News Briefs

In Memoriam: Walt Mozingo

The peanut industry lost a tremendous friend and researcher with the passing of Roy Walton Mozingo, 82, of Kenly, Virginia, in April.

Mozingo made many contributions to the peanut industry. He served as president of the American Peanut Research and Education Society in 1992-93 and is credited with establishing the Peanut Variety and Quality Evaluation program, an important peanut breeding testing program for the Virginia-Carolina region.

“Walt was one of the first people in the peanut industry that I met when I began my career at NC State in 1996,” says David Jordan, North Carolina Extension state peanut specialist. “Within the first few weeks in my role as peanut specialist, I traveled to research stations and on-farm sites associated with PVQE. Walt was always a joy to be around and

APC values its strong partnership with USDA and looks forward to furthering work to increase peanut exports.

The American Peanut Council was approved for $2,498,000 for MAP funding projects and $470,000 for FMD programs to promote peanuts and peanut products in selected markets in 2023. A group of Congressional leaders have introduced a bill to double the export promotion programs next year.

New Executive Director For APPA

Libbie Johnson joined the Alabama Peanut Producers Association as executive director in June.

“I’m excited to get to know Alabama’s peanut producers and understand more about agriculture in Alabama,” Johnson says. “I’m thankful to represent such a unique commodity and the hard-working farmers of this state.”

As executive director, Johnson will oversee peanut checkoff projects related freely passed along his knowledge of peanuts and the peanut industry.”

Mozingo was raised on a tobacco farm, and with the encouragement of the high school agriculture teacher, pursued higher education at NCSU after graduating from Princeton High School. He earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree.

He was hired by Virginia Tech University to start a research program from the ground up that evaluated peanut varieties supplied by Virginia Tech and NCSU. That program, which became known as the PVQE, resulted in him winning numerous awards for his research and contributions to the peanut industry. It also earned him a promotion to a professorship at Virginia Tech.

Mozingo was active in Holland Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and was Sunday school direc- to research, promotion and education. She’ll also work with land-grant universities and farmers on research trials, advocate for the protein-packed legume with decision-makers in Washington, D.C., and expand the peanut industry’s footprint in Alabama along with other staff in the APPA’s Dothan office.

“Libbie is energetic, knowledgeable and talented, and we are excited to see the direction she takes our organization,” says APPA President Carl Sanders, who farms in Coffee County. “The board is confident in Libbie’s ability to advocate for Alabama peanut farmers and make an impact on our industry.”

APPA is an affiliate of the Alabama Farmers Federation, the state’s largest farm organization serving 355,000 tor. In later years, he helped with the construction of home accessibility ramps for those in need, and enjoyed traveling with his wife, Judy, who preceded him in death and watching his grandchildren and great grandchildren grow. member families. Johnson will work closely with the Federation’s Governmental & Agricultural Programs staff.

Sincere condolences to the family and friends of peanut pioneer, Walt Mozingo.

Since 2003, Johnson has served farmers in the Florida Panhandle’s Milton and Escambia counties. Areas of expertise include row crops, fruits and vegetables, livestock and natural resources.

Johnson is a past president of the Florida Association of County Agricultural Agents; and served on the University of Florida peanut team and the Sunbelt Ag Expo team. Florida Farm Bureau named her the Extension Professional of the Year in 2018, and she has earned multiple service awards from the National Association of County Agricultural Agents.

Johnson, a Louisiana native, holds bachelor’s degrees in political science and plant science from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a master’s degree in agroecology from UF.