July/August 2015 - Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Scouting peanuts Harvest Guidebook China trade mission

A communication service of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

Contents July/August 2015

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Joy Carter Crosby Editor joycrosby@gapeanuts.com 229-386-3690

The message is simple from University of Georgia Extension peanut entomologist Mark Abney, “We need to be scouting more of our peanuts.” Peanut scouting is important for farmers to help reduce spraying, save time and money, and provides timely application sprays.

Director of Advertising Jessie Bland jessie@gapeanuts.com Contributing Writers John Leidner johnleidner@bellsouth.net Teresa Mays Teresa2@alpeanuts.com Southeastern Peanut Farmer P.O. Box 706, Tifton, Ga. 31793 445 Fulwood Blvd., Tifton, Ga. 31794 ISSN: 0038-3694 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 reflection which may occur in the columns of Southeastern Peanut Farmer will be corrected upon brought to the attention of the editor. (Phone 229-3863690.)

Postmaster: Send address changes (Form 3579) to Southeastern Peanut Farmer, P.O. Box 706, Tifton, Georgia, 31793.

Circulation is free to qualified peanut growers and others allied to the industry. Periodical postage paid at Tifton, Georgia and additional mailing office.

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 official 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.

Advertising: The Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. Corrections to advertisements must be made after the first run. All billing offers subject to credit review. Advertisements contained in this publication do not represent an endorsement by the Southeastern Peanut Farmer or the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation. Use of trade names in this publication is for the purpose of providing specific information and is not a guarantee nor warranty of products named. For advertising concerns call 229-386-3472.

Scouting peanuts

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2015 Harvest Guidebook The 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer’s Harvest Guidebook features information on the hull scrape method, equipment updates, as well as a checklist for getting the digger and combine ready for harvest.

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China trade mission Representatives from the U.S. peanut industry participated in a trade mission to China to gain a better understanding of the Chinese market, develop relationships and look for opportunities for exports of USA grown peanuts.

Departments: Checkoff Report .................................................................................. 8 Alabama Peanut Producers Association, Florida Peanut Producers Association, Georgia Peanut Commission and Mississippi Peanut Growers Association

Washington Outlook ............................................................................ 28 Southern Peanut Growers Update ........................................................ 30 Cover Photo: Freshly dug peanuts at the farm of Joe Boddiford in Slyvania, Georgia.

Photo by Joy Crosby.

July/August 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Editorial Our water rights

Calendar of Events

ater is a valuable resource to everyone – consumers and farmers. You can even ask those living in California about the importance of water since they are entering their fourth year of a record-breaking drought creating an extremely parched landscape. On the other hand, farmers in the Midwest and Great Plains are dealing with flooding. Every region seems to have issues from time to time with not enough water or too much water. However, an even greater problem may arise as our valuable water may now be threatened by an overreach from the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule published in the Federal Register on June 29, is scheduled to become effective on Aug. 28. Unless Congress takes action to stop EPA’s unprecedented and unlawful land-grab, the Waters of the U.S. rule will go into effect Aug. 28, giving EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers broad new powers to assert federal jurisdiction and regulate isolated “waters,” ditches and rain-driven ephemeral drains, resulting in permit requirements for many normal farming, ranching and business activities.

While farmers and ranchers make the push for Congress to rein in EPA’s overreach, they’re also challenging the rule in court. Earlier this month, American Farm Bureau Federation and 11 other agricultural and industry groups asked a federal court to vacate the WOTUS rule. Many states including Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Mississippi have joined together to file suit against the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to seek relief from the WOTUS rule. Mississippi and Louisiana joined the state of Texas and filed suit in the Southern District court in Texas. Georgia’s lawsuit, filed in the federal court for the Southern District of Georgia, was joined by Alabama, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

I’m sure more details wll continue to unfold on the WOTUS rule so stay informed and speak out when you have an opportunity so you don’t lose your water rights. t

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Joy Carter Crosby Editor

American Peanut Council celebrates 75 years The American Peanut Council was incorporated in 1940, and has been serving as a forum for peanut industry members ever since. A special memory book commemorating the history of the organization will be available at the end of 2015. While we have lots of photos from recent decades, we don’t have many from our early years. If you have photos from the 40s, 50s or 60s, please scan and send them by email to edavies@peanutsusa.com. If it is easier to mail them, please send them in a flat package and we will scan and return them to you right away. Make sure to identify your pictures, and let us know names (if you know them) and dates as closely as is possible. Kindly mail photos to Erica Davies, American Peanut Council, 1500 King Street, Suite 301, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314.

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2015

u American Peanut Shellers Association Pre-Harvest Meeting, Aug. 4-5, 2015, Lake Blackshear Resort & Golf Club, Cordele, Ga. For more information, call 229-888-2508 or visit peanut-shellers.org. u Southeast Research and Education Center Field Day, Aug. 12, 2015. For more information call 478-589-7472. u Brooklet Peanut Festival, Aug. 15, 2015. For more information visit the festival’s website at brookletpeanutfestival.com. u Florida Peanut Field Day, Aug. 20, 2015, North Florida Research and Education Center, Marianna, Florida. For more information call 850-526-1611. u Alabama Peanut Field Day, Aug. 21, 2015, Wiregrass Research and Extension Center, Headland, Ala. For more information call 334-693-2363. u Peanut Field Day, Aug. 27, 2015, West Florida Research and Education Center, Jay, Florida. For more information call 850-9953720. u Peanut Twilight Tour, Aug. 27, 2015, I.C. Terry Farm, Lake City, Florida. For more information call 386-623-1315. u Georgia Peanut Tour, Sept. 15-17, 2015, Thomasville, Ga. and surrounding area. For more information visit the tour website at georgiapeanuttour.com. u Peanut Disease Tour, Sept. 22-24, 2015, Tour stops in Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

For more information contact Albert Culbreath at spotwilt@uga.edu. u Plains Peanut Festival, Sept. 26, 2015.

For more information visit plainsgeorgia.com. u Sunbelt Ag Expo, Oct. 20-22, 2015. For more information visit sunbeltagexpo.com or call 229-985-1968. u Florida Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, Oct. 28-30, 2015, Sawgrass Marriott Resort, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. For more information visit www.floridafarmbureau.org.

(Let us know about your event. Please send details to the editor at joycrosby@gapeanuts.com.

UGA entomologist stresses scouting fields for pests to Georgia peanut farmers ark Abney’s message to Georgia peanut farmers is the same today as it was two years ago, when he was hired as the University of Georgia’s research and Cooperative Extension peanut entomologist: “We need to be scouting more of our peanuts.”

The majority of Georgia’s peanut acreage, which is expected to be between 725,000 and 750,000 acres this year, is not scouted. Abney insists this is a major problem.

In a recent UGA Extension survey of peanut growers, only 25 percent of respondents reported monitoring their crop through a paid scout or consultant.

“This is discouraging, but it’s also an opportunity for UGA Extension to let growers know the benefits of regular scouting and, hopefully, increase the scouted acreage,” Abney says. “There are very few acres overall that are systematically scouted. That means we’re treating a lot of fields for insects that don’t need to be treated and we’re probably treating some fields that needed to be treated last week, this week.”

The lack of scouting means Georgia peanut farmers are spending unnecessary money and time treating diseases and pests and basing insecticide application decisions on incomplete or incorrect information, Abney says.

“That means many of our spray decisions are based on what our neighbors are doing or what somebody has seen in a

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Mark Abney, University of Georgia peanut entomologist, says growers need to be scouting peanuts more to reduce the risk of overtreating fields or treating fields too late.

different field,” Abney says. “Maybe you walk into a field and see a problem and say, ‘OK, I’m going to spray everything.’

We really stress hiring someone whose job it is to scout your peanuts.”

Farmers also tend to automatically spray an insecticide and a fungicide to save time. That can be costly, however, as insecticide sprays can cost more than $15 per acre.

“We’re not usually scouting for diseases because we know we have to spray.

It’s easy for a grower to say, ‘I’ve got to spray a fungicide on this field anyway, so let me throw some insecticide in there for insurance.’ There are problems with that approach,” he says.

Scouting peanuts Also, ill-advised spraying can lead to the decline of u Eliminates overtreating of fields for natural predators, which insects that do not need to be treated. could open up an even u Eliminates treating some fields a bigger problem.

“If you go into a cotton week late. field, the fruit of the cotton u Eliminates spending unnecessary is right there. If it’s getting money and time. eaten, you can see it; with peanuts, it is not that easy. u Eliminates ill-advised spraying that can lead to decline of natural predators. The most serious pests of peanuts are usually below

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2015

the ground; the caterpillars we see eating leaves are not nearly as important as the insects we do not see eating the pegs and pods below the ground,” Abney says.

