PQ 35 A magazine of the National Peanut Board

PQ

a magazine from the

National Peanut Board

news/food/innovations/wellness/marketing

March 2017 issue 35 feature story

Research That’s Made a Difference What Sustainability Means to Peanut Growers Buzzword? Efficiency?

Economics? Industry leaders offer updates.

Peanut Sustainability Explained Special pull-out illustration shows off the peanut’s inherent qualities for overall sustainability.

NationalPeanutBoard.org

Are You a #ShellOut for Peanuts?

Peanut Vendor teams up with former NFL player Charles “ Peanut” Tillman to build peanut passion.

The National Peanut Board represents all of America’s peanut farmers and their families. As farmers and stewards of the land, our mission is to grow, cultivate and promote the best-tasting peanuts in the world. We seek to be responsible in all that we do, from production research that results in a more healthful, sustainable crop, to sharing all the nutritional and culinary benefits of USA-grown peanuts.

National Peanut Board 2017 Officers and Members

A Message from Our 2017 Chairman

BY ED WHITE Chairman

Ed White, Chairman Gregory Gill, Vice Chairman Dan Ward, Treasurer Peter Froese Jr., Secretary Alabama Ed White Tom Corcoran, alternate Arkansas Gregory Gill Gregory Baltz, alternate Florida Jeffery Pittman William Carte, alternate Georgia Andy Bell Neil Lee, alternate Mississippi Joe Morgan Lonnie Fortner, alternate New Mexico Jim Chandler Karen Jackson, alternate North Carolina Dan Ward Ray Garner, alternate Oklahoma Les Crall Gayle White, alternate South Carolina Bud Bowers Neal Baxley Jr., alternate Texas Peter Froese Jr. Vacant, alternate Virginia John Crumpler II Paul Rogers, alternate Member-at-Large

Eileen Jordan Micah Barham, alternate Bob Parker NPB President and CEO PQ Editorial Staff & Contributors Editor: Cathy Johnson Sr. VP, Marketing & Communications: Ryan Lepicier Lauren H. Williams

Mark Dvorak

Sherry Coleman Collins

Caroline Bearden

Keegan Treadaway

Lindsey Johannesen

Sandra Flores, Art Direction L. Cavalcante & C. Lozano, Design Maggie Herrejon, Lead Ilustrator A. Magallanes, E. Trevino & S. Flores, Collaborators

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Dear Fellow Peanut Farmers, I have had the honor of serving on the National Peanut Board for 12 years as an alternate and a board member for Alabama. As a man of faith, giving back is very important to me and I’m grateful for this opportunity to serve my fellow peanut farmers.

My chairmanship began amid a process to update the strategic plan for the National Peanut Board. This plan sets the course for our work on your behalf through 2020. One of the most compelling parts of this experience has been honing in on the mission of the National Peanut Board. Our mission, our ultimate reason for being, is to improve the economic condition of America’s peanut farmers and their families. We want you to be able to farm profitably and pass your farm on to future generations.

Part of how we accomplish that is by maintaining and creating receptive markets for peanuts.

America’s love for peanuts and peanut products has never been stronger. Based on new USDA data, peanuts remain the most consumed nut

by Americans by far, and they are the only nut showing consistent growth over recent years.

Peanut consumption grew from 6.6 pounds to 7 pounds between 2012 and 2014. In 2015, consumption rose to 7.2 pounds and reached 7.4 pounds in 2016. Success is not only growth in total consumption, which we have seen over the

past several years, but also growth in per capita consumption.

I’m especially proud of peanuts’ growth in the face of food allergy concerns and increased advertising spending by other nuts. NPB has invested nearly $22 million in food allergy research, outreach and education. With the new guidelines for early introduction of peanut, those investments may very well lead to a future without peanut allergy. In domestic marketing, where others can afford to take a shotgun approach, we must aim our resources squarely at our target-millennials who influence the older and younger generations.

It bears repeating that NPB programs have been successful over the years, achieving significant results for America’s peanut farmers. To that end, when our strategic plan update is completed, you won’t find dramatic shifts in our strategies.

But I believe your pride in the work of the National Peanut Board will be reignited by the clarity, passion and ambitious goals we’ve set, guided by a simple and powerful mission.

Ed White Chairman

CONTACT INFORMATION 3350 Riverwood Parkway, Suite 1150 • Atlanta, Georgia 30339 • toll-free tel: 866.825.7946 • tel: 678.424.5750 • fax: 678.424.5751 email: peanuts@NationalPeanutBoard.org • web: NationalPeanutBoard.org

Today’s Higher Yields Are No Accident, Despite Rough Conditions.

Here’s Why. A long-time peanut industry leader in Georgia recently told me that the year 2016 was “another 1990.” Those who have been around long enough, will remember 1990 as a disastrous year of heat and drought. Georgia’s average yield was only 1,750 pounds per acre that year.

But in 2016, Georgia’s average yield (in a 1990-type year) was 4,200 pounds per acre, according to USDA. It is remarkable that Georgia’s farmers overcame such difficult conditions last year. I believe this was not by accident.

Since 2001, the community of peanut farmers, through the National Peanut Board, have funded $29 million in production research. Paired with funds from state grower associations, industry and government sources, these dollars have made a huge difference for peanut farmers.

Through production research, farmers have critical information at their disposal that makes them more productive. They know the best time to plant to avoid disastrous diseases, they know when to irrigate, how much to irrigate, and the best time to dig. Never have farmers had seed varieties that can produce yield at such high levels and withstand diseases, nematodes and other obstacles thrown their way. So many things that we take for granted, that we just know, came about as the result of a researcher studying and testing a theory.

Sources of funding for research from government are getting harder to come by. Farmers and industry leaders are being asked to carry more of the funding weight to make up for the shortfalls. Even though the National Peanut Board will contribute more than $2 million this year to production research, the money doesn’t stretch as

BY BOB PARKER President & CEO

far because universities require we cover overhead costs for their general administration. We need new sources of funding.

The 2014 Farm Bill included a provision for commodity boards to obtain matching funds from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). In 2015, NPB was one of two national commodity boards to submit applications for research topics to NIFA. Our two topics were accepted, and for a $400,000 investment of NPB funds, we became eligible for a $400,000 match in funding. Research projects on “drought tolerance and water-use efficiency in peanuts” will be funded in 2017 and farmers across the peanut belt will reap the benefits.

In 2016, we worked with other organizations in the peanut industry and had research topics approved that will provide matching funds of $650,000. Through programs such as NIFA that provide matching funds, NPB is leveraging our limited funds and our grower dollars are stretching even further.

