PQ 46

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.

National Peanut Board 2022 Officers and Members

Les Crall, Chairman

Paul Rogers, Vice Chairman

Greg Baltz, Treasurer Casey Cox Kerr, Secretary

Alabama

Tom Corcoran

Thomas Adams, alternate Arkansas Greg Baltz

Allen Donner, alternate Florida

William Carte

Nick L. Marshall, alternate Georgia

Casey Cox Kerr

Wesley Webb, alternate Mississippi

Lonnie Fortner

Alan D. Atkins, alternate Missouri

Clay Deane

Russ Hoggard, alternate

North Carolina

Ray Garner Jr.

Julie Ward, alternate Oklahoma

Les Crall

Gayle White, alternate South Carolina

Neal Baxley Jr. Doug Jarrell, alternate Texas

Jeff Roper

Mason Becker, alternate Virginia Paul Rogers West Drake, alternate

At-Large

Lucy Shackelford, alternate

Chairman’s Letter

SVP

Lauren

Darby

Kaley Volkmann

Sherry

Sandra Flores, Art Direction

Zarina Waldo, Lead Designer

Silvia Flores, Copy Manager

Terence P. Ward, Proofreader

Shayna Penn, Creative Writer

Dear Fellow Peanut Farmers,

As farmers, it seems like our work never stops and there is always more to do. The to-do list never ends and tomorrow is always the most important day of the week. It’s when we’ll finish that paperwork we’re working on. It’s when we’re going to check on that field that’s giving us issues. It’s something we may look forward to. It’s something we may dread. But no matter what, tomorrow is coming. As peanut farmers, we know the importance of tomorrow. It’s our job to take care of the land so that the next generation may continue to farm and harvest. It’s our job to feed the generations of tomorrow.

Since 2001, NPB has allocated more than $41 million toward state and industry production research. Our production research dollars help make advancements that potentially lower input costs. From this research has come new disease resistant varieties, more advanced technology and better healthcare. Our mission is to improve the economics of growers and their families, so you can be profitable and pass your farm down to future generations.

Each year, the number of farmers goes down in the U.S. We know the risks related to farming better than anyone else, but the question becomes what can we do to help young farmers? How do we convince more children to stay on the farm? A start would be giving them better access to opportunities.

As a Board, one of our new key initiatives is to provide better access to broadband internet to farming families. With this, we hope to better assist those who are drawn to the farm, but don’t want to do without more common conveniences.

This issue of PQ focuses on the future of farming. But a lot of our future is dependent on what we do as farmers today. As we race towards tomorrow, remember to keep the future in mind.

Les Crall 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

PQ Editorial Staff & Contributors

Editor: Lindsay Stevens

& Chief Marketing Officer: Ryan Lepicier

Highfill Williams

Johnson

Coleman Collins, MS, RDN, LD Sue Rodman

Bob Parker

NPB President and CEO

Front Cover: Dr. Kiju Lee’s unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) traveling in a corn field that will be a part of a swarm robotics project where unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and UGV cooperate to make decisions and accomplish assigned tasks such as weed control and disease detection. Photo courtesy of Dr. Cason.

Is the U.S. Peanut Industry Missing an Opportunity on Peanut Oil?

BY BOB PARKER President & CEO

I’m scratching my head wondering how we have a carryout equivalent to 1,175,000 farmer stock tons (FST), yet we’re importing peanut oil. How can we supply our own needs and key export markets, like China, with peanut oil or feedstock needed for crushing? Also, Texas A&M recently announced a major oil company is interested in a huge quantity of peanut oil for biodiesel as well. Maybe we need to intentionally grow peanuts specifically for crushing and build the infrastructure to do it efficiently enough to make it economically viable.

Traditionally, peanuts used for crushing are almost always rejects from shelling that don’t meet standards for traditional food use for peanut butter, candy or snacks. Kernels may be immature, damaged or have aflatoxin, impurities easily removed during oil refining. Our farmers and shellers do a great job of producing high-quality peanuts, and many years we don’t have enough rejects to meet domestic and export oil demand.

Our best year for exports in recent years was 2020 (805,000 FST). The 2019 crop had quality issues and shellers rejected a lot of peanuts that failed food quality standards, providing an abundance of crushing-quality peanuts to sell in 2020. China happily took these peanuts to meet their oil needs, buying the equivalent of 389,000 FST.

At the current pace, we will probably fall short of 600,000 tons of exports this year, even though we have a large carryout and China is on pace to buy only 125,000 FST. The 2021 crop, which was my 46th career crop, was probably the best quality I had ever seen. We don’t have many rejects and the numbers don’t work for China to buy food grade peanuts for crushing. But what if we had peanuts specifically bred for crushing with high oil content?

When we crush the rejects, we usually get a 44% outturn of oil. The oil content of typical varieties we grow is 50%, but because we are crushing mostly damaged and immature kernels, we get less oil. Breeders tell me we have the genetics to get the oil content up to 60%, but there hasn’t been a need.

The numbers must work for the farmer’s bottom line to grow peanuts for crushing. I believe we can find efficiencies in growing, handling, inspection and processing to make it work. To do so will require bold steps and innovation from farmers, breeders, economists, engineers and processors.

Sources: NASS-USDA, FAS-USDA

Future of Farming:

How Automation Impacts the Farming Industry

By Lindsay Stevens

Implementing technology on the farm has the potential to allow farm businesses to be more profitable, efficient and safe, according to NIFA. While on-farm automation can have many definitions, it is important to note that this isn’t just limited to robotics.

