PQ Spring 2021 issue 43
a magazine from the
National Peanut Board
news/food/innovations/wellness/marketing
feature story
Dietary Guidelines 2020-2025: Big News for Baby Make Every Bite Count Implement these three small changes to your daily eating patterns
Connecting Through the Pandemic
The Cost of Peanut Production
The food world doesn’t stop—even for a pandemic. NPB takes Next Gen Food Summit online
Q&A with Dr. Stanley Fletcher analyzes the costs and evaluates profitability of peanuts
NationalPeanutBoard.Org
The National Peanut Board works on behalf of America’s peanut farmers and their families. Our mission is to improve the economic condition of USA peanut farmers and their families through compelling promotion and groundbreaking research.
A Message from Our 2021 Chairman
National Peanut Board 2021 Officers and Members Andy Bell, Chairman Les Crall, Vice Chairman Paul Rogers, Treasurer Greg Baltz, Secretary Alabama Tom Corcoran Thomas Adams, alternate Arkansas Greg Baltz Allen Donner, alternate Florida William Carte Nick L. Marshall, alternate Georgia Andy Bell Casey Cox, alternate Mississippi Lonnie Fortner Alan D. Atkins, alternate Missouri Clay Deane Russ Hoggard, alternate New Mexico Bruce Lee North Carolina Ray Garner Jr. Julie Ward, alternate Oklahoma Les Crall Gayle White, alternate South Carolina Bud Bowers Neal Baxley Jr., alternate Texas Peter Froese Jr. Jeff Roper, alternate Virginia Paul Rogers West Drake, alternate Member-at-Large Micah Barham Lucy Shackelford, alternate
Bob Parker NPB President and CEO PQ Editorial Staff & Contributors Editor: Lindsay Stevens
SVP & Chief Marketing Officer: Ryan Lepicier Lauren H. Williams
Laurel Sprague
Jada Linton, RDN, LD
Nichole Bigley
Sherry Coleman Collins, MS. RDN, LD
Kaley Volkmann
Mark Dvorak
Dear Fellow Peanut Farmers, As my tenure as chairman of the National Peanut Board (NPB) begins, our nation and the world are in the midst of a horrible pandemic. We all know someone who has been touched by this deadly virus. With a vaccine available, I pray that this pandemic will finally end. Like many Americans, after the numerous changes we are having to adapt to, I am grateful for any type of normalcy that comes from daily life, such as the comfort of a PB&J sandwich. I would like to say it is an honor to serve on NPB and represent America’s peanut farmers. Although only 21 years old, NPB has made great strides on allergy issues, total consumption of peanuts and exports. At the start of my tenure as the alternate board member for Georgia 12 years ago, the word “allergy” would send any peanut grower into a panic; however, today we are able to confidently tackle allergy questions based on research. Peanut allergies once seemed like an insurmountable hurdle. Now, allergies are a very manageable issue with the introduction of allergy treatment and new early introduction guidelines. Through NPB, America’s peanut growers have contributed more than $35 million over the past two decades to peanut allergy research, outreach and education. And that funding has achieved remarkable results. In 2020, FDA approved the first oral immunotherapy, Palforzia. Although not a cure, it does reduce the chance of severe reactions. Additionally, for the first time ever, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended early introduction of peanut foods, which you’ll read more about in our cover story.
Part of the Board’s objective is to increase consumption of peanuts through promotions. Peanut consumption is at an all-time high with each American consuming 7.6 pounds of peanuts per year. When I first joined the Board in 2009, consumption was at 6.3 pounds per year. This successful promotion can also be seen in the return on investment (ROI). In 2014, an ROI report concluded that between 2007 and 2013 each dollar invested in the Board’s checkoff program returned $8.87 to the peanut industry. In 2019, the ROI study found that each dollar invested between 2014 and 2018 returned $9.74 to the peanut industry. Additionally, U.S. peanut exports for 2020 totaled 910,101 farmer stock tons valued at $759.6 million, the secondhighest total in history. Through promotions, exports and new products, things are good in the peanut industry. Lots of things have changed since my first term on NPB. While change doesn’t come quickly, we’ve made great strides on allergy issues, consumption and exports. I look forward to seeing the effects of the continued positive efforts of NPB and the hard work of my fellow farmers. As the world changes with the impact of this virus, I’m confident that NPB will adapt to help the peanut industry reach even higher points of success, and there will be many PB&Js made along the way.
Andy Bell Chairman
Sandra Flores, Art Direction Silvia Flores, Copy Manager and Editor Cecilia Lozano, Lead Designer Tomás Moya, Contributor Designer
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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
The Rise of Peanuts During the Pandemic: Becoming America’s Ultimate Comfort Food
BY BOB PARKER President & CEO
Frequently I am asked how the peanut industry has fared through the past year of the pandemic. Initially, people are surprised to learn that peanut consumption is at an all-time high until a little explanation and thought, then it makes perfect sense. We would never wish for business growth under such circumstances; however, we take pride that peanuts have helped people meet their nutritional, convenience, financial and even emotional needs. American adults have rediscovered their love for peanut butter during the pandemic and children learning remotely have developed an affection for it as well. Not only is it nutritious and shelf-stable, but all ages love the taste, versatility and affordability. The ultimate American comfort food that can be made into a snack or a meal at a moment’s notice, peanut butter provides a temporary sense of well-being and for many, brings back memories of happier times. A recent report on consumer behavior by J.M. Smucker Company says the pandemic accelerated the growth of peanut butter by 7.1% for the 52 weeks ending Nov. 1, 2020. Three examples of how peanut butter consumption has expanded are: An increase in snacking. Consumers are snacking with PB&J more, 64% versus 49%, in both mornings and afternoons.
