Southeastern Peanut Farmer - July/August 2014

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Eye in the sky for peanuts n Extension service celebrates 100 years  n Hardy Farms enters roasting business A communication service of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

Contents July/August 2014

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

A farmer from Owensboro, Georgia, Luke Brown has taken his hobby of creating harvest videos to a higher level by using a drone to document aerial images of peanut and cotton harvest. University of Georgia scientists are also using drones to conduct research studies.

Contributing Writers John Leidner johnleidner@bellsouth.net Teresa Mays Teresa2@alpeanuts.com Jessie Turk jessie@gapeanuts.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 229-386-3690.

Eye in the sky for peanuts

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Cooperative Extension Service celebrates 100 years The Cooperative Extension Service is celebrating 100 years in 2014. The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 created the Extension service, which has brought the latest agricultural reseach and education from land-grant universities to farmers and businesses.

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Hardy Farms enters roasting business Hardy Farms is known for their boiled peanuts but now they are trying their hand at roasting peanuts for distribution. An open house was held in May to celebrate their new venture.

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

Washington Outlook ............................................................................ 20 Southern Peanut Growers Update ........................................................ 22 Cover Photo: Peanut farmer Luke Brown, Owensboro, Georgia, with his helicopter drone. Brown has been creating harvesting videos since 2007. Photo by John Leidner.

July/August 2014 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Guest Editorial

Calendar of Events

Extension Service Celebrates 100 years he Extension Service celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

Celebrations are being held across the U.S. to celebrate the history and advancements the Extension Service has made through the years.

As a young child, I remember the local county Extension agent coming to the farm to check on crops and livestock. Of course, back then the technology was not available like it is today. Now, Extension agents can visit a farm, take a photo of a disease or weed issue on a farm, text it to an Extension specialist and within a few minutes may have a recommendation for the farmer.

Also, many county extension agents have started sharing information with farmers in their area through a blog, webinars or other means.

The future of the Extension Service is a bright one for many reasons, but mainly the dedicated people working many hours to educate their local community. With the passage of the Smith-Lever Act, the first statewide home economics and 4-H youth Extension workers were appointed. County home economics agents were appointed beginning in 1915.

In the early years of Extension, “demonstration agents” showed or demonstrated new farming or homemaking techniques. Today, Extension agents use a wide variety of information systems to deliver educational information.

My personal experiences with Extension begin in 1985. My first year focused on a Beef Demonstration Project, sewing classes, beauty pageant and summer camp. Through the years, the local 4-H has taken me on trips to Washington, D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin and Oklahoma, and many 4-H camps throughout Georgia.

Through my years in 4-H, I learned how to sew, show livestock, judge cotton-made clothes and other consumer products, and prepare and deliver speeches. I made friends for a life-time; many are county agents today or work in some level of the Extension Service. While I was young, I noticed the Extension agents spent many hours after 5:00 p.m. and on weekends to help me with projects, but I don’t think I clearly understood their unwavering efforts until now.

Today, I see the other side of the Extension Service. Even though the ones who helped me as a youth have now retired, there are now new faces in the Extension Service helping youth, farmers, consumers and communities across the U.S. Those individuals still provide that extra level of service and go above and beyond their normal daily work hours to help others.

The Extension Service will continue to be strong across the U.S. due to the dedicated people who work every day educating others and sharing their knowledge. Congratulations on 100 years and here’s to a 100 more years! t

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u American Peanut Shellers Association Pre-Harvest Meeting, Aug. 5-6, 2014, Lake Blackshear Resort & Golf Club, Cordele, Ga. For more information, call 229-888-2508 or visit www.peanut-shellers.org. u Southeast Georgia Research and Education Center Field Day, Aug. 13, 2014, Midville, Ga. For more information call 478-589-7472. u North Florida Research Education Center Peanut Field Day, August 14, 2014, Marianna, Fla. CEU’s will be provided.

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. (cst).

For information call the Research Center at 850-394-9124. u Southwest Georgia Research and Education Center Field Day, Aug. 20, 2014, Plains, Ga. For more information call 229-824-4375. u Georgia Peanut Tour, Sept. 16-18, 2014, Savannah, Ga. area. For more information visit the tour blog at gapeanuttour.wordpress.com. u Tri-state Peanut Disease Tour, Sept. 2325, 2014. For more information contact Albert Culbreath at spotwilt@uga.edu. u Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day, Oct. 14-16, 2014, Moultrie, Ga. For more information visit www.sunbeltexpo.com. u Florida Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, Oct. 29-31, 2014, Sawgrass Marriott Resort and Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. For more information visit www.floridafarmbureau.org. u National Peanut Festival, Oct. 31-Nov. 9, 2014, Dothan, Ala. For more information visit www.nationalpeanutfestival.com. u Georgia Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, Dec. 7-9, 2014, Jekyll Island, Ga. For more information visit www.gfb.org. u Alabama Farmers Federation Annual Meeting, Dec. 7-8, 2014, Montgomery, Ala. For more information visit www.alfafarmers.org. u American Peanut Council Winter Conference, Dec. 10-13, 2014, Washington Marriott Hotel, Washington, D.C.

Joy Carter Crosby Editor

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2014

(Let us know about your event. Please send details to the editor, using the following e-mail address: joycrosby@gapeanuts.com)

2014 Southern Peanut Growers Conference

Thanks to the 2014 Conference Sponsors

Conference Blog Reports Daily The 16th annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference was highlighted again this year through a blog.

Be sure to check it out for photos, stories and interviews on the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation website at www.southernpeanutfarmers.org or http://spgc.wordpress.com.

The blog is sponsored by Ag Technologies/Trimble Agriculture.

Brought to you by the: Southern Peanut Farmers Federation Alabama Peanut Producers Association Florida Peanut Producers Association Georgia Peanut Commission Mississippi Peanut Growers Association Southern Peanut Growers

Syngenta John Deere Ag-Pro Company Albany Tractor Company Blanchard Equipment Lasseter Equipment Company Smith Tractor Company SunSouth LLC Bayer CropScience BASF National Peanut Board DuPont Crop Protection Ag Leader Technology Ag Technologies/Trimble Agriculture Aimtrac Birdsong Peanuts Colombo NA Edgewater Beach Resort Farm Press AgGeorgia Farm Credit AgSouth Farm Credit Farm Credit of Florida Farm Credit of Northwest Florida Kelley Manufacturing Co. Propane Education & Research Council Valent U.S.A. Corporation Southeastern Peanut Farmer The Peanut Grower Amadas Industries First South Farm Credit National Peanut Buying Points Assn.