We spoke with Dr. Wesley Porter, an associate professor and extension specialist at the University of Georgia. According to Dr. Porter, “there are many opportunities to include automation on the farm. Some of these are in our everyday operations, such as planting, spraying, harvesting, sorting, packing, etc. Including automation into these operations typically makes the operations more effective and efficient because they can take on monotonous and repetitive tasks on the farm.”

Like all new technology, it comes with pros and cons.

“The pros of these technologies are that they can help with everyday tasks, operate longer time windows and overall have higher efficiency than a standard manned operation,” Dr. Porter said. “Some of the cons are the technology is new and relatively untested at the commercial scale. There will be resistance to removing operators from the tractor cab, and there is also a steep learning curve to new technologies, specifically the ones that operate on their own.”

Dr. Johnny Cason at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Stephenville agrees that the steep learning curve remains the biggest con. Dr. Carson also believes automation can aid in addressing concerns regarding labor shortages.

“Labor is getting harder and harder to find,” Dr. Cason said. “While issues with autonomous tractors are still complex, they seem more controllable than the variables present on say a high-speed road. If we can develop tools that are more economical or better for the environment, then I think we should pursue it.”

Looking for new equipment can be overwhelming. With the multitude of options and the many pros and cons for each, it can be hard to narrow down what you want. When looking for new equipment, Dr. Porter said the first question should be return on investment.

PhotocourtesyofJohnDeere

“They should look at the cost of the new automated equipment, the benefit of the equipment and what potential it has to their farm,” Dr. Porter said. “They should also ask what sort of training and support there is for operating the new piece of equipment. Support during breakdowns can be one of the most critical components of new equipment, because if you can’t get it back up and running in a timely fashion it is not any more useful than the original way of completing the task.”

Adding on to what Dr. Porter said, Dr. Cason says it’s beneficial to estimate dollars per acre using the technology as compared to the dollars per acre using traditional equipment. It’s also important, though, to ask specific costrelated questions.

“There are costs of device, maintenance, backup batteries, etc.,” Dr. Cason said. “Depending on the type of technologies and level of utilization farmers consider incorporating into their farming practices, data processing services may be an additional cost.”

After speaking to John Deere, it’s plain to see there are plenty of options for farmers to choose from. One exciting new addition is their autonomous tractor.

“When available for purchase, a farmer will be able to enable autonomy on a late model 8R or 9R series tractor and approved tillage tools,” a John Deere spokesperson said. “They will need to purchase additional hardware, such as the perception system and software to enable autonomy on their tractor and tillage tool. Once they have the hardware and software, the farmer will utilize John Deere Operations Center Mobile to monitor and control their machine once it is in the field to carry out its work.”

In addition to the advancements at John Deere, universities like Texas A&M are also working on new technology to assist farmers.

“Our program is developing an unmanned aerial system (UAS) to help peanut breeders make selections in a timely and cost-effective manner,” Dr. Cason said. “We are currently validating algorithms for plant height and canopy volume and have begun exploring yield prediction algorithms. Soon we also hope to begin using UAS to estimate maturity and to make disease estimations.”

Another tool in development is the use of Raman spectroscopy (RS). This quick, portable, nondestructive assay1 can determine difference in individuals down to the chemical bond level. This will help confirm fungal, viral and bacterial pathogens as well as distinguish nematode resistance and high oleic peanut cultivars. Dr. Cason is also working with Dr. Kiju Lee on using swarm robotics that eventually will be able to do things like selectively apply fungicides and herbicides to specific locations in a field.

“In this project, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) operate in groups to identify and solve problems in a farm setting,” Dr. Cason said. “One of the goals of the project is to create a tool that can eventually be used at the farm level by growers to automate tasks and reduce labor cost.”

The future is full of possibilities.

Dr. Cason displays a Raman spectrometer used to scan plants subjected to drought stress. Photo courtesy of Dr. Cason.

Daniel Gonzales provides UAV flight and data collection training to Chase Murphy and Nichole Cherry. Photo courtesy of Dr. Cason. 1

Future of Farming:

Adapting to Climate Change

By Darby Johnson

Climate change and sustainability are not only buzzwords for today’s consumers. Sustainability is at the core of the peanut industry’s mission, especially with the creation of Sustainable U.S. Peanuts. Climate change, however, is a newer problem that is affecting farms. Peanut farmers in different regions of the peanut belt may face different issues, but collectively all face mounting weather threats, which brings new challenges.

Drought

Droughts aren’t new for peanut farmers. However, droughts are becoming more frequent and are lasting longer. Texas Peanut Producers Board (TPPB) Executive Director Shelley Nutt explains that heat in Texas combined with the wind is drawing whatever moisture there is from the soil. This creates a climactic environment not favorable for rainfall. The heat, hot wind and lack of rainfall are the number one issue for all Texas farmers and ranchers, especially this year. Nutt notes that this is the worst drought to plague the entire state of Texas that she’s personally experienced in her twenty years working for TPPB.

Westly Drake, a fourteenth-generation peanut farmer in Virginia, experiences similar issues with lack of rainfall.

Due to the increasing threat of drought and water shortage concerns, Drake anticipates a possible future reduction in the number of peanut acres grown in the Southwest.

“As an industry, I think the most pressing issue in the future will be areas of expanding drought, and a shortage of irrigation water in arid climates that currently produce peanuts,” Drake said. “High temperatures in the summer are an area of concern for me because high temperatures dry the soil out faster, which can create drought stress on the crops.”

Severe Storms

Those who have been in the industry for decades can recount the changes in weather patterns and occurrences becoming more extreme and frequent.