Growers often use a broad-spectrum material like a pyrethroid, he said, because of its low cost. But these chemicals can wipe out natural enemies and lead to more pest problems.

Some of the insects that Georgia peanut farmers are most wary of are lesser cornstalk borers and burrower bugs.

Both can wreak havoc in peanut fields if left untreated. Abney reminds growers that just because their neighbor’s peanuts may be infested, doesn’t mean their crop is, too.

“The single, most important thing that we can change in Georgia to help us with insect management is to scout more acres,” Abney says.

Georgia is the country’s largest producer of peanuts. According to the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, Georgia generated $507.4 million in farm gate value for peanuts in 2013. t

BY CLINT THOMPSON UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Checkoff Report Investments Made by Growers for the Future of the Peanut Industry.

Peanuts highlighted at Miss Alabama Autograph Press Party

Alabama Peanut Producers Association promotes peanuts at county agents and specialists meeting

The Miss Alabama Autograph Press Party was held May 31, at the Brookwood Village in Birmingham, Alabama.

The 50 contestants competing to become Miss Alabama 2015 arrived at Miss Circle City Ellen Hardy of Dothan, Ala., Samford University shares Alabama peanuts where they kicked off with guests during the the week of events with Miss Alabama Autograph this opportunity to meet Press Party. the public. Pictured is Ellen Hardy, Dothan, Alabama’s own Miss Circle City, sharing Alabama peanuts as she signed autographs. She also shared more peanut packets with the 50 contestants, dorm moms, dressing room moms, and pageant volunteers as a way of sharing greetings from her Dothan community.

The Alabama Peanut Producers Association (APPA) recently donated three large peanut gift baskets to the 2015 Alabama Association of County Agricultural Agents and Specialist (AACAAS) Annual Meeting that was held.

Pictured left to right are Max Runge, extension economist with Auburn University and past president of the AACAAS, and Jimmy Jones, county extension coordinator with Auburn University.

Alabama peanuts promoted at March of Dimes walks Miss National Peanut Festival, Laura McKenny and Little Miss National Peanut Festival, Ray Anna Ausley, recently joined Alabama Peanut Producers Association (APPA) executive director, Caleb Bristow and his wife, Freda, at the Wiregrass Division March of Dimes March for Babies. More than 50 kids visited the Kids’ Activities tent, sponsored each year by APPA. In addition to games and prizes, kids were able to make peanut magnets and were given peanut coloring sheets as well.

15th Annual CARES Awards The Florida Peanut Producers attended the 15th Annual County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) awards dinner recently held at the Suwannee Valley Research and Education Center in Live Oak, Florida.

The event is hosted by the Suwannee River Partnership which comprised of Ken Barton, FPPA, and William Carte, Florida Farm Bureau, UF/IFAS, Florida Suwannee County farmer, grill 400 Department of Agriculture, Suwannee peanut butter and jelly sandwiches during the Suwannee River Partnership CARES River Water Management and many celebration. public agencies and ag organizations.

CARES Award recipients implement science-based Best Management Practices (BMPs) that conserve and protect Florida’s natural resources on their farms and properties.

Fourteen North Florida farmers and ranchers were recognized for their exceptional natural resource stewardship with more than 500 farmers, agri-businessmen, Florida legislators, community leaders and others attending. The event allowed everyone to sample locally grown commodities. Pork and beef slides, grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, roasted peanuts, boiled peanuts, watermelon, chicken wings, gator tail, sweet corn were just a few of the items sampled by the crowd.

GPC sponsors Georgia Press Association

Georgia Peanut Commission sponsors American Heart Association Go Red Wellness Luncheon

The Georgia Peanut Commission sponsors the all Georgia products reception annually during the Georgia Press Association annual meeting in June. Joy Crosby (right), GPC director of communications, presents Tom Overton (left) of the Americus Times Recorder with the winning Georgia peanut gift basket.

The Georgia Peanut Commission exhibited at the American Heart Association’s Go Red Wellness Expo and Luncheon in May. The event provided GPC an opportunity to visit with doctors, nurses and consumers attending the event on the heart healthy benefits of peanuts and peanut butter. During the event, Theresa Reece of Atlanta, won the Georgia peanut gift basket.

Joy Crosby (right), GPC director of communications, presented the basket to Theresa (left).

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2015

Reports from the: Alabama Peanut Producers Association Florida Peanut Producers Association Georgia Peanut Commission Mississippi Peanut Growers Association

Florida Peanut Producers Association exhibits at Florida School Nutrition Conference

Mississippi Peanut Growers Association promotes peanuts through partnership with Eat Y’all

More than 700 school food service directors, managers, dieticians and lunch room staff from school districts around the state attended the annual conference held in Daytona Beach. Florida Peanut Ken Barton, FPPA executive director, Producers Association visits with attendees during the Florida attended and exhibited and School Nutrition Conference in Daytona shared health and nutritional Beach, Fla. information about peanut butter and peanut products.

“We have to continue to develop relationships with our school food service so we can be an information source they can count on when allergy questions arise,” says Ken Barton executive director of Florida Peanut Producers Association. “We find most schools in Florida continue to serve some type of pre-made peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which is great, but each year we also find more schools have implemented a peanut ban.

Thanks to the National Peanut Board for providing a website to help present facts about peanut allergy, PeanutAllergyFacts.org.”

Eat Y’all has been active at eight locations in Mississippi promoting peanuts and peanut butter to festival and restaurant patrons in April and May. Malcolm Broome, executive director for the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association, attended two events where chefs made special dishes using peanuts or peanut butter. The executive chef at Bravos Restaurant in Jackson prepared a special dish using peanut butter at the request of the Eat Y’all owners.

“The special entree was so popular during the noon hour that the restaurant ended up selling out of the ingredients to continue making the dish,” Broome says.

Broome also attended and Malcolm Broome (left), sampled the Sweet & Spicy Peanuts Mississippi Peanut Growers prepared by celebrity food broadcast- Association executive director, attended an Eat Y’all er and author Simon Majumdar at event in Oxford, Miss., special invitation event in Oxford, where he met celebrity food Mississippi, sponsored by Eat Y’all. broadcaster Simon Broome states the dish should be a hit Majumdar, and sampled the Sweet & Spicy Peanuts. for parties and tailgating, and the spicy flavor can be tailored to suite a person’s taste. The dish also uses raw peanuts in the preparation and Broome met many of the attendees who seemed quite receptive to the dish.

Georgia Peanut Commission hosts Tifton area Bike to Farm Tour in June The Georgia Peanut Commission was proud to host the Tifton area Bike to Farm Tour, June 27, at their office.

Cyclists had the opportunity to learn about peanut production, nutrition and how to power their pedals with peanuts.

Participants of the Tifton area Bike The Tiftarea Greenways to Farm Tour visited the Georgia Association (TAGA) partnered Peanut Commission to learn more with the Wiregrass Farmers about peanut production and Market and the Tift County nutrition.

Recreation Department to coordinate the third annual Wiregrass Bike to Farm Tour.

This family friendly cycling event celebrates local agriculture and promotes cycling in the community. Participants were able to bicycle to seven sites of agricultural interest in Tifton and Tift County, where they were able to take tours highlighting some aspect of food production or sustainable agriculture.

Georgia Peanut Commission continues partnership with Atlanta media markets The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) is continuing its partnership with CBS46 in Atlanta with additional cooking shows on Atlanta Plugged In. The shows continue to highlight the versality of cooking with peanuts and peanut butter. Joy Crosby, GPC director of communications, and Leslie Wagner, executive director of Southern Peanut Growers presented a variety of recipes on-air through the months of May and June on Annalee Penny, host of Atlanta Plugged In. The GPC will Atlanta Plugged In on also be promoting peanuts during CBS46, learns more about cooking with peanuts from radio broadcasts of the Atlanta Joy Crosby, Georgia Peanut Braves this summer, and Georgia Commission director of Tech and the University of Georgia communications. football games this fall.

July/August 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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HARVEST GUIDEBOOK

Maturity hard to predict arry Tillman, University of Florida peanut breeder says one of the reasons that peanut maturity is hard to predict has to do with the biology of the plant. The peanut has indeterminate flowering, and this means that it continues to flower over its entire vegetative life cycle of more than 100 days. At any point in time, a single plant can have mature pods, new flowers and pegs, nuts and pods in between.

Tillman says that weather, especially rainfall, can affect peanut maturity. Under irrigation, the plant can grow continuously and produce pods. Under rainfall alone, the plant could stop producing flowers, and then resume after rainfall comes back.

Also, keep in mind that droughtstressed fields may take longer to reach maturity than those that received adequate water from rainfall or irrigation.