Olam Edible Nuts AMVAC Chemical Dow AgroSciences ALFA Alabama Power Georgia Farm Bureau Golden Peanut Company INTX, A Verdesian Life Sciences Co. McCleskey Mills Monsanto BioAg Nichino America, Inc. Georgia Organic Solutions Newton Crouch Sessions Co. Inc. Snyder’s-Lance The KBH Corporation WattStopper/Legrand – Ag Services

July/August 2014 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Peanut Leadership Academy graduates Class VIII ine peanut farmers and sheller representatives from the Southeast graduated from the Peanut Leadership Academy on June 7 at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama. During the graduation weekend, graduates and their families had the opportunity to tour Baldwin County Alabama and learn about farming practices in the area, as well as visit Auburn University’s Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center in Fairhope.

The Peanut Leadership Academy is a cooperative effort between Syngenta Crop Protection, the American Peanut Shellers Association, grower organizations and agricultural extension. The program began in 1998 with the first class of 14 peanut growers from Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Since then, the academy has continued to grow to include growers from Texas, Mississippi and sheller representatives.

Mike Wood, Syngenta technical sales representative, believes the Peanut Leadership program is one that is a benefit for the entire industry.

“There was an idea about having a leadership class to expose people to different aspects of the peanut business; to better inform them on ways to make decisions based on the whole dynamics of the peanut business,” Wood says. “And not just from their farmer perspective, but from a good 360 view of the peanut business.”

Activities in the leadership program are structured to give participants a thorough understanding of the U.S. peanut

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Class VIII graduates of the Peanut Leadership Academy. Pictured left to right: Lee Prather, Syngenta; Will Ellis, Douglas, Ga.; Cole McNair, Damascus Peanut Company; Alan Davis, Chipley, Fla.; Reed Rogers, Golden Peanut Company; Sam Hattaway, Blakely, Ga.; Daniel Parrish, Greenwood, Miss.; Steven Byrd, Ariton, Ala.; Frank Moore, Syngenta and Mike Wood, Syngenta.

Not pictured are Damon Griswold, Jay, Fla., and Justin Jones, Leesburg, Ga.

industry. The leadership sessions range from field trips, meetings with industry leaders and professional development training. Each class has one leadership session in Washington, D.C. where class members have an opportunity to visit with their congressmen about issues affecting the peanut industry.

The Class VIII members who graduated from the Peanut Leadership Academy are: Alabama – Steven Byrd, Ariton; Florida – Alan Davis, Chipley; and Damon Griswold, Jay; Georgia – Will Ellis, Douglas; Sam Hattaway, Blakely; and

Nominations open for Peanut Leadership Academy Nominations are now open for the Peanut Leadership Academy, which provides leadership training for young farmers and sheller representatives throughout the peanut industry. The academy is coordinated by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation. Through the training, participants gain valuable leadership skills, communication skills, knowledge of the peanut industry and insight into many different types of issues the peanut industry faces. The two-year program includes leadership sessions in the Southeast, West Texas and Washington, D.C. Growers interested in applying for Class IX of the Peanut Leadership Academy should contact their state grower organization or download an application online at www.southernpeanutfarmers.org. The applications are due by September 1, 2014.

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2014

Justin Jones, Leesburg; Mississippi – Daniel Parrish, Greenwood; sheller representatives – Cole McNair, Damascus Peanut Company; and Reed Rogers, Golden Peanut Company.

Florida farmer, Alan Davis, is the third member of his family to participate in the leadership program and found it to be a great tool in teaching him how to represent not only himself, but all farmers in the industry.

“You want to be prepared, because you’re representing the farmers across the country; not just yourself,” Davis says.

Davis went on to say he was pleased with the knowledge and skills he gained through participating. “This was one of the most beneficial things I have ever done. I wish I could come back and participate in the program again.”

For more information on the Peanut Leadership Academy, contact the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, Florida Peanut Producers Association, Georgia Peanut Commission or Mississippi Peanut Growers Association. t

BY JESSIE TURK

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

Florida Peanut Producers promotes peanuts at Epcot’s Fresh from Florida weekend in April The Florida Peanut Producers Association participated in the Florida Department of Agriculture’s “Fresh From Florida” weekend during the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival April 25-27, 2014.

Guests were given peanut seed kits to try and grow their own peanuts when they return home.

Many guests came and shared their stories about growing the peanut seed they had been given last year.

One guest even brought her plant with her!

The FPPA also provided recipes and nutritional information about the ever popular peanut. Thousands of guests came through each day and enjoyed learning about how peanuts grow from seed to harvest.

Eleven other Florida agribusinesses were highlighted along with the Florida Department of

Sherry Saunders, Florida Peanut Producers Association, visits with attendees during the Fresh From Florida weekend at the International Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot.

Agriculture.

This was the 6th year the Florida Peanut Producers Association has been invited to participate in the “Fresh From Florida” weekend at Epcot. Guests are always interested in the versatility of peanuts and peanut products.

Mississippi Peanut Growers Association and Peanut Proud team up to aid tornado victims Following the disastrous tornadoes across Mississippi, the peanut industry responded quickly by donating peanut butter. Peanut Proud, working with the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association (MPGA), donated 20 pallets of peanut butter worth $1,450 per pallet or $29,000. The pallets were delivered to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) by SouthernAg Carriers.

“The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association was pleased to team up with Peanut Proud to provide an ideal food that is nutritious and doesn’t need to be refrigerated and can easily be made into sandwiches to help those who have lost their homes during the

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tornado outbreak across our state,” says Malcolm Broome, executive director of MPGA. The MPGA also purchased one pallet of peanut butter. The donated peanut butter was manufactured by Kroger, American Blanching and Sanfilippo & Son, Inc., in addition to a private label made by Peanut Proud.

