 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Editorial

Calendar of Events

Unite and embace the New Year “Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

o, have you made your New Year’s Resolutions for 2017 yet? Are you following them or blowing them off with an inward twinge of guilt? Or are you choosing this year to forego the simply awful tradition of making a bunch of promises to yourself that you know you can’t keep? Whether you set resolutions or not, a new year provides everyone with an opportunity to reflect on the past year and embrace the new year.

I wonder if people adopted the quote above by Ralph Waldo Emerson into their new year how much different their life may be in 2017. “Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” The quote allows an individual to make each day their best day. If you do so, then your potential is limitless!

Farmers know all too well that their profession is one of hope. The hope that God sends ample rain at the right time or sunshine at harvest time. When a farmer plants his crop in the Spring, he or she prays and then hopes for a good year and bountiful harvest at the end of the season.

However, by reflecting each day and writing it on your heart that this day is the best day in the year then you can continue to learn, grow and seek more knowledge to be a successful farmer, spouse, parent, grandparent or child. Starting out each day with a positive attitude will not only help you be successful but allow you to see the good during bad times and focus on how you can help others.

At the end of each month, you are given an opportunity to tear a page off of the calendar and you are presented with a new month for ideas and progress. Unlike the New Year resolutions, you could vow to make changes in your life from month to month and reflect on the progress you have made towards reaching your goals each month. Maybe your goal is to lose weight, learn a new skill or advocate for agriculture more often. No matter the goal, realize, you have the potential and the drive needed to make each day the best day.

Some farmers may be faced with difficult decisions to make this year after a devastating 2016 season. Others may have fared well and looking forward to 2017. So, no matter what boat you are in, remember you are in a profession of hope. Do what makes you happy and proud!

As always, if you have suggestions for articles in the Southeastern Peanut Farmer then please share your ideas with me. Also, don’t forget to visit the website for information in between issues at sepfonline.com.

I wish each of you the best 2017 has to offer and that every day is the best day of the year for you. t

S

u Mississippi Peanut Growers Association Annual Meeting & Trade Show, Jan. 25-26, 2017, Mississippi State University Bost Extension Center Building B, Starkville, Miss. For more information visit misspeanuts.com or call 601-606-3547. u South Carolina Peanut Growers Annual Meeting & Trade Show, Jan. 26, 2017, Santee Convention Center, Santee, S.C. For more information call 803-734-0338.

u Georgia Young Farmers Association Annual Meeting, Jan. 27-28, 2017, Marriott Savannah Riverfront, Savannah, Ga. For more information call 229-386-3429. u Georgia Peanut Commission Research Report Day, Feb. 9, 2017, NESPAL, Tifton, Ga. For more information visit gapeanuts.com or call 229-386-3470. u Alabama/Florida Peanut Trade Show, Feb. 9, 2017, National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds, Dothan, Ala. For more information visit alpeanuts.com or call 334-792-6482. u Florida Peanut Producers Annual Meeting, Feb. 16, 2017, Jackson County Agricultural Complex, Marianna, Fla. For more information visit flpeanuts.com or call 850-526-2590. u National Peanut Buying Points Association Winter Conference, Feb. 17-20, 2017, Marriott Waterside, Tampa, Fla. For more information visit peanutbuyingpoints.org or call 229-386-1716. u American Peanut Shellers Pre-Planting Meeting, March 8, 2017, Merry Acres Conference Center, Albany, Ga. For more information visit peanut-shellers.org. u Peanut Butter & Jelly Day at the Georgia State Capitol, March 17, 2017, Atlanta, Ga. For more information visit gapeanuts.com. u National Ag Day, March 21, 2017.

For more information visit agday.com.

Joy Carter Crosby Editor

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2017

u Peanut Proud Festival, March 25, 2017, Blakely, Ga. For more information visit peanutproud.com.

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

Peanut plant collection A national treasure and crown jewel any farmers may not realize there is an impressive collection of some 10,000 plants that includes almost every cultivated peanut along with more than 600 peanut lines representing wild peanut species. It’s located at the Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit at the USDAAgricultural Research Service facility on the University of Georgia campus at Griffin, Georgia.

The site also maintains extensive collections of other plants including sorghum, cowpeas, warm season grasses and peppers. While the peanut germplasm collection is extensive, it is still small compared to the collections for other major crops.

The peanut collection there is a national treasure, according to Corley Holbrook, USDA-Agricultural Research Service peanut breeder located in Tifton, Georgia. Darlene Cowart who works in food safety for Birdsong Peanuts and is a leader of The Peanut Institute calls this collection a crown jewel. “This collection should have every trait we need to improve the peanut,” she says.

Shyamalrau “Shyam” Tallury works as the geneticist and peanut curator for the collection. He also calls it a national treasure and a legacy for future generations that helps to safeguard food security.

In many ways, this collection can be likened to money in a long-term bank account, secure and available for a rainy day in the future, whenever a new disease or other threat to peanuts presents itself.

Many of the wild or exotic peanut plants in the collection were originally discovered in their native habitats in South America and retrieved by Charles Simpson, a Texas A&M University geneticist, along with collaborators from North Carolina, Brazil and Argentina.

Simpson spent much of his career collecting peanut plants from areas of South America where peanuts originated.

Photo credit: Greg MacDonald, University of Florida.

M

Hundreds of plots from the core collection were recently grown out in a University of Florida research field in Citra, Fla.

Simpson and colleagues also collected a wild peanut relative that today provides the source for root knot nematode resistance in modern varieties such as Tifguard.

In recent years, the number of new wild relatives added to the U.S. collection has diminished. This is mainly due to laws and regulations enacted by countries in South America that are aimed at protecting the indigenous plant genetic resources found in these countries.

Most of the cultivated peanuts in the collection are classified as runners. In general, the wild peanut relatives in the collection tend to lack the yield and seed quality traits that are desirable in modern varieties.

However, valuable traits such as disease resistance are found in the wild relatives. These traits are added to improved lines through backcrossing.

This is a necessary but tedious process that takes up much of the time of professional peanut breeders.

Tallury says some of the exotic plants in the peanut collection would be great to display as ornamentals growing in hanging baskets, with their brilliant yellow flowers.

As a curator, Tallury sees his job as a link to future genetic improvement in peanuts. “We manage the collection,” says Tallury. “We maintain the seed in cold storage. We acquire, preserve, regenerate and categorize the peanut lines.”

One of the main jobs for Tallury’s staff is to collect and ship peanut seed to researchers and plant breeders throughout the U.S. and the world.

In addition, he works closely and helps to deliver vital peanut seed and genetic resources to other strategic seed storage facilities, such as a national facility in Colorado, a newer seed vault in Norway and a large international collection of about 14,000 peanut lines based in India.

Continued on page 6

January/February 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Shown here in one of his greenhouses, Shyam Tallury is geneticist and peanut curator for a collection of thousands of peanut plants.

Continued from page 5

When Tallury’s staff receives seed requests from overseas, the seed must comply with phytosanitary and import regulations. Ultimately, international seed orders are overseen and are actually shipped out by a USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) facility in Beltsville, Maryland.

If a researcher requests seed from a peanut plant line housed in an overseas facility, the imported seed is first screened and must pass quarantine regulations to make sure no exotic disease or pest will

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be introduced into the U.S. The quarantined seed is grown out and evaluated for potential disease or pest problems, and then the seed is harvested for shipment to the researcher. These safeguards can take up to 12 to 24 months before the researcher receives the requested seed.

Tallury explains how important this collection is to modern peanut production by revealing something of the history of a peanut line known as PI (Plant Introduction) 203396.

PI 203396 was originally collected

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2017

from Brazil in the 1950s. It was used by University of Florida peanut breeder Dan Gorbet as a parent line for the Southern Runner variety. Southern Runner was never widely grown but it was the first runner variety known for its resistance to leaf spot.

Later, Southern Runner was shown to have its own resistance to tomato spotted wilt virus. This powerful disease resistance was transferred again through breeding into the runner varieties C-99R and Georgia Green. Georgia Green became widely planted and was an essential variety in helping farmers in the Southeast escape devastating losses from spotted wilt virus.

Then, Georgia Green was used as a parent line of Georgia-06G, the most widely planted current variety known for its exceptionally high yields and strong disease resistance. Georgia Green has also become a parent line for many other runner varieties. PI 203396 is also in the pedigree of Florida-07 runner variety. In fact, the disease resistance in many modern runner varieties can be traced back to the original PI 203396 parent line.

USDA peanut breeder Corley Holbrook helped conduct some of the statistical work that led to selecting 831 peanut lines as a “core” collection to represent the genetic diversity from the original 9,000-plus different plants in the overall collection in Griffin.

When the 831 plants from the core collection proved to be too many for breeders to reasonably work with, Holbrook helped to select some 112 lines from the 831 that would also serve as a more manageable number of peanut lines to plant in a breeding program. Originally, Holbrook called these 112 lines the “core of the core” but now the 112 lines are generally recognized as the “mini core” collection of peanut plants.

The mini core collection also represents the wide diversity of the core and of the overall collection, according to Holbrook. Holbrook looks upon the core and mini core collections as keys to improving peanuts through breeding. He sees the core and the mini core as roadmaps that researchers can use to gain an overview of the entire collection.

A few years ago, University of Florida agronomist Greg MacDonald and former peanut curator Noelle Barkely helped to lead a three-year project at Citra, Florida, where they planted both

the core and the mini core collections in small plots, along with standard varieties for the major peanut market types including runner, Valencia, Spanish, and Virginia type peanuts. Each plot was about 10 feet in length, and included about 100 seed per plot.

MacDonald says the total number of plots in this test were 1,098. MacDonald and his co-workers collected information on the phenotype or physical presentation of traits from the genetics of the plants that were planted. These plantings provided additional evidence of the tremendous diversity in key traits of representative peanut plants in the collection.

MacDonald’s laboratory provided biochemical analysis for the peanuts produced in the plots, while a scientist from Australia provided data on how each of the peanut lines responded to blanching. In addition, MacDonald produced digital photos showing what the many representative peanut plants and plant parts look like as they are growing.

Yields in these plots varied widely, according to MacDonald, from 250 to 5,000 pounds on a per acre basis. Grades also varied widely.

Even after planting and growing the plots, MacDonald and Barkley said it was sometimes difficult to classify a number of the peanut lines as to whether they should be categorized as Spanish, Runner, Virginia or Valencia type peanuts.