The hull scrape process has been mechanized over the years with the use of pod blasters that remove the outer layer of the hull. By increasing the use of pod blasting, a grower can be more likely to be assured that each field will be at the

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ideal maturity level when digging begins.

The hull scrape has brought a level of accuracy to the often subjective job of determinng when to dig. It may be hard to believe, but using the hull scrape method will often show that late The weather, especially rainfall, can affect peanut maturity. planted peanuts will likely reason why using the hull scrape system accumulate the needed growing degree or pod-blasting is needed to make sure days than those planted earlier. peanuts will be dug at the right time.

Just because your earlier planted That’s why it is not unusual for late peanuts may be behind schedule, that may planted peanuts to actually mature before not be the case for later planted peanuts. early planted peanuts. Using the hull This is another reason to make sure you scrape system is the best way to make check the maturity of each field prior to sure that you check the maturity of each digging. field before digging the crop. t Dryland or non-irrigated peanuts are often stressed by drought more than irrigated peanuts, and this is another

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Harvest time weather John Beasley had some timely advice for peanut farmers before he retired from the University of Georgia as Extension peanut agronomist and joined the faculty at Auburn University as professor and head of the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences. He warned them not to dig too early.

He said the peanut plant will essentially shut itself down when there are three or more consecutive days of low temperatures, in the low 40 degree F range.

Beasley noted that if the weather forecast for the next three to five days called for cold temperatures (below 45°), then growers shouldn’t expect peanut fields to mature beyond where they were

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at the beginning of the cold spell.

Beasley said, “Even if the hull scrape maturity profile indicates a field is seven or ten days from reaching maturity, the maturation process will shut down as soon as we receive cold temperatures.” He encouraged growers to start harvesting after the colder mornings pass.

Even more important, according to Growers should not dig within 24 hours of a cold morning with temperatures at 35 to 36 degrees F. Beasley, is to avoid digging during the day before a morning in which the low cause freeze damage to the kernels. As a temperature will be near the frost or result, the kernels will likely be graded as freezing level. With temperatures at 35 to 36 degrees F, frost can occur, especially in Seg. 2 peanuts, and receive lower prices.

Overall, he warned growers not to dig low-lying areas of a field. within 24 hours of the cold morning. t Beasley added that frost or freezing temperatures on freshly dug peanuts could

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2015

Harvest Guidebook

Hull scrape is still great The hull scrape is hard to beat as a method for determining peanut maturity.

This method is safe, reliable and still accurate as a money-making way of deciding when to dig.

The varieties you plant will also have a big impact on digging dates. Some varieties are simply earlier in maturity than others. And maturity range is an important consideration when picking which varieties to plant.

Georgia Greener, Georgia-06G and Tifguard are considered to be normal in maturity range. This means these varieties fall in the medium maturity range of about 135 to 140 days after planting.

Later maturing varieties include Georgia-12Y, Florida-07, TUFRunnerTM 727 and TUFRunnerTM 511 which will mature about 7 to 14 days later than Georgia Greener.

Georgia Extension peanut agronomist Scott Monfort has said that knowing and understanding maturity in 2015 will be extremely important. That’s because acreage will likely increase. Likewise, the 2015 planting dates will also probably be expanded.

In essence, the hull scrape method relies on taking a random representative sample of peanuts from a field, then scraping off the outer layer of the peanut hulls. The inner hulls will show a range of colors, from white to black. The darker the color, the more mature the crop.

Hulls that are white or yellow are immature. Those that are orange to brown are close to maturity. The dark brown hulls are mature and the black hulls are either mature or a bit over-mature.

It’s never too early to start sampling peanuts and using the hull The hull scrape method is a safe, reliable and accurate method for determining when to dig peanuts. scrape to predict maturity and digging dates. In As new methods are developed such fact, the wider the variation in weather, as the adjusted growing degree-day model the more likely that frequent and early use at the University of Florida, the new of the hull scrape method will pay off. methods will be compared to the hull Many farmers wait until about two or scrape method to determine their three weeks before they think the crop accuracy. t will mature when they start using the hull

BY JOHN LEIDNER scrape method.

The hull scrape method was developed by Jay Williams and Stan Drexler at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Ga., during the early 1980’s.

July/August 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Harvest Guidebook

Hull scrape and new varieties raig Kvien with the University of Georgia at Tifton and Corley Holbrook, USDA-ARS peanut breeder in Tifton, are conducting studies to update the hull scrape method for modern varieties. “It makes a huge difference how far off you are in digging from the optimum digging date,” Kvien says.

The varieties in their tests include Georgia-06G, Tifguard, Georgia-07W, Georgia-09B, Georgia-12Y, Georgia Greener, Florida-07, TUFRunners 727 and 511, along with other breeding lines that are close to being released as official runner varieties.

“Proper harvest scheduling can result in yield increases of 20 percent when compared to digging dates only 14 days before or after the optimum,” Kvien says.

Maturity for most runner varieties can vary from 123 to 138 days depending on the variety, according to Kvien.

“Digging two weeks too late can hurt your yields badly,” he says.

He says some varieties are more forgiving than others, with Georgia-06G being one of the most forgiving. So being off by a week or so will not hurt yields as much as being off a week or so in digging the TUFrunner varieties.

In this research, Kvien, Holbrook and colleagues are working to develop

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University of Georgia researchers are conducting studies to update the hull scrape method for modern varieties.

variety-specific hull-scrape maturity profile charts.

“We studied the flowering, pegging and pod growth, and we sifted the soil to determine how much yield is lost when the optimum harvest date is missed by one and two weeks,” Kvien says. “There was less than a week difference in flower initiation between all varieties in the test.

Yet the pod development period between varieties varied by over two weeks.”

In these tests, the earliest maturing

variety was Georgia Greener. This was followed by TUFRunner 511, Georgia06G, Georgia-09B and Tifguard. The late maturing varieties were TUFRunner 727 and Florida-07.

Kvien says he has seen no relationship in the number of days until blooming and the ideal the digging date.

“Our goal in 2015 is to follow up these studies with larger harvest plots and additional digging dates,” Kvien says. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Kelley Manufacturing Co. has recently made some improvements and updates to the Unload-On-The-Go tank and the 2015 Digger Shaker Inverter for this harvest.

KMC Unload-On-The-Go tank, New Features:

2015 Digger Shaker Inverter:

• Tank raises hydraulically providing easy access to threshing cylinders.

• Designed to allow for easier maintenance.

• Vertically folding conveyor arm folds compactly against the tank for stability during transport.

• Rattler sections easily detach from main frame providing convenient maintenance.

• Wider conveyor belts provide fast unloading.

• Easy access to inverter chain drive for inspection and adjustment.

• More tank capacity (3 1/4 tons) for more efficient use of Dump Carts.

• Swivel style coulters require less maintenance.

• Steeper angle on tank panels for better off load in wet conditions.

• Stronger hydraulic motors.

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2015

• Quick conversion between chain and belt style conveyors.

Harvest Equipment Checklist Peanut Digger Pre-harvest Checklist u Check the entire machine for loose or worn parts. u Make sure the plow shanks are not bent and the digger blades run level. u Straighten any bent rattler bars. u Check all bearings and the gear box oil level. u Check coulters and vine cutters for proper location and condition. u Align the inversion rods before digging (see operator manual for proper spacing). u Check for binding or unusual noises by operating the machine briefly. u Have plenty of extra digger blades on hand.

Harvest Season Checklist u Check digger blades for proper sharpness and depth. u Coulters should cut vines leaving no clumps. u Check the flow of material through the digger. Make sure ground speed is synchronized to produce a smooth flow of vines and soil into the digger. u Make sure drive belts are tight. u Check for proper vine inversion and inversion rod spacing.

Combine maintenance checklist Pre-harvest Checklist u Clean inside and out, removing all dirt and residue from the previous crop. u Check for loose, bent, broken, or missing parts such as pickup springs, cylinder springs and stripper springs. u Check air lift ducts for holes, lodged objects and dirt buildup. u Make sure all shields are functional and in good shape. u Replace the “Slow Moving Vehicle” sign if it is not in good condition.

Harvest Season Checklist u Adjust settings according to windrow conditions.

Remember, no combination of settings will remain optimal throughout a given day. u Check combined peanuts periodically for LSK’s and foreign material. u Check chaff passing through the combine for excessive pod loss. If problems occur, adjust stripper spring settings.

Peanut Hull Color Groups and Distinctive Characteristics

Stay Safe this Harvest Season

Pod maturity profile board is used to determine if peanuts are ready for harvest. This is based on color changes in the middle layer of the peanut hull as the nut matures.

Follow these simple reminders to have a safe harvest season.