Younger generations are embracing the PB&J. Millennials and Gen Xers are turning to PB&J for themselves and their families. More millennials and Gen Xers have children and work full time in 2020 and have more PB&J occasions. Sense of comfort. The report states that consumers are turning to their favorite foods for more than sustenance, they offer a sense of normalcy and comfort. Consumers report a higher percentage of PB&J occasions occur when they need to unwind. As we monitor and survey social media conversations, posts about peanut butter skyrocketed by 95% in 2020. These conversations were driven by odd combinations or indulgent consumption moments linked to comfort or boredom, recipes, nutrition tips and affordability. There was also conversation about lack of stock in stores and peanut butter being highly requested by food banks. We saw a 55% increase in peanut butter recipe mentions on social and other media and 414% more mentions about its non-perishability. Because of taste, affordability, nutrition and shelf stability, we continue to see significant growth in peanut consumption. And with a large, high-quality 2020 crop, we expect this growth to continue.
Peanut Butter Prices Adjusted for Inflation (creamy, all sizes, per lb.)
Price per Lb
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Average Price Data, U.S. city average (AP) *2020 Source: IRI Research Firm (retail scan) data
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Dietary Guidelines By Sherry Coleman Collins, MS, RDN, LD Every five years the country gets new evidence-based guidelines, called Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), for how we should be eating to improve our overall health and prevent disease. The DGAs are based on the consensus of a committee of nutrition and health experts. These experts write a report about the state of the health of Americans and what research has uncovered since the previously published DGAs. With the expert committee’s input, the DGAs are written and published collaboratively by USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services. The guidelines are broken down into stages of life and help pair nutrition and lifestyle advice with our changing needs. In the past, the DGAs were devoted to advice for healthy Americans ages 2 years and up but in 2020, for the first time, the DGAs also included advice for babies from birth to 2 years and pregnant women. This amounts to really big news for baby! Among the advice for pregnant women, the guidelines highlighted that there is no need for mothers to avoid any specific foods to try to prevent food allergies (unless she is allergic herself). The recommendations for birth through 2 years of age include breastfeeding for the first year or formula feeding if that’s not possible. In addition, complementary foods are recommended, including the early introduction of peanuts and other potential allergens (page 5). The guidelines also recommend zero added sugar in the diets of children under 2 years of age and limiting it even after that.
“Make every bite count with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” For all stages of life there are some overarching recommendations that fall under the following four guidelines:
1 Follow a healthy dietary pattern at every life stage. 2 Customize and enjoy nutrient-dense food and beverage choices to reflect personal preferences, cultural traditions and budgetary considerations.
3 Focus on meeting food group needs with nutrient-dense foods and beverages and stay within calorie limits.
4 Limit foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fat and sodium, and limit alcoholic beverages.
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2020 2025
Big News for
More Great News? Peanut foods can fit into all of these recommendations to help support the health of Americans. Moreover, because these guidelines help shape federal nutrition programs, these latest recommendations should help provide guidance for updating the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food packages offered to families, since at present they do not include peanut butter for children under 1 to 2 years of age. At every stage of life, individuals can benefit from the protein, good fats and micronutrients found in peanuts. In fact, because peanuts come in so many delicious and nutritious forms, including without added salt or sugar, they are a perfect fit from preventing peanut allergies in infants to providing muchneeded nutrition for growing children, active adults and aging seniors. Learn more about the DGAs at DietaryGuidelines.gov
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DGAs Encourage Early Introduction of Peanuts The DGAs are clear in recommending that “potentially allergenic foods (e.g., peanuts, egg, cow milk products, tree nuts, wheat, crustacean shellfish, fish and soy) should be introduced when other complementary foods are introduced,” but only peanuts get a specific call out for attention. Because of the strength of the research on preventing peanut allergies, the guidelines highlight the importance of introducing peanut-containing foods at age 4 to 6 months to reduce the risk of developing peanut allergy in high-risk infants. The document further recommends that caregivers discuss introduction with the high-risk infant’s health care provider before beginning, since blood or skin tests may be recommended.
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3 Bite Count Using the NEW
Easy Ways to Make Every
Dietary Guidelines
By Jada Linton, RDN, LD The pandemic has thrown off a lot of planned events from last year and the beginning of this year. You can still plan out your health and wellness and commit to making a few small changes. Here are three easy ways to make every bite count using the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), recently approved and released.
Dedicate half of your plate to fruits & veggies Once you start doing this it will become second nature. Whenever you sit down to eat, immediately portion half your plate for fruits and veggies. You will notice pretty quickly how your fruit and vegetable consumption will increase. The DGAs state: “A healthy eating routine is important at every stage of life and can have positive effects that add up over time. It’s important to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy or fortified soy alternatives and protein foods.” In addition to fruits and veggies, dedicate the other half of your plate to grains (make half your grains whole-grains) and protein.
Choose powerful proteins to fuel your day Peanuts and peanut butter are a great addition to your meals. They are packed with powerful nutrition. At 7g of protein per serving, they have more protein than any other nut. The DGAs state: “Healthy dietary patterns include a variety of protein foods in nutrient-dense forms. The protein foods group comprises a broad group of foods from both animal and plant sources.”
Hydrate your body with water To keep your body hydrated, drink more water. Try starting the day with water and using a reusable water bottle to increase the amount you drink each day. The DGAs state: “Intake of sugar-sweetened beverages should be limited to small amounts and most often replaced with beverage options that contain no added sugars, such as water.”