The project produced a tremendous amount of useful data on traits such as plant height, width, leaf architecture, grade, and quality traits such as protein and fatty acids. MacDonald says 14 commercial peanut varieties were included for benchmark measurement.

MacDonald says the value of these plots was also great for teaching and Extension programs. Many students and visitors, including visitors from a number of other countries, came to Citra to view the plots.

As this phenotype information is collected on individual plant traits, it is added to a computer database that is widely available for researchers to use in helping to screen the peanut lines of interest to their work. This database is known as the Germplasm Resource Information Network (GRIN).

Both MacDonald,and Tallury have contributed information on the collection to the GRIN database.

Exotic peanut plants in the collection have some unusual traits, such as very large leaves.

Tallury says the facilities at Griffin include greenhouses that he uses for seed production along with cold storage so the seed can be kept for long periods before being distributed to breeders. The cold storage facilities include large-scale refrigeration units and freezers Tallury also uses USDA research land in Byron, Georgia, to grow some of the peanut plants for seed. He hopes to obtain new seed from about 1,000 of the peanut lines in the collection each year.

When a researcher requests seed from the collection, Tallury says the staff

normally sends out 25 seed for each line of cultivated peanut and 12 seed for each line of wild peanut.

“As breeders, we all depend on this collection,” Tallury says. “This collection is the foundation of peanut breeding.”

Tallury says, “Our goal is to make sure these genetic resources are available to researchers and peanut breeders to use in developing new varieties. This helps to insure future generations will benefit from improved peanuts.” t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

January/February 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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

Peanut Pavilion educates attendees at National Peanut Festival Although some might think everyone who attends the National Peanut Festival in Dothan, Alabama, is familiar with how peanuts grow and are harvested, that’s actually not the case. To offer a brief education, the Alabama Peanut Producers Association (APPA) hosts a Peanut Pavilion to attendees giving them an opportunity to learn about peanut production. Actual peanut Visitors to the Peanut Pavilion were able to plants were displayed to help explain how choose from a variety of peanut recipe cards peanuts grow underground. and health brochures.

During the festival, held Nov. 4-13, 2016, a variety of peanut samples were given to the thousands who visited the pavilion. From fried peanuts to grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, attendees enjoyed the many samples offered as they made their way through the pavilion.

A variety of peanut recipe cards, health brochures and kids’ activity sheets were also handed out during the ten-day event.

Alabama Peanut Producers Association promotes peanuts at Brundidge Peanut Butter Festival Each year on the last Saturday in October, the town of Brundidge, Alabama, pays tribute to the food that sustained it during the Great Depression as they host the annual Peanut Butter Festival. Peanut production remains a vital part of the area and continues to provide a boost to the local economy.

The Alabama Peanut Producers took part in this year’s festivities with plenty of peanuts, Jif creamy peanut butter bars and a favorite to many - grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Brundidge had two of the earliest peanut butter mills in the Southeast, the Johnston Peanut Butter Mill in the downtown area and the Louis-Anne Peanut Butter Company on the south edge of town. Both mills were at full production levels during the early 1930s and peanut butter was made continually in Brundidge until the 1960s.

Georgia Peanut Commission promotes healthy eating through Pandora Radio Back to School campaign The Georgia Peanut Commission sponsored a “Back to School” campaign from Aug.15 - Sept. 15 with Pandora Radio. During the 30-day audio campaign, female listeners in the metro Atlanta area between the ages of 25 and 45 were encouraged to incorporate peanuts and peanut butter into snacks for both kids and adults alike.

Results of the campaign included more than two million impressions, more than 1,900 clicks to the GPC website and more than 234,000 unique listeners reached.

Due to the continued success of Pandora advertising, GPC launched a holiday campaign Nov. 25-Dec. 25 encouraging listeners to “Give the Power of Peanuts” during the holiday season. The target audience included female listeners in the metro Atlanta area between ages 18 and 44, with a special target demographic of peanut butter and jelly shoppers. Listeners who clicked the banner ad were directed to the GPC gift shop where they could purchase peanuts and other novelty items for their friends and family.

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2017

Mississippi Peanut Growers Association seeks National Peanut Board nominees The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association seeks eligible peanut producers who are interested in serving on the National Peanut Board.

The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association will hold a nominations election to select two nominees each for member and alternate to the National Peanut Board during a meeting on January 25, 2017, at 3:30 p.m. at the Bost Building B on the campus of Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi.

All eligible peanut producers are encouraged to participate. Eligible producers are those who are engaged in the production and sale of peanuts and who own or share the ownership and risk of loss of the crop.

Joe Morgan of Hattiesburg is the current Mississippi National Peanut Board member and Lonnie Fortner of Port Gibson serves as the alternate. The term for the current Mississippi board member and alternate expires Dec. 31, 2017.

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

The National Peanut Board encourages inclusion of persons of any race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation and marital or family status. NPB encourages all persons who qualify as peanut producers to attend the meeting and run for nomination.

It is USDA’s policy that membership on industry-government boards and committees accurately reflect the diversity of individuals served by the programs.

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

Florida Peanut Producers and Southern Peanut Growers exhibit at Southern Women’s Show in Jacksonville The Florida Peanut Ken Barton, FPPA. “The Producers Association and cooking demonstrations on the Southern Peanut Growers cooking stage allow us to exhibited at the Southern interact with the audience Women’s Show in while preparing a dish made Jacksonville along with with peanuts and peanut butter 1,400 other vendors. and provides a great opportuProducts, services and nity for questions from atteninformation was shared Ken Barton, FPPA executive dees". director, takes questions Florida Peanut Producers with more than 35,000 from the audience during a offered sampling attendees. cooking demonstration at the opportunities from our “The Southern Southern Women's Show in exhibit which included Women's Show continues to Jacksonville, Fla. roasted peanuts, peanut butter provide a great opportunity and peanut butter energy bars and a varifor us to share the health and nutritional ety of other peanut products. message about peanuts and peanut butter with a large number of consumers,” says

Florida Peanut Producers Association assists with Agriscience Education tours The Florida Peanut Producers Association assisted with the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Agriscience Education Leadership Program tours this past fall.

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

Georgia Peanut Commission promotes peanuts at Taste of Atlanta The Georgia Peanut Commission sponsored and exhibited at the Taste of Atlanta held Oct. 21-23, 2016, in Atlanta, Georgia. Taste of Atlanta is the city’s must-do food festival that showcases the diversity of Atlanta restaurants and attracts food lovers from Atlanta, the Southeast and beyond.

Over the three day event, Don Koehler, GPC executive director, presented peanut entrees on the main cooking stage while National Peanut Board staff assisted at the booth. The GPC also sponsored the Future Chef Food Fight where young chefs test their skills with the day’s special ingredient - peanut butter.

Georgia Peanut Commission promotes peanuts at Owl-O-Ween

The Florida Department of Agriculture’s Agriscience Education Leadership group visit the farm of Larry Ford, Greenwood, Fla., during peanut harvest in 2016.

The Georgia Peanut Entertainment Park where Commission presented the event featured live itself with a new entertainment, tethered opportunity to gain balloon rides, German and peanut and peanut butter craft beer, trick-or-treating consumers during the 5th and so much more. annual Owl-O-Ween GPC dressed up their Festival held Oct. 21-22 exhibit with Halloween Attendees sample a variety of in Kennesaw, Georgia. décor and provided peanut products during the OwlOwl-O-Ween is the only O-Ween festival held Oct. 21-22 in participants with peanuts Hot Air Balloon Festival Kennesaw, Ga. and peanut butter product. and largest costume Many parents commented, contest in the Atlanta area. During the “it is nice to see a healthy snack being two-night event GPC staff were able to provided.” Peanuts and peanut butter were reach a consumer base of more than well represented at the event and received 60,000. The event was held on 88 acres of one of the highest ratings of all the Kennesaw State’s Sports and exhibitors from participant feedback.

The Florida Peanut Producers Association assisted in coordinating a peanut and cotton tour for the leadership group. The group visited Malone Peanut Company during peanut harvest and were able to see how peanuts are dried, graded and stored. Attendees also visited the farm of Larry Ford in Greenwood, Florida, to see peanuts being dug and harvested. The next stop on the tour consisted of a cotton farm where participants were able to see harvest and then the ginning process at a cotton gin.

This was the first time for most of the group to have the opportunity to see or visit a peanut or cotton farm.

January/February 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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

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

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

Variety selection is an important process in the overall management of the farm. This guidebook serves as a resource for growers when they select a variety for the 2017 crop year.

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

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

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the University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Florida, in 2010. The seed size of FloRunTM ‘107’ is slightly larger than Georgia Greener and it produces a high percentage of medium kernels in the grading process. FloRunTM ‘107’ has demonstrated very good yields and grades with good resistance to spotted wilt (TSWV) and moderate resistance to white mold. The maturity of FloRunTM ‘107’ is similar to Georgia Green and requires about 135 days to maturity under irrigated conditions in Florida. The oil of FloRunTM ‘107’ is high oleic and will help fill the need for a medium-sized runner peanut seed with high oleic oil chemistry.

FloRunTM ‘157’ is a high oleic, medium-early maturing runner-type variety with medium runner seed size developed at the North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Florida. It was released by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences in 2015. FloRunTM ‘157’ produces about 35-40 percent medium kernels on an in-shell basis and has demonstrated very good grades and pod yields in multiple location testing in Florida. It is susceptible to white mold, moderately susceptible to spotted wilt and moderately susceptible to late leaf spot.

FloRunTM ‘157’ has been about five days earlier in maturity than Georgia-06G in Marianna, Florida, under irrigation.

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

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2017

runner-type varieties tested each year.

Georgia Greener has darker green foliage, a typical runner seed size, and a medium maturity similar to Georgia Green.

Georgia-06G is a high-yielding, TSWV-resistant, large-seeded, runnertype peanut variety that was released in 2006 by the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia. Georgia-06G has a high level of resistance to TSWV. In multilocation tests conducted in Georgia during the past several years, Georgia06G was found to have among the lowest disease incidence, highest pod yield, highest TSMK grade, and highest dollar value return per acre compared to other runner-types tested each year. Georgia06G combines high TSWV resistance with medium maturity and excellent yield and high TSMK grade which results in greater dollar value return per acre.