1. Turn off power before adjusting, servicing or unclogging power-driven machinery.

2. Make sure loads being towed are properly hitched to the drawbar and that pins and chains are in place.

3. Display slow-moving vehicle signs on machinery towed or driven on the highways.

4. Have shields and guards in place and maintained at all times.

5. Inspect and maintain all hydraulic hoses and couplings.

6. Make sure tires are properly inflated.

7. Inspect and maintain all machinery, equipment and tools to keep them in proper working condition.

8. Have first-aid kits available and develop an emergency plan.

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2015

Major color

Characteristics

Development period (days)

White

Soft, watery, poorly defined kernel, between the size of a match head and a full size pod

14-16

Yellow

Spongy texture, pod is full size, kernel is somewhat defined

10-14

Dark Yellow

Coarser pod texture then yellow, well-defined kernel

10-14

Orange

Pink seed coat developing

12-14

Brown

Rough pod texture, dark pink seed coat

10-12

Black

Completely developed kernel, extremely rough pod texture

19-21

New law will require trailers have safety chains

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new bill, signed by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, requires drivers to secure trailers to their vehicles with safety chains. The bill, which takes effect July 1, was prompted by the death of a young Fayette County mother who was killed last fall when a runaway trailer struck her vehicle.

Rep. John Yates advanced the trailer safety chain bill (HB 123) after Tiphanie Fletcher’s mother visited him at the state Capitol. Fletcher was killed as a result of an unchained trailer slipping loose from the truck ball. The ball was later found to be the incorrect size for the trailer hitch.

“This law will require that all registered trailers, those with a license plate, be adequately and safely attached to the vehicle while being towed,” says Frank Watson, the University of Georgia Extension coordinator in Wilkes County.

Watson said trailer owners must ensure their trailer has a safety chain or cable as a safety backup to the primary hitch connection. A trailer can be retrofitted with safety chains for about $50, he says.

“Commodity trailers, like peanut wagons or cotton wagons, are exempt,” he says. “For the most part, people will need to retrofit older or homemade trailers with safety chains if they do not have them.”

Watson hopes trailer owners will see the necessity of the new regulations.

“There is certainly a safety issue with trailers that don’t have safety chains,” he says. “I daresay that the attorney for an injured party would show no mercy to someone whose trailer caused an accident that could have been prevented by safety chains.”

Violating the code can result in a misdemeanor. t

BY SHARON DOWDY UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Allergen-free peanuts lead USDA report highlighting new innovations in ag Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced a new report on discoveries by USDA researchers that have led to new patents and inventions with the potential for commercial application and potential economic growth. USDA innovations included in this annual report range from USDA supported research that could offer solutions for millions who suffer allergies from peanuts and wheat to safe mosquito control that can help halt the transmission of diseases they spread, and others.

USDA received 83 patents in Fiscal Year 2014, up from 51 patents in 2013. USDA filed 119 patent applications and disclosed another 117 new inventions, which may lead to future patents.

One of the highlighted discoveries from USDA’s 2014 Technology Transfer Report include procedures to remove up to 98-percent of the allergens from peanuts without affecting the flavor. t July/August 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Opportunities inside the wall he largest peanut producing country in the world has its eyes set on importing more peanuts and that means good news for the U.S. peanut industry.

Through the years, China has continued to grow from a very primitive country to one with shopping malls as large as ones in Atlanta, Georgia. The change in economic growth, combined with labor issues and a

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lack of land for production, provides a large export opportunity for U.S. peanuts.

The U.S. peanut industry participated in a trade mission to China this past spring to gain a better understanding of the Chinese peanut market, develop relationships and look for opportunities for exports of USA-grown peanuts. The mission included tours of blanching and oil crushing facilities, roasting and

Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2015

manufacturing operations, peanut planting and more.

Those attending included: Don Koehler, executive director of the Georgia Peanut Commission; Bob Parker, president and CEO of the National Peanut Board; John Powell, executive director of the American Peanut Shellers Association; Jeff Johnson, president and director of marketing with Birdsong Peanuts; Tony Gunter, director of sales for Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts; and Stephanie Grunenfelder, vice president of international marketing with the American Peanut Council.

“Trade missions are a great way for a cross section of the industry to learn together about a new market. The American Peanut Council (APC) manages the export program funds on behalf of the peanut industry, but we must have involvement from people actually working in the business to be effective.

Also, bringing an “official” group to a market indicates seriousness by the U.S. as a supplier,” Grunenfelder says.

The U.S. peanut export market has continued to grow these past few years and has the potential to keep growing through markets in China. China, a communist nation in East Asia, is the world’s most populous country. Its vast landscape encompasses grassland, desert, mountain ranges, lakes, rivers and 14,500 km of coastline. Beijing, the ancient capital, mixes modern architecture with historic sites including sprawling Tiananmen Square. Its largest city, Shanghai, is a skyscraper-studded global financial center. The iconic Great Wall of China fortification runs east-west across the country’s north region.

“I am excited about the events of the mission and the prospect for the future. I realize this will take effort, but the results will be evident over the next months and next few years,” Koehler says. “I still believe there is a potential for a half million tons (farmers stock basis) to be going to China in the not-so-distant future.”

Currently, China is estimated to produce 16,500,000 metric tons in 2015.

However, approximately 65 percent of Chinese peanuts are crushed for oil and only 35 percent are for edible use.

According to Grunenfelder, peanut oil is considered superior for cooking in China. However, demand is gradually outpacing supply, and land issues and

Representatives from the U.S. peanut industry visited China on a Export Trade Mission this past spring. The team visited with potential customers and toured blanching and oil crushing facitliteis, roasting and manufacturing operations, peanut planting and more.

labor costs are making expanding production difficult. So, these factors and more, including a growing middle class, point to additional opportunities for U.S. peanut farmers in China.

“The trip was very valuable and we came at the right time, because China is in the midst of a transition from major peanut exporter to peanut importer,” Johnson says. “We met with a number of peanut exporters and manufacturers and all of them confirmed that edible demand is increasing in China and they’ve reduced their exports as they use domestic and imported peanuts to service their domestic market.”

In 2013, exports to China were a big news story – and when the dust settled, 85,119 metric tons of peanuts were shipped to the markets of Vietnam, mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Of that total, most went to the ports in Vietnam and crossed into China. In 2014, 25,177 metric tons were shipped to the four markets above, but the majority went to mainland China. Of those, there were 11,286 metric tons of in-shell peanuts shipped to mainland China. The value of exports to China was $103,654,167 in 2013 and $29,559,254 in 2014.

According to Johnson, peanut production in China is flat to declining and is expected to decline further, because young people are moving to the cities and China is focusing on wheat, corn and rice.

“They consider U.S. peanuts high quality and they like the flavor. They also appreciate the fact we are reliable shippers. They do not want Genetically

Modified peanuts (neither does Japan or Europe).” Johnson says. “Peanut oil consumption is also going up, but it is strictly a price market and they can buy from India and Africa, as well.”

Johnson traveled to China twenty years ago and only saw one KFC compared to today when the city of Bejing has shopping malls and Starbucks and much more. “The country is totally different now,” Johnson says. “Twentyfive years ago China was a primitive country, but now you will see shopping malls as nice as what you would see in Atlanta, Georgia.”

“China has more than 1.3 billion people,” Parker says. “Within that are multiple tier one cities with a total population of 100 million people. Not only does China consume huge volumes of peanuts as a whole, these tier one cities have many well-paid, sophisticated consumers who desire U.S. food products because of their reputation as premium, safe products.

“As desire for USA products grows in China, there is a great potential market for American peanuts, in the form of both raw peanuts and branded products,” Parker says.

According to Johnson, the groups they met with during the trade mission are not aware of the recent nutritional research about the health benefits of eating peanuts. Johnson believes the nutritional information would have a big impact on increasing consumption in China.

According to Grunenfelder, the U.S.

peanut industry still has a great deal to learn about the market opportunities available. In China, peanuts are mostly used for peanut oil, not eaten as snacks or peanut butter as they are in the U.S. However, that appears to be changing, as fewer consumers are doing their own cooking and more are buying pre-packaged foods, such as snacks and peanut butter.

“We need to stay engaged with these key customers going forward,” Grunenfelder says. “We also need to look at providing finished products directly to consumers, either through retail channels or directly; through e-commerce sites that are popular in China.” t

BY JOY CROSBY

July/August 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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2015 USA Peanut Congress report he peanut industry gathered for information sessions and award presentations during the USA Peanut Congress held in June in Asheville, North Carolina. Members were updated throughout the meeting on some of the important topics in the industry today.

Sustainability was a primary topic dicussed during the general session and committee meetings. Additional reports were provided covering the snack nuts and peanut butter markets, as well a crop status report. The Peanut Institute provided information on nutritional research while the National Peanut Board updated attendees on the Perfectly Powerful Peanut campaign.