Now is the time to swiftly implement these small changes to your daily eating patterns. Remember to make every bite count. If you make small changes every day, you will see the positive effects being mindful of what you eat has on your overall health. Decide today to choose yourself and make your health a priority. You only have one body, let’s make it a great one! Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Available at DietaryGuidelines.gov. Patel, A. I., Bogart, L. M., Elliott, M. N., Lamb, S., Uyeda, K. E., Hawes-Dawson, J., Klein, D. J., & Schuster, M. A. (2011). Increasing the availability and consumption of drinking water in middle schools: a pilot study. Preventing chronic disease, 8(3), A60.
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Babies should be fed infant-safe potentially allergenic foods when other complementary foods begin at around 6 months of age but not before 4 months to help reduce the risk of food allergies.
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Pregnant women should eat a diverse diet. Unless medically indicated for her own health, pregnant or breastfeeding women do not need to restrict their diets to prevent food allergies in their children.
Breastfeeding mothers should also eat a diverse diet and seafood, avoid alcoholic beverages and should discuss questions about caffeine consumption with their healthcare provider.
Exclusive breastfeeding for about the first 6 months and continuing through the first year alongside complementary foods is recommended.
Sugar consumption should be reduced across the board and is not recommended at all for children under 2 years of age.
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Grower Voices: Thoma s Ada m s Thomas Adams is a third-generation farmer in Newville, Alabama, just 20-minutes from the “Peanut Capital of the World.” With 800 acres of peanuts on his farm, he couldn’t imagine growing anything else. Thomas’ first experience on the farm was when he was just 9 months old. As the story goes, his mother had errands to run and his father had peanuts to harvest, which meant Thomas was joining his dad on the farm for the day. While he may not remember this exact experience, for as long as he can remember there has always been three generations working side by side on the Adams’ farm. This is still true today. Thomas and his father run the farm with help from Thomas’ son. When asked what he loves most about being a farmer, Thomas said getting to work with his dad and his son every day is at the top of the list. It’s also safe to say, he enjoys having his sidekick, Lacey, a 2-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, by his side. From the truck to the digger to the combine, you can find Lacey riding shotgun and she has no hesitations paying herself in peanuts. Thomas serves on the National Peanut Board (NPB) as the alternate for Alabama and holds a seat for Henry County on the Alabama Peanut Producers Association. Thomas’ pride is deeply rooted in his family’s history but he’s also incredibly proud of the work invested into peanut allergy research and education by peanut farmers and NPB. Recently, NPB worked with Adams to create a 360-degree virtual reality (VR) video tour of peanut harvest season. The educational VR video will provide an inside look at peanut farming to drive awareness and consumption of peanuts. The video will be shared with media and posted on NPB’s website later this year.
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National Peanut Board to
Grow it Yourself (GIY) in 2021
While 2020 closed out as a year marked by fast-paced change, disruption and unique challenges brought on by COVID-19, National Peanut Board (NPB) is looking forward to sharing the peanut love in 2021, while embracing the do it yourself (DIY) mindset that bubbled to the surface and eventually stayed with us. After a year of being quarantined at home, we’ve come to appreciate all the things we can do ourselves. From gardening to baking bread or even sewing our own masks, DIY activities gave us all a can-do attitude during an unprecedented time. This is why NPB will be sharing a new activity with millennials and Gen Z that’s 100% attainable and completely rewarding—learning more about and growing your own peanuts.
Taking the First Step to a GIY Lifestyle NPB will start first in the spring to work with “plantfluencers”—expert gardening influencers— and welcome people to a full year of new growing skills. With their help, we will watch people’s very own peanut plants flourish and grow.
Nothing Beats Enjoying the Fruits or Peanuts —of Your Labor But it may be difficult for non-farmers or garden fanatics to invest in the idea of growing their own peanuts. So, NPB will give them a taste of what it feels like and provide an opportunity to “adopt” a peanut virtually via a gaming partner.
Swapping Places Finally, last year millennials and Gen Z found comfort in farming games like Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing and Farming Simulator. Let’s show them how that love of GIY can translate into a real future as a peanut farmer. To do this, we’ll work with a peanut farmer and gamer to trade places, showing farm game lovers the rewards of the farming life.
Grow It Yourself. Farm It Yourself. Make it Yourself. As we continue to move forward into 2021, one thing is for certain—if we grow and farm it ourselves, we make it our own, whether that is in person or virtually. And NPB’s GIY consumer programs will help do just that.
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PQ
Connecting Through the Pandemic: NPB Takes Next Gen Food Summit Online
Nancy Liu, a sommelier from Pine Ridge winery, and chef Kevin Gillespie, owner of Red Beard Restaurants, led a virtual wine tasting and cook along alongside Laurel Sprague, senior manager at NPB’s agency partner, Golin.
The world of food doesn’t stop—even for a pandemic. The year 2020 presented a year full of pivots and changes for the food industry. The impacts of the changing world opened much to be discussed about the future of food and the pockets of opportunity that are rising to the surface as a result. The National Peanut Board’s (NPB) Next Gen Food Summit, held virtually this year, brought together over 35 chefs, media and food influencers from all over the U.S. to discuss from the seat of their own homes what comes next for the state of the food industry.