Yields today are beyond a farmer’s wildest dreams just 20 years ago. We know new diseases are emerging season after season, water resources are shrinking, and financial challenges will always be in front of us. All of this means we cannot let up in the area of research if we are to remain viable.

MY hope is that we will continue to take advantage of innovative research funding opportunities, such as NIFA, and find new and creative ways to extend our grower dollars even more.

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Challenges Met: Research That's Made a Difference Record-breaking yields and cost-saving efficiencies have shaped the story of peanut production over the last five years. Many believe success today is the result of compelling production research, funded collaboratively by universities, and private and public governmental agencies, and led by breeders and researchers.

The National Peanut Board has prioritized production research funding since the first board was seated in 2001. Since that time, $29 million has been invested in production research by the National Peanut Board initiated each year by state producer organizations and universities. NPB has supported the International Peanut Genome Initiative since it began in 2013. This past year, NPB leveraged matching funds from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), receiving $1,250,000 toward further production research. When

NPB dollars are joined with funding from state and industry organizations and federal, private and university entities-it’s no wonder peanut production is more efficient and profitable today than ever before.

Contributing funds to more than 900 production research projects allows NPB to support solutions to challenges such as using water efficiently, managing disease and drought, breeding new cultivars and improving varieties to meet problems head-on.

For this issue of PQ, we decided to delve deeper into the success stories of just a few of the research projects NPB has been privileged to help fund. We talked to key people in three peanut growing regions-the V-C, Southeast and Southwest-to highlight the research results that have made a big difference as peanut growers put the research to work on their farms.

Seed Varieties Address Disease Resistance, Improve Yields in V-C Area For peanut farmers in the Virginia-Carolinas region, certain crop diseases have historically been a significant impediment to peanut yields and farm profits. With funding from the National Peanut Board (NPB), researchers at North Carolina State University (NCSU) began addressing this issue by developing disease resistant cultivars through a multiyear, multi-location breading program. The resulting varieties of

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Bailey, Sugg, Wynn and Sullivan Virginia-type seeds have doubled the yield for farmers in the region, and reduced input costs to treat chronic conditions.

“In 1999, the average yield in North Carolina was 2,414 pounds per acre,” said Bob Sutter, executive director of the North Carolina Peanut Growers Association. “Fast forward to 2014

Challenges Met: Research That's Made a Difference

and the average yield was 4,100 pounds per acre. I am sure there is agreement on the peanut farm that it is because of the varieties developed by Dr. Tom Isleib and his team at NCSU.�

In 2014, Bailey was planted on 84% of the Virginia acres in the V-C area, and North Carolina peanut producers produced on average 1,686 more pounds per acre than in 1999. At 25 cents per pound, that comes to an additional $421.50 per acre.

NPB funding made this possible.

In 2001, NPB began funding NCSU’s breeding program. The goal was to develop varieties resistant to the four most common diseases affecting peanut production in the area: Sclerotinia blight, early leaf spot, Cylindrocladium black rot, and tomato spotted wilt virus. The program involved crossbreeding superior Virginia-type peanuts with sources that have resistance to those diseases, even from other peanut types including runners. The team used a winter seed nursery in Puerto Rico to expedite the breeding process, and crossed each generation until they achieved genetically stable families with improved disease resistance.

Bob Sutter

The varieties released as a result of this program have benefitted the economic condition of farmers in the region by requiring less fungicide and preventive applications to treat disease. These varieties are also high yielding, which means increased earnings potential for farmers.

VA NC

OK NM

SC

AR MS

AL

GA

LA TX FL

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In the Southeast, Disease-Resistance Management Research Key to Success of New Varieties In the 1990s, the spread of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) threatened the survival of the peanut industry in Georgia, the state that today produces more than 50 percent of the nation’s peanuts. Yields suffered with the spread of the disease and the value of the state’s crop was reduced more than 10 percent.1 TSWV has been a problem across the Southeast dating back to the seventies when it was first seen in peanuts in Texas, then later found in Louisiana and Alabama. Nematodes, another foe, can substantially reduce crop yields. Nematode damage can increase susceptibility to Cylindrocladium black rot (CBR), harming the entire root system. White mold and leaf spot are common worries for any grower in the region.

Researchers and breeders have prioritized disease resistance by developing improved varieties. Many improved varieties have been released over the last decade giving growers the choice to plant not only for disease resistance, but also to increase dollar value, yield, grade, give better shelling characteristics or longer shelf life and enhanced flavor, among other qualities. Mostly, improved varieties focus on runner-type peanuts which offer combinations of high yields, resistance to TSWV, CBR, nematode, leaf spot or white mold.

With such a high-quality selection, how do growers make the best decisions about what variety to plant and how to manage a new variety during the season? Rigorous research, conducted year-in and year-out, backs up these new introductions and improvements to ensure breeders and researchers are developing varieties that match the grower’s needs.

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One research program at the University of Georgia quantifies and evaluates the levels of disease resistance of runner peanut cultivars currently grown in the Southeast, as well as advanced lines from breeders’ programs that are being considered for release.

“We evaluate TSWV, leaf spot and root knot nematodes, but our main target is white mold,” said Tim Brenneman, Ph.D., department of plant pathology at the UGA Tifton campus.

“Any breeder, public or private, can send germplasm they wish to have evaluated. The information we generate is useful to the breeders in knowing the strengths and weaknesses of potential cultivars. The data is also critical in assigning disease risk levels to new cultivars as they are released.”

With the flood of new peanut cultivars being released annually, this research is important to update the Georgia Fungal Disease Risk Index and is invaluable to growers as they plan their management programs.

“Disease management is a key consideration for any peanut farmer, and there is a wide range of susceptibility to various diseases in our currently grown cultivars,” said Brenneman.

“As other new cultivars are developed, studies such as this will help growers know how to successfully grow them.”

He adds, “GA-13M and TuFRunner 511 each have valuable attributes, including high-oleic oil chemistry, but both are highly susceptible to leaf spot. Anyone growing these cultivars should avoid planting them in short rotations, and should be prepared to use a premium fungicide program.”

At a University of Georgia research field near Tifton, Ga., crew members under the direction of Dr. Tim Brenneman, Ph. D., inoculate peanut plants to screen for resistance to white mold.

Challenges Met: Research That's Made a Difference

Texas A&M Applies Marker Assisted Selection to Advance Breeding of Superior Cultivars Conventional breeding is a long and laborious process that takes years to bring a new seed to market. That’s why researchers at Texas A&M AgriLife (TAMU) are fast-tracking the breeding process with marker assisted selection. Their aim is to resist disease and environmental pressures by screening for genetic markers with advantageous characteristics that will improve the breeding of new varieties.