During the meeting, the American Peanut Council kicked off their 75th anniversary by including a slide show of photos from the past few decades. The organization will have a celebration during their December meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.

The American Peanut Council also inducted George Birdsong into the Peanut Hall of Fame, presented lifetime achievement awards to Tim Sanders and Howard Valentine and presented the Peanut Research and Education award to Tom Stalker, Noelle Barkely and Emory Murphy.

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Peanut Hall of Fame The American Peanut Council Hall of Fame award is given to those individuals who have significant lifetime contributions to the peanut industry and to the American Peanut Council. The 2015 inductee is George Birdsong, CEO and general counsel of Birdsong Corporation.

Birdsong went to work for Birdsong Peanuts, a family business, in 1965 as Secretary-Treasurer and held various officer positions before becoming CEO in 1999. Birdsong Peanuts celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 2014. He has been involved in U.S. Peanut industry organizations and issues throughout his career including the Virginia-Carolina Shellers Association, American Peanut Shellers Association, Southwest Shellers Association, American Peanut Council, The Peanut Foundation, The Peanut Institute and many other peanut industry

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American Peanut Council Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement (Left to right) - Tim Sanders, lifetime achievement award recipient and retired research leader of the USDA, ARS, Market Quality and Handling Research Unit, and as a professor of food science at North Carolina State University, George Birdsong, CEO and general counsel of Birdsong Corporation and Hall of Fame inductee, Howard Valentine, retired executive director of the Peanut Foundation and lifetime achievement award recipient.

activities.

“He has served on and often chaired many committees and task forces, too numerous to list, and when you really needed to get a job accomplished Birdsong was called upon,” Nall says.

“Not only did he selflessly give of his time to the industry, but he has been involved in many local civic organizations.”

He was born in Suffolk and has been a lifetime resident and supporter of the Suffolk and Hampton Roads communities. He has received various awards and recognitions for his activities over the years from the Jaycees, YMCA as well as humanitartian, leadership, community service and lifetime achievement awards from organizations in Suffolk, Virginia.

Lifetime Achievement Award The Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Tim Sanders and Howard Valentine.

“Sanders has served the peanut industry for nearly four decades and has given us invaluable research,” says Hugh Nall, chairman of the American Peanut Council. “He literally created the science of peanut flavor and has worked tirelessly to improve peanut quality and by

Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2015

extension, our industry.”

Tim Sanders recently retired as the Research Leader of the USDA, ARS, Market Quality and Handling Research Unit, and as a Professor of Food Science at North Carolina State University.

Sanders’ previous assignment at the USDA, ARS, National Peanut Research Laboratory in Dawson, Georgia, included research in the development of preharvest aflatoxin and food and flavor quality effects of variety, maturity, curing, warehouse storage, handling, production stresses, and disease. Sanders transferred to Raleigh, NC in 1991 where he conducted research on quality and nutritional aspects of peanuts and peanut products.

His research encompassed flavor and flavor chemistry, shelf life, the isolation and identification of nutritional and bioactive components, and various phases of roast processing of peanuts.

Sanders’ most recent research demonstrated the preventive effects of peanut consumption on atherosclerosis in an animal model system and identified specific biochemical and gene activation mechanisms responsible for those findings. The research added significant insight into the growing body of evidence on the cardio-protective effects of peanut

and nut consumption. Sanders retired from USDA, ARS on January 2, 2015 after more than 38 years of service but continues to provide advice and consultation for various peanut interests.

Sanders was the 1995 recipient of the Council’s prestigious Peanut Research and Education Award and was named a Fellow of the American Peanut Research and Education Society in 1997.

“We have another individual who has dedicated his professional life to the U.S. peanut industry and has served in a variety of roles,” Nall says. “Like Tim, Howard Valentine measures his service to the industry in decades.”

Valentines’s father had worked in the industry and Valentine literally grew up around the industry so he has seen it change dramatically through the years.

Since 1997, Valentine has served as executive director of the Peanut Foundation and director of technology and research for the American Peanut Council. Before joining APC, Valentine was vice president for marketing at Golden Peanut Company and vice president for sales and procurement at Archer Daniels Midland.

Valentine has also tirelessly led the effort to develop a system to convert paper quality and trading documents to an electronic format that will facilitate both domestic and international sales and trade.

He has worked hard to improve the tote bags that now transport most of the U.S. peanuts.

Valentine served on the board of the Legume Genome Project which led to the establishment of the Peanut Genomic Initiative. He helped organize an international group of over 135 peanut researchers to sequence the peanut genome with the goal of finding genetic markers for resistance to the key peanut diseases and the key quality factors.

Additionally, he served as the director of this effort’s International Peanut Genome Consortium.

“This research is already yielding benefits to breeding and stands to revolutionize our industry at the production level,” Nall says.

Peanut Research & Education During the general session on Tuesday, June 16, Alan Ayers with Bayer CropScience presented the American Peanut Council Peanut Research and Education Award to three deserving

American Peanut Council Peanut Research and Education Award (left to right) - Hugh Nall, American Peanut Council presidents, presents the Peanut Research and Education Award to Emory Murphy, retired assistant executive director of the Georgia Peanut Commission, and Tom Stalker, professor of crop science and biotechnology at North Carolina State University.

individuals. This award is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions in the fields of research or education in the peanut industry.

Ayers presented the first two awards to Tom Stalker and Noelle Barkley.

Stalker and Barkley were awarded the 2015 Peanut Research & Education Award for their work over the last five years to re-establish the peanut germplasm collection. They have worked tirelessly to replace wild species and cultivated species from collections all over the world. This collection is the heart of the Peanut Genomics Initiative and without their work we would not be able to continue to have the success we are experiencing in developing better varieties.

Stalker began his career at North Carolina State University and has worked there for 38 years. He is currently a professor of Crop Science and Biotechnology.

Stalker has received numerous awards during his career including the Coyt T. Wilson Distinguished Service Award from APRES, DowElanco Award for Education and Extension. He is a Fellow in Crop Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy and the American Peanut Research and Education Society.

Noelle Barkley received her undergraduate degrees from the University of California-Riverside and her doctorate

from the same university in molecular genetics. She was hired by USDA in 2003 as a molecular geneticist at their facility in Griffin, Georgia. While in Griffin, Barkely worked to develop molecular markers of plant germplasm. In 2010, she became the curator for the peanut germplasm collection.

The next recipient is Emory Murphy. retired assistant executive director of the Georgia Peanut Commission. Murphy received his undergraduate degrees from the University of Georgia in agriculture and plant physiology. He was recently elected as a Fellow of the American Peanut Research & Education Society and received the 2014 Distinguished Service Award and Peanut Research and Education Award from the Georgia Peanut Commission.

Murphy joined the Georgia Peanut Commission in 1980. He has served in many capacities with the commission but his effort in selecting and funding agricultural research over the past 35 years have been a major factor in the success peanuts are enjoying today. He has helped many new peanut researchers to get their start and continued till his retirement to promote peanuts and essential production research.

The American Peanut Council will hold the 2016 USA Peanut Congress in Charleston, South Carolina. t

BY JOY CROSBY

July/August 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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2015 Georgia Peanut Tour set for September

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he twenty-ninth annual Georgia Peanut Tour will be held September 15-17, 2015, and located out of Southwest Georgia at the Best Western Rose City Conference Center Inn, Thomasville, Georgia. The tour brings the latest information on peanuts while giving a first-hand view of industry infrastructure from production and handling to processing and utilization. Tour stops will be made in several peanut producing counties including Thomas, Grady, Decatur, Seminole and Early County.

Attendees can expect to see first-hand nearly every aspect of peanut production in the state. This year’s tour hosts many exciting stops including on-farm harvest demonstrations and clinics, peanut processing facilities, and several special highlights which include research at the University of Georgia Research & Education Center in Attapulgus, Lewis M. Carter Manufacturing, Fudge-Birdsong Peanuts Buying Point and Birdsong Peanuts Shelling Plant.

The tour kicks off this year with the Hot Topics Seminar on Sept. 15 at 3 p.m. at the Best Western Rose City Conference Center Inn, Thomasville, Georgia. The seminar topics include an update on the 2015 Georgia peanut crop, a Washington legislative update and consumer peanut

During the 2014 Georgia Peanut Tour, attendees learn about research at the University of Georgia Southeast Research and Education Center from Rajagopalbabu Srinivasan, UGA peanut research entomologist, and Mark Abney, UGA Extension peanut entomologist.

information including peanut flour and oil as well as probiotics in peanut butter.

The Georgia Peanut Commission, University of Georgia-Tifton Campus and Griffin Campus, Southwest Research & Education Center, Attapulgus Research & Education Center, and the USDA Agricultural Research Service National Peanut Research Lab coordinate the tour.