Response from officials at MEMA has been very positive and MPGA would like to encourage others to make a monetary donation by visiting Peanut Proud’s website at peanutproud.com, or mail a check to: Peanut Proud 2014 Disaster Relief, Box 446, Blakely, Georgia 39823.

Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2014

Alabama peanut growers approve referendum Peanut farmers in Alabama recently approved unanimously the continuation of a statewide peanut checkoff program. Money is collected for the checkoff fund when farmers sell their peanuts at harvest-time. Those funds are used for education, promotion and research.

Alabama is the second-largest producer of peanuts in the United States. Georgia ranks as the top peanut growing state. APPA President, Carl Sanders, said the board appreciates the strong showing of support.

“I know the board of directors shares my appreciation,” Sanders says. “The checkoff program funds many research and educational activities that would not exist if not for the program.

These programs directly impact our industry on an annual basis.”

Under state law, the checkoff program must be voted on every three years.

Twenty-five polling sites were located in 21 counties where peanuts are produced. The Alabama Peanut Producers Association administers the checkoff program.

For more information about Alabama peanuts, visit ALPeanut.com.

Congressman John Barrow visits Georgia Peanut Commission office U.S. Rep. John Barrow, D-Georgia, visited the Georgia Peanut Commission headquarters recently.

While at the office, Congressman Barrow was able to learn more about the peanut indus- Armond Morris (left), GPC try. Following his visit, chairman, visits with U.S. Congressman Barrow Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga. toured Tifton Quality Peanut, a local shelling plant in Tifton, Georgia.

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

Congressional staff receive education on the peanut industry through a tour in Georgia The Georgia from the Senate Ag Peanut Commission Committee; Michael and the Southern Reed from the office Peanut Farmers hosted of U.S. Rep Sanford nine congressional Bishop, D-Georgia; staff members to the Skylar Sowder from Cordele, Georgia, area the House Ag for a tour of the peanut Committee and Arthur industry.

Tripp from U.S. Rep. The attendees David Scott’s office.

The congressional staff visit with Georgia included Chase The group Cannon from the office farmer Charles Hardin of Crisp County, Ga. received an overview of U.S. Rep. Austin of the peanut industry Scott, R-Georgia; Anne Hazlett from the while touring the area. Tour stops included Senate Ag Committee; Jason Lawrence Charles Hardin’s farm in Crisp County, from the office of U.S. Rep. Lynn Golden Peanut Company in Ashburn, Westmoreland, R-Georgia; Rachel Georgia, University of Georgia Tifton McLocklin from the office of U.S. Sen. Campus and the Georgia Peanut Saxby Chambliss, R-Georgia; Tara Morgan Commission headquarters in Tifton. Kelley from the office of U.S. Rep. Allen Manufacturing Co. representatives visited Nunnelee, R-Mississippi; and Ben Mosely with the group while at GPC.

The congressional staff toured Golden Peanut Company in Ashburn, Ga. and the University of Georgia Tifton Campus.

Farm Credit of Florida honors Marion farmer Farm Credit of Florida, a leading agricultural financial cooperative serving Florida, recently honored fourth generation Marion County farmer Thomas Richard Barber Jr. on his board retirement after 20 years of service to the Farm Credit of Florida Board of Directors.

Upon retiring, he was presented with an American flag which had flown over the Farm Credit of Florida Ocala branch office.

“Serving on the Farm Credit of Florida Board of Directors is such an honor. I am very proud of what we have all accomplished together during times of successes and challenges,” said Barber. “This group of men and women truly have the Florida farmer at the center of every decision and I am grateful for their friendship and leadership.”

Barber, 75, has a farming career

spanning five decades producing peanuts, watermelon and cattle. In 2000, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Dan Glickman, appointed Barber to a threeyear term representing Florida on the National Peanut Board. Barber was also appointed Chairman of the Research Committee for the National Peanut Board the same year. Barber is the recipient of many honors, including memberships in the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame, Marion County Hall of Fame and the UF/IFAS North Florida Research Education Center Hall of Fame. He was also named Sunbelt Ag Expo Farmer of the Year and Marion County Friend of Extension. In 2012, Barber received the Award of Distinction from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Barber is a founding member and past president of the Florida Peanut Producers

Florida peanut farmer, Richard Barber Jr. was honored on his board retirement from the Florida Farm Credit.

Association.

“I feel blessed. I just want to say I feel blessed to be involved in agriculture. Agriculture is my passion,” said Barber. “I want to encourage any young people who love farming to get acquainted with Farm Credit, get a good plan and go do it. Farming is a good career and it is something you can have a lot of pride in.”

July/August 2014 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Peanut farmer Luke Brown, Owensboro, Ga., with his helicopter drone. Brown has been creating harvesting videos since 2007.

farmer from Owensboro, Georgia, Luke Brown has been making harvesting videos since 2007.

Last year, he took his hobby to a higher level. He bought a drone of his own.

It’s a little helicopter equipped with a camera. He used it to make aerial photos to document the harvesting of his 2013 peanut and cotton crops.

Automated steering on his tractors gives him time to both fly the helicopter while driving a tractor and pulling either a peanut digger or combine.

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So far, Brown has used the quadcopter more as a toy than as a tool.

But he also sees its potential use in helping to grow peanuts, cotton and other crops.

“I can show the pictures to our consultant to identify problems in fields,” he says. “You can see weak spots in fields. For instance, I found some 2,4-D damage in some of our cotton. I also found where lightning struck in the middle of a cotton field.”

On another occasion, he used the helicopter to film nighttime cotton picking. He has also used the photos to

Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2014

Photo by John Leidner.

Eye in the sky for peanuts

identify different corn hybrids planted in the same field.

He first bought an inexpensive helicopter for about $50 and used it to learn how to fly.

“I’m still learning how to fly,” Brown says.

Once he mastered flying the small copter, he invested in a larger one, a DJI Phantom quadcopter, and equipped it with a GoPro Hero2 camera. He bought this helicopter with extra batteries, a camera mount and other accessories for about $850 and spent about $250 for the camera. The camera shoots both still photos and video. He also spent another $400 on a GoPro Hero3 camera that he uses occasionally.