“Funding from the National Peanut Board has been important to the Texas A&M AgriLife Peanut Breeding and Genetics Program,” said Mark Burow, Ph.D., peanut genetics specialist with the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at TAMU, and based in Lubbock. “NPB funding supports our work on drought and heat tolerance, disease and pest resistance, and improved edible seed quality-namely early maturity and high-oleic peanuts.

It also contributes to using results of the Peanut Genome Initiative in the breeding effort, and to work by Charles Simpson at Stephenville on incorporating traits from wild species into new varieties,” said Burow.

By employing marker assisted selection, researchers are homing in on genes that espouse desired traits so that they can breed superior varieties more quickly. Their genetic assisted selection has already yielded Webb, a high-oleic runner variety with good nematode resistance, and Schubert, a high-oleic Spanish-type variety which has increased yield and grade

potential and some early maturity. Now their research is focused on screening for specific markers and genes that will further enhance new varieties.

Currently, they are screening for markers that can promote early maturity to improve flavor and yield. They are also identifying markers that affect the plant architecture to aid in water-use efficiency and markers for resistance to root-knot nematodes, leaf spots and pod rot. While this research looks at genetic markers, it does not involve genetic engineering or modification.

Instead, it is allowing researchers to leverage genetic data so that desired traits are selectively bred into new varieties, and less desirable genetic material bred out. This process saves time and energy spent on addressing plant pressures, and instead gives them the ability to address plant yields and crop grades.

That’s where the greatest impact will be made on farmer profits.

“The quicker the breeding program can pyramid drought resistance with early maturity, and multiple disease resistance, the sooner growers will benefit by way of higher yield and reduced input costs associated with extra irrigations and sprays for disease treatments, and consumers will benefit from tasty, heart-healthy peanuts,” said Michael Baring, breeder in College Station, Texas.

Sources 1Thompson, C. (2014, November 19). Peanut Farmers: Don't Get Complacent With Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus. Southeast Farm Press. http://www.southeastfarmpress.com/peanuts/ peanut-farmers-don-t-get-complacent-tomato-spotted-wilt-virus

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What Sustainability Means to Peanut Growers

Donald Chase knows that some farmers hear the word “sustainability” and immediately cringe at the thought of new requirements piling up on an already challenging way of life.

“There’s just a tendency to think ‘oh, here comes something else,’” said the Georgia farmer and chair of the American Peanut Council’s Sustainability Task Force.

But Chase says he became involved in-and agreed to lead-the industry’s work because peanuts are already starting from a position of strength, with a story ripe for the telling.

“What sustainability means to us as farmers is we’re going to find the most efficient way to produce peanuts,” Chase explained. “It just so happens peanuts are naturally sustainable and efficient. I believe the intersection of what others think of as sustainability and our focus on economics is the same thing.”

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While sustainability and sustainable farming sound like buzz words to many, they are not new ideas. In fact, according to Marshall Lamb, Ph.D., researcher with USDA ARS, it’s an issue that’s been at the forefront of the national conversation discussed for 40 years or more. The difference, he said, is in who is driving the conversation.

“The 'Alternative Agriculture', 'Sustainability' and 'Organic' initiatives of the 1970s, 80s and 90s were top-down movements of the government, nongovernmental organizations and land grant universities that were focused on improving the economic and environmental impacts of agriculture. There was a limited emphasis on consumers,” Lamb explained.

“Today, sustainability is a grassroots recognition by consumers and industries that purchasing patterns directly affect the economic and environmental impact of agriculture,” he added.

Sustainability

What Consumers Want And consumer research bears that out. According to Deloitte, traditional consumer food purchasing drivers (taste, price and convenience) are not the only factors anymore. Half of consumers today consider health and wellness, safety, social and environmental responsibility, transparency and retail buying experience when making food purchase decisions.1 In 2015, 32 percent of consumers said they plan to buy more goods and services from socially/environmentally responsible companies. This is double the percentage in 2012. Millennials are even more committed to purchasing socially-responsible products–41 percent of 18-24 year olds, and 38 percent of 25-34 year olds buy based on social/environmental responsibility.2 Nielsen research echoes these findings. Sixty-six percent of people say they are willing to pay more for sustainable goods, up from 55 percent in 2014 (and from 50 percent in 2013).3 There’s no surprise, then, why brands of all shapes and sizes have taken notice.

“Consumers today are so far removed from agriculture, which can be scary for them,” explained Alissa Marturano, sustainable sourcing insights manager at Mars Chocolatewhich manufactures Snickers® and M&Ms®, among a host of other products.

“Consumers want to know where their food is coming from.

How is it being produced? How is the land being managed?

How are animals being treated? They want that visibility to the upstream supply chain.”

But Marturano also said that responsible companies don’t simply follow consumer trends. They work to get ahead of them. “The need to address sustainability goes well beyond the consumer ask. A growing population, climate variability and environmental degradation all support the reason to be proactively managing resources and advancing respect for human rights in our supply chain. At Mars sustainability is a core objective for our business.”

Leah McGrath, RD, LDN, and corporate dietitian for Ingles Markets, echoed Marturano’s perceptions about consumer needs.

“The more we can help consumers understand agriculture and farming, the more comfortable they will be buying products. They want to hear the stories ... most want to learn more and I don't know anyone who wants to be afraid of their food.”

What sustainability means to us as farmers is we're going to find the most efficient way to produce peanuts. I believe the intersection of what others think of as sustainability and our focus on economics is the same thing.

Donald Chase

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PQ

Developing a Definition Everyone Can Embrace Chase, Lamb and Marturano are all involved in the industry’s participation in Field to Market (see related story), which is being led by the American Peanut Council. As that effort takes off and gains traction, the National Peanut Board is focused on telling the peanut industry’s story today. In fact, the board just completed a new series of videos featuring farming families in the Southeast, Southwest and V-C regions talking about their commitment to a sustainable future. (View those videos at www.NationalPeanutBoard.org) Before developing those videos, however, the board worked to create a definition and framework for sustainability to ensure the story it tells is in sync with the farmers it serves.

“When it comes to peanuts, sustainability is a three-legged stool. We look at the economic impact on farmers and their communities, as well as the health of our planet and the health of people,” said Bob Parker, NPB president and CEO.

"We hear a lot these days about millennials and how they are willing to pay more for sustainably-sourced products.

There's a lot of truth to that."

Adam Rabinowitz, Ph.D.