Hotel accommodations can be made at the Best Western in Thomasville, Georgia, by calling 229-226-9998. Rooms

are available at the rate of $101 for a single/double room and $115 for a suite.

Once the Best Western is full, additional hotel accommodations can be made at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites by calling 229-226-4666. Be sure to ask for the Georgia Peanut Tour room block.

Visit georgiapeanuttour.com to register and view tour schedule. For more information, contact Hannah Jones at hannah@gapeanuts.com or call at 229-386-3470. t

Helping farmers adopt resilient practices to reduce risk Extreme weather events pose significant risks to agriculture. Brenda Ortiz, a corn and grain crops specialist with Alabama Extension, said one of the most important aspects of farming is learning to adapt.

“Many of the farmers who are leading the way in the use of risk resilient practices learned about them at Southeast Climate Extension workshops and outreach programs,” Ortiz says.

Myron Johnson is one Alabama producer putting these kind of resilient practices to work on his farm. Johnson, who raises row crops in Henry County has attended Southeast Climate Workshops in the past.

He said he believes the long-term climate studies are trustworthy and worth

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incorporating into crop planning.

“Local forecasts change,” Johnson says. “Long-term forecasts are important to my crop planning strategies. Climate studies are another tool in the toolbox, and it would be a shame not to take advantage of the information available to us.”

Producers can learn more about climate adaptation strategies at Ag Solutions Day on Aug. 10 in Orange Beach, Alabam. The free event will be held at the Orange Beach Events Center, 4671 Wharf Parkway in Orange Beach, Alabama. The meeting will last from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central Daylight Time, and lunch will be provided.

“I would encourage all farmers to consider attending Ag Solutions Day,”

Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2015

Johnson says. “I have learned valuable information that has proven to be an asset to my production practices.”

The workshop will provide opportunities for hands-on experience with the AgroClimate website. AgroClimate uses crop simulation models along with climate data allowing producers to compare changes in possible outcomes under different conditions. Users can monitor growing degree days, chill hours, freeze risk, disease risks for selected crops and current and projected drought conditions. Attendees can also learn more about how El Niño is affecting the Southeast.

Registration for Ag Solutions Day is available online at www.aces.edu/go/551 or call Jeana Baker at (334) 844-3922. t

Brown to lead Peanut Foundation he Peanut Foundation has a new leader at its helm and one who is no stranger to the peanut industry. Steve Brown, former University of Georgia Extension entomologist, spent many years conducting research and sharing results with peanut farmers across Georgia but now he has the opportunity to coordinate research funding and projects for the U.S. peanut industry as executive director of the Peanut Foundation.

The Peanut Foundation is a nonprofit foundation that directs and supports peanut research, on behalf of all segments of the peanut industry, to: reduce costs of production and processing, create a safer product, improve quality and educate the industry and consumers on the benefits of this research.

The Peanut Foundation’s research strives to satisfy the demands of consumers while enhancing the commercial viability of the peanut industry.

Brown succeeds Howard Valentine, who has served as the executive director of the foundation for 21 years.

Valentine had these comments regarding the current research of the Peanut Foundation.

“We continue to move forward with developing genetic markers for disease resistance and quality traits. The assembly of the cultivated peanut genome is also moving ahead and should be complete over the next 6-12 months,” Valentine says. “These two tools will allow breeders to more easily incorporate new traits into varieties over the next few decades. The industry continues to support this Peanut Genomic Initiative and the researchers are working diligently to fulfill the complete Strategic Plan developed three years ago.”

Brown began his role with the Peanut Foundation in January 2015. Together, Valentine and Brown will work through the transition in 2015.

At UGA, Brown was the Extension Entomologist for peanuts and stored agricultural products (including peanuts).

He spent much of his time during the 1990s working on solutions to tomato spotted wilt virus, which threatened the industry at that time. He also worked closely with the American Peanut Shellers

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Outgoing Peanut Foundation executive director Howard Valentine (left) and Steve Brown, current Peanut Foundation executive director, discuss the progress the Peanut Foundation has made through the years by funding the peanut genome project.

Association to provide training on the management of pests of farmer’s stock peanuts.

In addition to Brown’s former research focus at UGA in entomology and peanut storage, he also served in many adminstrative roles at the university.

Brown served as the interim assistant dean for the UGA Tifton Campus, interim director of the Peanut and Mycotoxin Innovation Lab at UGA, and assistant dean for Extension where he coordinated all agricultural and natural resources programming in UGA Cooperative Extension. He finished his career at the University of Georgia as the interim associate dean for Extension, leading all of Cooperative Extension.

Brown says, he has been impressed with the previous accomplishments of the Peanut Foundation. “Throughout its history, the foundation has funded a variety of important research, but perhaps it will be forever remembered for being the primary funding vehicle for the peanut genome project.”

“The peanut has proven to be a genetically complex organism, but due to the perseverance of some very talented scientists, we are very close to having a map of the peanut genome,” Brown adds.

Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2015

“I honestly believe that anyone who may doubt the value of that accomplishment will soon be convinced that this milestone will forever change the peanut industry for the better.”

“I look forward to leading the foundation as it shifts to funding projects that actually use the genome to develop peanut plants that perform at levels we couldn’t even imagine without a genomic map,” Brown says. “While other crops have become reliant on GMO technology, marker assisted breeding will allow us to make incredible advances without having to go down that controversial road.”

“I look forward to an amazing future for an already amazing crop,” Brown adds.

Brown may be reached at sbrown@peanutsusa.com or 229-3871655. t

BY JOY CROSBY

Peanut Research Info Online Peanut Foundation: peanutfoundation.org Peanut Genomics: peanutbase.com

Premium Peanut LLC hires new president and CEO remium Peanut, LLC is pleased to announce Karl Zimmer as its new President and Chief Executive Officer.

Zimmer will assume this position in July 2015.

Zimmer previously spent nearly 14 years with General Cable, a Fortune 500 global manufacturer of copper and aluminum wire and cable products, where his last assignment was as Senior Vice President Sub-Saharan Africa, Global Supply Chain, and Europe & Africa Product Supply. In these roles, during which he and his wife lived in Barcelona, Spain, he had general management responsibility for the estimated $250 million business in sub-Saharan Africa while also overseeing all manufacturing, engineering and supply chain for the $2 billion Europe and Africa regions, encompassing 12 plants and over 3,000 associates.

Zimmer began his career at General

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Electric in 1999, after completing six quarters of coop assignments with GE Aircraft Engines, including a six-month assignment in Munich, Germany. He then completed GE’s Operations Management Leadership Program (OMLP) prior to Karl Zimmer moving into a SixSigma Black Belt role.

Premium Peanut Zimmer received a Bachelor’s degree President & CEO in Industrial Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and is actively involved in a wide range of activities with his alma mater, as well as the Boy Scouts the first three years while capacity to shell of America. Zimmer and his wife, Joan, 200,000 tons will be available. will be relocating to Douglas, Georgia, in Premium Peanut is grower-owned the summer of 2015. and committed to delivering the very best Premium Peanut, LLC was formed in peanuts possible. The company has the fall of 2014, in part to provide a stable partnered with seven buying points, all and accessible market for peanut growers within a 60-mile radius of the shelling in South Georgia. A brand new, $50 facility, to handle the farmers’ stock million state-of-the-art shelling facility purchases and storage. Premium Peanut is will be located on the outskirts of looking forward to being a vital part of Douglas, Georgia. Shelling will start with the peanut industry.

110,000 tons for the 2015 crop and is To learn more about Premium Peanut, expected to grow to 140,000 tons within LLC, visit premiumpeanutllc.com. t

J. Scott Angle, who has served as dean and director of the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences for the past decade, has announced that he will step down from his position to lead a global organization that works to alleviate hunger.

As president and CEO of the International Fertilizer Development Center, Angle will oversee an organization that has been active in nearly 100 countries and is focused on increasing food security and agricultural productivity through the development and transfer of effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient technology and agribusiness expertise.

Angle will step down from his role at UGA on Sept. 18. UGA President Jere W. Morehead and Provost Pamela Whitten will announce the appointment of an interim dean in the coming weeks as well as a national search for the next permanent academic leader to propel the college to new heights.

“Over the past decade, Dean Angle

has provided outstanding leadership to the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,” Morehead says.

“He has been one of the strongest champions of UGA’s land-grant mission, working tirelessly to connect the vast resources of the college to the challenges and opportunities faced by the agriculture industry across the state. We are grateful for his many years of dedicated service and wish him well in this new endeavor.”

Angle oversaw a period of significant growth in the college’s instruction, research and outreach. The number of students enrolled in the college grew by nearly 30 percent over the past decade, and 175,000 youths from across the state are enrolled in 4-H programs. To increase access to agricultural education in Georgia, the college began offering degree programs at the UGA-Griffin campus and expanded its programs on the Tifton campus.