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

Georgia-09B is a high-yielding, high-oleic, TSWV-resistant, mediumseeded, runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2009 by the University of Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia. Georgia-09B has a high level of resistance to spotted wilt disease caused by TSWV. Georgia-09B also has the high-oleic and low-linoleic fatty acid ratio for improved oil quality and longer shelf-life of peanut and peanut products. Georgia-09B originated from the first backcross made with Georgia Green as the recurrent parent. It has an intermediate runner growth habit and Continued on page 12

Georgia Headquarters

Alabama Headquarters

Smithville, GA

Samson, AL

229‐846‐5700

334‐898‐7194

CERTIFIED & REGISTERED SEED Providing Quality seed throughout the Southeast Buying Points conveniently located to better serve all of your Farmer Stock needs

medium maturity, similar to Georgia Green. Georgia09B has a medium runner seed size as compared to the larger-seeded, high-oleic, runner-type variety, Florida-07. Georgia-09B combines the excellent roasted flavor of Georgia Green with the high-oleic trait for longer shelf-life and improved oil quality of peanut and peanut products.

Georgia-12Y is a high-yielding, TSWV-resistant, white-mold resistant, medium-seeded, runnertype peanut variety that was released in 2012 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia. Georgia-12Y is similar to another runner-type variety ‘Georgia10T’ in having low TSWV disease incidence and total disease incidence. However, during several years averaged over multilocation tests in Georgia, Georgia-12Y had significantly higher pod yield and higher dollar value return per acre compared to Georgia-10T. Georgia-12Y also has a smaller seed size (greater number of seed per pound) than Georgia-10T. During 2012, Georgia-12Y and Georgia-10T were compared to two other new runner-type varieties over multilocation tests in Georgia. Georgia12Y and Georgia-10T were both found to have among the best overall performance compared to FloRunTM ‘107’ and TUFRunnerTM ‘727’. Georgia12Y should be an excellent variety for an earlier planting (April) option in the southeast because of its high TSWV and white mold-resistance and later maturity.

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

Georgia-14N is a new high-yielding, high-oleic, TSWV-resistant, and RKN-resistant, small-seeded, runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2014 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton. Georgia-14N is similar to other high-oleic, runner-type varieties in having high-oleic and low-linoleic fatty acid profiles.

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Table 1: Official State Variety Yield Data 2013 Yield GA - Tifton1

FL-Marianna & Gainesville

Irrigated Dryland

Irrigated Marianna & Gainesville

Irrigated

Dryland

Variety

AL-Headland2

Runner Florida-07

5151

5119

5408

4828

6244

FloRunTM ‘107’

5388

4834

5258

5962

4683

FloRunTM ‘157’

-

-

5466

-

-

Georgia Greener

5031

5016

5262

6398

5273

Georgia-06G

5264

5291

5525

6870

5409

Georgia-07W

5324

5369

5360

6089

5209

Georgia-09B

5118

4548

5359

6062

5909

Georgia-12Y

5838

5880

5963

6579

5971

Georgia-13M

5149

5203

-

-

-

Georgia-14N

-

-

-

-

-

5460

4628

4783

5663

4556

TifNV-High O/L

-

-

-

-

-

TUFRunnerTM ‘297’

-

-

5780

-

-

TUFRunnerTM ‘511’

-

-

5569

-

-

TUFRunnerTM ‘727’

5149

5143

5386

6207

5481

Tifguard

However, during three-years averaged over multilocation tests in Georgia, Georgia-14N had significantly less TSWV and total disease incidence and higher yield, grade, and dollar value return per acre compared to Tifguard.

Georgia-14N combines high-yield, tomato spotted wilt virus resistance and root knot nematode resistance with smaller seed size, and the high-oleic trait for longer shelf-life and improved oil quality of peanut and peanut products.

Tifguard is a high-yielding, medium-maturity, runner market-type peanut variety. It was jointly released by the USDA-ARS and the University of Georgia. It was the first peanut variety with a high level of resistance to both the peanut root-knot nematode and TSWV. Tifguard has a runner-type growth habit with dark green foliage and a prominent main stem. It has demonstrated very good yields and grades when tested with no nematode pressure in tests in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina. When tested in fields with high nematode pressure it has demonstrated very good yields and grades without the use of nematicides.

Tifguard also has a moderate level of resistance to leaf spot.

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

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2017

2014 Yield GA - Tifton1

Irrigated Dryland

2015 Yield

FL-Marianna, Gainesville & AL-Headland2 Jay Irrigated Marianna & Gainesville

GA - Tifton1

FL-Marianna, Gainesville, Jay & Live Oak

Irrigated Dryland Irrigated Dryland

2016 Yield FL -Marianna,

AL Headland2

Irrigated Marianna & Gainesville

Irrigated

GA - Tifton1 Gainesville, Jay & Live Oak

Dryland Irrigated Dryland

Irrigated

AL Headland2

Dryland Irrigated Dryland

5739

4113

5344

6153

3439

5049

5696

6387

6516

3666

5068

6160

6010

4609

-

-

5928

4155

5637

5754

3621

5091

5596

6210

6788

5862

4689

5363

5823

4387

4755

4610

-

-

6009

-

-

4922

6377

6215

-

-

3751

5290

5810

4768

4519

4719

5877

4242

5692

5881

3131

5654

6241

-

-

-

3995

6334

-

-

5499

6044

6026

4562

6176

5844

3748

5572

6885

6906

7442

6697

4651

6440

6499

4840

6171

5971

5743

4583

6595

6280

3585

5866

5793

-

-

-

4994

6246

-

-

4429

5862

6140

3031

5930

5899

3222

5515

6428

6106

6752

5754

4200

5105

5809

4271

5155

5681

7058

4837

6416

5699

3113

5288

5999

6620

7115

7042

4799

5999

6641

4562

5064

5735

5372

4449

5928

5527

2986

6123

6407

6196

6389

6389

4755

6209

6391

4829

5717

5118

5277

5285

-

-

-

4501

5415

5853

-

-

4343

5059

-

-

3866

4193

5676

4262

5570

5617

3258

4858

5611

6044

6371

5009

4898

5878

5515

4125

-

-

5435

4309

-

-

-

5669

5551

6153

-

-

4045

5287

6538

4640

-

*

5964

4336

6305

-

-

5357

6253

6938

7587

6607

5108

6434

6537

4869

5590

5917

5930

4881

6274

6334

3603

4998

6059

6514

7133

5990

5351

5900

6766

4426

5463

5754

5724

4773

5509

6461

3694

5100

5811

6559

6570

5899

4958

5838

6161

4420

4447

4755

Table 1: The data above contains the yield results from the 2013-2016 state variety trials by the University of Georgia in Tifton, Ga., North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Gainesville, Jay and Live Oak, Fla. and Auburn University Wiregrass Research and Extension Center in Headland, Ala. 1 - Complete Test data is available online at www.swvt.uga.edu.

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

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

TifNV-High O/L resulted from a cross between Tifguard and the Florida-07 varieties. Holbrook worked with University of Georgia researchers Peggy Ozias-Akins and Ye Chu in using molecular markers for nematode resistance and the high O/L trait. Using the molecular markers, they were able to greatly speed up the process of Continued on page 15

2016 Mississippi Peanut Yield Data City

Starkville

Poplarville

Raymond

Stoneville

Overall Average

Variety

lbs/A

lbs/A

lbs/A

lbs/A

lbs/A

Florida 07

4105

4359

4658

4776

4474

FloRunTM ‘107’

4553

4966

4604

4517

4660

FloRunTM ‘157’

4920

5147

4729

5160

4989

Georgia-06G

4795

5603

4890

5158

5112

Georgia-09B

4784

5285

4824

4209

4775

Georgia-12Y

3979

5365

5050

4329

4681

Georgia-13M

4708

4562

4620

4182

4518

Georgia-14N

3279

4385

4485

4230

4095

TUFRunnerTM 297

5008

5170

5385

5012

5143

TUFRunnerTM ‘511’

4630

4866

5170

4795

4865

TUFRunnerTM ‘727’

4850

5081

4981

5148

5015

January/February 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

13

SMART PEANUTS Peanut plants are smarter than we thought they were his may sound silly. But scientists are putting forth the idea that plants have traits similar to memories of stress events that we normally associate with humans. What’s more, peanuts are among the plants that may have these memories and make use of them. If that’s true, then peanut plants may be able to respond to changes in their environment in ways we haven’t known about before.

The latest studies show that changes in the rooting behavior of peanut plants could occur based on what happened to their parent plants, or the environments that the parent plants experienced.

That’s the conclusion of University of Florida graduate student Kelly Racette.

She is studying how peanut plants grow in the next generation after the parent plants were exposed to stress from drought.

It brings to mind some of the lovely lyrics from Barbara Streisand songs such as “Let the memory live again” and “Misty water-colored memories of the way we were.”

Barbara was singing about humans, but this is about plants.

Racette showed that peanut plants may be able to remember prior stress events and pass that information on to the next generation. Basically, if the parent plants suffered from drought, the offspring plants grew deeper roots. But this doesn’t happen all the time, it also likely depends on the variety or the type of peanuts that are grown.

Racette is on her way to becoming an expert on the topic of primed acclimation.

Prior to focusing on peanuts, she worked on this concept with potatoes in Peru. She

T

University of Florida graduate student Kelly Racette has shown that peanut plants can remember what happened to their parent plants.

14

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2017

used irrigation treatments to help potato plants develop drought tolerance.

Primed acclimation is a strategy for managing irrigation that exposes the plants to mild or moderate drought conditions early in the growing season, typically before mid-bloom. Peanut plants have been shown to respond to this irrigation strategy in several ways, including growing deeper roots than they normally would under full irrigation.

“I don’t want to make it sound like peanut plants can think like humans,” Racette says. “The information passed on from one generation to the next is likely on a genetic level.”

This process is referred to as generational stress memory. Generational stress memory results in plant behavior that is different from what is normally expected strictly from genetic inheritance.

In other words, the parent plant passes on information about the environment to the offspring plants through changes in gene expression or the make-up of the seed itself.

Racette cites her own University of Florida professors Diane Rowland and Barry Tillman whose earlier research showed that prior stress memory can translate into yield maintenance behavior in plants within the same growing season.

In addition, Racette cites Brendan Zurweller, another doctoral candidate at the University of Florida, who showed evidence of physiological stress memories within a single season from peanut plants in the measures he took of total root length in the soil.

Previous studies elsewhere have shown that stress from salt exposure can

result in photosynthesis changes in offspring plants. One of the first examples of plant memory response was demonstrated in Australian studies of mimosa plants that adjusted in how they folded their leaves in response to earlier stress during a single season. But less is known about memories that are passed from one generation to the next, as Racette is addressing.