Keeping An Eye On The Economics "No nut–in fact, few foods at all–can compete across the board with peanuts. And that’s a story we’re working to tell more aggressively.”

Adam Rabinowitz, Ph.D., joined the peanut industry last summer when he took the position of assistant professor of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Georgia. Prior to his move, Rabinowitz had extensive experience with other commodities–including dairy. In just the few months he’s been around, he says he’s impressed both with the peanut’s inherent sustainable properties and the industry’s commitment to ensure growers are at the heart of the dialogue.

“We’re still in the early stages. We want to know more about how the changes in environmental metrics will impact farm performance from a dollar standpoint,” Rabinowitz said.

“What would it mean to farmer profits if we decrease water ... use employ new technologies ... or try new varieties?

“I’ve been pleased about how the industry is focused on making sure that grower needs are being met in the process.”

Rabinowitz knows economists have an important role to play as peanuts and all commodities work to balance grower and consumer outcomes. “We hear a lot these days about millennials and how they are willing to pay more for sustainably-sourced products. There’s a lot of truth to that.

The question is ‘how much more?’”

As Donald Chase thinks about sustainability and peanuts, his message to others in the industry is that it’s yet one more platform that peanuts can own. “Sustainability exists throughout the entire peanut supply chain and is marketable to consumers if you have a good story–which we do,” he said.

“Don’t be afraid of it–instead, embrace it.”

Sources 1Ringquist, J., et al. (2016). Capitalizing on the Shifting Food Value Equation (Publication). Retrieved March 2, 2017, from Deloitte. website: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/ Deloitte/us/Documents/consumer-business/us-fmi-gma-report.pdf.

2Ibid.

3The Sustainability Imperative (Rep.). (2015, October). Retrieved March 2, 2017, from The Nielsen Company website: http://www.nielsen.com/content/dam/nielsenglobal/dk/docs/globalsustainability-report-oct-2015.pdf

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Sustainability

Field to Market Strengthens Peanut Sustainability Story ®

In 2016, the peanut industry, through the American Peanut Council, joined Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, an important multi-stakeholder initiative. This leading sustainability program is working to unite the agriculture supply chain in defining, measuring and expanding the sustainability of food, fiber and fuel production in the U.S. By participating in Field to Market, the peanut industry can tell its story more effectively in a way that promotes good communication and trust between the consumer and all levels of the supply chain.

“The peanut industry has always prioritized using its natural resources wisely,” said Patrick Archer, president of the American Peanut Council. “Joining Field to Market is a vital next step in defining and communicating our continuous improvement in the sustainability of peanut production.”

For the first time in December 2016, peanuts were included in Field to Market’s National Indicators Report, which uses publicly-available data to shed light on the past 30 years of sustainability for a crop. The National Indicators Report builds trust through data and a baseline against which to monitor and measure future change.

working with Field to Market to integrate peanuts into the Platform, which will then be used to help document and demonstrate the positive peanut sustainability story.

“Farm-level data will be kept anonymous and will help growers evaluate their own farming decisions,” said Alissa Marturano, sustainable sourcing insights manager for Mars Global Chocolate . “The Fieldprint Platform will help peanut farmers compare their performance against local, state, and national benchmarks and translate their conservation and stewardship efforts into a story that can be shared with the supply chain and consumers.”

Work has begun on the development of a data entry tool for the Fieldprint Platform spearheaded by APC. “We’re establishing the peanut calculator module within the Platform and it will be piloted this spring. We will continue learning about the tool as it’s being updated. Our goal is to make the updated resource available to growers at the end of this year, and we’ll be prepared to scale up in 2018,” said David Prybylowski, APC sustainability task force chairman.

Marturano said peanut producers may contact their local extension agents for more information.

Another important benefit of joining Field to Market is the Fieldprint Platform, which is a pioneering assessment framework used to measure and track sustainability performance at the farm level and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. The peanut industry is currently

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The Seeds for Improving Peanut Sustainability May Be Rooted in Sod With continued investment in production research, the sustainable footprint of peanuts is continuing to improve. Peanuts now yield twice what they did just a few years ago, while inputs have remained constant or even reduced. But for some farmers, poor soil quality remains a barrier to yield potential. Now researchers are recommending that farmers plant sod in rotation with peanuts to further improve soil sustainability, and the overall sustainable footprint of peanuts.

David Wright, Ph.D., a researcher with the University of Florida, has studied the effects of sod rotation for over 17 years. His research shows that incorporating sod into a crop rotation significantly decreases disease and pest infestations, increases yields and even reduces the amount of inputs a farmer needs for the crops. It’s all possible because of the restorative soil benefits of organic matter.

The Root of Sod’s Astounding Results “When most people think of sod they think of a palette of sod or some other grass. What we’re referring to is perennial grass,” said Wright. “Whether it’s fescue, like they grow up further north, or the Bahia grass or Bermuda grass that we grow here in the Southeast, in the peanut region.” Sod, such as Bahia grass, is a perennial grass that has two-thirds of its biomass below ground. That’s where the soil benefits come into play because it naturally adds organic matter back into the soil.

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“The bread basket of our country is the Midwest. It came out of perennial grasses’ high organic matter,” said Wright. “The concept works here in the Southeast too, of building up organic matter and storing more water. It's like putting mulch in your flowerbeds. You know that’s going to keep your flowers much healthier.”

When most people think of sod they think of a palette of sod or some other grass. What we're referring to is perennial grass.

David Wright, Ph.D. According to Wright’s research, increasing organic matter in the soil through sod rotation has shown increases in peanut yields. That’s because the organic matter promotes nutrient and water holding capacity in the soil. Perennial roots penetrate deep below the surface layer, unlike annual crops which only reach shallow depths of the soil near the surface. As a result, crops planted after

Sustainability

perennial sod can expand their root depth providing greater access to moisture and nutrients.

why Wright and his team have developed a business model, and are working to communicate cost and benefit analyses for implementing a sod-based rotation.

Wright compares it to growing a flower in a coffee cup versus a fivegallon pot. The larger vessel will hold more soil moisture than the coffee cup, meaning less watering of the plant. That also means the farmers who rotate crops with sod are able to significantly decrease their use of irrigation and fertilizer. Further, his research suggests that farmers are able to reduce, and in some cases eliminate, their use of pesticides on peanuts planted after sod thanks to the natural pest resistance of perennial grass.

One solution they’ve researched is including livestock in the farming operation to graze on the sod-sewn field. The cows would also provide natural fertilizer for the field through manure. While cattle ranching is a different animal (pardon the pun) than row-crop farming, Wright says that some 30 percent of row-crop farmers in Florida, Georgia and Alabama already have livestock.

