January/February 2023 - Southeastern Peanut Farmer

PEANUT FORFEITURES

The U.S. Department of Agriculture does not show any forfeitures for the 2021 peanut crop as of Jan. 3, 2023.

20 | NPB ELECTS OFFICERS

The National Peanut Board elected 2023 officers at its December meeting.

22 | AL-FL PEANUT TRADE SHOW

The Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show is set for Feb. 2, 2023.

University of Georgia researchers Rui Xu, Jerome Maleski and Nino Brown stand with Watson, a phenotyping robot that operates autonomously or under human control to collect data in the field for peanut breeding.

Editor’s thoughts Events

A New Year of Possibilities and Better Health

New Year's Resolutions come and go! Many people like to remember and reminisce on the past year while making resolutions to improve their life at the beginning of a new year. Some resolutions keep while others last a few days or maybe even a month or so.

This year farmers may be making some difficult decisions on the farm in terms of what to plant, land to buy or rent, equipment to lease or buy and more. Those decisions can be difficult at times as you look forward to a new year while remembering the bountiful harvest or the disaster you had this past year.

One decision that can be easy to make is adding more peanuts and peanut butter to your diet. Why wouldn’t a farmer who grows peanuts want to do this? So, I give you some resolutions to make this year that will help you be healthier in 2023.

1. Lose Weight – Peanuts can help with weight loss and keep you full longer!

2. Exercise – Our bodies use peanuts and peanut butter as a fuel to hit the trails or gym! Plus, peanuts have the most protein of any nut.

3. Save Money – Peanuts aren’t just one of the healthiest and most popular nuts, they’re also the most affordable.

4. Eat Healthy – In just one daily serving of peanuts or peanut butter, you can fight disease and protect your body and mind for years to come.

For ways to incorporate these resolutions in 2023, visit any of your state checkoff websites, the National Peanut Board or The Peanut Institute website for recipes and nutritional information. 

Joy Carter Crosby SEPF Editor

Rippey Joins Alabama Peanut Producers Association

Kaycee Rippey joined the Alabama Peanut Producers Association (APPA) staff on Nov. 3, 2022, as the Communications Coordinator. Rippey holds a bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences with a minor in Communications from Auburn University. She has been involved in agriculture throughout her life and has a passion to see it thrive.

Most recently, she worked as the Marketing Representative for Encore Rehabilitation, Inc. Rippey and her husband Clay are also looking forward to welcoming a baby girl in 2023.

Rippey is grateful for this opportunity and is excited to make an impact for Alabama peanut farmers.

Georgia Agribusiness Council Annual Meeting and Legislative Breakfast Jan. 31- Feb. 1, 2023, Atlanta, Ga. For more info visit ga-agribusiness.org or call 706-336-6830.

Alabama/Florida Peanut Trade Show

Feb. 2, 2023, National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds, Dothan, Ala. For more info call 334-792-6482 or visit alpeanuts.com or flpeanuts.com.

Mississippi Peanut Growers Association Annual Meeting

Feb. 8, 2023, Forrest County Multipurpose Center, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. For more information call 601-606-3547 or visit misspeanuts.com.

Georgia Peanut Commission Research Report Day

Feb. 8, 2023, University of Georgia National Environmentally Sound Production Laboratory (NESPAL), Tifton, Ga. For more info visit gapeanuts.com or call 229-386-3470.

National Peanut Buying Points Association Annual Meeting Feb. 17-20, 2023, Point Clear, Ala. For more info visit peanutbuyingpoints.org or call 229-386-1716.

Florida Peanut Producers Association Annual Meeting

Feb. 23, 2023, Jackson County Agricultural Complex and Conference Center, Marianna, Fla. For more info visit flpeanuts.com.

American Peanut Shellers Association Industry Spring Conference March 7-8, 2023, Albany, Ga. For more information call 229-888-2508 or visit peanut-shellers.org.

Peanut Proud Festival March 25, 2023, Blakely, Ga. For more info visit www.peanutproudfestival.com.

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

Kaycee Rippey, Communications Coordinator Alabama Peanut Producers Assn.

Future of Peanut Breeding

Ground-Based Phenotyping Robot Developed

by Joy Crosby

Robots are widely used around the world in manufacturing, assembly and packing or in mass production. Now, scientists at the University of Georgia will be able to utilize a robot, Watson, in order to advance peanut breeding and selection of varietal differences.

The four-wheeled, phenotyping robot that operates autonomously or under human control, is taking shape through a partnership within the UGA College of Engineering and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The project is funded through checkoff dollars from farmers through the Georgia Peanut Commission.

Peanut Breeding

UGA assistant research scientist Nino Brown explains that breeding for a good commercial peanut requires investment that goes beyond the university.

"Plant breeding is a an expensive, slow, resource intensive endeavor," Brown says. "It requires a lot of people and a lot of specialized equipment to breed peanuts."

While there are many varieties available to choose from — including a slate of cultivars developed at UGA — peanut breeders must constantly work at developing new varieties with better yields, better flavor, high and

low oleic (fatty) acid content, and resistance to a host of existing or emerging pests and diseases because developing a new variety takes 10-12 years.

Brown has been working with long-time UGA peanut breeder Bill Branch at the Tifton Campus, where they work together to develop and evaluate peanut varieties with improved agronomic traits that are important to growers.

Breeders use diverse sources of peanut germplasm, making crosses among these new and existing varieties to transfer the best traits of the parent plants to the offspring.

Pictured left to right: Rui Xu, research assistant with the UGA College of Engineering, Jerome Maleski, senior research associate with the UGA Turfgrass Breeding Program, and Nino Brown, assistant research scientist with the University of Georgia, set up the cameras on Watson, a phenotyping robot that operates autonomously or under human control to collect data in the field.