Angle recruited several nationally and internationally recognized researchers to help broaden the scope and impact of the college’s research. He also

strengthened the links between the college’s research and extension units to ensure that farmers and Scott Angle other stakeholders in each of Georgia’s 159 counties have access to the latest, evidence-based information.

“While I am sad to leave my friends and colleagues at UGA during a time when it is on such a strong trajectory, I am called for one more grand adventure in my life,” Angle said. “Assuming the role of CEO and president of the International Fertilizer Development Center will allow me to combine my disciplinary training in soil science with my passion for Africa to help farmers around the world improve soil fertility and sustainability. I am very proud of all that the university and college have achieved over the past 10 years.” t

BY SAM FAHMY UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

July/August 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Photo credit: John Amis

University of Georgia’s Scott Angle selected to lead international agricultural organization

Members named to seven Agricultural Trade Advisory Committees .S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and United States Trade Representative Michael Froman recently announced the appointment of Brenda Morris, peanut farmer from Ocilla, Georgia, to the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) and Don Koehler, Georgia Peanut Commission executive director, to the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Tobacco, Cotton and Peanuts (ATACs).

“USDA and USTR rely on the individuals who serve on these committees to provide their expert advice on U.S. trade policy and priorities,” Sec. Vilsack says. “They are an invaluable asset as we work to enact trade agreements and trade policies that deliver the greatest economic benefit for U.S. agriculture and for our nation as a whole.”

“The last six years have been the strongest in history for U.S. agricultural exports, with international sales of American farm and food exports totaling $771.7 billion,” says Sec. Vilsack. “Those exports now support more than a million quality American jobs. As we negotiate new trade agreements in Asia and Europe we will rely on APAC and ATAC members’ expertise and knowledge to bring home the best possible deals.”

Morris was reappointed to serve on the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee until June 15, 2019. Morris has been farming with her husband, Armond, in Ocilla, Georgia, for 52 years.

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Don Koehler, Georgia Peanut Commission executive director, and Brenda Morris, farmer from Ocilla, Ga., were recently re-nominated to serve on the Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee.

The farm totals 2,500 acres of peanuts, cotton, corn and small grains.

“I feel privileged as a farmer to be able to serve on APAC and provide advice regarding trade policy and the impact of trade negotiations,” Morris says. “Trade is important to farmers as we continue to seek additional export opportunities and develop policy and trade negotiations that will benefit the American farmer.”

Koehler’s reappointment to the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC) for Trade in Tobacco, Cotton and Peanuts is effective through June 15, 2019. The Tobacco, Cotton and Peanuts ATAC provides technical advice

Members of the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Tobacco, Cotton and Peanuts T. Patrick Archer - American Peanut Council Michelle Huffman - National Cotton Council of America Don Koehler - Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Peanuts Monique Muggli - Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Richard Pasco - American Peanut Product Manufacturers, Inc. Evans J. Plowden, Jr. - American Peanut Shellers Association Roger F. Quarles - Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association J. Michael Quinn - Carolinas Cotton Growers Cooperative, Inc. Harvey Schroeder - Oklahoma Cotton Council Sledge Taylor - Buckeye Farms Randy Veach - Arkansas Farm Bureau

on U.S. agricultural trade issues to the Secretary of Agriculture and the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

“I am honored to represent the peanut farmers of Georgia on the ATAC Committee,” Koehler says. “We are making great strides in the export market for peanuts and we need to continue to focus our efforts on increasing trade as our productivity continues to advance.”

Congress established the advisory committee system in 1974 to ensure a private-sector voice in establishing U.S. agricultural trade policy objectives to reflect U.S. commercial and economic interests. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative jointly manage the committees.

The APAC provides advice and information to the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative on the administration of trade policy; including enforcement of existing trade agreements and negotiating objectives for new trade agreements. The ATACs offer technical advice and information about specific commodities and products. t

BY JOY CROSBY

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2015

Washington Outlook

by Robert L. Redding Jr.

Fast Track passes House and Senate The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) or Fast Track legislation. The bill passed by a vote of 218 to 208. The U.S. Senate also approved the legislation 60 to 38 near the end of June.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, commended House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, on his efforts and involvement with getting TPA passed, and commented on his support of the key components of the bill: “This bill includes the strongest measures to date for ensuring that the President sticks to the negotiating objectives laid down by Congress and prevents President Obama from acting unilaterally. Trade is incredibly important to agriculture, with exports accounting for nearly one-third of total U.S. farm income. With 95 percent of the world’s population residing outside of the United States, it is imperative that the U.S. works to expand market access while eliminating international barriers to trade. With TPA in place, our negotiators will have the credibility necessary to conclude the most effective trade agreements possible.”

U.S. House holds Biotech Food Labeling hearing The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health held a hearing, chaired by U.S. Congressman Joe Pitts, R-Pennsylvania, regarding “A National Framework for the Review and Labeling of Biotechnology in Food.”

Four witnesses were called to give testimony on the current labeling standards set for genetically engineered food and their opinions on whether it should be up to individual states to decide if they want genetically engineered products labeled.

Witnesses included: Rick Blasgen, president and chief executive officer of Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals; Todd W. Daloz, assistant attorney general, Office of the Vermont Attorney General; John Reifsteck, chairman of the Board and president GROWMARK, Inc.; Gregory Jaffe, biotechnology project director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest and L. Val Giddings, senior fellow with the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation.

According to the committee, Representatives Mike Pompeo, R-Kansas, and G.K.Butterfield, D-N.C., have circulated a draft amendment in the nature of a substitute to their bill H.R. 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act. This legislation would ensure developers of genetically engineered plants consult with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct a safety review of all new plant varieties before they are introduced into commerce; establish Federal standards governing the use of labeling claims regarding either the absence or use of genetic engineering in food; and permit those who wish to label their products as having been produced or developed without the use of genetic engineering to do so through a voluntary USDA-accredited certification process, consistent with USDA’s National Organic Program.

Congressmen Pompeo and Butterfield, D-N.C., used this hearing as a means to put concerns on the record about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food.

Congressman Pompeo took great measure to make sure everyone left the hearing room that day with the understanding that there is no credible evidence that GMOs have any negative effects on a persons health and the scare campaigns are just a means to further the interests of those companies within the “natural foods” industry.

USDA Secretary testifies before House Education and Workforce Committee The House Education and the Workforce Committee held a hearing, chaired by Congressman John Kline, R-Minnesota, regarding current federal child nutrition rules and regulations. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack was the primary witness asked to give testimony.

The committee reported that due to the federal regulations for the meal plans students are to be served, the most recent nutrition reauthorization for the program marks the costliest in a generation and the committee has been informed by both schools and the USDA, that the expenses for this nutrition plan are too much for many school districts to manage. Estimates of about $3.2 billion in additional compliance costs over a five-year period will need to be absorbed by participating school districts, and the actual student participation in the meal programs has shown a massive decline. The child participation decline in the program is the steepest in the last 30 years with 1.4 million fewer children served each day.

FDA Allergen Labeling and Permitting Exemptions process released The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published its allergen labeling and permit exemption guidelines for food companies that register a petition with them.

The guidelines require companies to include scientifically backed data proving an ingredient in a major food allergen does not cause a human health risking allergic response.

The FDA marks their new attempt at aiding the betterment of defining the term, “major food allergen.” The guidance continues to list milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans as allergens that need to be identified.

Legislative Updates available online at www.americanpeanuts.com

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2015

USDA Historical Irrigated Percentage (HIP) complicates reconstitutions The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack regarding the recent Farm Service Agency decisions about Historical Irrigated Percentages (HIP) and how they relate to farm reconstitutions or combining of farms. (see GPC letter below) The GPC also met with American Peanut Council (APC) representatives to discuss APC supporting this effort.

According to the University of Georgia’s National Center for Peanut Competitiveness:

If a farmer wants to combine two or more farms into one farm and one of the crops on the farms is ARC-CO with different HIP values, the farmer is not allowed to reconstitute. State FSA representatives were told that the software cannot handle it. If the farm(s) are totally PLC enrolled, there is no problem.

In Georgia, there are 6,351 farms in PLC, 5,204 farms in ARC-CO and 23,220 farms in PLC/ARC-CO. This feature could stop most of the reconstitutions in Georgia. Farmers that have farms with generic base and want to combine farms

in order to maintain proper crop rotation and still have access to generic base will be stymied. Another situation is where a farm is comprised of several tracts where some are irrigated and others are non-irrigated and the farmer wants to pull out the non-irrigated tracts and make those a new farm. Whatever the HIP number that was assigned to the original farm will be carried over to the new farms even if the new farm is totally non-irrigated or irrigated.