“Prior to his passing a few years ago, my grandfather used to tell me that he did not think the weather long ago was as extreme as it is today,” Drake said. “He remembered the weather being less severe, and the rainfall gentler and more widespread.”

“I've seen haboobs1, flooding rains, ice storms that shut down the state for almost a week, 40-plus days of 100-plus degree temperatures, and as large as baseball-sized hail. So, is the weather changing? That's hard to know,” Nutt said. “I think weather is cyclical and I do believe most of Texas is in a hotter and drier than average cycle, but will it change? I don't know the answer to that, but I certainly hope so.”

Insects

Peanut farmers have also noted that insects are becoming more of an issue now than they were in the past. Drake explains that in Virginia, he and other peanut farmers don’t plow land or till much before the winter. Tillage is used as a way to combat pests that burrow below the soil surface during the winter. Typically, several hard freezes in the winter will kill some of the pests underground without having to till the land.

“Without tillage and hard freezes, pests seem to emerge much earlier in the spring and are able to develop higher adverse populations much earlier in the growing season,” Drake said.

Drake thinks the largest concern is the increasing resistance that some insects are building towards common insecticides.

“An implemented pest management strategy encourages the use of multiple different insecticides rather than just using the same one over and over,” Drake said.

So, with all these changes and farmers consistently having to deal with increasingly intense storms, droughts and insects, what can we do? Well, the first thing we can do is adapt — a practice that farmers are very familiar with. Continuing to invest in production research is essential to the future of farming as well. Through the National Peanut Board, America’s peanut farmers have funded $41 million into production research projects to increase drought tolerance and disease resistance, improve water efficiency, and identify traits through the Peanut Genomic Initiative that will help farmers further adapt.

“Farmers know how to adapt,” Nutt said. “Daily, they deal with too much heat, too much rain, not enough rain, early freezes, late freezes, the market changes, the demand for different varieties change, some weeds grow resistant while new weeds pop up, etc. They're ‘masters of modification.’”

1 A haboob is a type of intense dust storm carried on an atmospheric gravity current.

Future of Farming:

The Next Generation of Farmers

By Lindsay Stevens

Since 2007, the number of farms in the U.S. has steadily dropped, according to USDA1. In 2021, the estimated number was 2,012,050, down 6,950 farms from 2020. There could be a multitude of factors contributing to the decline of farming.

One common issue that could be turning future generations away is the financial risk associated with it. Greg Baltz is a peanut farmer from Arkansas and is the chair of NPB’s research committee. According to Baltz, older generations used to be able to help shield younger ones from the shortterm risks associated with farming. However, this practice gets more complicated.

“Farmers are one of the only producers that can’t pass the rise of costs to their consumers,” Austin said. “While input costs keep going up, our margins are being squeezed. If this trend continues, it will become hard for the average family farmer to make a living.”

“As farms have gotten larger, the risks have gotten larger,” Baltz said. “The challenge is that every year you’re risking your whole net worth just to put in the next year’s crop. I think that’s what becomes the most challenging factor for me looking at young people coming forward onto the farm. That they may not be able to have the assets behind them to continue to be prosperous.”

According to the USDA, in 2020, the U.S. total farm expenditure average per farm was $182,130, up 2.6% from $177,564 in 20192. One of the factors contributing to the increasing costs of running a farm and thus the risk that Baltz refers to are rising input costs.

Austin White is a fifth-generation farmer from Oklahoma. He and his mom, Gayle, grow peanuts, cotton, corn, wheat, alfalfa and beef cattle. Austin says that these rising costs affect farmers the most.

One of the ways to help lower the risk is to look into the resources offered by the USDA, which offers programs for protection and recovery. You can find a list of their resources at farmers.gov/protection-recovery.

“Government programs are going to be essential going forward for young families to reduce a little risk to have some degree of certainty that one year cannot wipe them out,” Baltz said. “If there’s a disaster, there are resources to help build your programs back.”

Another common issue is the perceived lack of opportunities in small towns, including internet access. According to a study by PEW in 2021, 72% of rural Americans say they have broadband internet connection at home3.

While this is a 9-percentage point rise in home broadband adoption since 2016, it still means that close to 30% of rural Americans do not have internet access. Baltz says it’s things like that that contribute to farmer’s children forging their own careers off the farm.

“I think for my children, they saw access to just more opportunities that were available in the city than a small town or even a regional city,” Baltz said. “They all have gravitated to where they have so many more resources and I think they would have a hard time walking away from that.”

Joe D. White in their Oklahoma peanut field with his daughter, Whitney Bell, and granddaughter.

A final challenge that may be concerning future generations is the stress that comes with farming. Over the years mental health on the farm has become an increasingly urgent concern. The American Psychological Association even has a web page dedicated specifically to farm-related stress.

“The challenge for me and anyone else trying to get into farming is realizing that you don’t have to have control over all of the features of your business,” Baltz said. “You can be more controlled than the next guy. You can build infrastructure to help, but Mother Nature will still play its game and we have to learn how to deal with that. So, the advantages of farming work if you can learn how to manage stress, and, especially, try not to get stressed over the things you can’t control.”

In addition to the challenges, there are positives to raising a family on the farm. According to Gayle, the biggest positive was the work ethic it gave her children.

“I feel like raising kids on the farm was an absolute blessing,” Gayle said. “They learn first-hand what it takes to run a business. Work ethic is so important and farm life will teach a child how to work and be responsible.”

Another positive to working on the farm is it shows you how your food is made, thus giving you a better appreciation for what goes into your groceries.

“There is something special about having the opportunity to see something grow from a small seed to a large-scale product,” Austin said. “It’s unlike anything else. It’s also gratifying to know I can make a living doing something I love while providing our country with the safest quality food.”