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The engaged attendees received an event kit from NPB prior to the summit that included wine and ingredients for a guided tasting and cook-along with chef Kevin Gillespie, owner of Red Beard Restaurants. Utilizing the online format, NPB brought together a panel group comprised solely of Gen Z food influencers, allowing summit attendees the opportunity to get their perspective directly from their target audience. Attendees came away with new perspectives on what Gen Z is demanding of their industry and how consumers are gravitating toward updated versions of convenient comfort staples along with upscale takeaway food options. Other consumer food trends expected to grow in 2021 include:
Immunity The pandemic has accelerated demand for immunityboosting products and ingredients, and the immunity trend is here to stay. Interest in food and beverage that carry an immunity claim has surged since the beginning of the year and has shown no evidence of slowing down. Vitamin boosted offerings, especially in beverages, provides an opportunity for restaurants to tell consumers ‘let us take care of you.’
Bread Love Bread is key for comfort with gluten making a small comeback. Expect to see global introductions of new bread concepts whether through toast or bread starter kits to make at home. Restaurants have a big opportunity to extend a form of hospitality with bread concepts.
Grilled Pork Belly with Pickled Apples and Smoked Peanut Butter
Ingredients • 2 cups salted roasted peanuts • ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke • ¼ cup grapeseed oil or canola oil • 1 cup all-purpose pickling liquid* • 1 fuji apple • 12 ounces braised pork belly*
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar • Kosher salt • Ground black pepper • 4 scallions, root and tough green ends trimmed, finely bias sliced, about ¼ cup
Directions 1. Blend the peanuts on medium speed to a fine grind, about 30 seconds. With the blender running drizzle in the liquid smoke and oil. Turn the blender off, scrape down the sides and then return to medium-high speed and the mixture will come together into a smooth butter. Store the peanut butter, tightly covered at room temperature for up to one month. 2. Bring the pickling liquid to a boil over high heat. Peel, core and dice the apple (1/4-inch dice) into a small bowl and strain the hot pickling liquid over the top. Discard the solids. Spoon out 2 tablespoons of the pickling liquid to use later and refrigerate the apples until ready to serve. 3. Heat a grill pan over high heat.
Sandwich Sophistication Old school deli sandwiches are being elevated to a new level of sophistication. Playing into the ‘bread boom’, meat-centric comfort-focused “wiches” are catering to takeout-hungry consumers.
Take-Home Bakes Amid COVID-19, restaurants are shaking-up their meal kit games, but also are offering pre-made casseroles and take-home bakes, making it even easier for people to cook at home—without the mess or stress.
Plant-Based Dairy Alternative dairy products made of nut, grains or peaproteins have taken off in coffee shops and retail, appealing to younger consumers with their eco-friendly and ‘health halo’ benefits.
Source: Flavor & the Menu
4. Peel the skin and top layer of fat from the pork belly and discard. Cut into strips 3 inches long and ½ inch wide. Pat them dry and brush with the reserved pickling liquid. Season with salt and pepper and grill the pork belly until golden brown on one side, about three minutes. Flip, brush with more pickling liquid, and grill for another two minutes or until golden brown. 5. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the peanut butter across each plate, top with the pork belly and garnish with the pickled apples, a little pickling liquid and a sprinkle of scallions. *Pickling Liquid Combine 2 cups apple cider vinegar, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup pickling spice and 2 tablespoons kosher salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt and remove from the heat. Strain and follow the directions above. *Braised Pork Belly Heat the oven to 300°F. Rub both sides of the 2 lb. center-cut slab of raw pork belly with kosher salt and lay fat side up in a baking dish that is a little larger than the slab. Add 1 cup apple cider vinegar so that it comes about halfway up the side of the meat. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and braise in the oven for three hours.
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The Cost of Peanut Production:
Q&A with
Dr. Stanley Fletcher
Production research funding is a key priority for the National Peanut Board (NPB). Since 2001, NPB has allocated more than $38 million to this cause to help increase efficiencies for America’s peanut farmers. One NPB-funded research project provides useful insight into farms across the Peanut Belt to present an accurate picture of the cost of peanut production and the state of farming. Project lead Dr. Stanley Fletcher is a professor of policy at the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Dr. Fletcher’s project, with support from NPB, aims to analyze the costs of peanut production concerning yields and grade and evaluate the profitability of various production schemes. The project was started in 2000 and provides updates every three to four years. The conversation with Dr. Fletcher about this work is below and has been edited for length and clarity.
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Could you give a quick overview of the program? My program covers everything related to economics of peanuts. When I started in 1990, I only dealt with trade and policy. Then, expanded out to supply and demand, then to crop insurance, production economics and farm management. I used to start with a spreadsheet and only covered A through D on economics related to peanuts. Now, it's A to triple Z. Your program uses representative groups of farms around the country that you track. How does it work? It was based on two years of accumulated funding. I convinced leadership of the need to track representative farms, where you go out and check certain areas. You get five to six farmers that come together, sit around a table and talk about what would be a typical representative farm in their area. They reach a consensus on what a representative farm is in their area. It was key the farmers understood that what was talked about in the room, stays in the room. Fortunately, I was able to obtain panels in different areas that captured the typical farm.