“An important reason for that is that the perennial grasses are, in general, pretty resistant or tolerant to nematodes,” said Wright.

“When you have grass in a rotation it can knock down nematode populations. The following crops have much higher yields.” So with all the benefits of incorporating sod into a crop rotation, it seems like all farmers would want to do it.

Regardless, Wright sees sod-based rotation as a way to further improve the sustainability of peanuts, the field and a farmer’s bottom line. “It can contribute to sustainability just from the standpoint that you do have a lot less inputs,” said Wright. “If you’ve got cattle in the system, you’ve got a lot more nutrient recycling. You’ve got deeper roots from not only the summer crops, peanut and cotton, but also the winter crops. In general, we have found that the profit potential maybe two to seven times higher.”

Sod-Based Rotation is Something to Graze on Unfortunately, it’s not so easy to adopt. Farmers rely on their land to grow crops. Dedicating a portion of that land to grow grass instead of crops might be economically unsustainable for some farmers. That’s

Improving the fields and increasing yields means peanut farmers can sustain their farm for generations to come. The seeds of opportunity may be in sod.

According to Wright's research, increasing organic matter in the soil through sod rotation has shown increases in peanut yields.

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Millions of Disney Visitors Get a First-Hand Look at How Peanuts Grow How one NC State grad brought peanuts back to Disney’s Epcot Land Pavilion

plants on strings, the Temperate Greenhouse which grows plants in sand, and the Tropical Greenhouse, which grows an abundance of tropical fruits. Visitors take a guided boat tour through the greenhouses and other attractions.

“During my internship interview, all I did was talk about peanuts. I told them how much I’d loved working with peanuts. They’re one of the most unique plants in the world just because of how they grow,” said Nixon.

Nixon is no stranger to peanuts. As a student at NC State he worked

Peanuts were grown and displayed last year for the first time in 10

as a greenhouse technician alongside Tom Isleib, Ph.D., a professor

years in The Land Pavilion at Walt Disney World’s Epcot Center.

of crop and soil science, researcher and plant breeder.

The story begins with Tyler Nixon, a 2016 graduate of North Carolina

His experience as a research technician and as an intern at

State University in Plant and Soil Science, who wanted to round out

Severn Peanut Company came in handy when convincing the

his general agronomy degree with more experience in biotechnology.

horticulturists at Disney to add peanuts to their display mix to show visitors growing systems that are kinder to the environment and

Nixon learned about an opportunity to apply for a six-month

improve food production.

internship in plant science at The Land Pavilion at Walt Disney World’s Epcot Center. “I saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

“I researched several seed varieties and chose Bailey because they

to learn first-hand about biotechnology, aquaponics, aeroponics,

are very resistant. I also chose Suggs and Sullivan because they

hydroponics, sustainable agriculture and things like that.”

produce large pods which would be a great showcase variety to put on display,” said Nixon.

The Land Pavilion is one giant agriculture laboratory with four greenhouses; the Creative Greenhouse which grows plants in a vertical position without soil, the String Greenhouse which grows

“Initially, we planted the seeds in the Support Greenhouse until the plants matured. This is what Disney calls ‘show quality.’ They grew in raised beds in a perlite and peat moss mix, so it’s like a soil,” said Nixon. “We grew them through a hydroponic method with the benefit of getting nutrients and moisture 100 percent of the time over their life cycle.”

As the peanut plants matured on schedule, they were moved to the String Greenhouse for visitors to observe and learn about how peanuts grow as they tour the pavilion. “With about 40 people per boat floating by about every minute, it’s easy to envision how many people visited the peanuts every day,” said Nixon His internship with Disney ended in January. Not only were peanuts brought to the forefront in one of the world’s busiest theme parks, but Nixon realized the internship experience brought his life’s goals a step closer, too.

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While serving as an intern at The Land Pavilion at Walt Disney World’s Epcot Center, last year, Tyler Nixon chose the Bailey Virginia-Type seed variety to plant and showcase for visitors.

Grower Voices

Grower Voices In contrast to our usual single-grower profile, we asked peanut farmers from three growing regions:

What does sustainability mean to you and how does research play a part?

“I have three main areas of focus on my farm: my land, consumers, and my business. Sustainability plays a key role in maintaining each of those focuses because I have to make sure that every decision I make on my farm-what I plant, why I plant it and how I tend to it-swill keep my land, consumer and business healthy year after year. Research, whether it’s in new seed technology, water conservation, or disease and weed management, is crucial to agriculture because it helps me make better, more informed decisions and therefore, makes me a better farmer. ”

Jan Jones, Georgia

“There is a finite amount of land to farm and with urban sprawl land does become less available to farm. You have to do better with what you have. I’m a young guy and I know there is less land available than when my dad started farming. I want something to be left for the younger generation if they choose to farm. We treat the land as our most prized possession.

The entire ag community, pushed the button on being sustainable. As a whole, there’s less pesticide use and fertilizer use. The changes started as a cost-saving issue but they have significantly reduced our carbon footprint.”

Brandon Belch, North Carolina; with his parents, Mike and Cindy Belch. Cindy is a past chairman of the National Peanut Board.

“In the most basic form, sustainability means ‘I take care of the land.’ It allows me to be profitable over a long period of time. There are hundreds of things that go into that: sustainability of water, soil, growing good yields through rotations. It’s important that my soil remains healthy and I can pass it along to the next generation—all at the same time being profitable. Sustainability doesn’t have anything to do being organic. There’s a chain of research that’s important to keep us sustainable: research from one region to the next and even from one farm to the next can be very different.

On the promotion side, we also have to make sure that we’re producing a crop that people want to ensure our future.”

Rickey Bearden, Texas

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Evidence Evolution: Six Allergy Advancements Promising for Peanuts

By Caroline Young Bearden, MS, RD, LD

Food allergy research is continuing to change the way healthcare practitioners and consumers think about peanuts. Here are the hottest research studies and developments you must know about regarding peanut allergy risk, prevention and treatment.