For her studies, Racette used the COC 041 line of Valencia type peanuts.

She also used the TUFTM Runner ‘511’ variety of runner type peanuts, developed

by University of Florida peanut breeder Barry Tillman. Racette’s treatments in the parent plants relied on rainout shelters and included limited irrigation for primed acclimation early in the season until 50 days after planting, and then normal irrigation thereafter.

She collected shelled, mature seed that came from non-stressed parents that received full irrigation, and from stressed parent plants that received the primed acclimation treatment early in the growing season.

Then, she planted the seed from the non-stressed and the stressed parent plants, and measured the root growth from mini-rhizotron root growth chambers that reveal the length of root growth in the soil. She recorded root depth measurements at three, five, seven, 10 and 12 days after planting.

In her measures of visible taproot length, the COC 041 line showed longer taproots for the offspring of non-stressed parents, while the TUFTM Runner ‘511’ showed the longer taproot length from the offspring of stressed parents, which could

be an effect of a generational stress memory.

“We saw how the TUFTM Runner ‘511’ variety had more root growth the next year when the parent plants had experienced drought the previous season,” Racette says. “These results indicate that TUFTM Runner ‘511’ may be able to pass along the information about root growth under limited irrigation from one generation to another. We’re excited about these studies.”

In summarizing her results, she pointed out the differences in root development between COC 041 and TUFTM Runner ‘511’. This preliminary evidence of generational stress memory in TUFTM Runner ‘511’ indicates a higher rate of establishment, or rooting velocity, and total root length in offspring of stressed parents. This indicates an interaction of generational stress memory and variety.

“We don’t know all of the rooting traits that can be impacted by generational stress memory, but we do know that generational stress memory has the potential to impact plant performance in the field,” Racette says. “The practical impact of this research is that we may be able to use information like this to better design management strategies to improve plant performance.”

As this research progresses, Racette says she hopes to test and measure the effects of generational stress memory on the root growth of other types of peanuts and peanut varieties. t

TUFRunnerTM ‘511’ is a large seeded, medium maturity runner-type peanut with high oleic oil chemistry. The University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Florida released TUFRunnerTM ‘511’ peanut in 2013. It has very good resistance to white mold, moderate resistance to TSWV, and is susceptible to leaf spots. Yield and grade of TUFRunnerTM ‘511’ have been excellent. The seed size is similar to Georgia-06G with a similar out-turn of medium, number one and jumbo kernels. The growth habit of TUFRunnerTM ‘511’ is prostrate.

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

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Variety Guidebook - Continued from page 13

developing the new variety. Limited seed supplies will be available for TifNV-High O/L in the 2017 planting season.

TUFRunnerTM ‘297’ is an extra-large seeded, medium runner-type peanut with high oleic oil chemistry developed by the University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Florida. It was released in 2014. TUFRunnerTM ‘297’ has demonstrated very good resistance to white mold, good resistance to TSWV and is susceptible to leaf spots. Yield and grade of TUFRunnerTM ‘297’ have been excellent. It has a prominent center stem with a semi prostrate growth habit.

BY JOY CROSBY January/February 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

15

Auburn releases new peanut cultivar

Auburn University peanut breeder Charles Chen has developed a new peanut cultivar he is releasing with the USDA’s National Peanut Research Laboratory.

harles Chen, peanut breeder with Auburn University is releasing a new runner peanut cultivar that farmers in the Southeast may want to watch.

The new cultivar is being released by both Auburn University and by the National Peanut Research Laboratory of the USDA-Agricultural Research Service based in Dawson, Georgia.

The cultivar was originally known as the AU 14-29 in advanced breeding line yield trials. It will be renamed after its official release. The tentative new name for the cultivar is AU-17HO, according to Chen. The AU stands for Auburn University, the 17 means it will be released during 2017 and the HO stands for the high oleic trait.

The Alabama Crop Improvement Association is increasing seed supplies for the new cultivar. It will be a few years before seed supplies for the new cultivar are adequate for commercial planting by farmers in the Southeast.

Chen says he has harvested about 10,000 pounds of in-shell seed. This will be used as breeder seed to be increased for foundation seed, and then certified seed for farmers to start growing probably during the 2019 season.

The new cultivar is a cross of the Tifguard and York cultivars. York is known as a late maturing high oleic cultivar with a seed size similar to Georgia-02C. York is also known for its

C

16

excellent resistance to tomato spotted wilt virus, white mold and leaf spot. Tifguard shares many of these traits as well, and is also known for its near immunity to peanut root knot nematodes.

The new cultivar is a runner peanut capable of producing high yields, according to Chen. It should have leaf spot resistance and is of medium maturity while having good flavor. In Chen’s tests, the new cultivar has produced yields averaging 6,400 pounds per acre. By comparison, the widely planted Georgia06G runner cultivar produced average yields of only 6,138 pounds per acre in his tests. “So the yield for our new cultivar is very competitive,” Chen adds.

This is also a high oleic cultivar. That means its shelf life should be longer than for traditional peanuts. “There have been some concerns over the purity of the high oleic trait,” Chen adds. “In our tests of 100 peanut kernels, 99 percent have the high oleic trait.”

He says the one kernel out of a hundred that may lack the high oleic trait could be due to the immaturity of the kernel in question.

Jim Bostick, with the Alabama Crop Improvement Association, says the high oleic trait patent will expire in July of 2017. So after that, it may be possible for farmers to legally save and replant seed for some of the high oleic cultivars.

“The new cultivar has a very similar size of 06G,” Chen adds. “Our tests show that its flavor is slightly better than 06G.”

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2017

In measures of total sound mature kernels (TSMK), the new cultivar reached around 74 percent while the 06G cultivar was at 76 percent.

Chen says he has access to 8.0 acres where he plants his breeding lines and new cultivars. He usually makes his new cultivars by using crossbreeding in a greenhouse. From hybrid F2 generation, he makes selections, and at the F7 generation, he starts testing the advanced breeding lines in preliminary yield tests.

In addition, Chen has other peanut breeding lines that are candidates for new releases. One is called AU 14-34 and it is a cross of a runner type peanut with a Virginia type peanut. The Virginia peanut background will give this cultivar a large size, and it is also a high oleic line. It is very suitable for ‘green peanut’ or ‘boiling peanut’. “It also resists tomato spotted wilt virus and leaf spot, and it is a

The new cultivar shown here is known for its resistance to tomato spotted wilt virus and leaf spot. It is also a high oleic cultivar with good shelling traits and capable of producing high yields.

strong candidate for future release as a Virginia peanut,” Chen says.

Chen has been able to speed up his breeding work by growing peanuts during the winter in Puerto Rico. “Peanut breeders are able to send seed to Puerto Rico in November and then get increased seed back at the end of March to speed up the breeding process,” he adds. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Mississippi Peanut Growers Association annual meeting set for Jan. 25-26, 2017 he Mississippi Peanut Growers Association plan to hold their annual meeting and trade show Jan. 2526, 2017, on the campus of Mississippi State University in Bost Building B. The event provides growers with the latest information on peanut production, research and new products.

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

Speakers during the annual meeting will provide an update on Mississippi State University, agronomic practices, the peanut grading system, peanut herbicides, peanut market outlook for 2017, managing foliar and soil-borne diseases as well as managing thrips and defoliating caterpillars. Growers will also hear reports on checkoff activities of MPGA and the National Peanut Board. t

T

January 25-26, 2017 Mississippi State University Bost Building B Starkville, Miss.

Wed., Jan. 25 - 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., Thurs., Jan. 26 - 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Florida Peanut Producers Assn.

42nd Annual Membership Meeting February 16, 2017 Jackson County Agricultural Complex & Conference Center 2741 Penn. Ave., Marianna, Florida Registration begins at 6:30 p.m. (CST) Dinner at 7:00 p.m. (CST)

For More Information: Phone: 850-526-2590

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

2017 Alabama Peanut Production Meetings February 21 11:00 a.m. - The Lighthouse Restaurant, Irvington 6:00 p.m. - Baldwin Co. Farmers Fed., Robertsdale February 22 - 11:00 a.m.

Grace Fellowship Church, Atmore February 23 11:00 a.m. - Sportman’s Lodge, Selma 6:00 p.m. - EV Smith Station, Shorter February 24 - 11:00 a.m.

North Alabama Agriplex Center, Cullman February 28 11:00 a.m. - Location TBA, Enterprise 6:00 p.m. - Wiregrass Research & Extension Center, Headland

For more information contact:  APPA at 334-792-6482 or www.alpeanuts.com January/February 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

17

Peanut Leadership Academy begins Class X wenty-three peanut growers and sheller representatives from across the Southeast, Texas and the Virginia-Carolina area began Class X of the Peanut Leadership Academy Dec. 12-14, 2016, in Miramar Beach, Florida.

The Peanut Leadership Academy is hosted by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation and is a cooperative effort between Syngenta Crop Protection, the American Peanut Shellers Association and grower organizations.

The program began in 1998 with the first class of 14 peanut growers from Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Since then, the academy has continued to grow to include growers from Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and sheller representatives.

Activities in the leadership program are structured to give participants a thorough understanding of the U.S. peanut industry. Throughout the course of 18 months and five sessions, program attendees participate in sessions ranging

T

from field trips, meetings with industry leaders and professional development training, as well as one session in Washington, D.C., where class members have an opportunity to visit with members of Congress about issues affecting the peanut industry. During this time, class members build on leadership skills, discuss and debate key industry issues and build relationships.

During the first session of the program, leadership academy attendees were introduced, presented an overview of the peanut industry and able to attend the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation annual meeting where they had the opportunity to listen to grower and industry reports.