Researchers cross-pollinate plants in the greenhouse in the first year, then grow the hybrids in the field the next year.

Then the breeders harvest individual plants from those hybrids and plant nurseries every year, from which they harvest thousands of plants, making selections along the way and whittling down the number of populations and potential varieties until they select the best one.

"The breeders individually select plants and individually harvest those plants," Brown adds. "It's very timeconsuming and expensive."

The Idea for a Robot

During one of the GPC Research Report Days, Brown gave a presentation on the use of drones in peanut breeding plots. He uses drones to take photographs in order to measure characteristics of different hybrid peanut genotypes in the field such as canopy volume, plant height and plant vigor that can be seen easier from above than from the ground. His team, which includes senior research associates Jing Zhang and Jerome Maleski from the UGA Turfgrass Breeding Program, are developing these methods in order to take measurements that are normally too time consuming to do manually in large breeding populations, and are thus rarely evaluated until late in the development pipeline.

However, to study smaller details, like disease symptoms or plant architecture, higher resolution images are necessary. Following the meeting Don Koehler, GPC executive director, approached Brown to see if a groundbased phenotyping robot would be of any use for viewing traits among peanut varieties.

"I immediately said yes that it would be helpful," Brown says. "We are very fortunate to have the support and leadership from the Georgia Peanut Commission in advancing peanut research at UGA."

So, Koehler put together a group of engineers and people with experience in robotics and agriculture and they began the process to develop the robot. The team included

Brown along with Changying "Charlie" Li and Rui Xu in the UGA College of Engineering in Athens.

The group of researchers met and reviewed some of the current robots available on the market and decided that most of them wouldn't work for peanuts. So, the team of researchers decided to develop a robot from the ground up.

The Future with Watson

The team developed the groundbased, high throughput phenotyping vehicle platform called "Watson." The robot is designed to drive autonomously through the field using GPS and will take highly detailed images and other measurements.

Watson was designed so that it can travel through rough and muddy terrain. The dimensions of the robot match those of a typical research plot.

“One day growers may be able to use the technology for autonomous weed control or autonomous scouting of their fields for disease symptoms. The potential of the technology is limited only by our imagination."

Nino Brown Assistant Research Scientist University of Georgia

“Watson can carry sensors and instruments to collect data in the field,” Li says, Phenomics and Plant Robotics Center (PPRC) director and engineering professor. “We are using three RGB color cameras to collect color images of peanut plants. With those images, we can construct 3D models of the plants and measure morphologic traits such as canopy height, size and volume. The color images can also be used to detect leaf diseases. We plan to add additional sensors, such as a multispectral camera, to measure traits that cannot be measured by color images.”

As of now, Watson takes pictures of the plants and some of Li and Brown's collaborators, Jerome Maleski

The ground-based phenotyping vehicle platform called Watson is designed to drive autonomously through the field using GPS to take measurements of peanut breeding lines in research plots.

and Jing Zhang, use software to analyze those images. In the future, the researchers hope to use other types of multi-spectral sensors to help take really detailed measurements of disease symptoms, plant measurements, leaf shape, and leaf dimensions.

"Our hope is to eventually be able to cover several thousand plots in a day to really increase the rate of genetic gain," Brown says. “The more genotypes we can evaluate, the faster and cheaper we’re able to create genetic gain to make significantly improved new peanut varieties.”

The robot will likely assist peanut breeders by increasing the number of breeding plots they can evaluate from 2,000 to 20,000 plots, which will have a significant effect on the rate of improvement in peanut variety development.

The initial project was to develop Watson for the purpose of breeding selection and breeding nurseries, however there is a lot of application and potential in the technology to take measurements in almost any type of research plots that are done at UGA.

The robot has potential to be utilized in weed science, plant pathology and potentially a lot of different fields and research plots.

"One day growers may also be able to use the technology for autonomous weed control or autonomous scouting of their fields for disease symptoms," Brown says. "The potential of the technology is limited only by our imagination." 

Checkoff Report

Investments Made by Growers for the Future of the Peanut Industry

FPPA attends Florida School Nutrition Association Conference

The Florida Peanut Producers Association attended and exhibited at the Florida School Nutrition Association Conference in Jacksonville, Florida. School food service personnel gathered to learn the most up-to-date information on providing Florida’s students with healthy choices for school breakfast and lunch menus.

“We were happy to see many peanut butter products offered for school food service menus,” says Ken Barton, FPPA executive director. “As we visited with school district food service directors, managers, and dietitians, we found that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are still the most popular menu item in many districts. We encouraged school districts to make sure they know that Florida Peanut Producers Association is available to assist when allergy concerns or issues arise.”

FPPA provided the attendees with health and nutritional information and brochures developed by the National Peanut Board that helped distinguish fact from fiction regarding peanut allergy. FPPA also provided roasted peanuts and single-serve packages of peanut butter for snacks and food service size recipe cards for cafeteria staff.

FPPA educate Cub Scouts about peanuts

The Florida Peanut Producers welcomed Pac 40 with 50 cub scouts and their parents to the peanut field to see digging and picking in action this past fall.

Larry Ford, FPPA president and farmer in Greenwood, Florida, walked the youth through the peanut harvesting process. Leaving the fields, the children significantly understood the peanut butter story. Parents were excited to learn about peanuts' nutritional benefits for health and wellness. Thanks, Ford Farms, for taking Pac 40 to the peanut fields.

APPA educates students and families at fall farm days

Harvest season means fall farm days and farm city week celebrations in Alabama. During October, APPA participated in Farm City farm days in Coffee and Franklin counties, educating more than 900 students about peanuts and the peanut industry.