Guidelines Flip Old Recommendations Upside Down In January of this year, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) published guidelines on the early introduction of peanut products to infants to prevent development of peanut allergy. Partially funded by the National Peanut Board, these clinical guidelines “are one of the most promising announcements in the world of peanut allergy ever, and peanut farmers should be proud of their support,” said Bob Parker, NPB president and CEO. The guidelines were the result of the LEAP study and other emerging data; and offer specific recommendations in three categories for varying allergy risk levels, including low, moderate and high risk. In all cases, the NIAID recommends introducing peanut-containing foods into infants’ diets around six months of age, and after starting other solid foods, which is in stark contrast to past guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) that suggested peanut avoidance until age three.1

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Food Allergy Research

Early Introduction Can Reduce Allergy Risk In 2015, Gideon Lack, M.B., B.Ch., of King’s College, London, led the Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) study, which was conducted to determine if the early introduction of peanuts could prevent peanut allergies. The researchers randomly assigned 640 infants at high risk (with severe eczema and/or egg allergy) to avoid or consume peanuts until they were 60 months old. They found early introduction of peanuts was associated with 86 percent risk reduction of allergy development in highrisk children between the ages of four and 11 months old.2

Study Affirms Early Introduction Effective Alongside Breastfeeding Lack also led the Enquiring About Tolerance (EAT) study to determine if the introduction of the six common food allergens early into the diets of infants along with continued breastfeeding could result in less food allergy development over three years. Researchers split 1,303 mothers and their infants into two groups, one who exclusively breastfed for six months and one who continued to breastfeed while introducing food allergens.

Piggy-backing on the LEAP study was the Persistence of Oral Tolerance to Peanut (LEAP-On) study in 2016, also led by Lack.

This time, the goal was to investigate if the peanut allergy rate stayed minimal without continuing to consume peanuts after the LEAP study peanut consumers avoided peanut consumption for 12 months, in comparison to the peanut avoiders. Researchers instructed 556 of the LEAP participants to avoid peanuts for 12 months, and found that participants in the LEAP peanutavoidance group developed more food allergies than the peanut-consumption group. In other words, the LEAP-On study concluded that a year-long avoidance of peanuts by children who had early introduction is not associated with an increased allergy risk, which conflicts with the previously held idea of peanut avoidance in early years.3

“Parents of high-risk children should feel more confident, and perhaps even elated, that they can reduce their child’s potential risk of allergy to peanut through early introduction.”

J.J. Levenstein M.D.

Pediatrician

As for children who are not high risk, Dr. Levenstein, a pediatrician and chair of NPB's Food Allergy Education Council, recommends following the AAP’s recommendations to offer all complementary foods in the first year of life.

By the end of three years, researchers found that infants were at a significantly lower risk (67 percent) of peanut (and egg) allergies in the early introduction group. Specifically, researchers found that peanut allergies were reduced when infants consumed the recommended amount, which was 1.5 teaspoons of peanut butter per week.4

Air Might Have Less Peanut Protein than Surfaces At the beginning of 2016, researchers from the Mayo Clinic in New York presented an abstract to collect evidence regarding the amount of peanut exposure in common environments. They measured peanut protein, Ara h2, in both the air and surfaces of public places, including restaurants and airplanes. Turns out, Ara h2 was most detected on surfaces like tray tables and countertops, while it was undetectable in the air. While the study suggests that cleaning surfaces may be most effective, more research is still necessary.5

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Skin Patch May Help Treat Peanut Allergies The study, led by Hugh Sampson, M.D., of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, is young and ongoing, but the Peanut Epicutaneous Phase II Immunotherapy Clinical Trial is investigating the effects of Epicutaneous Immunotherapy (EPIT) in the form of skin patches with peanut protein. Researchers divided 75 participants (four to 25 years old) into three groups, one which received a placebo patch, one a low-dose (100 mcg) peanut protein patch and the other a high-dose (250 mcg) peanut protein patch.

All participants wore fresh patches each day for one year, and researchers found 46 percent of the low-dose group, 48 percent of the high-dose group and 12 percent of the placebo group had successful immune responses, or could successfully consume 10 times as much peanut protein than at the start of the trial. For the next two years, all people continuing the study will wear high-dose patches every day. While the study, so far, has high adherence rates and

therefore suggests the patch is safe and convenient, more studies in larger populations are needed for approval.6, 7

Controlled Peanut Exposure Could Cure Peanut Allergies In August 2016, a study was conducted to test the safety and effectiveness of Oral Immunotherapy (OIT), which involves administering food allergens slowly and steadily in increasing amounts until desensitization. Brian P. Vickery, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, led the study, which included 40 young children (nine to 36 months old) with a peanut allergy.

They received low doses (300 mg) or high doses (3,000 mg) of peanut protein each day for at least one year. By the end of the treatment, 81 percent of children were desensitized to peanut protein, including 85 percent of the low-dose group and 76 percent of the high-dose group. Although more OIT studies are still necessary and underway, this study suggests OIT is an effective treatment for young children with peanut allergies.8

Sources 1Togias A, Cooper S, Acebal M, et al. Addendum guidelines for the prevention of peanut allergy in the United States: Report of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases– sponsored expert panel. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2016.10.010.

2Du toit G, Roberts G, Sayre PH, et al. Randomized trial of peanut consumption in infants at risk for peanut allergy. N Engl J Med. 2015;372(9):803-13.

3Du toit G, Sayre PH, Roberts G, et al. Effect of Avoidance on Peanut Allergy after Early Peanut Consumption. N Engl J Med. 2016;374(15):1435-43.

4Perkin MR, Logan K, Tseng A, et al. Randomized Trial of Introduction of Allergenic Foods in Breast-Fed Infants. N Engl J Med. 2016;374(18):1733-43.

5Air and Surface Quantification of Peanut Ara h 2 Concentrations in Common Public Settings. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016. http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(15)02501-4/pdf.

Accessed November 3, 2016.

6Skin patch to treat peanut allergy shows benefit in children | National Institutes of Health (NIH). U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/skinpatch-treat-peanut-allergy-shows-benefit-children. Accessed November 3, 2016.

7Peanut Epicutaneous Phase II Immunotherapy Clinical Trial. Clinical Trials.gov. U.S. National Institutes of Health. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/results/NCT01904604?sect=X70156# outcome1. Accessed November 3, 2016.

8Vickery BP, Berglund JP, Burk CM, et al. Early oral immunotherapy in peanut-allergic preschool children is safe and highly effective. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016. doi:10.1016/j. jaci.2016.05.027.

