News Briefs

Grower Paul Rogers Elected NPB Chairman

Paul Rogers of Wakefield, Virginia, was elected the 2023 National Peanut Board chairman this past December. Rogers serves as active chairman from January 2023 until December 2023.

Rogers’ tenure has included roles as vice chairman, treasurer and secretary.

“I am excited to continue to take our production and allergy research to higher levels in efforts to provide stability and profitability to the American peanut farmer, as well as provide a sustainable and nutritious food to feed the world,” Rogers says. “I also take the matter of replacing our current CEO Bob Parker very seriously and look forward to working closely with the search committee and Vetted Solutions to find the right successor for Bob.”

Rogers graduated from Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering technology and has been farming since graduating in 1997. Rogers is a member of several agricultural organizations including the Virginia Crop Improvement Association, Virginia Cotton Growers Association, Virginia Farm Bureau Cotton Advisory Board and Virginia Cotton Board. Rogers currently serves as a board member for Colonial Farm Credit, and as past chair and current director of local Southern States Petroleum Co-op.

Rogers and his wife, Dawn, have three children, Lauren, Jake and Cade.

Rebuilding Iconic Peanut Monument In Georgia

AgGeorgia Farm Credit has donated the final $10,000 needed to rebuild the big peanut monument that was destroyed by Hurricane Michael in 2018. This donation, along with funds from the Ashburn Turner County Chamber of Commerce, the Turner County Young Farmers and the Georgia Department of Agriculture

Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show

Peanut growers from Alabama and Florida were able to fine-tune their farming operations with information gained at the Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show Feb. 2, 2023, at the National Peanut Festival fairgrounds in Dothan, Alabama. The trade show was hosted by Alabama Peanut Producers Association and Florida Peanut Producers Association, and sponsored by National Peanut Board.

More than 400 peanut growers and industry partners from Alabama and Florida attended to view industry products and services offered by more than 70 exhibitors.

Researchers from Auburn University and the University of Florida were on hand to showcase the peanut research they are working on with the support of grower check-off dollars. Growers could talk to the researchers one on one about the research projects.

During the lunch program, attendees received an update from the National Peanut Board by Bob Parker. Bob Redding of the Redding Firm gave a legislative update, and Dr. Marshall Lamb, from the National Peanut Research Lab, spoke to growers about the 2023 peanut market outlook.

will ensure that the monument will be restored to its prominent location along Interstate 75.

Ashley Miller, Turner County Chamber of Commerce executive director, says, “The Big Peanut monument is a tribute to all South Georgia’s farmers and agricultural industries that are the backbone of our economy. We are proud that Turner County is home to this testament, and we are working hard to get it back up, repaired and restored to all its former glory.”

Several door prizes were given out throughout the morning of the trade show, but the prizes everyone was most looking forward to winning were announced at lunch.

The Grand Door Prize, provided by Kelley Manufacturing Co., of a $5,000 voucher that can be used toward $5,000 off the price of any one piece of equipment or for $5,000 worth of parts for KMC equipment, was won by Mark Nolin of Graceville, Florida.

Thomas Kirkland of Headland, Alabama, won a free trip to the 2023 Southern Peanut Growers Conference in July. Andy Robinson of Williston, Florida, won a Benelli 12-gauge shotgun.