Landmark Park in Dothan, Alabama, held its annual Fall Farm Day Oct. 15. APPA was on hand to pass out samples of roasted peanuts, recipes and other giveaways. More than 3,000 people attended this event.

Exhibitors go whole hog for Florida peanuts

The Florida Peanut Producers Association sponsored the Panhandle Youth Expo Swine exhibition refreshment break in October.

Florida Peanut Producers Association

boiled peanuts to the youth showing livestock at the Panhandle Youth Expo in October.

FPPA provided a true southern delicacy - boiled peanuts. Youth took time at the booth to discuss the health and nutrition benefits of peanuts for people as well as their swine project. Peanuts provided food, fuel and nutrition to the exhibitors as they entered the show ring.

State Departments of Agriculture Communication officers learn about peanuts

Alabama was the host state for the 2022 Communication Officers of State Departments of Agriculture’s (COSDA) national meeting in October. More than 100 attendees toured several farms and agricultural landmarks around the state during their conference. One of their stops was Bell Place Farm with Jamie and Wendy Yeager in Orrville, Alabama. APPA shared with the group about how peanuts are grown and the industry, while the Yeagers demonstrated the digging and harvesting of peanuts. APPA also made homemade peanut butter which the group enjoyed with crackers, and many sampled boiled peanuts for the first time. The group learned about cotton while on the farm as well.

Wendy Yeager of Bell Place Farm, talks about peanuts as attendees of the COSDA tour look on.

Florida Peanut Producers Association exhibits during the Florida School Nutrition Association annual conference.

Kaye Lynn Hataway, APPA promotions coordinator, poses with a kindergarten class from Elba Elementary School at the Coffee County Farm City day.

Larry Ford, president of the Florida Peanut Producers Association, provided a tour of his farm and explained peanut harvest to the Pac 40 cub scouts this past fall.

provided

GPC promotes peanuts at Peach Bowl in Atlanta

The Georgia Peanut Commission sponsored and exhibited at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, Dec. 31, 2022. The game included the University of Georgia Bulldogs and the Ohio State Buckeyes vying for the win.

During the event, GPC promoted peanuts at an exhibit in the FanFest, reaching an estimated 30,000 fans. In the exhibit, fans had the opportunity to sample roasted peanuts and pick up a peanut butter spreader and squeeze peanut.

To further the promotion, GPC designed a full-page ad in the game program and promoted peanuts through the videoboard and LED ribbon board throughout the game, which had an attendance of 79,330 fans. GPC was listed as an official sponsor on signage at the game and the bowl game website.

Additionally, this past fall GPC promoted peanuts at the Georgia Southern, Albany State, University of Georgia and Georgia Tech football games. Peanuts are also promoted through the Jacksonville Jaguars football radio programming and in-stadium promotions.

APPA exhibits at National Peanut Festival

National Peanut Festival attendees were able to sample fried peanuts and grilled PB&Js at the Peanut Pavilion.

The National Peanut Festival (NPF) was held Nov. 4-13 in Dothan, Alabama. Leading up to the actual festival, APPA participated in the Miss National Peanut Festival pageant and the NPF Recipe Contest. APPA sponsors a $1,000 scholarship for the highest scoring contestant on the peanut knowledge test for the Miss NPF pageant. Forty-eight contestants competed in the pageant. Miss Dothan, Angelyse Hanna, was the winner of the 2022 scholarship.

The NPF recipe contest was held Thursday, Oct. 27. APPA awarded the Overall Adult Winner and Overall Student Winner with a new stand mixer. There were 93 entries in the recipe contest for 2022.

APPA hosted the Peanut Pavilion throughout the NPF. More than 200,000 people attend the festival over 10 days. APPA handed out more than 20,000 samples of fried peanuts, roasted peanuts and grilled PB&Js. That equals around 1,600 pounds of peanuts!

APPA celebrates National Peanut Butter Lovers Month on social media

Georgia Peanuts featured on VeryVera for

Social media campaign for a year’s supply of peanut butter.

The month of November has been named National Peanut Butter Lovers Month and the Alabama Peanut Producers Association was excited to commemorate the event through social media. Peanut butter recipes were shared, including desserts, side dishes and dog treats. An interview with a grower was also posted to highlight the process of field to pantry. Throughout the month, over 15,000 consumers were reached with the help of a giveaway for a year’s supply of peanut butter.

Butter Lovers Month

Peanut

Georgia Peanuts were highlighted this past fall on an episode of Very Vera. The VeryVera show, currently in its 11th season, airs in 40 metropolitan markets across 19 states. The show reaches 24 million U.S. households.

The VeryVera show, displayed three new recipes using peanut butter in a November episode for Peanut Butter Lovers Month.

The segment which aired in November 2022, featured three peanut recipes using peanuts and peanut butter. The promotion was coordinated to promote National Peanut Butter Lovers Month.

The featured recipes were Peanut Butter and Jelly Chocolate Bars, Peanut Butter Pudding and a Smokey Peanut Butter Chili. All of the recipes are available on the GPC website at gapeanuts.com. To view the episode, visit the VeryVera Youtube channel.

MPGA exhibits at 100th anniversary celebration for Mississippi Farm Bureau

The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association showcased the peanut industry at their exhibit during the Mississippi Farm and Land Expo in Jackson, Mississippi. The event had nearly 2,000 attendees and celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Mississippi Farm Bureau.

Malcolm Broome, MPGA executive director, and MPGA board members manned the exhibit where they handed out peanut samples, peanut butter spreaders, stress reliever peanuts, plus peanut recipes from Southern Peanut Growers and the Sustainable Peanut brochure from the National Peanut Board.

Additional Checkoff Reports are available on page 10.

The Georgia Peanut Commission exhibit during the Peach Bowl FanFest in December.