Session two of Class X is tentatively planned to take place in March 2016. For more information on the Peanut Leadership Academy, contact PLA Coordinator, Jessie Bland at the Georgia Peanut Commission or visit southernpeanutfarmers.org. t

BY JESSIE BLAND

Class X Participants Alabama: Nathan Bartl, Lillian Josh McCoy, Midland City Jeremie Redden, Seale

Florida: Blaire Colvin, Citra Ryan Jenkins, Pace

Georgia: Casey Cox, Camilla Douglas Harrell, Whigham Jan Jones, Climax Jonathan Mann, Surrency Adam McLendon, Leary Jason Sauls, Shellman

Mississippi: Trey Bullock, Hattiesburg

North Carolina: Zach Morris, Colerain

South Carolina: Wesley Crider, Bamberg Antron Williams, Rowesville

Texas: Mason Becker, Brownfield Eddie Bergen, Seminole Michael Newhouse, Clarendon

Virginia: Paul Rogers, Wakefield

Sheller Representatives: Kyle Hord, Golden Peanut & Tree Nuts David Rushing, Birdsong Peanuts Marshall Spivey, Premium Peanut, LLC Russ Williams, Birdsong Peanuts

Peanut Leadership Academy Class X participants: front row (l-r) Wesley Crider, Blaire Colvin, Trey Bullock, Casey Cox, Zach Morris; middle row (l-r) David Rushing, Marshall Spivey, Jason Sauls, Mason Becker, Jan Jones, Douglas Harrell, Paul Rogers, Adam McLendon, Jonathan Mann; back row (l-r) Jeremie Redden, Nathan Bartl, Josh McCoy, Michael Newhouse, Eddie Bergen, Ryan Jenkins, Kyle Hord, Russ Williams. Not pictured: Antron Williams.

Peanut Leadership Academy attendees and Southern Peanut Farmers Federation (SPFF) members attend the SPFF general session on Dec. 14, 2016, at Miramar Beach, Fla.

20

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2017

Alabama grower Nathan Bartl, center, participates in a group “icebreaker” activity on Dec. 13 during the first Peanut Leadership Academy session for Class X at Miramar Beach, Fla.

Special Review

January 19, 2017 UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center Tifton, Georgia

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

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

The awards are presented during the Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference awards luncheon on Jan. 19, 2017, at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center.

Distinguished Service Award - Governor Nathan Deal The Distinguished Service Award is presented to Georgia’s 82nd Governor - Nathan Deal. Governor Deal has supported ag initiatives presented by the Legislature which have helped to enhance agricultural research at the University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. He has also helped to promote agriculture by continuing the Ag Day at the Georgia State Capitol and attending agriculture events such as the Sunbelt Ag Expo, the Georgia Farm Bureau Convention and the Peanut Butter and Jelly Day under Georgia’s Gold Dome. He is always quick to remind others that agriculture is the leading economic engine powering Georgia’s economy.

Since taking office in 2011, Gov. Nathan Deal has led Georgia to become the No. 1 state in the nation for business for four years in a row - a first in Georgia history - and helped create more than 570,000 private sector jobs. In the last six years, Georgia’s job growth has outpaced the national average while its population has jumped from 10th to 8th nationally.

A Sandersville native, Deal served in the U.S. Army at Fort Gordon in Augusta after graduating with college and law degrees with honors from Mercer University. He then began a private law practice in Gainesville, the hometown of his wife, Sandra Deal.

While his wife taught in Hall County public schools, Deal began a career in public service, working as a prosecutor, judge, state senator and U.S. Congressman for Georgia’s 9th District. The Deals have four adult children and six grandchildren.

Research and Education Award – Jere Morehead, University of Georgia president The Georgia Peanut Research and Education Award is presented to Jere W. Morehead, president of the University of Georgia. Morehead became the university’s 22nd president on July 1, 2013. Prior to becoming President, he served UGA in many key administrative roles, including Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Vice President for Instruction, and Associate Provost and Director of the Honors Program.

After taking the top spot at UGA, President Morehead set out to learn more about agriculture. He readily admitted he didn’t have an ag background and tried to increase his knowledge by taking an ag tour around the state each year. He has also attended the Sunbelt Ag Expo which allowed him to discover more of the diversity of Georgia agriculture. He has made himself accessible to members of the ag community in an effort to strengthen Georgia agriculture and the University’s College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.

President Morehead is the Meigs Professor of Legal Studies in the Terry College of Business, where he has held a faculty appointment since 1986. He is a co-author of several books and book chapters, including The Legal and Regulatory Environment of Business, and he has published scholarly articles on legal topics ranging from export controls to jury selection. He has served as editor-in-chief of the American Business Law Journal and previously held several other editorial board positions with the ABLJ. President Morehead has received several university-wide teaching awards, including the Josiah Meigs Award—UGA’s highest honor for teaching excellence, the Richard B. Russell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the Teacher of the Year Award in the Terry College of Business, and the Lothar Tresp Outstanding Honors Professor Award. He also received the Distinguished Service Scroll Award, the Law School Alumni Association’s highest honor, and has been included in Georgia Trend’s list of Most Influential Georgians for three consecutive years.

President Morehead is the first alumnus of UGA to be named President in more than forty-five years. He received his law degree (J.D.) from the University of Georgia in 1980 and served as an Assistant United States Attorney with the Department of Justice from 1980 to 1986.

Media Award – RFD TV The Georgia Peanut Media award is presented to individuals and businesses for their outstanding commitment to the peanut industry by providing vital information to peanut farmers and consumers in Georgia. The 2016 Media Award is presented to RFD-TV. In December 2000, RFD-TV was successfully launched on DISH Network and expanded to DirectTV in March 2002. Distribution continued to expand with all major cable agreements. Today, RFD-TV is available in more than 50 million homes nationwide. Rural Media Group, Inc. has since expanded to include RFD-TV The Magazine, RFD HD, RURAL TV and RURAL RADIO on SiriusXM channel 147.

The companies president Patrick Gottsch, grew up on his family’s farm in Nebraska. Through the years, he worked as a commodity broker on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, started E.T. installations, a company that sold and installed C-band home

22

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2017

satellites and then served as Director of Sales for Superior Livestock Auction, which was the first to introduce satellite video marketing to the livestock industry. Pulling all of these experiences together, Gottsch decided to dedicate himself full-time to creating a 24-hour rural television network which led to the development of RFD-TV. RFD-TV has continued to provide coverage of peanut news and Georgia Peanut Commission events and promotions throughout the past few years.

Promotion Award – The Kroger Company The Georgia Peanut Promotion Award is presented to The Kroger Company for their efforts in supporting Peanut Proud’s relief efforts through significant peanut butter donations and the Georgia Peanut Commission at the Annual Georgia PB&J Day at the State Capitol with the donation of the perfect meal - a PB&J and a glass of milk.

The Kroger Co. is one of the world’s largest grocery retailers, with fiscal 2015 sales of $109.8 billion. In 1883, Barney Kroger invested his life savings of $372 to open a grocery store at 66 Pearl Street in downtown Cincinnati. The son of a merchant, he ran his business with a simple motto: “Be particular. Never sell anything you would not want yourself.”

It was a credo that would serve The Kroger Co. well over the next 130 years as the supermarket business evolved into a variety of formats aimed at satisfying the ever-changing needs of shoppers. With more than 2,700 stores in 35 states under two dozen banners and annual sales of more than $109.8 billion, Kroger today ranks as one of the world’s largest retailers.

Kroger operates 38 food manufacturing facilities that make thousands of products ranging from bread, cookies and milk to soda pop, ice cream and peanut butter. About 40 percent of private-label items found in the company’s stores today are made at one of Kroger’s manufacturing plants. These Corporate Brands today account for an impressive 26 percent of Kroger’s total store dollar sales, providing the company with a significant strategic advantage.

Innovation is also at the heart of Kroger’s sustainability efforts, aimed at improving today to protect tomorrow. In the mid2000s, Kroger created a process to rescue safe, edible fresh products and donate them quickly to local food banks. This innovation has been replicated by other retailers and today fresh products make up more than half of the food distributed nationwide by Feeding America, America’s largest food bank network.

The business principles that made the first Kroger store successful in 1883 – service, selection and value – continue to guide the company’s operations today. From one tiny grocery store in Cincinnati more than a century ago, Barney Kroger laid the foundation for what today ranks as one of the largest companies in America.

Kroger’s Atlanta Division is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and is one of the Southeast’s largest retail grocery chains with more than 190 stores, covering Georgia, Eastern Alabama and South Carolina. Kroger was recognized by Forbes as the most generous company in the U.S. The company focuses its charitable efforts on hunger relief, K-12 education, women’s health initiatives and local organizations in the communities it serves.

Special Award - John Harrell, former chairman of the National Peanut Board The Georgia Peanut Special Award is presented to John Harrell, former chairman of the National Peanut Board. Harrell attended ABAC from 1973 to 1975 until he returned to the family farm north of Whigham, Georgia. He is a 6th generation farmer and farms 250 acres of peanuts, 1,275 acres of cotton, timber and pecans with his wife Deena, son Douglas, and his brother, Tommy. The farm has been in the family for more than 100 years.

Harrell served as the Georgia representative on the National Peanut Board for 12 years, served on the American Peanut Council Export Committee for six years and served as an advisory board member for the Georgia Peanut Commission since 1985. He is also a member of the Georgia Agribusiness Council and Grady County Farm Bureau where he serves as director and vice president. He is active with Georgia Farm Bureau and serves as chairman of the Peanut Committee and serves on the State Policy Committee. Harrell was recently appointed to the American Farm Bureau Committee on Trade. He has served for the past 27 years as Grady County Supervisor on the Georgia Soil and Water Commission Flint River District and served as chairman for 6 years. Harrell currently serves as chairman of the Federal State Inspection and Shipping Service New Grading Equipment and Procedures Committee, Senator Johnny Isakson’s Agriculture Advisory Committee and on the Grady County Extension Service Agriculture Advisory Committee.

In his hometown county, Harrell has served as a Grady County Commissioner from 1992-1996, served on the Grady County Planning Commission for six years and the Grady-Decatur 911 Committee for 8 years as chairman. He is a former director of the Cairo-Grady Chamber of Commerce and a member since 1992. Also, Harrell is a member and former president of the Whigham Community Club.

Harrell was recognized in 2010 as the Master Farmer by the ABAC Alumni Association, in 1994 as the Farm Family of the Year by the Grady County Chamber of Commerce and is a graduate of the Georgia AgriLeaders Forum.

Congratulations to the 2017 Georgia Peanut Farm Show Award winners!

January/February 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Outstanding Georgia Peanut Farmer of the Year District Winners District 1 – John Bridges Sr., Brinson, Georgia The District 1 winner is John Bridges, Sr. of Brinson, Georgia. Bridges began farming in 1948 on 50 acres of land he rented from his mother. He farmed this land until 1954 when he got into an automobile accident and was no longer able to farm. He was away from the farm for about six months. During this time, he married the love of his life, Carolyn Bridges, who gave him hope and the spirit he needed to get back into farming. Bridges and his sons have been farming ever since. Bridges and his wife have four children, Lilly, Paula, John Jr. and Bill. Bridges also works at Bridges Equipment in Brinson, Georgia, with his two sons. Outside of farming, Bridges is heavily involved with Brinson Baptist Church where he has served as a deacon for 50 years. He is also involved with Georgia Farm Bureau and Southwest Georgia Academy in Damascus, Georgia, where his grandchildren attend school. He was a member of Georgia Young Farmers for ten years, Georgia Farm Bureau for 50 years, Governor’s Environmental Committee for 8 years and served on the Flint River Conservation Board for 25 years.