Brown says the Phantom helicopter alone cost about $700 when he bought it, though the price for this model has since dropped to about $500.

If the helicopter loses its control signal, it has a “go home” feature that allows it to hover about 60 feet above the ground and then land in the same location from where it took off.

Brown says his helicopter will fly at least 200 feet above the ground, though he normally flies at 100 feet or less. His helicopter will fly for about 10 minutes before the battery power runs out. He says newer models will fly for 25 minutes or more.

The first time he flew it in one of his fields, it crashed.

“Actually, it was a partially controlled landing,” Brown recalls. “I got lucky because I was able to find it after it hit a corn plant and landed in the corn.”

Brown is using his unmanned aerial vehicle for his own amusement. But University of Georgia scientists are using similar, though more expensive equipment to conduct research studies. Their main project has been to fly over the cotton and peanut plots at the Sunbelt Ag Expo farm near Moultrie, Georgia.

Extension soil fertility specialist Glen Harris worked on the project with then Georgia Extension peanut agronomist John Beasley. Beasley is now an administrator at Auburn University.

Their project was funded by a research grant from the state of Georgia’s Centers of Innovation for Agribusiness and for Aerospace. The Guided Systems Technologies firm based in Stockbridge, Georgia, leased two of their unmanned helicopters to aviation faculty at Middle

Images of peanut harvest captured by farmer Luke Brown, Owensboro, Ga., with his helicopter drone. Brown says the little helicopter and its camera have not increased his peanut yields or saved him money in farming, but it has made the chore of harvesting peanuts a lot more fun.

Photos by Luke Brown.

Georgia State College for use in the project. The Georgia Peanut Commission and Cotton Commission also provided some matching funds for the project.

Because of so many organizations taking part, Harris said the unmanned aerial vehicle project at the Expo farm was one of the most interesting and exciting he has ever been involved with. At the Expo farm, the single-blade helicopter flew a predetermined flight pattern to a height of 675 feet.

“Spotters on the ground looked for other aircraft,” Harris says. “They also filed flight plans with the Federal Aviation Administration.”

These were 20-minute flights, according to Harris. He says the helicopter was equipped with a multi-spectral camera, capable of shooting near infrared, infrared, and NDVI or normalized difference vegetative index photos.

Harris says the overall goal in this research is to identify production problems that can be fixed.

“We shot images before and after defoliation on cotton and before and after digging on peanuts,” he says.

He believes it may one day be possible to use photos of dug peanuts to generate yield maps of peanuts.

“We learned some things,” Harris says. “We learned that it takes some time to identify the optimum altitude for obtaining images, and we learned that it will be a challenge to deal with clouds. It also takes time to process the images. We believe we need longer battery life to power these units. We also need less expensive unmanned aerial vehicles and less expensive cameras.”

Harris says crop consultants are keenly interested in this technology. He believes this technology will be especially useful for scouting fields and identifying potential problem areas.

This technology should be especially useful in identifying problem areas that simply wouldn’t be seen from normal on-ground scouting or even from driving over the field in a tractor.

“We should also be able to use the helicopters and cameras for making stand counts, identifying nutrient deficiencies, identifying sprayer failures and spray patterns, as well as identifying weeds, diseases and perhaps insect pests,” Harris says.

At some point, this technology may be able to deliver targeted and concentrat-

ed chemicals to control a specific insect, disease or weed. For instance, herbicideresistant pigweeds that escape normal weed control treatments may someday become a target. Unmanned aerial vehicles in Japan and South America are being used for spraying crops, so it’s possible unmanned aerial vehicles will be approved for crop spraying in the U.S. The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to issue rules in 2015 to govern the commercial use of drones or unmanned aerial vehicles in agricultural situations. If the FAA lifts restrictions on commercial uses, Harris believes this technology will literally “take off.” For

instance, costs for the helicopters and cameras should come down as sales for these units increase.

Brown can’t say his small helicopter has increased his peanut yields. And it hasn’t yet saved him money in farming.

But it certainly gives him a different point of view for looking at a farm field. It’s a point of view unlike any most farmers have ever seen of their own fields. Brown also says the little helicopter and its camera have also made the chore of harvesting peanuts a lot more fun. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

July/August 2014 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Extension service celebrates 100 years I magine more than 100 years ago trying to learn about research at your local land-grant university and not being able to understand the information or have anyone explain it to you. Then in 1914, the Smith-Lever Act is passed, which creates the Cooperative Extension Service. The newly created Extension service now provides an avenue for you to learn more about the research and how to incorporate the research findings on your farm.

The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 established the Cooperative Extension Service, a state-by-state national network of landgrant, public universities, whose educators extend research-based knowledge to the people.

For more than 100 years, Cooperative Extension has brought the latest agricultural research and education from landgrant universities to farmers and businesses.

At the turn of the 20th century, there was a widespread need for assistance and training for rural farmers. The farm demonstration work and success of Seamen A. Knapp, the first agent and director of Cooperative Extension for USDA, paved the way for the Cooperative Extension System that exists nationwide today.

In Georgia, agriculture and natural resources agents continue to work with farmers through traditional face-to-face workshops, as well as through new technologies like online classes and smart phone applications.

Agents also help increase awareness and appreciation of the state’s environmental assets. They protect these resources by offering expertise in topics including invasive species, pollution prevention, and soil and water conservation.

According to Scott Angle, dean of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,

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the creation of the Morrill Act of 1862, which created land-grant colleges, was the genesis for the creation of the Cooperative Extension.

“Take the research-based information from the land-grant university and get it to the people who needed it, so they can use it to improve their lives, the economy and agriculture,” says Dean Angle,.

The base programs of the Cooperative Extension Service - agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer education, enterprise and community resource development and 4-H youth development - are the foundation for equipping agriculture and all consumers to thrive in the 21st century.

Even though the economy and technology has changed through the 100-year span, the values of the Extension Service have remained true.

“Over the course of our history, we have held true to three values that comprise the foundation of our mission: a strong commitment to research-based knowledge; a strong emphasis on building positive relationships with those we serve; and finally, a strong commitment to providing relevant programs,” says Gary Lemme, Alabama Extension director.