Checkoff Report

Georgia Peanut Harvest Tour reaches chefs and influencers

The Georgia Peanut Commission and Southern Peanut Growers teamed up this past fall to host a Georgia Peanut Harvest Tour for chefs and food influencers. The event included eight chefs and food influencers from New York, Chicago, Florida, Georgia. The attendees toured the University of Georgia Griffin and Tifton campus, Ross Kendrick's farm in Turner County, Tifton Peanut Company, Tifton Quality Peanuts and MANA Nutrition.

Throughout the tour, attendees were able to learn more about peanut breeding, use of technology on the farm, view peanut harvest and learn more about the grading, inspection and shelling operation of peanuts. Additionally, through the tour of MANA Nutrition in Fitzgerald, Georgia, attendees were able to learn more about the many ways peanuts are used in humanitarian efforts and saving lives across the globe.

During the event, the social media influencers posted stories to Instagram and Facebook and video reels to TikTok. One of the influencers, Michelle Miller, known as Farm Babe on social media reached 435,284 people through her posts. Farm Babe's video views from the tour reached 69,453 people as she showed them clips from peanut harvest, shelling and more.

Additional attendees like Ashley Covelli of Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen and Emma and Sean from Our Countertop created new peanut recipes following the tour and posted on their website and distributed to their subscribers through email. Regan Jones, RDN and host of This Unmillennial Life, plans to host a podcast highlighting the nutrition facts of peanuts and information on early introduction to prevent peanut allergies.

The National Peanut Board also provided additional funds to support the tour through their co-promotion project with the Georgia Peanut Commission.

Georgia Peanut Restaurant Week held in October

The Georgia Peanut Commission selected 12 chefs from across the state to create special Georgia Peanutinspired dishes for the annual Georgia Peanut Restaurant Week, Oct. 4-9, 2022. Each chef used ingredients including raw or roasted peanuts, peanut oil, or peanut flour, to create their new peanut-inspired appetizers, main entrees or dessert. Recipes ranged from a West African Peanut Stew to a Peanut Crusted Catfish over Collard Fried Rice.

Georgia Peanut Restaurant Week was promoted to media outlets across the state and reached more than 12 million through chef appearances on television including Fox 5 in Atlanta and WSAV in Savannah, along with print articles in newspapers across the state. The chefs and their recipes were also included in a special section of The Local Palate publication which has a readership of 300,000.

The event was also promoted through social media highlighting each chef, their peanut-inspired dish and restaurant which reached 291,338 consumers in select markets within the state.

2022 Census of Agriculture Underway

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) mailed the 2022 Census of Agriculture paper questionnaires to all known agriculture producers across the nation and Puerto Rico. Last month, producers in the states received their survey codes with an invitation to respond online. Any producer who did not respond online now has the option to complete the ag census at agcounts. usda.gov or by mail. Producers who have already responded to the 2022 Census of Agriculture online do not need to respond again. The deadline for response is Feb. 6, 2023.

“We encourage producers to respond online,” says USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Administrator Hubert Hamer. “We know producers are busy, which is why NASS worked to make responding to the ag census more convenient than ever before. The online questionnaire is secure and user friendly with several time saving features, such as skipping questions that do not pertain to the operation, pre-filling some information with previously reported data, and automatically calculating totals.”

The Census of Agriculture remains the nation’s only comprehensive and

impartial agriculture data for every state, county, and U.S. territory. Farm operations of all sizes, urban and rural, which produced and sold, or normally would have sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural products in 2022, are included in the ag census. The data inform decisions about policy, programs, rural development, research and more. The Census of Agriculture is the producer’s voice in the future of American agriculture.

NASS will release the results of the ag census in 2024. To learn more about the Census of Agriculture, visit www.nass.usda.gov/agcensus. 

Chef and food influencers learn more about peanut harvest at the farm of Ross Kendrick in Sycamore, Ga.

2023 Peanut Variety Guidebook

State, federal and private peanut breeding programs are actively involved in the development of improved varieties with desirable traits for increasing dollar value, yield, grade, disease resistance, insect resistance, virus resistance, nematode resistance, aflatoxin resistance, drought tolerance, better shelling characteristics, longer shelf-life and enhanced flavor and nutritional qualities.

In the U.S., there are four peanut market types (runner, virginia, spanish and valencia), and within each market type, there are different varieties. The varieties contained in this guidebook reflect those varieties commonly planted in the Southeast and those varieties recommended by agronomists for this area due to resistance to tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). Variety selection is an important process in the overall management of the farm. This guidebook serves as a resource for growers when they select a variety for the 2023 crop year.

Runner Type

ACI 3321 is a large seeded, higholeic runner peanut. ACI 3321 is a top yielding variety for ACI Seeds and in State Variety testing in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. ACI 3321 has a high level of TSWV resistance, best in class white mold resistance and very good leaf spot resistance. ACI 3321 has demonstrated stability across diverse U.S. peanut production areas. ACI 3321 is well adapted to irrigated and dry-land production. ACI 3321 was developed by Kim M. Moore of ACI Seeds, a privately funded peanut research and development company based in South Georgia with ongoing research and development across all U.S. peanut growing regions. ACI 3321 seed will be commercially available for the 2021 planting season.

ACI 789 is a high oleic runner variety with a high percentage of medium kernels. The variety matures in about 135 days in South Georgia and has good resistance to TSWV. This variety has very good peg strength giving flexibility during harvesting when weather conditions delay digging and/or picking. ACI 789 was released in 2015 by ACI Seeds under the Plant Variety Protection Act. ACI

789 was developed by Kim M. Moore of ACI Seeds, a privately funded peanut research and development company based in South Georgia with ongoing research and development across all U.S. peanut growing regions. ACI 789 has demonstrated stability and success across many U.S. peanut production areas.

