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April 2022 | Southeastern Peanut Farmer
A Look Inside April 2022 | Peanut Disease & Insect Guidebook
IN THIS ISSUE
10 | 2022 PEANUT DISEASE & INSECT GUIDEBOOK
The Peanut Disease & Insect Guidebook provides management tips for 2022.
18 | COASTAL GROWERS HOLD RIBBON CUTTING
New shelling plant in Atmore, Alabama celebrates grand opening.
20 | PEANUT LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CLASS XII
The PLA Class XII hosts their second session in South Georgia.
24 | FPPA ANNUAL MEETING
Johnny Donnell receives Florida Young Peanut Farmer of the Year award at 46th annual Florida Peanut Producers Association annual meeting.
DEPARTMENTS
8 | CHECKOFF REPORT
28 | WASHINGTON OUTLOOK 30 | SOUTHERN PEANUT
6
Alabama Peanut Producers Association Florida Peanut Producers Association Georgia Peanut Commission Mississippi Peanut Growers Association
SUSTAINABLE U.S. PEANUTS INITIATIVE
Sign up for the Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative is now open. Pictured above: Donald Chase, farmer from Oglethorpe, Ga., registers for the new program while Eric Coronel, American Peanut Council's director of sustainability, assists. On The Cover GROWERS UPDATE Colby Cromley, Brooklet, Ga., sprays a 2021. Photo by Joy Crosby. fi eld of peanuts during the summer of
SEPF TEAM
Editor Joy Carter Crosby joycrosby@gapeanuts.com 229.386.3690
Director of Advertising
Jessie Bland jessie@gapeanuts.com 229.386.3472
Contributing Writing
Abby Himburg Richardson abby@alpeanuts.com 334.792.6482
Southeastern Peanut Farmer is published six times a year (Jan./Feb., March, April, May/June, July/Aug., and Oct./Nov.) by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation. The publisher is not responsible for copy omission, typographical errors, or any unintentional errors that may occur, other than to correct it in the following issue. Any erroneous refl ection which may occur in the columns of Southeastern Peanut Farmer will be corrected upon brought to the attention of the editor. (Phone 229-386-3690.)
Postmaster: Send address changes (Form 3579) to Southeastern Peanut Farmer, P.O. Box 706, Tifton, Georgia, 31793.
Circulation is free to qualifi ed peanut growers and others allied to the industry. Periodical postage paid at Tifton, Georgia and additional mailing offi ce.
Editorial Content: Editorial copy from sources outside of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation is sometimes presented for the information and interest of our members. Such material may, or may not, coincide with offi cial Southern Peanut Farmers Federation policies. Publication of material does not necessarily imply its endorsement by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation. For editorial concerns call 229-386-3690. No portion of this or past issues of the Southeastern Peanut Farmer may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the written consent of the editor. By-lined articles appearing in this publication represent views of the authors and not necessarily those of the publisher.
Editor’s thoughts Events
Uncertainty and Sustainability in 2022
Spring is upon us! Farmers across the Southeast are gearing up in the fi elds and getting ready to start planting. As I visit with farmers, I hear farmers recall their favorite time of the year. For some farmers it is planting time while it is harvest time for others. However, with everything in life there must be a beginning and a starting point to have that bountiful harvest at the end.
Even with the urge to get in the fi eld, farmers may also feel uncertain about this year due to the uncertainty in the Ukraine, rising input costs and more. How can farmers be profi table in today’s environment? It is hard times for sure and many farmers may be searching for solutions to reduce their input costs in 2022.
The April issue of the Southeastern Peanut Farmer contains a variety of information for farmers to use throughout 2022 when it comes to disease and insect management. The guidebook provides tips for managing your crop, ways to reduce trips across the fi eld and planning for the potential change of crop protectant products if the one you want to use is not available.
Additionally, this issue unveils information about the Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative and how farmers can participate. The peanut industry has been working on this program for several years and it is fi nally open and ready for farmers to sign up and enter their production management data.
Peanut farmers protect the land for a living and must make a living themselves. Meanwhile, food and environmental sustainability is being demanded by our customers, consumers, governments and trade partners. The Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative unites these goals.
As more farmers, sign up for the new initiative and enter their farm data, then data will be available that may be benefi cial as we promote peanuts to consumers and look for ways farmers can save costs and be more sustainable on their farm. One day the data could potentially be used for carbon credits and other ways that would benefi t the farmer.
I encourage you to read more about this new program and how you can participate on page 6.
Joy Carter Crosby
USA Peanut Congress
June 13-16, 2022, Charleston, S.C. For more information call 229-888-2508 or visit peanut-shellers.org.
American Peanut Research & Education Society Annual Meeting
July 12-14, 2022, Omni Las Colinas Hotel, Dallas, Texas. For more information visit the APRES website at apresinc.com.
Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day
July 21, 2022, Moultrie, Ga. For more information call 229-985-1968 or visit the Expo's website at sunbeltexpo.com.
Southern Peanut Growers Conference
July 21-23, 2022, Edgewater Beach Resort, Panama City Beach, Fla. For more information call 229-386-3470 or visit southernpeanutfarmers.org.
American Peanut Shellers Association and National Peanut Buying Points Association Pre-Harvest Meeting
Aug. 9-10, 2022, Albany, Ga. For more information call 229-888-2508 or visit peanut-shellers.org.
Georgia Peanut Tour
Sept. 13-15, 2022, Tifton, Ga. For more information call 229-386-3470 or visit georgiapeanuttour.com.