“We’re being challenged to devise new

Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2014

ways to deliver our programs, but our fidelity to those core Extension values will not change.”

Lemme says the centennial offers Extension educators a unique opportunity to draw inspiration and insights from the past as they prepare for the acute challenges of the future.

“In this era of big data, smartphones, apps, ePublications and iBooks, our educators are being challenged to deliver the bulk of products through digital means, but this digitally-delivered material will be just as relevant to local needs as it has for the past 100 years,” he says.

“Likewise, the core values that defined our mission in the 20th century will remain as integral and vital to 21st century mission.”

Extension education has undergone rapid changes in the past 10 to 15 years.

Agents no longer depend on the postal service and physical meetings to deliver information to clients.

“Extension is adapting as technology is progressing, and we’ve done a good job of keeping up,” says Ty Jones, an agriculture and natural resources Extension agent in Madison County, Mississippi. “But the challenge going forward for us is grabbing the future without leaving any of our clients behind. We still have customers who do not have access to computers.”

The individual service agents provide to communities in a world of impersonal technology is a key strength of Extension, Jones says.

“We will continue to adapt to new technologies and learn the best ways to use them to benefit our clients,” Jones says. “Technology is an essential part of our lives, and we should be embracing it.

But having agents in each county is important for the way we serve our citizens. They get the best possible educational programs and assistance to meet their individual needs because we have

Photo by Clint Thompson, University of Georgia.

The Smith-Lever Act of 1914, carries the names of its two primary sponsors, Sen. Hoke Smith of Georgia and Rep. A.F. Lever of South Carolina.

Philip Grimes credits a lot of his farming success to the work of UGA Extension, including Tift County Extension agent Brian Tankersley (right).

people there who can listen, assess their needs and help them problem-solve.”

“Cooperative Extension has helped many businesses, individuals and communities grow and strengthen over our 100-year existence,” said Nick Place, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences dean for Extension. “This year’s centennial is a great opportunity to ensure that Extension continues providing meaningful impacts through the next 100 years, and to ensure that Cooperative Extension is highly recognized as the ‘front-door’ to our land-grant university, the University of Florida.”

Within those 100 years, truly amaz-

ing things happened with the Extension Service.

“In the past 100 years, UGA Extension helped eradicate the boll weevil, introduce new food safety measures and promote land conservation,” says Beverly Sparks, associate dean of Extension in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

“Today, we face a new list of pests, problems and challenges, but we are confident our Extension experts and educators will meet them head on. We look forward to another century of service to Georgians.” t

The act’s stated purpose was “. . . to aid in diffusing among the people of the United States useful and practical information on subjects relating to agriculture, [uses of solar energy with respect to agriculture,] home economics, and rural energy, and to encourage the application of the same, there may be continued or inaugurated in connection with the college or colleges in each State, Territory, or possession . . .”

(Brackets added to reflect later amendment to the act.)

Learn more online Alabama aces.edu Florida ifas.ufl.edu/smith-lever100.shtml

Georgia 100years.extension.uga.edu

Mississippi msucares.com/100years

BY JOY CROSBY

From the Mule to the Moon available at Amazon A paper-back edition of J. Frank McGill’s book, “From the Mule to the Moon,” is now available at www.amazon.com. A fifty-year collection of human interest experiences about peanuts, people and places across five continents. The book is available for $9.95 plus tax and shipping.

July/August 2014 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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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 2014

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

American Peanut Council recognizes peanut leaders uring the recent USA Peanut Congress, the American Peanut Council (APC) inducted two new members into the Hall of Fame and presented their annual research award. The awards were presented during the meeting held June 19-23, 2014, in Nashville, Tennessee.

This year’s conference was well attended by all segments of the peanut industry. The business program included a marketing panel with representatives from Kraft (Harry Sinclair), The J.M. Smucker Co. (Joe Stanziano) and Mars (AnneMarie DeLorenzo) updating the audience on their 2014 marketing campaigns. Mars declared 2014 “The Year of the Peanut” and Kraft is continuing its very successful “The Power of the Peanut” with the roll out of four new peanut snack flavors.

The J.M.Smucker Company’s popular television campaign for Jif continues its focus on family and relationships.

Additionally, attendees received an update on agricultural macroeconomic trends and the role China will play by Michael Swanson, an agricultural economist at Wells Fargo. Scott Tubbs of the University of Georgia provided an overview of the U.S. peanut crop. AnneMarie DeLorenzo headed up the seed panel presentations with updates provided

by Marshall Lamb of the National Peanut Research Lab, Scott Jackson with UGA, Mark Kline from Hershey and Bob Sauer from Kraft. Pat Kearney of The Peanut Institute provided an update on new peanut research. Evans Plowden discussed the recently enacted Farm Bill and Edward Fisher of Vanderbilt provided information on his Mani Plus program to bring peanut based RUTF to malnourished children in Guatemala.

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APC Hall of Fame Randy Griggs, who recently retired from the Alabama Peanut Producers Association (APPA), was inducted into the APC Hall of Fame at the USA Peanut Congress. Griggs became executive director of the APPA in 1982 and was extensively involved in industry organizations and legislation on behalf of peanut growers. Griggs is originally from Hartsville, South Carolina. He graduated from Clemson University in 1971 and received

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Joe West, president of the American Peanut Council (APC), presents the 2014 APC Hall of Fame inductees during the USA Peanut Congress, June 19-23, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn. Pictured left to right: West, Randy Griggs, retired executive director of the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, and Jimmy Dorsett, president emeritus of Golden Peanut Company.

an MBA graduate degree from the University of South Carolina in 1976.

He was active in APC where he served on the board of directors and as past chairman of the APC board and the National Peanut Council of America, what is now the APC Export Division.

He was a member of the management board of the Peanut Advisory Board, now known as the Southern Peanut Growers, secretary/treasurer of the PeanutPAC of Alabama and the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation. He also served as director of the peanut division of the Alabama Farmers Federation.

As chairman of the APC export division, he traveled extensively internationally in market on behalf of the industry.