AU-NPL 17 is a runner type peanut with high-yielding and medium maturity, very good resistance to TSWV, highly tolerant to leaf spot, very good resistance to white mold and superior shelling characters. AU-NPL 17 has a prostrate growth habit with main stem and with large vines. It has high oleic fatty acid content and excellent flavor. AU-NPL 17 is well adapted to irrigated and non-irrigated lands across diverse U.S. peanut production areas. AU-NPL 17 has a very decent grade. The seeds have pink testa and medium large runner seed size, which is a little smaller than Georgia-06G. AU-NPL 17 was released by Auburn University and USDA-ARS National Peanut Research Laboratory in 2017.

FloRun™ ‘331’ is a high-yielding,

medium maturity, disease tolerant runner-type variety released from the University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center, Marianna, Florida, in 2016. It has medium runner seed size with very good grades. FloRun™ ‘331’ has had excellent pod yield in both irrigated and non-irrigated trials over several seasons of testing across several locations in Florida. Of the runnertype varieties tested for resistance to leaf spots and white mold, FloRun™ ‘331’ has had among the best pod yield and lowest disease scores and it is moderately resistant to TSWV. FloRun™ ‘331’ has high oleic oil chemistry beneficial for extended shelf-life and marketability of peanuts and peanut products.

Georgia-06G is a high-yielding, TSWV-resistant, large-seeded, runnertype peanut variety that was released in 2006 by the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, Georgia. Georgia-06G has a high level of resistance to TSWV. In multilocation tests conducted in Georgia during the past several years,

Georgia-06G was found to have among the lowest disease incidence, highest pod yield, highest TSMK grade and highest dollar value return per acre compared to other runnertypes tested each year. Georgia-06G combines high TSWV resistance with medium maturity and excellent yield and high TSMK grade which results in greater dollar value return per acre.

Georgia-07W is a high-yielding, TSWV-resistant and white moldresistant, runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2007 by the University of Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia. Georgia-07W has a high level of resistance to TSWV and to white mold or stem rot. Georgia-07W combines high TSWV and white mold resistance with medium maturity and excellent yield, grade and dollar value return per acre.

Georgia-09B is a high-yielding, high-oleic, TSWV-resistant, mediumseeded, runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2009 by the University of Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia.

Georgia-09B has a high level of resistance to spotted wilt disease caused by TSWV. Georgia-09B also has the high-oleic and low-linoleic fatty acid ratio for improved oil quality and longer shelf-life of peanut and peanut products. Georgia-09B originated from the first backcross made with Georgia Green as the recurrent parent. It has an intermediate runner growth habit and medium maturity, similar to Georgia Green. Georgia-09B has a medium runner seed size. Georgia09B combines the excellent roasted flavor of Georgia Green with the high-oleic trait for longer shelf-life and improved oil quality of peanut and peanut products.

Georgia-12Y is a high-yielding, TSWV-resistant, white-mold resistant, medium-seeded, runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2012 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia. Georgia-12Y is similar to another runner-type variety Georgia-10T in having low TSWV disease incidence and total disease incidence. However,

during several years averaged over multilocation tests in Georgia, Georgia-12Y had significantly higher pod yield and higher dollar value return per acre compared to Georgia10T. Georgia-12Y also has a smaller seed size (greater number of seed per pound) than Georgia-10T. Georgia-12Y should be an excellent variety for an earlier planting (April) option in the Southeast because of its high TSWV and white mold-resistance and later maturity.

Georgia-14N is a high-yielding, high-oleic, TSWV-resistant, and RKNresistant, small-seeded, runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2014 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton. Georgia-14N is similar to other higholeic, runner-type varieties in having high-oleic and low-linoleic fatty acid profiles. However, during threeyears averaged over multilocation tests in Georgia, Georgia-14N had significantly less TSWV

compared to Tifguard. Georgia-14N combines high-yield, TSWV resistance and root knot nematode resistance with smaller seed size, and the higholeic trait for longer shelf-life and improved oil quality of peanut and peanut products.

Georgia-16HO is a high-yielding, high-oleic, TSWV-resistant, largeseeded, runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2016 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, Georgia. Georgia-16HO is similar to other higholeic, runner-type varieties in having the high-oleic and low-linoleic fatty acid profile. However during several years averaged over multilocation tests in Georgia, Georgia-16HO had less TSWV and total disease incidence and higher yield, grade and dollar value return per acre compared to TUFRunner™ ‘511’. Georgia-16HO was also found to have a large runner seed size similar to TUFRunner™ ‘511’, but not as large of seed size as TUFRunner™ ‘297’. Georgia-16HO combines high-yield, TSWV resistance with large runner seed size, and the high-oleic trait for longer shelf-life and improved oil quality of peanut and peanut products.

Georgia-18RU is a high-yielding, normal-oleic, TSWV-resistant and leaf scorch-resistant, medium-large seeded, runner-type peanut variety that was released by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station in 2018. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, Georgia.

During five-years averaged over multiple location tests in Georgia, Georgia-18RU had the highest percent TSMK grade and the lowest number of seed per pound compared to the Georgia-06G runner-type variety.

Georgia 18RU was also found to have a similar low percent TSWV and total disease incidence, high yield and dollar value return per acre as Georgia-06G. Georgia-18RU combines high yield, high grade, high dollar value and TSWV and leaf scorch resistance with the desirable normal-oleic trait requested by peanut butter manufacturers. It also has similar roasted flavor, blanchability and maturity as Georgia-06G.