Brooklet Peanut Festival
Sept. 17, 2022, Brooklet, Ga. For more information visit the festival's website at brookletpeanutfestival.com.
Plains Peanut Festival
Sept. 24, 2022, Plains, Ga. For more information call visit the festival's website at friendsofjimmycarter.org.
Sunbelt Ag Expo
Oct. 18-20, 2022, Moultrie, Ga. For more info call 229-985-1968 or visit the Expo's website at sunbeltexpo.com.
National Peanut Festival
Nov. 4-13, 2022, Dothan, Ala. For more info call visit nationalpeanutfestival.com.
Sustainable U.S. Peanuts initiative launches
Farmers can now sign up online for the new program
by Joy Crosby
Sustainability may be a buzz word today to many. However, providing information to consumers about how their food is produced in a sustainable way is even more crucial today.
For several years, the peanut industry has recognized the importance of gathering data to show how sustainable the peanut really is. The American Peanut Council has been working on this project for a number of years. Throughout last fall, APC worked to secure funding for the Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative from a variety of organizations and businesses within the peanut industry including grower organizations, shellers, manufacturers and input suppliers
“No one group sector or industry can address this alone. Every organization within the supply chain and every industry has a role to play in environmental sustainability,” says Tara Greco, senior vice president of sustainability at Golin. “It requires collaboration, coordination and communication throughout the supply chain to ensure that we're doing what's best for everyone, both economically and environmentally and make sure everyone is set up for a successful today and a viable future.” Why the Need
According to Greco, consumers today are becoming more active in expressing their preferences for the consumption choices they make. Greco references a Kerry survey of 14,000 global consumers conducted in 2021.
“Fourty-nine percent of global consumers consider sustainability attributes when purchasing food and beverages," Greco says. Sustainability attributes were most important for dairy, meat and their plant-based counterparts and were less important for alcoholic beverages, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages.”
According to a BBMG/GlobeScan survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers conducted in 2021, 73 percent of U.S. consumers believe brands should provide clear information to consumers about how a product was made, who made it and what's in it.
The wants and needs of consumers can be addressed through the industry supported program - the Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative.
Peanut growers are now able to access the Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative platform. The program, managed by the American Peanut Council (APC), will use data voluntarily supplied by peanut growers who want to tell their sustainability story
Donald Chase Oglethorpe, Ga. farmer
Eric Coronel, program director of the Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative, helps Donald Chase, farmer from Oglethorpe, Ga. register for the program online during the Georgia Peanut Farm Show.
and benefi t from program learnings. Growers can register for the platform now at www.sustainableuspeanuts.org.
“No matter where you are in the peanut supply chain, you can provide support for this sustainability initiative,” says Eric Coronel, APC's director of sustainability. Program Benefi ts
The program objectives are to document and verify the fi eld level environmental footprint of peanut production from the grower participants. "I hope the program can be utilized to help share the successful programs farmers have implemented in terms of conservation practices, crop rotations and technology," Coronel says. "As more farmers enter data into the program, then an aggregate footprint of peanuts can be developed to share with consumers."
Additionally, the program will allow growers to learn from each other and identify where effi ciencies can be found in peanut production. In the beginning, the data the program collects will provide a baseline for the peanut industry. "This program aims to help support growers towards the journey of continuous improvement in both peanut production practices and the environmental outcomes of their farming practices," Coronel adds. What the Program is Not
With any new program there may be misconceptions about the program. Coronel assures growers that the program is not a way to tell farmers how to grow peanuts or penalize growers for how they grow peanuts.
Additionally, Coronel says the program was not established to restrict inputs or compare states or regions within the peanut industry. Lastly, the program does not provide monetary benefi ts or guaranteed markets to growers. Voluntary Sign Up
Sign up for the program is voluntary and now available at www. sustainableuspeanuts.org. The fi rst farmer to sign up for the program in
January during the Georgia Peanut Farm Show was Donald Chase, farmer from Oglethorpe, Georgia.
“This is not just a refl ection on me or our operation. I believe farmers are proud of the job they do. We take a lot of pride in our soil, in our communities, and our entire farming operation, so given the opportunity, I wanted to sign up for the program,” Chase says. “We are growing a nutritious, affordable and perhaps the most sustainable crop in the country, so I knew, I wanted to sign up and be the fi rst person on the list.”
Peanut farmers protect the land for a living and must make a living themselves. Meanwhile, food and environmental sustainability is being demanded by our customers, consumers, governments and trade partners. The Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative unites these goals.
“We are always looking at how we can make the program more usable and benefi cial for farmers, so we are exploring some options in the carbon credits realm," Chase says. "With the increased cost of inputs, a program like this may help us fi nd solutions to utilize costly inputs more effi ciently and learn from other farmers." Farmers can sign up online and enter data from their 2021 crop by April 27, 2022. Beginning on May 1, 2022, farmers can begin entering data on their 2022 crop. A farmer will be required to enter 10 percent of their peanut acres for a given year.
Farmers who have already enrolled in the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol can use their same login information when signing up for the Sustainable U.S. Peanut Initiative.
In the beginning phases of the login, farmers can select the state and county they grow peanuts in, along with their contact information and crops they grow. The main parts of the grower platform are the farmer's self-assessment and the Fieldprint Analysis, which includes fi eld level farming practices for each fi eld entered into the program. Growers will receive scores for eight environmental metrics along with state and national benchmarks.
Farmers with questions regarding the program should contact Eric Coronel with the American Peanut Council at 229-339-1939 or ecoronel@peanutsusa.com.