Bridges has been farming peanuts since 1948 and still grows approximately 1,000 acres on his farm today. Along with peanuts he also farms cotton, timber and vegetables.

District 2 – Kenneth Hall Sr., Tifton, Georgia The District 2 winner is Kenneth Hall Sr. of Tifton, Georgia. Hall is a fourth-generation farmer on the Hall land. His son, Kenneth Hall Jr. currently watches over the business now. Hall started Ken Hall Farms, Inc. in 1973. Prior to going out on his own, Hall farmed with his father, as well as, worked some in the private sector.

Hall owned Ty Ty Farm Center and Ty Ty Buying Point for five years, commercially farmed produce for about ten years, as well as owned a turf grass business for eight years, but his roots carried him back to the farm.

Hall served as president of Georgia Young Farmers in 1974, has been a member of the Georgia Farm Bureau and the 200 Bushel Corn Club. He is also an active member of Chula Baptist Church. Hall has been recognized throughout the years for his success in farming. In 1975, Hall received the Outstanding Young Farmer Award, Dekalb-Pfizer Genetics award in 1982, 1994 Money Maker Peanut Club District IV winner, and has also been Soil and Water Conservationist of the year. Hall farms approximately 3,000 acres. Along with peanuts he grows corn, millet and wheat. When Hall is not farming, he enjoys golfing with his wife, fishing and hunting.

District 3 – Rep. Jon Burns, Newington, Georgia The District 3 winner is Rep. Jon Burns of Newington, Georgia. A farmer and small business owner, Rep. Burns and his sons own and operate a diversified agribusiness company that offers custom products and services to farmers, livestock producers and the construction industry. He and his son also operate their family farm. Rep. Burns is proud to be the fifth-generation family living and working on their diversified family farm where row crops, cattle, timber, hay and hunting and fishing are all parts of his love of the land. Peanut production has been a part of his farm for the last four decades. Rep. Burns is a past member of the Rotary Club and the Georgia Southern University Alumni Association Board of Directors, member and past president of the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce, member of the Georgia Agribusiness Council, member and past president of the Effingham County Young Farmers Organization, member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and proudly served in the Georgia Army National Guard. Rep. Burns is also serving his 7th term as a Georgia House of Representatives and serves on the Georgia Department of Transportation Board. Rep. Burns has been awarded Man of the Year in Soil Conservation in the Ogeechee River Soil Conservation District in 1986, 2016 Georgia Conservancy Legislator of the Year in 2016 and has received his Honorary American FFA Degree. Rep. Burns earned his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Georgia Southern University and holds a Juris Doctor degree from John Marshall Law School. Rep. Burns and his wife, Dayle, have two sons and five grandchildren. Rep. Burns is an active member and Sunday School Superintendent at Mizpah United Methodist Church.

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

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

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2017

District 4 – Richard Nutt, Pitts, Georgia The District 4 winner is Richard Nutt of Pitts, Georgia. Nutt’s farming experience dates back to his childhood. He was raised on his family farm and branched out on his own in 1968. In 1990 his son-in-law joined the operation and his grandson followed in 2006. Nutt is married to his wife Judy and they have two daughters, Sherry and Sandra and a son, Richie. When Nutt is not farming, he enjoys traveling the country especially to the mountains and attending southern gospel concerts. Along with farming, Nutt is a shareholder at Pitts Gin. He has been a member of Georgia Young Farmers and Georgia Farm Bureau and has served on the FSA board. In the 80s Nutt was awarded Conservationist of the Year, Wilcox County Farmer of the Year in 1991 and Top Producer of the Year in 2015. Nutt attends Union Baptist church where he serves as a deacon and song leader. While Nutt has been farming peanuts for 47 years, he also farms cotton, corn, tends to 18 poultry houses and manages approximately 125 acres of pecan trees.

District 5 – Glen Lee Chase, Oglethorpe, Georgia The District 5 winner is Glen Lee Chase of Oglethorpe, Georgia. Chase is married to his wife Ellen and they have two children, Barbra and Donald. In 1952, Chase and his parents moved to Georgia and began farming along the Flint River. From 10 acres of peanuts harvested with a stationary combine, the farm has grown to an annual cultivation of 500 acres of peanuts. The farm also produces 1,000 acres of corn, 60 acres of sweet corn and broilers in 10 poultry houses. Chase’s wife and son Donald work alongside him on the farm.

Growing and promoting top-quality high-yield peanuts has become a passion for the Chase family which include both of Chase’s children, 5 grandchildren and 1 great grandson. Chase has served as Macon County Commissioner for 8 years, been a member of Georgia Farm Bureau, served as Macon County Farm Bureau president for 15 years, GFA Peanut Association Board of Directors for 21 years where he served as president for two. He has also served on Pro FAC Cooperative Board of Directors for 13 years. Along with being active in the ag industry, Chase has been active in his community. He has been a member of the Andersonville Trial Association for 25 years where he resided as president for four of those years, Georgia- Cumberland Conference of Seventh Day Adventist executive board for 10 years, finance committee for 15 years and been a board member for the Macon County Chamber of Commerce for eight years.

The Georgia Peanut Commission presents the Outstanding Georgia Peanut Farmer of the Year awards to one farmer in each of the commission’s five districts. This award is designed to honor farmers who have given life-long devotion to peanut farming and who have the passion, diligence, leadership and desire to see that the peanut industry in the state of Georgia continues to represent the highest quality possible. The awards are presented during a breakfast held prior to the opening of the Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference on Jan. 19, 2017, at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center.

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

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

January/February 2017 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Thanks to the 2017 Georgia Peanut Farm Show Exhibitors ABAC ADAMA Adkinson Motorsports Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. Advanced Trailer AgAmerica Lending Agri Supply Aimtrac Alltech Crop Science Alithicon Lubricants Amadas Industries American International TN American Peanut Council/The Peanut Foundation American Peanut Research & Education Society AMVAC Chemical Arysta LifeScience Atlantic & Southern Equipment Avery Crop Insurance BASF Corp.

Bayer CropScience BMIL Technologies LLC Chandler Equipment Colombo NA Inc. Conger LP Gas/Propane Education & Research Council Crop Production Services/Loveland D&D Irrigation Services LLC Delta Southern Chemical Dow AgroSciences Dupont Crop Protection Dupont Pioneer Erickson Forklifts, Inc. Farm Credit Associations of Georgia First Financial Bank - Farm & Ranch Division Fleming & Riles Insurance Flint Ag & Turf Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. Georgia Crop Improvement Association Georgia Department of Agriculture Georgia Development Authority Georgia Farm Bureau Georgia Federal-State Inspection Service Georgia’s Integrated Cultivar Release System Georgia Organic Solutions Georgia Peanut Commission Golden Peanut & Tree Nuts Greenleaf Technologies Growers Mineral Solutions Hannah Solar, LLC Hays LTI H.B.T. Supply Co. Jager Pro Jet Harvest Solutions JLA International J. Smith Lanier & Co. Kelley Manufacturing Co. Kubota Tractor Corporation Lasseter Equipment Group

LD Consulting Lindsay Corp.

LMC-Ag, LLC Massey Logistics, LLC Meherrin Ag & Chemical Microtherm, Inc. Monsanto Monsanto BioAg & Seed Applied Solutions Mosaic Company Nachurs National Peanut Board National Peanut Buying Points Association Newton Crouch Nichino America Inc. Nolin Steel O2YS Corporation Omya, Inc. Park Built Body Co. Peanut Proud, Inc. Pearman Corp.

Peerless Mfg. Co. PhytoGen Cottonseed Poly Tech Industries Premium Peanut LLC Progressive Ag International LLC P.W.B. Ag Consulting Rainbow Mfg. Co. Robert Hutson Ford & Ram R.W. Griffin Industries LLC South Georgia Banking Company Southeast Farm Press Southeastern Peanut Farmer Southern AGCOM, Inc. Southern Peanut Farmers Federation Southern Peanut Growers Specialty Sales Co. Sumner Ag Services, Inc. Sunbelt Ag Expo Suwannee Hi-Cal Syngenta Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc. The Farm 92.5 WKZZ The KBH Corporation The Peanut Grower The Peanut Institute Tyson Steel Building Products Ubly Peanut Blade Mfg. University of Georgia Peanut Team University of Georgia Tifton Campus U.S. Ag LLC USDA-ARS Nat. Peanut Research Lab USDA Farm Service Agency U.S. Peanut PAC Valent Valley Irrigation Vantage Southeast Walinga USA, Inc.

National Peanut Board elects 2017 officers Ed White, a peanut farmer from Headland, Ala. was elected chairman of the 12-member National Peanut Board on Dec. 7 during the Board’s quarterly meeting in Washington, D.C. White, who is the Alabama member and recently served as the Board’s 2016 vice-chairman, will begin his one-year term Jan. 1.

“It’s quite an honor that my fellow board members had enough faith in me to elect me as chairman,” White says. “I look forward to playing a key role in advancing the board’s mission of improving grower economics through funding compelling research and increasing consumer consumption of peanuts.”

National Peanut Board also elected Greg Gill of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, as vice-chairman; Dan Ward of Clarkton, North Carolina, as treasurer; and Peter Froese Jr. of Seminole, Texas, as secretary. These officers will serve oneyear terms beginning Jan. 1.

USDA officially instated new and reappointed board members and alternates, who will begin three-year terms Jan. 1. Board members sworn in were

National Peanut Board 2017 officers are (l-r) Greg Gill, Arkansas, vice-chairman; Ed White, Alabama, chairman; Peter Froese Jr., Texas, secretary; and Dan Ward, North Carolina, treasurer.

Greg Gill, Arkansas, Jim Chandler, New Mexico and Les Crall, Oklahoma.

Alternates sworn in were Greg Baltz, Arkansas, Karen Jackson, New Mexico and Gayle White, Oklahoma. Gayle White is NPB’s immediate past-chairman.

National Peanut Board would like to recognize outgoing board member Wayne Baker, New Mexico, and thank him for his years of service to the peanut industry.

For more information on the National Peanut Board, visit their website at nationalpeanutboard.org.