How did you choose where these farms were? You've got primary states when I started: Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. I based how many farms for each state on the general production across the peanut belt. Some states are small and if you did the proportions, would have one-half or two-thirds of a farm. I made sure there was at least one farm in each state. Arkansas and Missouri are new. Farm data does not capture what's going on in their peanut area until you get about five years under your belt. Then, I can expand to those areas. It’s been surprising that since the project was started in 2000, I have not had much turnover in participating farmers. The first year, the farmers could not understand the benefits. However, as they
got into it, they understood how the information is being used in educating folks on what a peanut farm is. A lot of folks in the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) or USDA do not realize that peanuts need to be rotated at least once every three years. That means a farm's total crop land will not be more than about one-third to one-fourth peanuts. That is shocking to them. When I first came out with this material, I provided the information to CBO, the Library of Congress and others about really what is a peanut farm. These farmers saw the benefits of this over time and stuck with it. This information helps to show how the general economic condition is on these farms. It’s not just the peanut side, it’s the whole farm. How do you see the economic condition of farmers today versus five or 10 years ago? The thing that’s saving farmers today is very lowinterest rates. I did updates in 2017 and interest rates were 3% to 4% like they are today. I asked farmers, “What would happen if the rates went to 5% or 10% or even higher like in the 1980s?” Every one of the farmers told me, if it got up to that percentage, they are all dead. Because interest rates are so low, they can hang on. You take a year, say after the 2014 farm bill, cotton prices got low. Banks would not loan money to a farmer for cotton, but would loan operating money for peanuts, because they could not show how they could pay the money back with cotton sales. That’s where the yields for the peanuts have helped keep them up a little bit, but they are not what I consider comfortable. In recent years, the reference price went to $535 from $495. That is where peanuts have a respectful safety net, relative to other commodities. Other crops, except rice, did not explain or educate Congress as to what a true safety net is. I’d say five or 10 years ago farmers were probably in better shape overall than they are now. Especially the Southwest, because they have had to experience some major droughts.
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Are there certain farm enterprises that seem to consistently thrive, or perform better than those that don’t, based on diversification? Farming used to be diversified. When I was growing up, we were diversified and had chickens, cattle and wheat. You’ve got some areas based 100% on cotton. With 50-cent prices, they can handle one year, but two or three years of that, they could go bankrupt. Diversification helps, and there’s not one that’s better than the other. It is based on yields and price for that production year. There was one year in Georgia when corn got to $6 a bushel. I think peanuts were going around $400. I said, “You need over $600 peanuts to compete with corn. Why aren’t you growing more?” and the farmer said, “I have equipment constraints, water constraints and I need to keep my rotation.” Farmers in southwest Georgia have consistently maintained their rotation. They have not gone overboard, because with rotation they see more consistent yields. They are not going to hit a home run, but they’re not going to strike out, either. Are there any differences in prosperity in farms in the Southwest, Southeast or Virginia-Carolinas (VC)? If I had to take the three areas, I would say the Southwest is hurting the most because of water restrictions and extreme drought. Between the Southeast and VC, it depends on who you are talking to. In the past, the VC guys would be in first place and the Southeast would be in second place. Drought can be a challenge in the Southeast and the VC too, but the Southeast, relatively to the VC, has more irrigation. Over half the acres are irrigated in Georgia, so if we do get those droughts in the Southeast and the VC like the Southwest did, the Southeast can handle it better. Drought and heat make a major impact on the Southwest, especially out in the panhandle, more than in the Southeast and VC. For more information about Dr. Fletcher’s work on the economics of peanut farming, visit www.nationalpeanutboard.org/more/production-research-database
and search “Fletcher.”
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Early Commitment from Growers Helps New Food Allergy Center Thrive Until as recently as three years ago, families with a food Palforzia gained FDA approval in January 2020, and the allergy in much of peanut country had an additional hurdle to Emory + Children’s facility had the honor of administering jump. Accessing cutting-edge care and trial therapies meant the first dose of the therapy to a patient in March. Emory frequent drives to cities like Jacksonville, Nashville, Chapel Hill, + Children’s is a member of the FARE Clinical Network, a North Carolina, or Houston. group of 50 top food allergy facilities coordinated by the nation’s private funder of research. The collaborative helps Life got a little easier in early 2018 with the opening of the Food children and adults with food allergies access state-of-the-art Allergy Center at Emory + Children’s, a partnership of Emory diagnosis and treatment, and sharing among centers helps University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. With early fuel more breakthroughs and innovations more quickly. support from the National Peanut Board (NPB), staff now carry out a dual mission of caring for children with food allergies and conducting research that families count on. “At best, research provides answers that lead to brighter tomorrows for families,” explained Brian Vickery, M.D., the center’s founding director. “Without it, we just keep doing the same things we’re doing today. The tremendous support from NPB has led to advances for patients literally around the world.” As NPB’s gift was announced three years ago, Bob Parker talked about what it meant to him, farmers and families everywhere.
“As president & CEO of the National Peanut Board and the grandfather of a child with a peanut allergy, I am especially committed to the cause, professionally and personally. America’s peanut farmers were excited to play a part in bringing someone of Dr. Vickery’s expertise to Atlanta to open a world-class food allergy program.” —Bob Parker Vickery, a pediatric allergist and Atlanta native, concurrently serves as an associate professor at Emory’s School of Medicine. Before coming home, Vickery had roles at the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill and Duke. His extensive experience includes work on oral immunotherapies, including Palforzia, which can desensitize children to accidental exposure to peanuts, reducing chances of a reaction.
Ian Bicknell with his mom Jennifer Bicknell and his allergist Dr. Brian Vickery at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta on the day he received his initial dose of Palforzia in March 2020.
The Board’s initial $100,000 contribution to the center was made in honor of Bob White, former NPB chairman and Texas peanut grower. White passed away just prior to the center’s opening and had been a champion for NPB to increase its already substantial commitment to the issue. Though the center is just celebrating its third birthday, Vickery said he’s already thinking about what’s next. Among those priorities is the study of the psychosocial impacts of food allergies and economic and health disparities, as well as a partnership with Georgia Tech on new technologies. To learn more, visit www.choa.org/medical-services/allergy-and-immunology/food-allergy.