Griggs was one of the principles in founding the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation in 1998 to unify the Southeast peanut organization for joint activities and to speak with one unified voice legislatively.

Griggs was heavily involved in research efforts working to increase Southeast funding for peanut research, both from industry and federal sources.

He worked extensively to establish the peanut breeding research program recently implemented at Auburn University in cooperation with the USDA/ARS National Peanut Research Laboratory at

Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2014

Dawson, Georgia.

Jimmy Dorsett of Golden Peanut Company was also inducted into the APC Hall of Fame, the highest honor bestowed by the Council. A graduate of Valdosta State University, Dorsett joined Archer Daniels Midland Company in 1981 and worked in its grain trading and peanut operations. In 1986, when ADM and Gold Kist, Inc. formed Golden Peanut Company (one of the world’s largest processors and marketers of peanuts), Dorsett was named vice president for procurement. In 1990, he was promoted to executive vice president and member of the management executive committee.

He was named president in 1997 and on September 9, 1998, was named president and chief executive officer of Golden Peanut Company. Dorsett was named president emeritus in March of 2013.

He has served as chairman of the American Peanut Council, president and chairman of the board of the American Peanut Shellers Association, chairman of the Peanut Institute and is a board member of the FFA Foundation. He has provided leadership and contributed greatly to each of these organizations and has worked extremely hard to create a strong viable peanut industry, traveling all over the world to promote U.S. peanuts.

2014 Georgia Peanut Tour set for September he twenty-eighth annual Georgia Peanut Tour will be held September 16-18, 2014, and located out of East Georgia at the Holiday Inn and Suites in Pooler, 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 Bulloch, Burke, Screven and Toombs 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 Midville, Port Authority of Georgia in Savannah, Ogeechee Peanut Buying Point and Vidalia Valley.

One special interest of the tour has always been the Early Bird “Hot Topics” Seminar set for Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 3 p.m. This year’s Hot Topics Seminar, held at the Holiday Inn and Suites, will focus on the Peanut and Mycotoxin Innovation Lab (PMIL). The seminar topics include

T

APC Peanut Research and Education Award The APC Peanut Research and Education Award, the Council’s highest research award, is generously sponsored each year by Bayer CropScience. The APC has awarded 50 researchers and educators with this award since 1977. Alan Ayers, director of stakeholder relations and stewardship at Bayer CropScience, presented the award to Baozhu Guo, who is with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Tifton, Georgia. Guo received his undergraduate degree from Shanxi Agricultural University in Plant Protection in 1983. He served on the faculty there until 1989 when he came to the United States to get his graduate degree in Plant Pathology from the University of Kentucky in 1992. He followed that with a doctoral degree from Louisiana State University in Plant Pathology in 1995.

Guo was hired by USDA-ARS in

During the 2013 Georgia Peanut Tour, attendees learn about research at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus from Bob Kemerait, UGA Extension plant pathologist.

an update on the 2014 Georgia peanut crop, peanut program and market update, an overview of the USAID Peanut and Mycotoxin Innovation Lab, genomicbased breeding, technologies to improve peanut production and processing and PMIL’s experience in Haiti.

The Georgia Peanut Commission, University of Georgia-Tifton Campus and Griffin Campus, Southwest Research & Education Center, Attapulgus Research & Education Center, and the USDA

Baozhu Guo, researcher with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, receives the American Peanut Council’s Peanut Research and Education Award during the USA Peanut Congress, June 19-23, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn.

1995. He has written and published more than 100 papers in his career and become an integral part of the Peanut Genomic Initiative. Guo had the foresight to begin

Agricultural Research Service National Peanut Research Lab coordinate the tour.

Hotel accomodations can be made at the Holiday Inn and Suites in Pooler, Georgia, by calling 912-330-5100. Rooms are available at the rate of $89 for a single/double room and $109 for a suite.

Visit www.gapeanuts.com to register and view tour schedule. For more information, contact Hannah Jones at hannah@gapeanuts.com or call at 229-386-3470. t developing a reference population more than 8 years ago for the Tifrunner cultivar and its two parents.

He also established crosses between varieties from China and the U.S. building segregating populations for desired traits. These are the varieties and populations that are being used to sequence the peanut genome. Without his foresight we would be seven years later in having the material needed to begin the sequencing work in 2012.

Guo has also served on the Peanut Genome Consortium Executive Committee and served as the liaison with university and governmental individuals in China. He has also collaborated with other geneticists in the U.S., Brazil, and India. His contributions will contribute greatly to advancing peanut varieties over the next decade. t

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Hardy Farms enters the roasting business ecently known as the winners of the Flavor of Georgia Contest for their sriracha- flavored boiled peanuts, the Hardy family has decided not only to spice up the flavors, but also spice up the business. Hardy Farms gave locals and the peanut industry something to celebrate about during their open house and ribbon cutting ceremony on May 29, 2014, at their new roasting facility in Hawkinsville, Georgia.

Brad Hardy, president of the new Hardy Farms Roasting Division, welcomed everyone to the event.

“There is actually a need for this type of product in this area,” he says. Hardy Farms Roasting Facility currently oil roasts peanuts for other companies to put into their products, or the peanuts can be individually bagged. They hope to be dry roasting and roasting in-shell soon.

“When you get outside of the South, you don’t know what a boiled peanut is.

You start roasting peanuts, and it opens up a bright future,” Hardy says. “I’m thrilled at where we are and we have a bright future. We are doing something that is not done in Georgia, and we are hoping to bring our businesses to companies, so they no longer have to ship out of state.”

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Hardy Farms family members cut the ribbon during the Grand Opening of the new Hardy Farms Roasting Division in Hawkinsville, Ga.

Dignitaries from all aspects of the agricultural industry participated in the celebration including: Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp; Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black; Georgia Sen. Ross Tolleson; Georgia Rep. Buddy Harden and Zippy Duvall, president of Georgia Farm Bureau.