Georgia 20VHO is a new high-yielding, high-grading, TSWVresistant, very high-oleic to linoleic ratio, runner-type peanut variety that was released by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station in 2020. It was developed at the

University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, GA. During five-years and three-years averaged over multilocation tests in Georgia, Georgia-20VHO had significantly higher percentage of total sound mature kernel grade compared to Georgia-09B and six other high-oleic runner varieties, respectively. It was also among the lowest in TSWV and total disease incidence and among the highest in pod yield and dollar values compared to the other high-oleic runner varieties in Georgia. Georgia20VHO, as the name implies, has a very high O/L ratio, similar to another VHO virginia-type variety Georgia-11J. Georgia 20VHO combines high yield, grade and dollar values with TSWV resistance and very high O/L ratio for longer shelf-life of peanut and peanut products.

TifJumbo is a virginia-type peanut variety release by the USDAARS and the University of Georgia. Marker assisted selection was used to select for nematode resistance and the high-oleic to linoleic (O/L) characteristic. TifJumbo has a high level of resistance to both the peanut root-knot nematode and TSWV and has a high ratio of oleic acid to

linoleic acid. When tested in fields without nematode pressure TifJumbo exhibited yields that were at least similar to other currently grown peanut varieties. When tested in fields with nematode pressure, TifJumbo

exhibited significantly higher yields in comparison to other viriginia-type peanut varieties. Commercial seed will be limited in 2023.

TifNV-HG is a runner-type peanut variety release by the USDAARS and the University of Georgia. Marker assisted selection was used

to select for nematode resistance and the high-oleic to linoleic (O/L) characteristic. TifNV-HG has a high level of resistance to both the peanut root-knot nematode and TSWV and has a high ratio of oleic acid to linoleic acid. When tested in fields without nematode pressure TifNV-HG exhibited yields that were

at least similar to other currently grown peanut varieties. When tested in fields with nematode pressure, TifNV-HG exhibited yield that was at least equivalent to the nematode resistant varieties, TifNV-High O/L and Georgia 14N, and significantly higher than susceptible varieties. TifNV-HG exhibited higher grade in comparison the TifNV-High O/L. Commercial seed will be limited in 2023.

TifNV-High O/L is a high oleic peanut variety developed and released by USDA-Agricultural Research Service peanut breeder Corley Holbrook. It’s a new high oleic version of the nematode resistant Tifguard that Holbrook released several years ago. The new variety offers high yields, nematode resistance, a high concentration of oleic acid, resistance to spotted wilt

virus, moderate resistance to leaf spot and medium maturity. TifNV-High O/L resulted from a cross between Tifguard and the Florida-07 varieties. Holbrook worked with University of Georgia researchers Peggy OziasAkins and Ye Chu in using molecular markers for nematode resistance and the high O/L trait. Using the molecular markers, they were able to greatly speed up the process of developing the new variety.

TUFRunner™ ‘297’ is a high yielding, extra-large seeded, medium maturity runner-type peanut with high oleic oil chemistry developed by the University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center, Marianna, Florida. It was released in 2014. TUFRunner™ ‘297’ has demonstrated very good resistance to white mold, good resistance to TSWV

and is susceptible to leaf spots. Yield and grade of TUFRunner™ ‘297’ have been excellent. It has a prominent center stem with a semi prostrate growth habit.

TUFRunner™ ‘511’ is a large seeded, medium maturity runner-type peanut with high oleic oil chemistry. The University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center, Marianna, Florida released TUFRunner™ ‘511’ peanut in 2013. It has very good resistance to white mold, moderate resistance to TSWV, and is susceptible to leaf spots. Yield and grade of TUFRunner™ ‘511’ have been excellent. The seed size is similar to Georgia-06G with a similar out-turn of medium, number one and jumbo kernels. The growth habit of TUFRunner™ ‘511’ is prostrate. 

New peanut varieties

There are five new peanut varieties released for growers. However, there will be limited seed available for each variety.

FloRun™ ‘T61’ is a new high yielding, TSWV resistant, medium seeded, runner type variety from the University of Florida. It was released in 2020 from the North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Florida. FloRun™ ‘T61’ has high yield potential demonstrated over multiple locations in Florida as well as in onfarm tests. It has high grades and outstanding resistance to spotted wilt (TSWV) which is the reason for the “T” in T61. During several years of testing, FloRun™ ‘T61’ has proven to resist TSWV and produce high yields when disease pressure from TSWV reduced yield of other varieties. It has a medium seed size with about 650 seeds per pound and just over 40 percent medium kernels on an in-shell basis. The vine growth of FloRun™ ‘T61’ is moderate, allowing good performance in twin rows without excessive vine production. The maturity of FloRun™ ‘T61’ is in the medium range of 140-145 days after planting under irrigation in Florida. The pod yield of FloRun™ ‘T61’

has been excellent and better than Georgia-06G in tests across several Florida locations. It also performed very well in on-farm demonstration plots in Florida topping the yield in several locations. FloRun™ ‘T61’ has high oleic oil and should be an excellent choice for farmers, shellers and manufacturers who need peanuts with the high oleic trait.

Georgia 21GR is a new highyielding, high-grading, TSWVresistant, normal oleic, runner-type peanut variety that was released by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station in 2021. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal

Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, GA. During six-years averaged over multilocation tests in Georgia, Georgia-21GR had significantly higher percentage of total sound mature kernel (TSMK) grade compared to Georgia-06G, a widely popular runner variety. It also had similar low TSWV and total disease incidence and comparable high pod yield and dollar values as Georgia-06G. Georgia-21GR, as the name implies, has a very high TSMK grade percentage. Georgia21GR combines high yield, grade and dollar values with TSWV resistance and normal oleic in a medium-large seeded, runner-type peanut variety.