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The peanut butter and jelly sandwich has been a superhero of sorts over the past year. When lockdowns began, grocery store shelves emptied and masks and social distancing became the norm, peanut butter came to the rescue—as much as a nutritious, delicious, affordable, shelf-stable jar of ground-up goodness can.
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Manufacturers and brands shifted to producing the most popular versions of their peanut butter as fast as they could to restock stores and to fulfill the simultaneous growing need from hunger relief organizations like Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Feeding America. Trying to avoid in-person shopping, consumers changed to buying more online and brands reported that e-commerce sales for peanut butter were “staggering” and Amazon inventory was immediately selling out. More than 32,000 jars of peanut butter were donated to food banks by the National Peanut Board in 2020 in response to the increased need. Schools across the country had to abruptly shut their doors to in-person classes, which cut off easy access to reliable, low- or no-cost meals for more than 20 million children.¹ School nutrition professionals rallied to the challenge. PB&J sandwiches were often the solution, packed up in grab-and-go meals and distributed by school bus or drive-thru pick-ups. Burke County, Georgia, school nutrition director Donna Martin and her team served 5,000 meals a day at the start of the pandemic. Martin says PB&J is a mainstay because it can be prepared the day before and, with so many meals to prepare, the staff can only prepare one item per day. PB&J keeps well and is something kids love. PB&J swooped in as a source of reassurance and convenience for families now working, schooling and living from home. A January 2021 headline in the Toronto Star declared, “All hail the triumphant return of the peanut butter sandwich.” Writer Kathryn Hudson called PB&Js “comfortingly delicious.” On social media, conversation about peanut butter increased 95% from March 22 - April 21, 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. On network TV, Food Network personality chef Ina Garten and news anchor Anderson Cooper bantered about their appreciation for PB&J. Cooper said, “I was so happy; I just loved it.” And Garten shared, "At the beginning of the pandemic, that is what (my husband) Jeffrey and I had, too. I don't think I'd ever had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I mean, my mother never made them. We were just like, this is great." “Peanut butter has a pleasing taste related to tree nuts rather than other legumes,” said Lisa Dean, research food technologist. “In addition, many people relate the flavor to their childhood memories. The nuttiness and saltiness complement the sweetness of jellies and jams. Personally, I find my favorite pairing is with peach jam…Peanut butter is very energy-dense, so the satiety index is high, and the consumer feels full longer. This is a comforting feeling.” Among the many lessons the pandemic has taught us, it’s clear that the humble PB&J sandwich provides not just shelfstable protein to fuel our bodies, but it fulfills perhaps an even greater role as a source of comfort and light that will stay with us for years to come.
Sources: ¹ School Nutrition Association. www.schoolnutrition.org/aboutschoolmeals/ schoolmealtrendsstats/ Accessed Feb. 12, 2021
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Meet Our New Board Members and Alternates Nick L. Marshall Florida Alternate Marshall is a third-generation farmer who grows peanuts and cotton. He owns and operates Marshall Farms, Inc. with his parents, James and Helen. Marshall is a member of the Florida Peanut Producers Association and is currently one of only two producer delegates of the Florida National Cotton Council.
“I wanted to better serve the peanut industry by joining the National Peanut Board. There are not too many farmers in the country and even fewer who are able and willing to take time away to serve on an industry board to help us move things forward. If we don’t step up to serve, we won’t have the representation and market opportunities that we would have had otherwise.”
Clay Deane
Missouri member
Representing the newest state seat on the board, Deane is a fifth-generation farmer who co-owns and operates North Delta Planting Co., which he runs in partnership with his cousins as a division of the family farm operation, Triple D Farms. In addition to being on the board of directors for the newly formed Missouri Peanut Producers Association, Deane is a member of the Missouri Farm Bureau, Delta Growers Association and Delta Peanut.
“I would like to be a voice for our state to be able to grow the industry in Missouri and see the industry come to Missouri as far as peanuts are concerned. I look forward to connecting with growers who have grown peanuts their whole lives, like we have grown cotton, and sharing what they know with new growers like us and new areas like this where there's going to be an up-and-coming industry.”
Russ Hoggard
Missouri alternate
A third-generation farmer, Hoggard operates Hoggard Farms with his son and nephew. In addition to growing higholeic runners, he grows cotton, rice, corn and soybeans. Hoggard is a board member and secretary for Delta Peanut, LLC and serves on the University of Missouri Delta Center Advisory Council.
“Peanuts are still new to us so I’m excited to learn more about the industry in general, from the field to the end products and the marketing side.”
Lonnie Fortner
Mississippi member
This is Fortner’s first time serving as a member after serving as the Mississippi alternate for six years. Fortner has been a farmer for 24 years and is the managing partner for Bayou Pierre Farms where he grows peanuts, cotton, soybeans and corn. For more than a decade he has been a member of several industry organizations, including the Mississippi Peanut Promotion Board as chairman; Mississippi Peanut Growers Association Board as vice president; Claiborne County Farm Bureau Board as vice president; and the Farmers Co-Op Board as president.
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“I am looking forward to serving on the National Peanut Board,” said Fortner. “I’m honored to be able to represent Mississippi’s peanut producers on a national level and to help make a difference through research development.”