On July 6, USDA rescinded the HIP Reconstitution Policy.

June 10, 2015 The Honorable Tom Vilsack Secretary U.S. Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20250 Dear Secretary Vilsack: The Georgia Peanut Commission is the largest state grower organization in the United States. Georgia produces nearly half of U.S. peanuts. With the changes that have occurred due to the 2014 Farm Bill, Georgia growers are continuing to adjust their farm operations. Reconstitution or a combining of farms is a common practice to enhance a farmer’s efficiency and reduce paperwork both for the farmer and FSA. In mid-May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) informed the state FSA personnel about the Historical Irrigated Percentage (HIP) provisions. Due to the language in the 2014 Farm Bill related to ARC-CO payments where a producer could differentiate their payments between irrigated and non-irrigated, FSA finally incorporated that feature. FSA reviewed each producer for the crop years 2009-2012 to determine the producer’s irrigated/non-irrigated percentages by covered commodity. If the irrigated percentage and the non-irrigated percentage met a certain criteria, that farm was given an irrigated percentage (HIP) and would be tied to that farm for the duration of the 2014 Farm Bill. If the criteria were not met, that farm would not have a HIP assigned to it.

Unfortunately, this new feature was not communicated to farmers before the deadline of selecting either ARC or PLC for each covered commodity by farm. If farmers were made aware of this provision and how it was going to be implemented, many would have made a different decision in their selection of ARC versus PLC. Based on the HIP values for the farms, FSA designated whether a county is a HIP county for a specific covered commodity. If a county is designated a HIP county for a covered commodity, the HIP value for each farm will be used to allocate the respective farm’s covered commodity base between irrigated and non-irrigated base. The allocated bases are then multiplied by their respective payment factors under ARC-CO. With regard to reconstituting farms, if a farmer wants to combine two or more farms into one farm and one of the crops on the farm is ARC-CO with different HIP values, the farmer is not allowed to reconstitute. In fact, having two or more farms with the same HIP value for a covered commodity is practically nil. State FSA personnel were told that the software cannot service these types of changes. If the farm(s) is totally PLC enrolled, there is no problem.

In Georgia, we have 6,351 farms in PLC, 5,204 farms in ARC-CO and 23,220 farms in PLC/ARC-CO. It is our understanding that this feature will halt most of the reconstitutions in Georgia. Farmers that have farms with a large percentage in generic base and want to combine farms in order to maintain proper crop rotation and still have access to generic base will be stymied. This will lead to the demise of proper crop rotation any long term sustainability.

Another example where the HIP provision is detrimental to a farming operation is where a farm is composed of several tracts of irrigated and non-irrigated land. If the farmer wants to pull out the non-irrigated tracts and create a new farm, whatever the HIP number that was assigned to the original farm will be carried over to the new farms even if the new farm is totally non-irrigated or irrigated.

Farmers should be able to blend the HIP factor for farms they want to reconstitute, just as USDA would blend payment yields for the same crops on farms that are combined together. We respectfully request that FSA review this HIP policy and adjust the FSA staff instructions to allow a traditional reconstitution of farms.

Sincerely, Armond Morris Chairman Georgia Peanut Commission

July/August 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Southern Peanut Growers Peanuts power Atlanta Food & Wine Festival Peanuts powered up the Tasting Table at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, May 29 and Sunday, May 31. Peanuts are a key ingredient of Southern agriculture—past, present and future—and Southern Peanut Growers and Eat Y’all made sure people experienced that in a fun and interactive experience with some great Southern Chefs.

Chef Cole Ellis, Delta Meat Market, offered On Friday, Chef Cole Ellis, owner Peanut Chocolate and operator of the Delta Meat Market, Gelato with Peanut offered up Peanut Chocolate Crunch Brittle and Boiled Gelato with Peanut Brittle and Boiled Peanuts with Fois Gras Cornbread and Beef Peanuts with Fois Gras Cornbread and Bacon during the Atlanta Beef Bacon.

Food & Wine Festival.

On Sunday, Chef Ty Thames, executive chef at Restaurant Tyler, amazed with Smoked Simmons Catfish Pate over a grits cake topped with June Bugg Rub Candied Peanuts, pickled green strawberries and cilantro salad.

The event was packed all weekend—even in the rain on Sunday and in addition to all the food-loving consumers, included quite a number of media visits including Southern Living’s Jennifer Cole who left with a bag of peanuts for a snack later after visiting with our chef for some time.

PB My Way Grand Prize Winner

Peanut Butter Noodle Nests with Spicy Orange Shrimp Submitted by Darlene Buerger, Peoria, Arizona Ingredients: 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce 1/4 cup orange marmalade 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 tablespoon grated ginger 8 ounces shrimp, peeled, de-veined 2 12-ounce packages ramen noodles, cooked according to package directions 1/4 cup onion, diced 1/4 cup red pepper, diced 2 tablespoons peanut oil 2 cloves minced garlic 1/4 cup coconut milk 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter 1/4 cup island teriyaki sauce 2 teaspoons crystalized ginger 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (or to taste) 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 cup coleslaw mix Scallions, for garnish

Directions:

Peanut Butter Perfection: New mash-ups and recipes your family will love

In medium bowl, combine Sriracha, marmalade, soy, vinegar and grated ginger. Stir to combine and add shrimp. Refrigerate 20 minutes.

From classic recipes passed down through generations to new creations you wouldn’t expect to find on grandma’s table, there’s no shortage of ways to pack peanut butter into deliciously diverse dishes. Celebrate your enduring love for this sticky staple with the winning entries from Southern Peanut Growers’ annual “PB My Way” recipe contest showcasing PB lovers’ all-time favorite peanut butter dishes. The overall Grand prize honors is included on the right.

The winners for each category include: Breakfast or Brunch - Nutty Monkey Granola Dreamy Desserts - Orange-Kissed Peanut Butter Bundt Festive Holidays - Peanut Butter Saltine Brittle Family Favorite - Spicy Peanut Butter Glazed Salmon Skewers with Warm Rice Slaw Find more inspiration for cooking with peanut butter at www.peanutbutterlovers.com.

In large skillet over medium heat, saute onion and pepper in peanut oil until tender. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Reduce heat and add coconut milk, peanut butter, teriyaki sauce, crystalized ginger, hot pepper flakes and brown sugar. Simmer sauce 2 to 3 minutes, adding additional coconut milk as needed. Pour off 1/4 cup of sauce and add ramen noodles to remaining sauce.

Marketing arm of

In large skillet over medium heat, cook shrimp 2 to 3 minutes on each side until tender. Move shrimp to outer edge of pan and cook coleslaw mix in center just until it starts to wilt. Add wilted slaw mix to ramen sauce mixture.

Divide ramen among four plates and top with 4 or 5 shrimp.

Garnish with reserved sauce, peanuts and scallions, if desired.

Southern Peanut Growers 1025 Sugar Pike Way · Canton, Georgia 30115 (770) 751-6615 · FAX (770) 751-6417 email: lpwagner@comcast.net Visit our website at http://www.peanutbutterlovers.com

National Peanut Board approves research institution agreement language The National Peanut Board has reached an agreement with its research institution partners on language for its Research Institution Agreement (RIA).

The full board approved the following language: 3.5 (e) Cooperator will administer licensing Revenue received for Subject Inventions in accordance with its institution’s intellectual property policy, including a portion returned to further Cooperator’s peanut research program.

3.5 (f) Subject Inventions will be licensed (domestically and/or internationally) in a manner designed to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. peanut producers.

When considering potential international licensing for specific peanut cultivars, Cooperator will do so in accordance with its institution’s IP policies and in consultation with its breeders, institutional varietal release committee, agricultural experiment station administration, institutional Office of Technology Transfer, CPPO and NPB. The National Peanut Board maintains its opposition to the international licensing of seed varieties developed with funds from American peanut growers.

“We appreciate our research partners agreeing to consult with us and our state associations before entering into international licensing agreements on seed,” says Bob White, NPB chairman and Texas grower. “I believe we all share a common goal of doing what is in the best interests of our peanut growers.”

The new language will be incorporated into RIAs effective Jan. 1, 2016. The National Peanut Board has funded over $20 million in production research since its inception. t

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September 15 - 17, 2015 Thomasville, Ga. & Surrounding Area

For more information contact: Georgia Peanut Commission P.O. Box 967, Tifton GA 31793 Phone: 229-386-3470 Fax: 229-386-3501 Email: hannah@gapeanuts.com www.georgiapeanuttour.com

Tour Coordinated By: GEORGIA PEANUT COMMISSION UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA Tifton Campus and Griffin Campus Southwest Research and Education Center Attapulgus Research and Education Center USDA/ARS, NATIONAL PEANUT RESEARCH LAB