Peanut Forfeitures

Zero Peanut Crop Forfeitures for 2021 Crop

By Stanley Fletcher Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

Peanuts and other designated crops are eligible for benefits under the Marketing Assistance Loan (MAL) program. MAL provides interim financing to producers so that commodities can be stored after harvest when market prices are typically low and sold later when market conditions are more favorable. The 2018 Farm Bill extended the MAL program, making production for the 2019 through 2023 crops eligible for loan benefits.

A farmer must produce a crop to benefit from the program because the crop serves as loan collateral if the producer applies for a loan. The MAL process begins after harvest, when farmers may request a marketing loan, which is offered by USDA. The loan rate for peanuts is $355 per ton or equivalently, 17.75 cents per pound.

If a farmer puts their crop under a marketing loan, then they receive loan proceeds equal roughly to the quantity of peanuts placed under loan times the loan rate. Farmers then closely watch the relationship between market prices and the loan rate.

Prior to loan maturity, a farmer may repay the loan principal and interest if the National Posted Price for Peanuts is at or above the loan rate. As a result, the loan provides interim financing, allowing the farmer to receive cash as soon as the crop is harvested and avoiding sale of the crop during harvest when prices tend to be at their seasonal low.

The program essentially provides a price floor for producers because the government will take ownership of the loan collateral (i.e., the pledged crop) if prices drop below the statutory loan rate.

Forfeiture of the pledged crop in lieu of loan repayment is an option

20022,900.001,660,520.000.17%

2003450.002,072,075.000.02%

2004105,850.002,144,100.004.94%

200541,950.002,434,930.001.72%

2006450.001,732,125.000.03%

2007450.001,836,125.000.02%

20085,900.002,581,200.000.23%

20092,950.001,845,825.000.16% 20100.002,078,420.000.00% 20110.001,829,295.000.00%

201255,893.483,376,940.001.66% 20136,059.972,086,585.000.29%

2014 *** 173,162.672,594,332.506.67% 201562.673,000,678.500.00%

201639,144.362,790,785.001.40% 2017121,684.763,557,705.003.42% 201890,798.872,747,967.503.30%

201967.512,733,243.500.00% 20205,123.773,079,175.000.17% 2021 **** 03,180,665.500%

* https://apps.fsa.usda.gov/sorspub/reports/web/public/loan-forfeiture-national ** https://www.nass.usda.gov/Data_and_Statistics/index.php

*** Due to the Clint Williams shelling company bankruptcy.

**** As of Jan. 3, 2023 for the 2021 crop, USDA does not show any forfeitures.

that is available for all marketing loan crops. Farmers can fulfill their loan obligation by forfeiting the crop pledged as collateral.

Through the years, peanut forfeitures have been relatively low except for the year of 2014 which resulted in 6.67 percent forfeitures. The main reason for the increase in forfeitures was the bankruptcy of the Clint Williams Shelling Company. Once the company filed bankruptcy, USDA decided to forfeit the peanuts, so that year is not really a true

reflection on normal forfeitures due to the costs, production and supply.

For the crop years of 2017 and 2018, there were roughly three percent forfeitures, but those two years included huge production and quality problems which led to the increased forfeitures.

Since the 2018 Farm Bill, forfeitures have been at zero percent in 2019 and 0.17 percent in 2020. For the 2021 peanut crop, USDA does not show any forfeitures as of Jan. 3, 2023. 

National Peanut Board Officers elected

The National Peanut Board held its last meeting of 2022, Dec. 5 –6, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia. The Board approved a new slate of officers for a one-year term beginning on Jan. 1, 2023.

Paul Rogers, a peanut farmer from Wakefield, Virginia, was elected chairman of the National Peanut Board during the quarterly meeting. Last year, Rogers served as vice chairman. Les Crall of Weatherford, Oklahoma, is the immediate past chairman.

Also, the National Peanut Board elected Greg Baltz of Pocahontas, Arkansas, as vice chairman; Casey Cox Kerr of Camilla, Georgia, as treasurer; and Neal Baxley of Mullins, South Carolina as secretary.

Committee meetings were also held including Strategic Planning and International Trade, Domestic Promotions, Evaluation and Measurement and Budget and

Finance. The next board meeting is planned for in-person attendance Feb. 7-8, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Alabama and Mississippi seeks National Peanut Board nominees

The Alabama Peanut Producers Association and the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association are seeking eligible peanut producers who are interested in serving on the National Peanut Board. Both organizations will select two nominees each for member and alternate to the National Peanut Board.

The Alabama Peanut Producers Association will hold a nominations election during a meeting on Feb. 2, 2023, following the Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds, 5622 U.S. Highway 231 South, Dothan, Alabama 36301.

The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association will hold a nominations

Peanut Buying Points Winter Conference set for February

The National Peanut Buying Points Winter Conference is set for Feb. 17-20, 2023, at The Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa in Point Clear, Alabama.

The 2023 conference theme is “Striving to be the Best and Survive." All buying points, shellers and industry associates are invited to attend.

The program will kick off on Friday night with a President's Welcome Reception. Educational sessions will be held on Saturday and Sunday mornings. There will be a Prayer Breakfast on Sunday morning. The Great Cash Giveaway Reception and Auction will be held Sunday evening.

Registration is available on the NPBP website at peanutbuyingpoints.org. For more information or to obtain a registration form, email Angela Elder at spearmanagency@friendlycity.net. 

National Peanut Board 2023 officers. Pictured left to right: Neal Baxley, South Carolina board member, secretary; Paul Rogers, Virginia board member, chairman; Casey Cox Kerr, Georgia board member, treasurer; Greg Baltz, Arkansas board member, vice chairman.

election on Feb. 8, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. at the Forrest County Multipurpose Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

USDA requires two nominees from each state for each position of member and alternate. The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture makes the final appointments. 