New National Peanut Board members and alternates were appointed by former Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to serve three-year terms, which began in January 2021. Tom Corcoran and Thomas Adams were reappointed Alabama member and alternate, respectively. William Carte was reappointed as Florida member and Paul Rogers III and West Drake were reappointed as Virginia member and alternate, respectively. To learn more about all of our board members, visit nationalpeanutboard.org/about/board-of-directors.
Alan D. Atkins Mississippi Alternate
Since 1993, Atkins has been farming on his own in the north hills of Mississippi and now farms on over 3,000 acres of land. Atkins is a fourth-generation farmer and typically grows around 800 to 1,000 acres of peanuts on his farm, while the remaining land is allocated to the production of cotton, corn, soybeans, wheat and timber. Atkins is vice president of the Monroe County Farm Bureau and is an active member of the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association and the Mississippi Peanut Promotions Board.
Ray Garner Jr.
North Carolina member This is Garner’s first time serving as a member after serving as an alternate for six years. Garner is a fifth-generation farmer and owns and operates Garner Family Farms, which grows peanuts, cotton, soybeans and wheat. Garner is the current president of both the Halifax County Farm Bureau and NC Peanut Growers Association.
“I wanted to have a voice for the farmers in my community,” said Atkins. “I’ve been planting peanuts since 2006 and I really enjoy growing peanuts, so I thought it was important for me to see what I could do to have a voice for peanut farmers and represent the peanut industry.”
“I have enjoyed serving on the National Peanut Board and seeing the positive impact NPB-sponsored research and promotion have had on the industry,” he said. “Peanut consumption is increasing, concerns about peanut allergies are being addressed and production research has improved profitability. It’s a great time to be a peanut farmer.”
Julie Ward
North Carolina alternate
Ward, co-owner of Ward Farms, has been farming for 29 years and has grown accustomed to wearing a variety of hats to get done whatever needs to get done, including being a secretary and bookkeeper for the business. While this is her first time on the board, Ward is familiar with all things NPB through her husband, former chairman Dan Ward. She has been a North Carolina Farm Bureau member for 29 years and served as co-chair and is currently secretary for NC Farm Fest of Clarkton to promote agriculture in the community.
“[I am excited for] meeting new people, learning more about the industry and being an active participant in NPB activities.”
Lucy Shackelford
At-Large alternate
Shackelford and her husband John, former NPB At-Large alternate and member, are owners of Shackelford Farms, which produces runner peanuts, cotton, soybeans and, occasionally, rice. This is her first year as part of the board and her background practicing law in Jackson, Mississippi brings a different perspective.
“I’m interested to serve on the Board to learn more about agri-business.”
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State Co-Promotions Keep Peanuts Top of Mind for Consumers In a year that canceled most in-person events, state peanut organizations powered through the pandemic and found creative ways to connect and engage with consumers with the support of co-promotion funds from the National Peanut Board.
01 Alabama Peanut Producers Association APPA ran a billboard ad promoting peanuts to beachgoers traveling popular highways to Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. They also ran a full-page ad with a delicious peanut recipe for the holidays in the November issue of ALFA Neighbors magazine, reaching 350,000 households.
02 Florida Peanut Producers Association FPPA used co-promotion funds to create a new design for their popular 1-ounce snack peanut bags, which are used in all of their promotional and educational programs.
03 Georgia Peanut Commission GPC partnered with iHeart Radio for holiday contests featuring peanut recipes. Listeners voted for their favorite peanut pie recipe from three peanut farming families and entered to win a gift card as they viewed peanutty holiday recipes. Contest promotions earned more than 744,000 impressions and more than 600 entries.
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04 Mississippi Peanut Growers Association MPGA distributed more than 2,000 peanut packs and educational handouts during November at four state visitor centers. To complement the center promotions, over 200 commercials aired on local radio stations, plus over 160,000 digital displays targeted health-minded and expectant moms to encourage peanut consumption.
05 Oklahoma Peanut Commission In October 2020, OPC sponsored an episode of Oklahoma Gardening, a weekly education show produced by Oklahoma State University. In the episode, viewers received an overview of how peanuts grow including how the peanut plant flowers, pegs and produces the underground pods. The segment also included a recipe demonstration of a tasty stew made with peanut butter, sweet potatoes, and spinach.
06 Texas Peanut Producers Board Travelers across the Southeast saw ads promoting Texas peanuts on Southern Ag Carriers semitractor-trailer truck wraps.
07 Virginia-Carolinas The Virginia-Carolinas Peanut Promotions took to the iHeart radio airwaves from June through November to share peanut nutrition information, recipes and fun ideas with moms and families on the go. While being sensitive to changing consumer behaviors due to the pandemic, messaging included peanut snacking ideas for summertime adventures, cheering on the team and beach getaways. The commercials aired more than 2,700 times in major markets including Raleigh, North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; and Winchester, Virginia.
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2020 Exports Second Highest on Record by Peter Vlazakis, Director, International Marketing and Technical Programs, American Peanut Council
Annual Exports-Production-Share Exported
In Farmer Stock Tons * Production total from previous calendar year
U.S. peanut exports for the calendar year 2020 totaled 910,101 farmer stock tons (FST) valued at $759.6 million, up 20% by volume and 12% by value as compared to the previous year. This represents the second-highest total in the history of the industry, behind only 2016, and corresponds to a record-high 33% of total production. 23
5%
Rest of the World
8%
19%
Japan
2%
Europe
Mexico Greater China
22%
43%
Canada
Shipments to Greater China accounted for nearly 44% of total exports by volume and reached 395,840 FST ($296 million), up 224% by volume and 177% by value as compared to 2019. Exports to Canada totaled 198,787 FST ($193 million), down 0.13% by volume but up nearly 7% by value. Shipments to Mexico fell 4% by volume and 3% by value to reach 175,125 FST ($138 million). 2020 exports to Europe totaled 73,456 FST ($71 million), down 59% by volume and 54% by value as compared to the previous year. Shipments to Japan totaled 20,660 FST ($25 million), down nearly 20% by volume and 21% by value, and exports to the rest of the world declined 3% by volume and 2% by value to reach 46,232 FST ($81 million).