Finally, for Baltz, raising a family on the farm allowed him to work close to home and get his kids involved with what he did for a living.

“It’s a great place to raise a family,” Baltz said. “We got the chance for the children to be outside and to be involved with my work, even when they were small children.”

While the number of farms does go down each year, the future is bright as long as we work to assuage the risks mentioned above and continue to encourage others to try their hand at farming.

1 United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Farms and Land in Farms. Economics, Statistics and Market Information System. Retrieved September 1, 2022, from https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/5712m6524?locale=en

2 United States Department of Agriculture. (2021, July). Farm Production Expenditures 2020 Summary. National Agricultural Statistics Service. Retrieved September 6, 2022, from https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/

3 Vogels, E. A. (2021, October 19). Some digital divides persist between rural, urban and Suburban America. Pew Research Center. Retrieved September 6, 2022, from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/08/19/some-digital-divides-persist-between-rural-urban-and-suburban-america/

(L-R): Joe D. White, Gayle White and Austin White.

Gayle White, NPB Oklahoma alternate board member.

Greg Baltz, NPB Arkansas board member.

Each generation has their own world view, interests and sense of style. This rings true among Gen Z and millennials as well. Even though the two generations like to find what sets them apart, they are more similar than they think. How? Both generations share a love for peanut butter. Peanut butter is a classic pantry staple that can help bridge the gap between Gen Z and millennials in fun, engaging ways.

This year, the National Peanut Board (NPB) turned gen wars into gen love with the “Peanut Better Together” campaign that featured three consumer activations.

The Nutty Neutralizer.

Exploring Similarities Between Gen Z and Millennials with Peanut Better Together #PBSpiceChall

One thing that both generations can agree on is their love for spicy food. The Nutty Neutralizer activation showcased peanut butter as a lactose-free, shelfable antidote to combat spice. NPB collaborated with five spice-loving Gen Z and millennial influencers on TikTok to participate in the #PBSpiceChallenge. As part of the activation, the Spice (news) Bureau was launched to monitor spicy conversations and build relationships with news media. The campaign garnered 61 2 million views and engaged more than 884,000 consumers, but even more importantly it cultivated relationships with influential media that is already paying dividends in multiple ways.

Peanut Better Your Home.

This past summer, NPB tapped into Gen Z and millennials’ passion for home décor and engaged with them during an important time in their life — the transition to college, new apartment or new home. This activation focused on two custom-designed peel and stick wallpapers “Bloomin Peanut” and “That 70s Shell,” inspired by popular cottagecore and retro aesthetics. Two home and lifestyle influencers shared how they used the designs in their home and promoted a sweepstakes to give 500 peanutty wallpaper kits to fans. More than 2,500 consumers entered the sweepstakes. Even those who didn’t win were able to download the wallpapers digitally.

#PBYourSpace

Peanut Butter Chili Time.

hiliCookof

We still have one more activation to go! This fall, NPB appeals to both generations with an unlikely food combination — peanut butter and chili. NPB will host the first ever virtual Peanut Butter Chili Cook-off on TikTok just in time for National Chili Month. Celebrity chef Richard Blais hosts the cook-off with four TikTok chefs creating recipes that pair hearty chili with peanut butter sandwiches for a chance to win a charitable donation to a local food bank. So, move over grilled cheese and tomato soup because there’s a new combo on the scene.

Stay up to date with the latest “Peanut Better Together” activations at NationalPeanutBoard.org.

Gen Zs Share Their Culinary Demands at NPB’s Next Gen Food Summit

By Kaley Volkmann

Chef Eric Adjepong during a cooking demonstration at the Next Gen Food Summit.

Article's photography courtesy of Kristen Loken.

Following the pandemic, what and how consumers are eating has changed. Consumers are demanding healthy, plant-forward, comforting and shareable snacks and meals that can easily be elevated or enjoyed as is. These culinary trends and concepts to watch were discussed at the National Peanut Board’s (NPB) annual Next Gen Food Summit in April 2022, along with how to market to the Gen Z audience and interesting ways to incorporate peanuts on menus.

“A big focus among menu developers is what does Gen Z want? And Gen Z really is where global flavors come into play,” said editor-in-chief and publisher of Flavor & The Menu, Cathy Nash-Holley. “I think appealing to Gen Z, we’ll see a lot more global adoption of global ingredients, whether authentic or mashups in some way.”

Gen Z is rediscovering and reinventing flavors and loves trying new things! This includes weird food combos like peanut butter stuffed jalapenos, combining the flavor profiles of peanut butter and spice, which was the focus of our 2022 consumer activation, the Nutty Neutralizer.

In addition, Gen Z expects companies and brands to be transparent about their initiatives and commitments. 90% of Gen Z believe companies must act now to help social and environmental issues1 and 56% of people think reducing their meat intake is better for the environment2. CPG brands, food service providers and marketing experts are all working to adapt and evolve their brands and offerings based on these Gen Z demands.

When it comes to Gen Z consumers, it’s important to keep in mind this generation is more globally focused, more socially aware, and more adventurous when it comes to food. Flavor, taste and experience remain at the core, but being intentional about marketing, engagement and components of service will drive consumer buy-in and success.

Scan the QR code to listen to The Peanut Podcast Episode 8: What's New in Retail and Dining, or find the latest episodes on your favorite music and podcasting apps and on our website.