“I think Hardy Farms does a cuttingedge job of marketing Georgia Grown peanuts, and that is evident with their boiling and now roasting facility. They’re

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Representatives on hand at the Hardy Farms Roasting Division Open House showcase the new bags roasted by Hardy Farms. Pictured left to right: Bob Parker, president of National Peanut Board; Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black; Brad Hardy, Hardy Farms Roasting Division; Rodney Dawson, Georgia Peanut Commission board member; Zippy Duvall, Georgia Farm Bureau president; Leslie Wagner, Southern Peanut Growers executive director; Ken Hardy, Hardy Farms Boiled Peanuts and Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp.

clearly servicing a product in demand,” says Commissioner Black. “There has been a lot of discussion about sustainability, and in my mind there is no greater picture of sustainability than when you see a business like Hardy Farms being passed down from generation to generation.”

Hardy Farms, which is well-known for their fresh green boiled peanuts, has been a family owned business since 1935.

The business started off as traditional peanut farming until the early 1990s when Alex Hardy, father of Brad Hardy, decided to expand the business to keep their farm thriving. Alex Hardy started selling green peanuts off of a wagon where he sold 10,000 pounds of peanuts his first year.

In early 2000, Brad and his cousin Ken Hardy started the Hardy Peanuts roadside stands. Today, they currently have about 25 stands throughout middle Georgia and have product available in most major grocery stores. The idea then evolved into the realization there is a demand for roasted peanuts and a facility to do so in Georgia.

The new roasting facility is currently packaging peanuts for the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, Florida

Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2014

Peanut Producers Association, Mississippi Peanut Growers Association, Southern Peanut Growers, Golden Peanut Company, the National Peanut Board, Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia Southern University and the Tifton Tourism Association.

Brad says the facility is able to produce 10 million pounds of peanuts a year on their current equipment and can send out 30 pound boxes on a pallet, where the peanuts are used for anything from trail mix to chocolate covered peanuts. The roasting facility can package peanuts in one ounce bags to five pound bags and bulk anywhere from five pounds to 30 pounds; you can even get them in a 2,000 pound tote bag.

“All of us at Hardy Farms would like to thank everyone who came out for our ribbon cutting celebration. We were honored to host such an amazing event with a show of so much support. Now it’s time to get down to the business of roasting peanuts,” Hardy says.

The new facility began shipping out product June 1, 2014. For more information about Hardy Farms peanuts, visit www.hardyfarmspeanuts.com. t

BY WHITNEY YARBROUGH

Washington Outlook

by Robert L. Redding Jr.

U.S. House begins ag appropriations debate

Southern Peanut Farmers Federation opposes farm bill appropriations amendments

The U.S. House of Representatives has begun debate on the Fiscal Year 2015 Agricultural Appropriations legislation.

The bill is being considered in the House under a modified open rule. Amendments started lining up early in the debate including a number of Title I commodity program and crop insurance amendments such as those dealing with adjusted gross income tests, program participation, etc. In addition, there are a number of trade and nutrition amendments, possibly impacting peanut producers that will be offered on the floor.

The Georgia Peanut Commission and the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation met with key agricultural leaders in the House, including House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Oklahoma, to discuss protecting key peanut provisions if amendments attacking peanuts are offered on the floor. Chairman Lucas has been very visible on the floor during the appropriations legislation consideration. The Chairman of the Agricultural Appropriations Subcommittee is Congressman Robert Aderholt, R-Alabama.

Peanut State Congressmen Sanford Bishop, D-Georgia, and Alan Nunnelee, R-Mississippi, are also senior members of the subcommittee.

It was anticipated that the Ag Appropriations bill would be concluded in one week in the House. After consideration was begun, the results of the election in Virginia ended the House career of Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virgina.

This surprise defeat began a sequence of leadership meetings and events that required the final consideration of the FY 2015 Ag Appropriations bill to be delayed.

The Georgia Peanut Commission and the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation joined other major farm organizations in opposing any amendments on the Fiscal Year 2015 Agricultural Appropriations legislation that harmed the integrity of the 2014 Farm Bill agricultural provisions including crop insurance.

Ag groups noted in the letter: (View full letter on the next page.)

The farm bill was enacted into law only four months ago and most of its provisions have yet to be implemented. The farm bill was the subject of a long and intense debate, beginning with hearings in 2010. In fact, forty hearings were held in all. The farm bill was discussed in 2011 as part of the super committee process, was considered by the Agriculture Committees in both 2012 and 2013 and was, in one fashion or another, debated nine times on the House and Senate floors, including two debates over an extension of the 2008 Farm Bill. The farm bill was finally enacted into law after a four-month-long conference committee reported the measure.

This protracted process created a great deal of uncertainty in rural America. Quite frankly, significant uncertainty remains due to the substantial reforms and budget reductions made by the farm bill. Even as planting season for many crops nears its conclusion across the country, the rules implementing entirely new provisions designed to take effect this crop year are still being promulgated by the Department of Agriculture. Producers will need to carefully consider the new commodity and risk management tools and select what works best for their operations.

Congress must respect the importance of these decisions and allow the reforms included in the 2014 Farm Bill to achieve their full effect.

Immigration reform in trouble There is general agreement that the defeat of House Majority Leader Cantor will make immigration reform much harder to complete in the 113th Congress. Although the Senate and the Administration may continue to push for immigration reform completion by the end of this session, it will be difficult.

With it being an election year, the limited number of days in the legislative calendar and the key member of the House promoting some type of reform package now removed from Leadership, completing the legislative process becomes complicated.

Senate holds child nutrition hearing The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing entitled: A National Priority: The Importance of Child Nutrition Programs to our Nation’s Health, Economy and National Security, which examined how child nutrition programs can help to address some of the biggest challenges facing the nation including national security, economic vitality and the health of children and families.

The House Appropriations Committee’s FY 2015 Ag Appropriations bill contained language, opposed by the Administration, which provides a waiver for Healthy HungerFree Kids Act standards. This waiver from healthier meals rules will also see an amendment to strike from the appropriations legislation on the House floor.

Legislative Updates available online at www.americanpeanuts.com

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Southeastern Peanut Farmer July/August 2014

June 9, 2014 Dear Representative: As you prepare for floor consideration of the Agriculture Appropriations bill, the undersigned organizations urge you to oppose any amendment that would undermine the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the Farm Bill), including the important risk management tools provided through Federal Crop Insurance.