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New Allergy Guidelines: Good for Families, Good for Farmers

By Sherry Coleman Collins, MS, RDN, LD

After much anticipation, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) released the 2017 Addendum Guidelines for the Prevention of Peanut Allergy in the United States. Thanks to the Learning Early About Peanut allergy (LEAP) Study, co-funded by the National Peanut Board, we already knew that introducing peanut foods early prevents peanut allergy for many high-risk infants (up to an 86 percent risk reduction for developing peanut allergies in the study). The new guidelines help provide direction to healthcare practitioners and parents on when and how to introduce peanut foods for infants in the U.S. These new guidelines are very exciting for a generation of children at risk for developing peanut allergies and their families who may never have to worry about this allergy. Previous guidance regarding early introduction either dissuaded early introduction of peanut foods or was ambiguous about them. However, the NIAID guidelines specifically encourage introduction of peanut foods as a means to prevent peanut allergy. Pediatricians and other healthcare practitioners, along with anyone who cares for the health of children, will now make early introduction of age-appropriate peanut foods a priority. According to NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., in a NIH news release: “We expect that widespread implementation of these guidelines by healthcare providers will prevent the development of peanut allergy in many susceptible children and ultimately reduce the prevalence of peanut allergy in the United States.”

While the guidelines were developed to help prevent peanut allergy in those at high risk, they also encourage early

introduction of peanut foods among those not at high risk.

They encourage introduction of peanut foods for all children.

The shift toward early introduction should also be accompanied by a shift in perception. Previous recommendations left parents fearful about introducing peanut foods, but the new guidelines create a very positive association with eating peanut foods.

Now, not only are parents able to provide a nutritious and highly-accepted food for children, but they are also preventing allergy in doing so. This change in thinking about peanuts for infants may well translate into a deeper loyalty and love for peanut foods.

In fact, early introduction will help create the next generation of peanut-loving children. With a focus on creating age-appropriate foods, we can expect to see an increase in innovative peanut foods at the retail level for infants and young children. We are already seeing peanut snack foods marketed toward infants and young children, including applesauce pouches with peanut flour mixed in and corn-peanut puffs. I anticipate we will see other peanut product innovation over the coming year that could include things like infant cereals and teething biscuits, among others.

All of this means one important thing-we should expect an overall increase in peanuts used for consumption. It’s impossible to know exactly what that will mean in farmer stock, but we can be sure that more products and more consumers eating peanuts over more years will translate to more peanuts consumed. At the end of the day, the new guidelines are good for families and good for peanut farmers.

The shift toward early introduction should also be accompanied by a shift in perception. Previous recommendations left parents fearful about introducing peanut foods, but the new guidelines create a very positive association with eating peanut foods.

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National Peanut Board Marketing Plays Tall to Achieve Results Peanut Market Reaches Significant Milestones in 2016 During the biggest football game of the year, the average cost of a 60-second TV ad is $10 million. That’s the National Peanut Board’s entire annual budget. For our marketing dollars to be successful, we have to play tall-and we have been.

At the National Peanut Board, we work hard every day to ensure peanuts and peanut products are relevant to our target audiences and remove barriers to consumption.

We use several tools to measure our success and stay in-tune with the market, and recent metrics show that peanuts and peanut products have achieved significant milestones.

U.S. peanut consumption has steadily grown since 2012. In fact, latest government statistics show that we broke a new record in 2015. Per capita peanut consumption exceeded 7.19 pounds. It’s also estimated that 2016 reached even higher-7.42 pounds.

“Peanuts also remain king of the nut category,” said Ryan Lepicier, National Peanut Board senior vice president of marketing and communications. “Peanuts are the most consumed nut and they’re the only nut showing consistent gains in per capita consumption since 2012.”

National Peanut Board marketing efforts over the past few years have focused heavily on snack peanuts and the latest reports show it’s having an impact. Peanut snack usage in crop year 20152016 was 18 percent higher than the previous crop year, according to USDA. With NPB’s marketing emphasis on snack peanuts, we might expect peanut butter usage to decline. However, the latest USDA numbers show that peanut butter usage has increased an impressive 6.7 percent over the past three years.

Powdered peanut butter is an opportunity to further grow the peanut butter category. Powdered peanut butter is expected to grow 5.5 percent year over year as consumers demand more plant-based proteins and as powdered peanut butter becomes more widely available through stores and online retailers.

(Persistence Market Research: “Drinkable Peanut Powder Market,” August 2016) Peanuts continue to remain on trend in packaged products, with new peanut product introductions increasing 102 percent from 2012 to 2016. GMO-free, gluten-free and allergen-free are the fastest growing claims on these new products. (Mintel, Global New Products Database 03.06.17) Foodservice applications of peanuts are also on-trend with millennial-led demands. Top peanut menu item claims are “vegetarian/vegan”, “gluten-free” and “signature”. (Mintel, MenuInsights 11.10.16)

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Peanut Research

In 2016, we also learned more about the nuts, seeds and trail mix category and millennial behaviors within that category. Key highlights from the “Mintel, Nuts, Seed and Trail Mixes Report,” (June 2016) include: • The nuts, seeds and trail mixes category grew 28 percent from 2011-2016.

• Convenience stores are the fastest-growing retail channel for these sales.

Key millennial insights from the report include: • Millennials chose peanuts more often than other age groups.

• They believe nuts, seeds and trail mixes are a good source of protein and energy and they are more natural and healthy than other snacks.

• They eat nuts, seeds and trail mixes most often on-the-go.

Reports like this give us further insight into the marketing opportunities for peanuts and our progress in making peanuts more relevant to millennials.

Our competitors have access to similar data and are expected to have even larger budgets in the coming years. This makes it even more important for NPB to influence and complement trends in retail, foodservice and consumer attitudes and behaviors.

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Working Together to Promote America’s Favorite Nut

Oklahoma Peanut Commission at Septemberfest.

Whether they are headed to the beach, their local farmers market or a high school football game, we want consumers to think about, buy and eat local peanuts.

Since 2004, National Peanut Board has provided sponsorships each year to state grower organizations to fund local advertising and marketing initiatives-all with the goal of promoting America’s favorite nut. The support assists states as they carry out their mission-reaching consumers by visually sharing key nutritional messages to highlight the value, versatility and nutritional benefits of peanuts.

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This year, NPB helped create billboards, magazine ads, digital/ mobile ads, broadcast radio ads and contributed funds toward consumer events, resulting in millions of traditional and online impressions.

Marketing SM

Oklahoma Peanut Commission at Septemberfest.

Florida Peanut Producers Association peanut swag redesign.

Mississippi Peanut Growers Association Friday night football event.

New Mexico Peanut Growers Association at the Santa Fe Culinary Symposium.

New Mexico Peanut Growers Association at the Santa Fe Culinary Symposium.

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APC

APC and Georgia Peanut Commission hosted Chinese peanut buyers for the first time in October. NPB member Andy Bell (Ga.), and his wife, Judy, treated the visitors to a catfish fry on the Flint River.