1 2019 gen Z purpose study: Undivided. Porter Novelli. (2021, January 25). Retrieved August 12, 2022, from https://www.porternovelli.com/findings/2019-gen-z-purposestudy-undivided/

2 Datassntial with The Culinary Institute of America. Plant-forward opportunityciaprochef.com. Retrieved August 12, 2022, from https://www.ciaprochef.com/PlantForwardOpportunityReport2021/

Miso glazed shrimp with sweet coconut ginger steak skewers and citrus garlic marinated veggie skewers. Served with a side of spicy peanut ginger sauce and peanut satay sauce.

Benin Miso Noodles with Crushed Peanuts by Chef Eric Adjepong

Grilled pineapple with brown butter with toasted peanut butter caramel sauce.Vegetable succotash with seared shrimp over creamy orzo with a roasted peanut and red pepper gremolata using Virginia peanuts.

(L-R): Ryan Lepicier (NPB), Chef Chris Muller (CIA), Erika Welsh (Wild Friends Foods), Chef Eric Adjepong, Carol Podolak (B-Nutty), Chef Jason Wang, Laurie Crall (NPB), Michael Patrick (Chick-Fil-A) and Nicole Linares (Wild Friends Foods).

NPB Donates 10,000 Peanut Butter Jars to Louisiana Food Bank

Through Peanut Proud, the National Peanut Board (NPB) made a donation of more than 10,000 jars of peanut butter to the Northeast Louisiana Food Bank in March. The donation was made to support the food bank’s peanut butter drive during National Peanut Month. Louisiana was the home state of at-large board member Micah Barham, who passed away in February after a brief illness.

Peanut butter’s shelf-stability, 7 grams of protein per serving, great taste and versatility make it a top requested item for food banks. And, 10.5% of U.S. households were food insecure throughout 2020, according to USDA. Barham served on NPB in at-large alternate and board member positions for many years. NPB chairman and Oklahoma farmer Les Crall said, “Micah was a wonderful person and an excellent farmer with a generous spirit. We are saddened to have lost Micah as a member of our peanut family, but proud that we can help make a difference in the lives of others.”

Micah Barham

Barham was president of Barham and Barham Farms where he grew runner peanuts, corn and cotton. Barham grew up in a farming family. He and his wife, Alex, have two daughters, Elizabeth and Lillian.

Barham graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural business. He was a member of the Louisiana Farm Bureau and Louisiana Cotton and Grain Association. In his spare time, Barham enjoyed hunting, dining out and playing tennis.

Peanut Butter: The Official Sponsor of Teamwork

The National Peanut Board (NPB) worked with The18 to connect with soccer fans domestically as well as internationally through our campaign, “Peanut Butter: The Official Sponsor of Teamwork.” The18 is a digital media brand that engages soccer fans online and through social media. The campaign includes three tentpole activations that highlight how a focus on nutrition and fitness can enhance your game, to teamwork being an integral part of the sport, and finally showcasing the grassroots, youth and college soccer players in the U.S. Throughout this campaign (which ran from October 2021 through October 2022), NPB and The18 delivered over 17.5 million impressions and 4.5 million engagements.

The18’s Pro Soccer Fitness Test

During the fitness and nutrition portion of the campaign, The18 attempted fitness challenges that pro soccer players are required to complete. The video showed what it takes to be a pro soccer player, brought to you by peanut butter, which helps the athletes power up and complete the challenges. The18 posted the Pro Fitness Test video on their YouTube and shared it on their social media channels, which brought in almost 1.6 million engagements.

Two Generations, One Dream

Next, NPB and The18 worked on the Teamwork and Road to World Cup portion of the campaign. We had two USMNT players from two generations sit down together to celebrate commonalities across generations and how each inspires the other to compete and win at the highest level. We also had the two players try the Teamwork Target Challenge, where current USMNT player Jordan Morris and Landon Donovan, widely known as the greatest U.S. men’s soccer player to ever play, worked together to fit targets in a goal to answer questions and get to know more about each other. Also, during this portion of the campaign, “Official Sponsor of Teamwork” display ads were placed on The18’s site. This portion of the campaign brought in 11.6 million impressions and 2.5 million engagements.

Peanut Juggling Contest

U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) players Jordan Morris and Landon Donovan teamed up and were able to keep a peanut in the air using only their feet for three touches. NPB and The18 challenged others to try to beat them by having viewers upload their attempts to social media and use the hashtag #PeanutJugglingChallenge. The winner received a $500 Amazon gift card. The Peanut Juggling challenge received over 2.5 million impressions.

Teamwork Challenge

To connect with grassroots & youth soccer seasons, The18 and NPB hosted the Teamwork Challenge. For this event, The18 teamed up with the Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club to get pairs of youth players together to participate in challenges that show off their skills. The catch? Every challenge required teamwork and communication between the two players, demonstrating how players make each other better. From the event came a video recap as well as an article that described the day more in depth. Between the video and the article, over 500k impressions were delivered.

Scan the QR code to see the activations mentioned here and more.

Foundation Seed Working to Provide Farmers With High-Quality Seeds

By Lindsay Stevens

Dr. Richard Vierling Q&A with

Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed serves as a liaison between AgriLife Research plant breeding programs and seed companies interested in licensing plant varieties. Additionally, Foundation Seed produces and markets genetically pure seeds of new cultivars developed by AgriLife Research scientists. In September 2021, a new $1 million peanut sheller was unveiled. The new peanut sheller seed line incorporates the latest technology and will provide farmers with high-quality peanut seeds. Richard Vierling, Ph.D., the manager of Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed is the director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center – Vernon. Vierling sat down with the National Peanut Board (NPB) to talk about Foundation Seed, as well as to talk about the impact of a direct F3 tornado hit on the facility May 4, 2022.