The peanut emoji is here Christmas came early for the peanut world in 2016 with the inclusion of the new peanut emoji in Apple’s iOS 10.2 update for iPhone.

Originally, a few smiley faces and hearts, emojis have evolved into a ubiquitous part of social media society.

Emoji selections now range anywhere from animals to vehicles and expressing yourself with a single character has been an easy and fun choice. However, peanuts were not included until the latest Apple update.

Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts kicked off a campaign this past fall lobbying for the new peanut emoji.

Their efforts paid off with the recent addition of the peanut emoji by Apple, making it available to most social media and mobile phone platforms.

If you are an iPhone user and interested in making use of this nutty, new tool, simply go to SettingsGeneral-Software Update, then follow the instructions to download iOS 10.2.

National Peanut Buying Points Winter Conference The National Peanut Buying Points 2017 Winter Conference has been set for February 17-20, 2017, in Tampa, Florida. Lodging and all meetings will be at the Tampa Marriott Waterside in Downtown Tampa.

The 2017 conference theme is “Peanuts and the Challenge of Change.” All buying points, shellers and industry associates are invited to attend.

The program will kick off on Friday night with a Welcome Reception.

Educational sessions will be held on Saturday and Sunday mornings. The Great Cash Giveaway Reception and Auction will round out the weekend on Sunday evening.

For more information or to obtain a registration form, email Angela at spearmanagency@friendlycity.net or visit peanutbuyingoints.org online.

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Kelley Manufacturing Co.

celebrates elley Manufacturing Co., an industry leader in peanut harvesting, tillage, and poultry equipment, is celebrating 50 years of successfully developing superior quality farm equipment for an ever-changing agricultural economy.

CD Kelley established the company in 1966 in Columbus, Georgia. In 1967, KMC pioneered the development of their first implement, the two-row peanut digger shaker inverter. This was instrumental in leading to what is now one of the most successful lines of peanut harvesting equipment on the market. In 1968, KMC introduced the roto-tiller, a major contributor to the farming industry, providing efficient seedbed preparation and chemical incorporation. Due to the need for expansion and research opportunities, Kelley relocated the company to Tifton, Georgia, in 1972.

In 1979 Lanier Carson became the President/CEO of KMC. He saw the need

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to make KMC more beneficial to its employees and established a trust in 1998 making the company 100 percent employee owned.

The ‘70s and ‘80s brought about the invention of state-of-the-art equipment that revolutionized the ag industry. The design of the first KMC two-row digger shaker inverter led to the debut of the four-row model in 1973, and the six-row model in 1983.

“Learning to grow peanuts at our farm in Tifton was important to KMC and important to the peanut industry because this is where I saw the need to develop more efficient harvesting practices,” Carson says. “This is where the six-row and four-row inverters came about.”

Carson recalls how Armond Morris, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission and farmer from Irwin County, visited with him about a six-row inverter. “Armond agreed with us regarding the need for a larger inverter,” Carson says. “We designed and made a

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2017

years

prototype machine and carried it to his Irwinville peanut field to use during harvest.”

KMC had to make several adjustments, but this was essentially the birth of the six-row inverter into the peanut industry.

KMC introduced the first two-row peanut combine in 1987 quickly leading to the designs of both the four-row model in 1989, and six-row model in 1993.

Carson recalls running a two-row combine at the KMC farmer in Tifton.

He says, I had approximately 50 acres of peanuts on the ground, and there was a forecast for rain the next day. The rain forecast helped Carson begin to think of a more efficient and faster way to harvest peanuts.

“I envisioned a four-row peanut combine so I spoke with Armond and several other growers about the development of a four-row peanut combine. At the time, they were somewhat skeptical about this idea,

Carson reminiscences.

“A couple of weeks after our conversation, Armond came over and was very excited about the idea of a four-row combine,” Carson adds. “Therefore, we designed and built a four-row prototype peanut combine.”

Carson personally ran the machine during the peanut harvesting season all the way into mid-December to perfect the design and harvesting capabilities. With this, KMC officially introduced the fourrow peanut combine and the first in the industry to successfully manufacture and market the four-row peanut combine.

The ideas and advancements didn’t stop with the four-row combine at KMC. As farmers continued to plant peanuts with a six-row planter and dig peanuts with a six-row inverter, it became obvious there was a need for a six-row combine.

Carson once again took the idea to growers for their opinions. Then, KMC increased the capacity of the combine and expanded the combine header which came to be the industry’s first six-row peanut combine.

“It was a business risk to develop these larger and innovative machines, but it has revolutionized peanut harvesting and significantly reduced harvesting costs,” Carson says.

The demand for more innovative equipment saw the development of the first KMC Unload-on-the-Go Peanut Combine, the introduction of the KMC Dump Cart, and the marketing of four and six row Flex Digger Shaker Inverters.

Through the years, KMC gathered a lot of knowledge from farmers concerning the need to reduce LSKs and foreign material in peanuts.

“Finding ways to design a KMC combine to reduce LSKs and remove foreign material has helped our peanut

In 1989, KMC introduces the peanut industry’s first four-row peanut combine.

This two-row peanut digger shaker inverter was one of the many donations made by KMC through the years at peanut producers meetings and trade shows. Shown here at the 1982 Georgia Peanut Farm Show are (l-r) GPC Vice Chairman M. L. Miller, Georgia Peanut Princess Shannon Acord, GPC Chairman George Whelchel, Grand Door Prize Winner Mike Burnett, and KMC President Lanier Carson.

producers financially,” Carson says.

“Farmers have reported that achieving this has been one of the best things that KMC has done for the peanut growers.”

Though widely recognized for their peanut harvesting equipment, KMC broke the mold in 1974 releasing the KMC Ripper Bedder. Then in 1979, the company introduced the KMC Rip-Strip, which played a pivotal role in the inception of what is now termed “no-till” equipment. Several no-till implements were soon to follow including the KMC Rip-Roller.

In 1994, KMC recognized the need to accommodate a thriving poultry market with the introduction of the KMC Poultry House Cleaner. Over the years this has grown into a complete line of poultry equipment for every phase of the cleanout process, including: The Poultry House Cleaner, The Wall Cleaner, The Washer/ Sprayer, and the latest addition to their poultry line, The Litter Windrower.

Today, KMC remains a 100 percent employee owned business, with Lanier Carson as CEO/chairman of the Board and Bennie Branch serving as president.

Reflecting back on the successes of the company, Carson smiles at how KMC has evolved into the business it is today.

But he knows it wouldn’t be possible without a strong team of employees, loyal customers, and some help from up above.

“One thing is for certain; God has always blessed us and been on our side,” Carson says.

In addition to developing agricultural equipment, KMC has been involved in many events, shows, and sponsorships pertaining to the peanut industry.

“We see it as a sign of respect to the peanut farmers by participating in such events, shows, and sponsorships,” Carson says. “We believe in supporting the farmers, therefore we see it as important to be very active in the peanut industry.”

Leaders at KMC also know the future of agriculture and leaders within agriculture is important too.

“KMC believes in supporting young people through scholarships and sponsorships because they are the next generation of young farmers, and ag industry leaders,” Carson says. “It is important that the young minds of today be encouraged to continue their education in agriculture so that the ag industry can continue to thrive in the years to come.” t

BY JOY CROSBY

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Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show set for February 9 he 12th annual AlabamaPeanut growers who attend will not only Florida Peanut Trade Show is be able to fine tune their farming operations, fast approaching. This year’s but will have a chance to win prizes valued show will be held Thursday, at thousands of dollars. Kelley Feb. 9, 2017, at the National Peanut Festival Manufacturing Company is donating the Fairgrounds, located on Hwy. 231 South in Grand Door Prize this year. The winner will Dothan, Alabama. receive the use of a new six-row peanut Sponsored by the Alabama Peanut combine for the 2017 harvesting season, Producers Association and the Florida with the option of purchasing the combine Peanut Producers Association, the one-day through an authorized KMC dealer with Attendees have the opportunity to view the $15,000 off the list price. The winner must event offers farmers a full day to view the products and services of more than 80 be certified as a peanut grower with an FSA industry products and services of more than exhibitors at the Alabama-Florida Peanut farm number, and must be present to win.

80 exhibitors. The trade show opens at 8:30 Trade Show, Feb. 9 in Dothan, Ala. All peanut growers are invited and a.m. and will continue until noon with a encouraged to attend. For more information on the show, includlunch immediately following. ing exhibit space availability, contact Teresa Mays with APPA at Following the catered lunch, Marshall Lamb, National Peanut Research Lab will speak to growers about crop outlook 334-792-6482 or teresa2@alpeanuts.com. t as well as the current market status.

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February 9, 2017 National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds Dothan, Alabama Registration/Trade Show 8:30 a.m.

Door Prizes Catered Lunch More than 80 exhibitors For more information contact: Alabama Peanut Producers Association Ph. 334-792-6482 www.alpeanuts.com Florida Peanut Producers Association Ph. 850-526-2590 www.flpeanuts.com

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2017

Peanut Efficiency Awards seeking nominees hile achieving high yields and grades is important in peanut production, it’s only part of the equation for efficient, longterm sustainable production.

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

A second major component of the Peanut Efficiency Award is education.

Southeast Farm Press, Delta Farm Press and Southwest Farm Press support the education element by publishing articles throughout the year focusing on peanut production efficiency.

Awards are presented to growers from the Lower Southeast, including

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Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Arkansas; the Upper Southeast, including Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina; and the Southwest, including Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.

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

The elements of production cost and price are equally important factors in our evaluation of nominees. Marketing expertise definitely has given an edge to recent winners of the award,” says Marshall Lamb, research director for the National Peanut Research Laboratory.

Growers may submit their nomination form directly to the National Peanut Research Laboratory, or they may submit it to their county Extension agent, peanut specialist or economist. The deadline for all nominations is April 15, 2017. Growers can access the nomination

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

The awards program has honored 17 classes of winners from the U.S. Peanut Belt. Since the program’s beginning in 2000, the Peanut Efficiency Awards have honored 51 deserving growers or farms.

The awards program began with the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in conjunction with the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation and the two have grown together over the years.

Winners of the 2017 awards will receive an expense-paid trip for two to the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in July at the SanDestin Golf and Beach Resort. In addition, the winners are featured in special Peanut Efficiency issues of Southeast Farm Press, Southwest Farm Press and Delta Farm Press. t

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Washington Outlook

by Robert L. Redding Jr.