APC Partners with State Peanut Grower Groups to Expand Markets Overseas

by Stephanie Grunenfelder, American Peanut Council

With record numbers of peanut yields each year, finding and keeping good export markets is more important than ever. The American Peanut Council is charged with managing the industry’s export promotion program on behalf of the industry, and often hosts trade missions for international buyers to accomplish this objective.

This year, the peanut industry hosted an unprecedented number of international peanut buyers in the peanut growing regions.

Thanks to the extra support from state grower associations, visitors who traveled to the U.S. last fall were treated to bigger and better events.

The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) hosted a group of Japanese peanut buyers in Tifton, Georgia, in September. GPC’s preparation for the guests, availability to share information and

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answer questions allowed the event to be first rate. The Japanese visited a farm, toured shelling plants and saw peanut butter production in Fitzgerald. They also learned more about how the peanut industry manages aflatoxin, a concern when peanuts are shipped halfway around the world. Post-event surveys asked the participants what was most memorable about the visit–and the response? Hospitality.

In October, it was back to Georgia again, with the first-ever tour for Chinese peanut buyers. The Chinese visited farms, shelling plants, a buying point and toured JLA’s testing facility in Albany to learn about U.S. quality. The bus also made a quick stop in Plains, Ga., to tour President Carter’s hometown. The Georgia Peanut Commission assisted with arrangements, and National Peanut Board member Andy Bell and his wife Judy treated the Chinese guests to a South Georgia catfish fry at their cabin on the Flint River. Not many Chinese had experienced a hayride prior to the tour!

“I think it is just as important to show hospitality, along with local foods, as it is to show international buyers our peanut farms and crops,” said Bell. He said local farmers, family and friends donated food for the catfish fry and helped cook and serve the guests.

“The catfish was caught from the Flint River and a friend, Justin Long, donated freshly-picked sweet potatoes for the meal.”

The Texas Peanut Producers Board (TPPB) coordinated with APC to host Mexican buyers in San Antonio in late October.

“The Mexican Tour is so important to Texas and our industry,” said Shelly Nutt, executive director of TPPB. “Since our first tour in 2005, we've been intentional about maintaining relationships with our Mexican manufacturers by continuing the tour, involving

the same farmers year after year, and emailing family photos, for instance. From those relationships, we've seen Mexico become one of the top importers of USA-grown peanuts. While selling our peanuts is obviously our main goal, we never want to fail to make our buyers feel valued.”

Nutt said a typical trip involves a welcome dinner the first night, followed by a day “spent in peanut fields-chasing harvesters, diggers and thrashers-and seeing as many varieties as possible.”

“It's all about building a market by building relationships.”

Shelly Nutt

The Texas Peanut Producers Board coordinated with APC to host Mexican buyers in San Antonio in October. (L-R) Shelly Nutt, executive director TPPB; Christian Ibarrola, IPS and Hector Barrios, PROACSA.

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Charles “Peanut” Tillman dives into a pool of peanuts while on set of the new campaign video.

Are You a Shell Out for Peanuts?

Peanut Vendor Teams Up with Peanut Tillman to build peanut passion. Asks fans to #ShellOut in 2017.

The backstory: the National Peanut Board successfully launched the voice of the Peanut Vendor on Twitter and Instagram (@PeanutsHere) last year, connecting with millions of millennials and cultivating relationships by a shared love for peanuts and peanut butter.

The Peanut Vendor’s mission in 2016 was clear: build the passion for peanuts by showing the passion for peanuts. He commented on everything from the World Series to award shows to everyday life. By the end of 2016, Peanut Vendor had more than 31,000 followers and generated 271.4 million media impressions. His 1,410 posts led to more than 9 million engagements from people who liked, retweeted, shared or commented about his humor.

So what’s next for the number one peanut champion? In a world full of sellouts, where celebrities and influencers push products to their fans and followers, we wondered–what would people do for free peanuts?

That’s why Peanut Vendor is partnering this year with former NFL standout, Charles “Peanut” Tillman, to launch National Peanut Board’s new campaign, “Shell Out.” The now-famous nickname, “Peanut” was given to Tillman as an infant, when his aunt said his body resembled the shape of a peanut. The name stuck.

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Launched March 15 and running through June, #ShellOut comes to life with original, comical, branded videos and social content featuring celebrity partner former NFL player and peanut lover Charles “Peanut” Tillman.

“We were looking for a great spokesperson for the Shell Out campaign,” said Ryan Lepicier, senior vice president of marketing and communications for NPB. “We wanted a person who would enjoy having a little fun and wouldn’t take themselves too seriously. We certainly found the best person-and it doesn’t hurt that his nickname is Peanut and he happens to love peanuts too.”

The campaign will generate excitement and inspire a passion for peanuts through media interviews, online and media support from “Peanut” Tillman and other millennial influencers and snackable social media content from the Peanut Vendor. The campaign will even be hitting the road to bring peanuts directly to millennials.

You can track #ShellOut highlights by the National Peanut Board on Facebook or @PeanutFarmers on Twitter. Follow @PeanutsHere on Twitter and Instagram.

Financials

NATIONAL PEANUT BOARD BUDGET Fiscal Year 17 (November 1, 2016 - October 31, 2017)

FISCAL YEAR 17 BUDGET

ACCOUNT DESCRIPTION REVENUE Crop Projection

$ 9,000,000

Prior Year’s Crop Overages

$ 1,425,004

Interest Income-Prior Year

$ 5,062

Late Fee Collection-Prior Year

$ 19,934

TOTAL CASH REQUIRED FOR PROGRAM YEAR

$ 10,450,000

PROMOTION / MARKET DEVELOPMENT / RESEARCH Domestic-Promotion / Market Development Programs

$ 5,984,500

Export-Promotion / Market Development

$ 530,000

Grower & Intra-Industry Communications

$ 508,000

Production Research Projects

$ 1,865,233

Genomics Research Funding

$ 400,000

Germplasm Research Funding

$ 7,000

NIFA Research

$ 75,000 TOTAL PROMOTION / MARKET DEVELOPMENT / RESEARCH

$ 9,369,733

OTHER EXPENSES Administrative

$ 880,267

AMS Oversight

$ 200,000 TOTAL OTHER EXPENSES

TOTAL EXPENSES FOR PROGRAM YEAR

$ 1,080,267

$ 10,450,000

* Reserve Balance = $1,400,000

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National Peanut Board 3350 Riverwood Parkway, Suite 1150 Atlanta, GA 30339

PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #3832 ATLANTA, GA

My rookie season vending little league games. #TBT

@PeanutsHere