NPB: Could you explain what foundation seed is, versus breeder, registered and certified seed?

VIERLING: The objective of the seed certification system is to maintain genetic purity from the time the new variety leaves the plant breeder until it is purchased by the farmer. The seed certification system allows for four classes of seed: breeder, foundation, registered and certified. Breeder seed is the first generation and as the name suggests, it is developed by the plant breeder and is the purest seed. Seed harvested from fields planted with breeder seed make up the foundation seed class. Therefore, fields planted with foundation seed produce registered seed, and fields planted with registered seed produce certified seed, which is the seed purchased by farmers.

NPB: How does this new shelling plant fit into that?

VIERLING: The new peanut shelling plant will allow Texas A&M AgriLife to maintain control of the seed increase of our peanut varieties. In addition to maintaining purity, it also will help us control our seed production costs. What is most exciting is that the sheller will let AgriLife release new varieties sooner.

Foundation Seed will be able to work with the breeders to advance multiple experimental lines for seed increase before their final selection. This will allow AgriLife to release new lines one to two years sooner.

NPB: Does the breeder recreate the breeder seed each year or just grow more?

VIERLING: Plant breeders maintain breeder seed. Whether the breeder produces breeder seed every year depends on how well the variety sells to farmers.

NPB: Why does seed purity matter?

VIERLING: Seed purity is an important aspect of farmer’s risk management. Seed purity ensures that your seed doesn’t devalue due to the presence of unwanted other crop seeds, weed seeds and inert matter that may contribute to insect infestation and disease. Genetic purity is equally important to the grower and essential to a successful crop. Good genetic purity prevents off-types, maturity differences and decreased performance.

NPB: How does Foundation Seed help with seed purity?

VIERLING: All four classes of seed, breeder, foundation, registered and certified, go through a rigorous testing program. The program starts with field inspections. AgriLife Foundation Seed submits field applications to the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). TDA provides professional and unbiased field inspections of all seed production fields, and maintains records that meet state, federal and international seed law requirements. After the seed is cleaned, we send a sample to an approved seed testing laboratory.

NPB: You have now shelled the first crop of seed in the new plant. How did the first year go?

VIERLING: The peanut plant was dedicated in September 2021 and was used to shell and clean peanuts last year. The AgriLife Foundation Seed facility took a direct hit from an F3 tornado on May 4. There were two seed lots of new AgriLife varieties that were not shelled before the tornado damage, and this will delay their release. The peanut sheller did not suffer damage but all the equipment to get the peanuts to the sheller was destroyed. The rebuild of the facility is ongoing and will take more than a year, so we will not be shelling peanuts this year. The Texas peanut shellers have stepped up and will be assisting us with shelling peanuts.

NPB: What kind of damage did the facility sustain from the May 2022 tornado and what repairs will need to be made?

VIERLING: All the peanut wagons, driers and grain bins need to be replaced. Our equipment shed and seed cold storage building will have to be replaced, too. The warehouse is being repaired. The warehouse’s exterior walls and the roof over the small grains and peanut seed cleaners will be replaced. The roof over the seed storage warehouse will be repaired.

NPB: Did you lose any of the varieties you were developing and breeding due to the tornado damage? Has this been a major setback, or have you been able to move to another facility and work around it?

VIERLING: We did not lose any varieties but the release of two peanut varieties will be delayed for a year or two. We did lose a significant amount of breeding material and we do not yet know how that will affect variety development.

A look at the damage to the structure after being directly hit by an F3 tornado. Photo courtesy of Dr. Vierling.

Grower Voices

Sedrick Rowe is a first-generation peanut grower in Albany, Georgia. While he grew up in an ag community, it was Rowe’s experience at Fort Valley State University (FVSU), where he played on the football team, that led him to farming as a career.

As a running back, staying in shape and eating healthy was top of mind. When considering his career, “I was trying to find a niche, and I kept saying, ‘If I’m always eating healthy, all of these fruits and vegetables and stuff, I can grow them myself.’ A farmer had an organic farm right across from the football field, so I went over there one day, and I started learning a little bit more about it.”

Rowe gained farming and research experience at FVSU and started his own operation in 2017. He describes growing organic peanuts as “intense” when it comes to weed control. At harvest, “you aren’t just digging up peanuts, you’re digging up other roots and weeds and jamming up your peanut digger,” he said. “Sometimes you have to hop off and pull stuff off the digger. You find yourself having to always have more labor now because someone has to be off behind the tractor.”

But Rowe seeks out a challenge. At FVSU, he gained experience growing neam plants, a hemp cousin. When production was legalized in Georgia, Rowe thought, “no one knows about this crop in Georgia. This is my chance right now.” After three years of growing hemp, Rowe said, “now we’re at the point where I feel like I have been growing it since day one, I haven’t stopped. I mastered this crop. Now with this crop I’m growing more for research rather than for profit.” Rowe is hopeful that the more the agricultural community understands about hemp, the better experience it will be for growers.

Still in the early years of his farming career, Rowe is also the founder of the South Georgia chapter of the Young Farmers Coalition and is a board member on the Georgia Organic Peanut Association.

Pumpkin and Chickpea Peanut Curry

By Chef Asha Gomez

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons green peanut oil

• 3 teaspoons turmeric powder

• 1 medium yellow onion sliced

• 1 inch ginger julienned

• 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced

• 1 serrano pepper split in two

• 2 cups canned chickpeas

• 2 cup roasted pumpkin

• 1 red bell pepper sliced

• 1⁄4 cup raw peanuts

• 1 1⁄2 cups coconut milk

Directions

For the tempered oil

• 2 tablespoons green peanut oil

• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 2 sprigs of curry leaves

1. Heat a pan on medium high, add the oil. Add the turmeric powder, onions, ginger, garlic, serrano pepper, curry leaves and sauté for 3 minutes till the onions are almost a golden brown. Add the chickpeas and 1 ⁄2 cup of water and let it cook for 10 minutes. Add salt to taste.