Post-election anaylsis With the 2016 elections concluded, the following are early items of interest for peanut growers. This includes an overview of both houses of Congress, the Administration and several key peanut industry issues. The peanut belt is well represented on both the House and Senate agriculture committees.

U.S. House of Representatives 114th Congress (3 vacant seats) 246 Republicans

186 Democrats

115th Congress 241 Republicans

194 Democrats

U.S. House of Representatives In the House, key subcommittee chairs should remain in leadership positions on the committee. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Georgia, will continue with a subcommittee chairmanship which is critical for Georgia growers in the next farm bill. Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, will chair the committee during the next farm bill. Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minnesota, is still Ranking Member of the committee with Rep. David Scott, D-Georgia, next in line.

Subcommittee chairmen on the committee have made a great team throughout the 114th Congress and will be an asset to moving the next farm bill forward. One potential change is with Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Indiana, who is being considered for another committee slot. If Rep. Walorski leaves the ag committee, the move will free up the subcommittee on nutrition which is an important subcommittee for agricultural interests and a target for much of the House leadership’s reform efforts. Rep. Rick Allen, R-Georgia, is also an important member of the committee. In addition, Rep. Allen serves on the Education and the Workforce Committee which shares jurisdiction of child nutrition issues.

We have several members leaving the

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committee through defeat, retirement or opting for other statewide races. We should have a slight ratio change on the committee with one or so additional democratic slots.

Nutrition reform (SNAP, etc.) will receive even greater focus with a republican House, Senate and White House. Although the 60 vote test is still the rule for regular order in the Senate, there will be pressure to try and do some reforms through other strategies, i.e. budget reconciliation (51 vote v. 60 vote test).

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Conaway opened the lame duck congressional session with a hearing to evaluate the innovative strategies retailers are utilizing to improve access to nutritious food. Committee members heard from organizations that are working creatively to provide nutritious food to low-income individuals in low-access areas through online platforms and incentive programs.

“Communities across the country have different needs when it comes to food access. Some individuals have access to a grocer on every street corner, while others are miles away from the nearest store. However, consumers nationwide are able to purchase a variety of items online that can be delivered directly to their homes, and I am excited to hear how this technology can be used to provide SNAP recipients the same sort of access to nutritious food. This capability, along with other innovations like mobile markets and nutrition incentive programs, have great potential to increase access to healthy foods and to more effectively meet the needs of SNAP recipients,” says Chairman Conaway.

This was the final hearing of the committee’s top-to-bottom review known as the Past, Present, and Future of SNAP. During the hearing, Chairman Conaway announced he will release a comprehensive report detailing the findings of the hearing series before the end of the year.

Southeastern Peanut Farmer January/February 2017

Rep. elect Drew Ferguson, RGeorgia, who replaced Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Georgia, has not been assigned a committee to date. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Alabama, will continue as chair of the House Agricultural Appropriations Subcommittee. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Georgia, should have an opportunity to be ranking member on ag appropriations. He is currently ranking member on the Military Construction Subcommittee. Rep. Tom Graves, RGeorgia, will likely upgrade his current subcommittee chairmanship on the appropriations committee in the 115th Congress.

Two appropriations committee members also co-chair the Congressional Peanut Caucus, Reps. Martha Roby, RAlabama, and Sanford Bishop, DGeorgia. The caucus has been an important voice for the peanut industry.

Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Georgia, hopes to be appointed to the House Energy and Commerce Committee which has jurisdiction over many peanut industry issues, including food, water, chemicals, etc.

U.S. Senate 114th Congress (includes 2 independents that caucus with Democrats) 54 Republicans

46 Democrats

115th Congress (includes 2 independents that caucus with Democrats) 52 Republicans

48 Democrats

U.S. Senate Georgia growers are fortunate to have Sen. David Perdue, R-Georgia, serving on the Senate Agriculture Committee with farm bill discussions set to begin in 2017.

Sen. Perdue will likely chair a subcommittee in the 115th Congress. In addition to Sen. Perdue, peanut state senators on the committee include John Boozman, R-Arkansas, Thom Tillis,

R-North Carolina, and Thad Cochran, R-Mississippi. Sen. Cochran is also chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.

Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Georgia, won re-election and will again serve on the Senate Finance Committee’s subcommittee on Trade.

With regard to the Trump Administration, President-Elect Donald Trump has not selected a nominee for Secretary of Agriculture as of this writing. There are numerous Washington, D.C., international, state and regional appointments to be determined at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a new Administration. In addition to these highest level appointments, please note that there will be a number of other appointments important to peanut growers, some requiring Senate confirmation, some not. We have Georgia State Director appointments at the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Rural Development Administration as well as State FSA Committee appointments. Most of these will occur in the first and second quarters of 2017.

After the Inauguration, the first quarter schedule will be choked with the Senate confirmation process. Congress will also have to address the government funding for Fiscal Year 2017early in 2017. The current Continuing Resolution funds the government til April 28, 2017. For the remainder of Fiscal Year 2017, the Administration should have an opportunity to provide input with their key positions filled at that time.

For legislative issues, the assumption is that Obamacare, immigration reform and transportation infrastructure funding will be at the top of the list of initiatives. It is also anticipated the President will repeal a number of federal regulations at the U.S. Department of Labor and the Environmental Protection Agency. Immigration reform and the repeal of numerous regulations will be important issues for the peanut industry.

U.S. Senate Ag Committee Calls on China to Prioritize Biotech Approvals

Sessions and Price move to the Administration

U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, sent a letter to President Obama regarding ongoing delays of agriculture biotechnology product approvals in China.

The bipartisan letter contains 37 signatures, 16 of which are Senate Agriculture Committee members.

The senators write, “American producers rely on access to the global market for the food and fiber they harvest. If they are to remain competitive around the world, it is imperative that we hold our trading partners to the commitments they make. When the Chinese government fails to remain transparent, sciencebased, and timely in its regulatory process it impacts not only our farmers’ and ranchers’ abilities to access critical markets in China, but also their abilities to utilize the best and most innovative agricultural technologies in our fields at home in the U.S.” “As your administration prepares for the upcoming dialogue between the U.S. and China, the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, we ask that you continue to prioritize biotechnology approvals with the Chinese government. We encourage you to continue building on the progress that has been made over the last few years and urge China to move forward in deregulating products awaiting final approval, as well as to eliminate trade barriers due to regulatory systems that don’t operate based on scientific assessments.”

Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, R-Alabama, has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next U.S. Attorney General. Senator Sessions has been a long-time member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and is currently a subcommittee chairman. The appointment and special election for Alabama’s senate seat will be a critical race for Southeastern peanut growers.

Georgia Congressman Tom Price, R-Georgia, has been selected as the nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services which includes the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration. Congressman Price has represented an Atlanta area congressional district since 2004. He has been very active with budget and health care issues. Congressman Price opposed the Food Safety and Modernization Act as well as the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. Governor Nathan Deal will set a date for a special election to fill the congressional vacancy.

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Southern Peanut Growers Peanuts and peanut butter featured at the World Food Championships Peanuts and peanut butter had a huge presence in Eat Y’all’s Taste of the South exhibit area in the Tasting Village during the World Food Championships in Orange Beach, Ala. Nov. 11-13, 2016. Southern Peanut Growers exhibited at the event and sampled more than 2,600 grilled PB&J sandwiches, distributed recipes and information, encouraged people to take a selfie in the peanut field display and vote Leslie Wagner, Southern #TeamPBCreamy or #TeamPBCrunchy through Peanut Growers executive director, visits with consumers social media. during the World Food More than 5,000 people visited the Tasting Championships.

Village during the three days. Other Eat Y’all partners featured in the Taste of the South area were very generous in their usage of peanuts and peanut butter as well featuring June Bugg Rub Spiced Peanuts, Fluffernutter Ice Cream, Thai Pork and Peanut Mississippi Blue Rice, and Southern Peanut Brittle.

At the event, Southern Peanut Growers were not the only ones who think Grilled PB&Js are great. There was a food truck selling sandwiches who had a Grilled Peanut Butter & Banana Sandwich for sale and a chef made it to the final 10 in a category with a Grilled PB&J!

Creamy Peanut Butter & Banana Stuffed French Toast

#PBCreamy or #PBCrunchy to Celebrate November, Peanut Butter Lovers Month Crunchy or Creamy? Peanut butter lovers have been debating which variety is the best for generations. Southern Peanut Growers hosted an Instagram Contest where people posted photos of their favorite peanut butter photos and declare their love by tagging it either #TeamPBCreamy or #TeamPBCrunchy.

Twitter Party Food blogger Kristina LaRue, RD partnered with SPG to guest host a #CreamyorCrunchy Twitter Party on November 16. The Twitter Party generated 1,693 posts about our favorite food which generated more than 2.9 million impressions.

Kristina LaRue, owner of the Love & Zest blog, also developed two new recipes for the promotion: Creamy Peanut Butter & Banana Stuffed French Toast and Crunchy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chips Bars. She did photography and videos showing how to make them set to music.

Southern Peanut Growers utilized those videos to further the reach of the November, Peanut Butter Lovers Month contest on its social media channels.

Ingredients: 4 thick slices challah bread 4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter + additional for topping 1 large banana, sliced + additional for topping 2 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 100% pure maple syrup, for topping Powdered sugar, for topping 1/2 tablespoon butter to coat skillet

Directions: Slice challah bread halfway through. Stuff each slice of bread with a tablespoon of peanut butter and several banana slices. In large square baking dish, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Dip stuffed bread into egg mixture and allow to soak for at 5-10 minutes. Butter nonstick skillet and heat over medium, cooking until golden brown on both sides. Slice french toast on diagonal (if desired) and serve with extra slices of bananas, powdered sugar, maple syrup and a drizzle of peanut butter.

Serves 4

Marketing arm of

Visit Southern Peanut Growers at these upcoming events • Jan. 19 – Georgia Farm Show, Tifton, Georgia • Jan. 25-26 – Mississippi Peanut Growers Annual Meeting, Starkville, Mississippi • Feb. 9 – Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show, Dothan, Alabama • Feb. 16 – Florida Peanut Producers Annual Meeting, Marianna, Fla. • March 24-26 – Southern Women’s Show, Savannah, Georgia • March 30-April 2 – Southern Women’s Show, Nashville, Tennessee

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

Southern Peanut Growers Conference SANDESTIN GOLF & BEACH RESORT July 20-22, 2017 Miramar Beach, Florida

l a u n n A 19th nt!

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

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

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

Registration opens April 1, 2017. www.southernpeanutfarmers.org