Total Exports Through December 2020
In Farmer Stock Tons
When converted back into farmer stock tons, exports of raw peanut kernels totaled 460,318 FST ($326 million), down 11% as compared to 2019. Shipments of inshell peanuts, mainly farmer stock used for oil crushing, totaled 331,645 FST ($232 million), up 200% from last year. Peanut butter exports totaled 61,498 FST ($118 million), down nearly 5% from last year, and processed peanut exports totaled 30,943 FST ($56 million), up 6%. 2020 shipments of blanched peanuts totaled 25,697 FST ($23 million), down 25% as compared the previous year.
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American Peanut Council Welcomes
Richard Owen New President & CEO “With our selection of Richard Owen, we believe we have found the best person to lead the organization into the future,” —Monty Rast, former NPB board member
With a background in agriculture and trade, Owen looks forward to leading APC’s growth into its next chapter This February, Richard Owen began his new role as the American Peanut Council’s (APC) new president and chief executive officer. Most recently, Owen held senior leadership positions at the Produce Marketing Association for more than a decade, and earlier in his career served as director of agricultural affairs in the Office of the U.S. Trade
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Representative (USTR) and as executive vice president of the Montana Grain Growers Association. With a degree in Agricultural Education from Virginia Tech, Owen built a strong track record of working to strengthen American agriculture, developing particular expertise in international marketing and market development. “With our selection of Richard Owen, we believe we have found the best person to lead the organization into the future,” said Monty Rast, farmer and former NPB South Carolina board member, who served as APC’s 2020 chairman. “Given the APC’s main priority and mission of strengthening export sales of U.S. peanuts to global markets, we are excited to work with Richard in laying out a comprehensive strategy to develop international markets, reduce tariff and nontariff trade barriers, and expand sales of U.S.-origin peanuts around the world in a sustainable manner.” “To be able to lead an industry-wide organization of APC’s stature into the next chapter of its growth is a great personal and professional opportunity,” said Owen. “Throughout the selection process, I was impressed with the leadership’s commitment to both the organization and the broader peanut industry. I look forward to partnering with all of the industry stakeholders in this new endeavor.” Owen’s predecessor, Patrick Archer, retired in January after many years of dedicated leadership and service.
NATIONAL PEANUT BOARD BUDGET
Financials
Fiscal Year 21 (November 1, 2020—October 31, 2021)
FISCAL YEAR 21 BUDGET
ACCOUNT DESCRIPTION REVENUES Crop Projection
$ 9,750,000
Prior Years’ Crop Overages
$ 489,891
FY 18 Expense Savings
$ 87,642
FY 19 Expense Savings
$ 842,582
NIFA Unused Funds FY 19
$ 93,750
Interest Income
$ 170,000
Prior Years’ Interest Overage
$ 83,327
Late Fee Collection—Prior Year
$ 2,808
TOTAL REVENUE
$ 11,520,000
PROMOTION / MARKET DEVELOPMENT / RESEARCH Domestic—Promotion / Market Development Programs
$ 7,011,000
Export—Promotion / Market Development
$ 460,000
Grower & Intra-industry Communications
$ 641,500
Opportunity Budget
$ 100,000
Production Research Projects
$ 1,815,448
Germplasm Research Funding
$ 7,000
Griffin—Replacement Wild Species
$ 15,000
NIFA or FFAR Research TPRF Precision Breeding—Phase II
$ 200,000
Sustainability Support (20)/Peanut Trust Protocol (21)
$ 25,000
TOTAL PROMOTION / MARKET DEVELOPMENT / RESEARCH
$ 10,274,948
OTHER EXPENSES Administrative
$ 878,500
AMS Oversight
$ 190,000 TOTAL OTHER EXPENSES
$ 1,068,500
TOTAL EXPENSES FOR PROGRAM YEAR
$ 11,343,448
ADDITION TO UNRESTRICTED RESERVE
$ 176,552
TOTAL EXPENSES PLUS ADDITIONS TO RESERVE
* Contingency Reserve = $1,400,000 Unrestricted Reserve = $3,609,401
$ 11,520,000
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PRESORTED FIRST CLASS MAIL US POSTAGE
National Peanut Board
3350 Riverwood Parkway, Suite 1150 Atlanta, GA 30339
PAID
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Are you a Peanut Expert? Test your knowledge below and see how many you get right.
1
On average, how many PB&Js will a person eat in their lifetime?
a. 200
2
b. 2
c. 1
b. 680
d. None
c. 450
d. 820
How many cities in the U.S. are named “Peanut”?
a. None
5
d. 3,000
About how many peanuts does it take to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter?
a. 540
4
c. 1,000
How many U.S. presidents were former peanut farmers?
a. 4
3
b. 500
b. One
c. Two
d. Six
Which of the following is NOT a variety of peanut?
a. Virginia
b. Georgia
c. Runner
d. Spanish
Answer key 1. d
2. b
3. a
4. d
5. B
For more fun facts about peanuts go to www.NationalPeanutBoard.org
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@Nationalpeanutboard