2. In the meantime, blend the peanuts and coconut milk in a blender to a creamy consistency. Pour the coconut milk and peanut sauce into the pan, stir well. Lower the flame and cook for another 10 mins. Add the roasted pumpkin and bell peppers. Mix well.

3. Meanwhile heat a small sauté pan at a medium head, add two tablespoons of green peanut oil, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. As soon as the mustard seeds pop, pour the tempered oil on top of the pumpkin chickpea and peanut curry. Remove the curry from the flame and serve warm over steamed rice.

Peanut Butter Returns to Lee County Schools

By Sherry Coleman Collins, MS, RDN, LD

The current state of school nutrition programs across the country can be described as extremely challenging. Postpandemic, schools continue to struggle with supply chain issues and skyrocketing costs limiting menu options, packaging and paper goods. Not only that, but the staffing shortages have left schools across the country with job vacancies at or above 40%. Amid these challenges, school nutrition professionals have turned to peanut butter as a nutritious, shelf-stable, affordable food their students love. But what do schools do if they implemented a peanut ban? Many have decided it is time to bring peanuts back to school.

Peanut Bans Aren’t Best Practice

Experts have consistently stated that bans are not a best practice for food allergy management because they are impossible to enforce unless school staff inspects every food item that enters the school. Bans create a false sense of security, taking the focus off education and preparedness, the hallmarks of an effective food allergy management plan. Research has shown that peanut-free schools use epinephrine as frequently as those that are not1. In a paper published last year in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, authors recommended against site-wide food bans and allergen-restricted zones because they are not medically necessary and unnecessarily restrict access to nutritious and safe foods by those without food allergy2 The authors did note that certain circumstances, such when serving infants and toddlers or those with physical or cognitive impairments, allergen-restricted zones such as classrooms or tables may reduce the risks to children with food allergies in those situations2.

Bringing Peanuts Back

In Lee County Schools (Florida), Amy Carroll, MBA, RD, and her colleagues were caught between a rock and a hard place when supply chain issues meant they couldn’t get many of the foods on their menu last year. When their supplier stopped servicing their district altogether, they partnered with a neighboring school district, adopting their menu. That neighboring district had individually wrapped PB&J sandwiches on the menu. Carroll believed their district’s peanut ban, implemented 18 years prior, didn’t make sense and was ready to champion the reversal. With the support of the school nutrition director and their administration, Carroll led the charge to bring back peanut butter to Lee County Schools’ 97,000 students.

At the heart of the effort by Carroll and Lee County Schools was communication. Carroll and her team created a novel internal and external communication plan that took four months to craft and unveil. In addition to emails to staff, parents and the community, they also communicated the change via:

• Custom digizine called Bringing Back the Peanut: Peanut allergy community education guide.

• TV podcast featuring the school nutrition director, wellness supervisor and the National Peanut Board’s (NPB) registered dietitian nutritionist.

• Podcast show with their PR partner, NxtGen Network.

(L-R): Sherry Coleman Collins, NPB; Joe Boddiford, Georgia Peanut Commission; Judson Crane, Florida School Nutrition Association; Amy Carroll, Lee County (Florida) School District. Photo courtesy of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

Their efforts were even covered by the local TV station. By educating their community, in addition to providing food allergy management training for their staff, Lee County Schools is a great example of how to successfully reintroduce peanut foods to schools.

NPB has partnered with Carroll to share Lee County’s success story in multiple ways, including through presentations at the 2022 Southern Peanut Growers Conference, the Florida School Nutrition Association Annual Meeting and a School Nutrition Association webinar.

To help schools like Lee County and others bring back and keep peanuts on the menu, NPB has a one-stop resource at PeanutsinSchools.org.

References

1 Bartnikas L, Huffaker M, Sheehan W, et al. Impact of school peanutfree policies on epinephrine administration. 2017;140 (2):465 473

2 Waserman S, Criuckshank H, Hildebrand K, et al. Prevention and management of allergic reactions to food in childcare centers and schools: Practice guidelines. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2021;147(5):1561 1578

The Facts About Peanut Bans

NPB has created seven great, brand-new recipes for schools to serve peanuts and peanut butter. Created by school chef and registered dietitian Brenda Wattles, these recipes fit within the National School Lunch Program and meet the challenges of today’s school foodservice environment. Most importantly, they taste great! See our favorite three below and scan the QR code to access even more school recipes.

Source: School Nutrition Association. (2016). The State of School Nutrition 2016: School Nutrition Operations Report.

Mexico’s Appetite for U.S. Peanuts Continues to Grow

By Peter Vlazakis, Senior Director, International Programs, American Peanut Council

China’s large purchases of farmer stock peanuts for oil crushing have been the major story in the export market over the last few years; however, it’s important not to overlook the transformation taking place in another historic market much closer to home: Mexico. After years of strong, steady growth, the country surpassed Canada to become the top destination for U.S. peanuts in 2021. This momentum has continued through the first half of 2022, with shipments through June up 28% by value and 21% by volume. While geographic proximity and dutyfree market access have certainly played a role, the success of U.S. peanuts in Mexico is strongly linked to the growth of the country’s lucrative snack market. When combined with flat domestic production and decreased competition from other origins, U.S. peanut exports are positioned well for continued growth.