The Farm Bill was enacted into law only four months ago and most of its provisions have yet to be implemented. The Farm Bill was the subject of a long and intense debate, beginning with hearings in 2010. In fact, forty hearings were held in all. The Farm Bill was discussed in 2011 as part of the super committee process, was considered by the Agriculture Committees in both 2012 and 2013 and was, in one fashion or another, debated nine times on the House and Senate floors, including two debates over an extension of the 2008 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill was finally enacted into law after a four month-long conference committee reported the measure.

This protracted process created a great deal of uncertainty in rural America. Quite frankly, significant uncertainty remains due to the substantial reforms and budget reductions made by the Farm Bill. Even as planting season for many crops nears its conclusion across the country, the rules implementing entirely new provisions designed to take effect this crop year are still being promulgated by the Department of Agriculture. Producers will need to carefully consider the new commodity and risk management tools and select what works best for their operations. Congress must respect the importance of these decisions and allow the reforms included in the 2014 Farm Bill to achieve their full effect.

Relative to budget reductions, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected a more than 30 percent reduction in the funding of the Commodity Title during debate over the Farm Bill but increased expected savings by about $3 billion in its updated forecast announced this past April. These budget savings are in addition to the approximately $17 billion in legislative and administrative reductions made to crop insurance over the past seven years. During the House floor debate over the Farm Bill, various amendments seeking still further cuts and changes to the Farm Bill and crop insurance were considered. Some of those amendments were adopted and, ultimately, incorporated into the conference report while other amendments were rejected by the House.

There are a great many issues outside of the Farm Bill that are creating anxiety in rural America, crossing the gamut from tax, trade, regulatory issues and access to a stable workforce to market and weather conditions. Allowing farmers and ranchers an opportunity to adjust to the new Farm Bill without further changes to this very recently enacted measure will help reduce the level of anxiety in farm country and pay economic dividends.

Given these circumstances, we urge you to oppose amendments to the Agriculture Appropriations bill that would harm the Farm Bill or Crop Insurance.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely, American Association of Crop Insurers American Farm Bureau Federation American Soybean Association American Sugar Alliance American Sugarbeet Growers Association American Sugar Cane League Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau Crop Insurance Professionals Association Farm Credit Council Florida Sugar Cane League Hawaii Sugar Farmers Independent Community Bankers of America Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America National Association of Wheat Growers National Barley Growers Association National Corn Growers Association National Cotton Council

National Council of Farmer Cooperatives National Farmers Union National Milk Producers Federation National Sorghum Producers National Sunflower Association Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers Select Milk Producers, Inc. Southern Peanut Farmers Federation Southwest Council of Agribusiness US Canola Association US Dry Bean Council US Rice Producers Association U.S. Beet Sugar Association USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council USA Rice Federation Western Peanut Growers Association

July/August 2014 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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Southern Peanut Growers Southern Peanut Growers sponsors break at National Restaurant Association The Southern Peanut Growers teamed up with the California Avocado Commission to sponsor a break at the Marketing Executives Group meeting on May 17 during the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago, Illinois. Peanut items served during the break were: Peanut & Tomato Pesto, Peanut Crostata and Warm Thai Peanuts. More than 250 chain restaurant marketing executives were in attendance at the meeting including: Brinker International/Chili’s, BackYard Burgers, Bloomin’ Brands/Carraba’s Italian Grill, Buffalo Wild Wings, Carvel, Golden Corral, Johnny Rockets, Margaritaville, Noodles & Company, Raising Cane’s, Sizzler and many more!

Southern Peanut Growers samples new Planter’s Roasted Peanut Flavors at Atlanta’s Southeast Women’s Expo Southern Peanut Growers exhibited at the Atlanta’s Southeast Women’s Expo at the America’s Mart June 7-8, 2014. The highlight of the exhibit was the sampling of the new Planter’s Roasted Peanut flavors: Chipotle, Salted Caramel, Cocoa and Smoked.

“Since this product is so new in the store – in fact not all the chains even have it yet! – most people hadn’t tried it yet although many had seen the television advertising,” said Leslie Wagner, executive director of SPG. “They are already available at Publix which was, hands-down, the favored grocery store of this audience, so people were very excited to go buy their favorite flavors right away!”

The booth also featured brand new recipe cards, nutrition information, sample bags of peanuts and peanut butter themed jar openers.

Marketing arm of

New video posted on Southern Peanut Growers YouTube Channel The SPG has just loaded a new video featuring Brenda Morris’ Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies. Brenda is the wife of Georgia Peanut Commission chairman, Armond Morris, from Ocilla, Georgia.

Brenda and Don Koehler, executive director of Georgia Peanut Commission, show you how to make Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies, a recipe Brenda created, during this cooking demonstration.

Southern Peanut Growers upcoming events • Southern Peanut Growers Conference, Panama City Beach, Florida – July 24 – 26, 2014 • Speaking of Women’s Health, Jacksonville, Florida – August 23, 2014 Booth and healthy cooking demonstration and nutrition talk breakout session.

• Southern Women’s Show, Birmingham, Alabama – October 2 – 5, 2014 Friday is Peanut Lovers Day! Visit our booth or one of five cooking demonstrations during the four-day show.

• Southern Women’s Show, Jacksonville, Florida – October 16 – 17, 2014 Friday is Peanut Lovers Day! Visit our booth or one of five cooking demonstrations during the four-day show.

Nutty Jalapeno-Chicken Stuffed Peppers Grand Prize Winner - The United States of Peanut Butter Contest Lori M. in Denton, Texas Ingredients: 12 large jalapeño peppers, split open (but not all the way through) and seeded 1/2 cup peanut butter 1 cup shredded cooked chicken 3-oz. package cooked bacon pieces 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 cup crushed cornflakes Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place peppers in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry. In a medium bowl, mix together the peanut butter, chicken, bacon and cheese. Fill each jalapeño with the mixture. Smear each pepper with a little mayonnaise and roll in the cornflakes in a shallow dish to cover. Place jalapeño on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 15-20 minutes.

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

July/August 2014 Southeastern Peanut Farmer

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September 16 - 18, 2014 Savannah, 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 http://www.gapeanuts.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