Mexico’s savory snack market is massive, with a total retail value estimated at $4.9 billion in 2022 according to Euromonitor International. This makes it the seventh largest snack market in the world and the top market in Latin America. Over the last five years, snack sales have risen by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.3%, and as the most popular nut and seed ingredient, peanuts have benefited directly from this increase.

According to Innova Market Insights, 14% of new snack products launched in 2020/2021 included peanuts. For nut and seed snacks specifically, nearly half of all new products contained peanuts exclusively. This demand has been reinforced by consumers, who continue to choose peanuts as their preferred snack. An APC survey conducted in early 2022 revealed that peanuts are the top snack choice for 38% of consumers, ahead of chips (23%), popcorn (16%) and other nuts such as almonds, cashews, etc. (13%). As the snacking category continues to expand, U.S. peanuts are poised to remain the ingredient of choice for Mexican food manufacturers.

Mexico represents a longer-term growth opportunity for U.S. peanut butter. Only 50% of households reported keeping it on hand in 2021, as compared to 94% in the U.S. and 86% in Canada. However, demand has been increasing in recent years as more Mexican consumers develop a taste for this iconic American food. Exports of peanut butter to Mexico increased 124% by value last year and shipments are up an additional 61% for the year-to-date through June. Importantly, consumption appears to be increasing among younger generations, which should help drive further growth in the coming years.

NPB and APC traveled to Mexico in 2019 to meet with marketing agency Groupo PM and discuss promoting U.S. peanuts in Mexico.

NPB Expands RD Certification Program to Include Trending Topics

Module

For registered dietitian nutritionists, continuing education (CE) credits are required to maintain their RDN credential each year. In 2021, the National Peanut Board (NPB) launched a Certified Peanut Pros program for RDNs to complete a series of eight peanut education modules and earn two CE credits. Module topics included the history of peanut farming, peanut nutrition 101, peanut allergies, peanuts in school nutrition and more. Each 15-minute module is free and self-paced, and the program has been a hit with RDNs. To date, more than 350 dietitians have earned the title of Certified Peanut Pro!

Building on the success of the original eight modules, NPB has added four new “Trending Topics” modules for RDNs to receive one additional CE credit.

9: Culinary Uses for Different Peanut Forms

Presented by Sherry Coleman Collins, MS, RDN, LD

This module explores the four different types of peanuts and their common uses; the nutritional and culinary differences between different forms of peanuts, like peanut butter, peanut oil and peanut flour; and how to incorporate peanut foods into a wide variety of cuisines and dishes.

Module 10: Peanut Butter Across Diverse Cuisines

Presented by Tessa Nguyen, RD, LN

Nguyen showcases the variety of peanut butter and its use in diverse cuisines and menu categories, including peanut butter’s position as accessible, affordable and acceptable.

Module

11: Role of Peanuts in Supporting Health and Nutrition Equity

Presented by Shamera Robinson, MPH, RDN, CDCES

Viewers of this presentation learn the definition of the emerging area of health equity, how inequities influence food decisions, understand the role of nutrition professionals in providing equitable care, and the qualities of peanut foods that support equity in nutrition.

Module 12:

Peanuts and Healthy Aging

Presented by Christine Rosenbloom, Ph.D., RDN

This section recognizes how peanuts help older adults eat well, move well and be well; the value of nutrient-rich peanuts to promote health in older adults; and the role of peanut protein in strength training.

Nutrition professionals can visit NationalPeanutBoard.org or scan the QR code to access all Certified Peanut Pro content.

Crisis Management in the Peanut Industry

By Lauren Highfill Williams

Former senator and diplomat Mike Mansfield once said, “The crisis you have to worry about most is the one you don’t see coming.” At the American Peanut Council (APC) and the National Peanut Board (NPB), we are prepared for industry crises both large and small.

The APC is the industry lead on crises. NPB works collaboratively with APC to share resources and expertise with the primary goal of protecting the reputation of America’s peanut farmers.

“The importance of this role was solidified after the 2009 PCA crisis when the reputation and financial viability of the entire peanut supply chain — from growers to manufacturers — was severely tested,” said Richard Owen, president and CEO of the APC. “The industry came together and developed an extensive crisis management and communications plan that outlines the roles and responsibilities of industry stakeholders in responding to an incident. This plan, which is regularly reviewed and updated, is paired with ongoing training by APC’s crisis management team. The plan includes such tools as general standby statements, contact lists, social media templates and good management practices.”

Crisis management is not only responding to large issues, like food recalls, but also preventing seemingly small blips, like misinformation, from escalating. NPB has standby statements prepared on a number of issues, including the use of agricultural chemicals, food safety, food allergies and nutrition, which are ready for use at a moment’s notice.

Additionally, NPB has a robust media monitoring system that provides daily reports of how peanuts are being talked about in the media, including in online articles, TV programs, social media and more. When an outlet publishes an inaccuracy about peanuts, NPB quickly contacts them to share the correct information. In a world where misinformation can spread like wildfire, particularly online, quickly providing the facts is essential.

NPB also provides regular media training for peanut grower leaders. During the pandemic, more reporters were literally going out into the field to ask questions of growers. NPB provided a virtual media training session in 2021 to empower and prepare farmers for these interviews. Looking back at the salmonella crisis of 2009, NPB worked with then-chairman and Texas peanut farmer Roger Neitsch for appearances on several major news networks to help share the facts and reassure consumers during the recall.

While no one has a crystal ball to tell us exactly what crises the peanut industry will face in the future, the APC and NPB are always on alert and have a suite of resources available to tackle whatever comes down the pike.

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