46th Annual Membership Meeting

February 23, 2023

Jackson County Agricultural Complex & Conference Center 2741 Penn. Ave., Marianna, Florida

Registration begins at 6:00 p.m. (CST) Dinner at 6:30 p.m. (CST)

For More Information: Phone: 850-526-2590 www.FLpeanuts.com

Mpga annual meeting set for Feb. 8, 2023

The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association plan to hold their 18th annual meeting and trade show Feb. 8, 2023, at the Forrest County Multipurpose Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The event provides growers with the latest information on peanut production, research and new products.

Growers will have the opportunity to visit with several exhibitors showcasing equipment and services for the peanut industry. Speakers during the annual meeting will provide an update on peanut varieties, agronomic practices, peanut market outlook for 2023, weed and insect research in Mississippi peanuts.

Growers will also hear reports on checkoff activities of MPGA and the National Peanut Board.

For more information visit www. misspeanuts.com. 

Feb. 8, 2023

Forrest County Multipurpose Center

962 Sullivan Drive

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

For More Information, contact: Malcolm Broome, Executive Director Mississippi Peanut Growers Association (601) 606-3547 or malcolm@misspeanuts.com www.misspeanuts.com

Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show

by SEPF Staff

The 16th annual Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show is set to be held Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds, located on Hwy. 231 South in Dothan, Alabama.

Sponsored by the Alabama Peanut Producers Association and the Florida Peanut Producers Association, the one-day event offers farmers a full day to view the industry products and services of more than 60 exhibitors. The trade show opens at 8:30 a.m. and will continue until noon with a lunch immediately following.

During the catered lunch, the program will include speakers Marshall Lamb, National Peanut Research Lab,

Attendees have the opportunity to view the products and services of more than 60 exhibitors at the Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show, Feb. 2, 2023, in Dothan, Ala.

Bob Parker with the National Peanut Board and Bob Redding with The Redding Firm.

Peanut growers who attend will not only be able to fine tune their farming operations, but will have a chance to win prizes valued at thousands of dollars. The Grand Door Prize, sponsored by Kelley Manufacturing Co., is a $5,000 voucher for any one piece of KMC equipment or parts for KMC equipment.

All peanut growers are invited and encouraged to attend. For more information on the show, contact APPA at 334-792-6482 or FPPA at 850-526-2277. For exhibit space availability, contact Kaye Lynn Hataway at klhataway@alpeanuts.com. 

Alabama Peanut Producers Assn. Ph. 334-792-6482 www.alpeanuts.com

Florida Peanut Producers Assn. Ph. 850-526-2590 www.flpeanuts.com

2023 Alabama Peanut Production Meetings

Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023

11:00 a.m. - Dallas County; Sportsman’s Lodge, Tyler 6:00 p.m. - Lazenby Farms, Society Hill

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023

11:00 a.m. - Geneva County, Ketchem’s Restaurant, Hartford 6:00 p.m. - Henry County; Wiregrass Research & Ext. Ctr., Headland

Monday, Feb. 27, 2023

11:00 a.m. - Cullman County Extension Office, Cullman

Thursday, March 2, 2023

11:00 a.m. - Mobile County; Catalina Restaurant, Bayou La Batre

6:00 p.m. - Baldwin County Farmers Federation, Robertsdale

Friday, March 3, 2023

11:00 a.m. - Escambia County, David's Catfish House, Atmore

For more information contact: APPA at 334-792-6482 or www.alpeanuts.com

Washington Outlook

By Robert L. Redding Jr.

Midterm Elections: What This Means for Ag

The 118th Congress convened for the start of the legislative session on Jan. 3, 2023. The U.S. House of Representatives is controlled by a Republican majority, with 222 Republicans and 213 Democrats (previously 220 Democrats, 212 Republicans, 3 Vacancies at the end of the 117th Congress). In the U.S. Senate, Democrats held the majority with 51 seats to the Republicans' 49. The final ratio of the U.S. Senate was determined by the victory of Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock over Republican challenger Herschel Walker.

The Republican Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives has nominated Congressman Kevin McCarthy, R-California, to lead the party as Speaker of the House. Congressman Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana, will be the Majority Leader, and Congressman Tom Emmer, R-Minnesota, was elected as Majority Whip in a tight race between Congressman Jim Banks, R-Indiana, and Congressman Drew Ferguson, R-Georgia. Republicans will lead as chairs of U.S. House Committees, but the committee ratios between Democrats and Republicans will be fairly equal.

USPF Signs on to Agriculture Disaster Aid Letter

The U.S. Peanut Federation (USPF) joined other agriculture groups in sending a letter to leaders of the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Agriculture, FDA, and Related Agencies. In the letter, USPF urges lawmakers to include adequate resources to extend the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) to cover losses for 2022.

The letter states: “Farm and ranch families from across the country continue to be harmed by extraordinary natural disasters, including a severe and chronic drought gripping much of the United States,

In the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, Congressman G.T. Thompson, R-Pennsylvania, is expected to be the chair, with Congressman David Scott, D-Georgia, as ranking member. Among notable House Agriculture Committee members who won their competitive elections are Congressman Sanford Bishop, D-Georgia, Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, and Congressman Don Bacon, R-Nebraska.

There will be a number of open seats on the committee for the 118th Congress due to the losses of Congressmen Al Lawson, D-Florida, Mayra Flores, R-Texas, Sean Patrick Maloney, D-New York, Cindy Axne, D-Iowa, Tom O’Halleran, D-Arizona, Vicky Hartzler, R-Missouri, and Rodney Davis, R-Illinois. Additionally, current committee members Congressman Chris Jacobs, R-New York, Bobby Rush, D-Illinois, and Cheri Bustos, D-Illinois, are all retiring this year. Approximately 20 percent of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee will not be returning for the 118th Congress in 2023. Committee assignments will be made at the start of the 118th Congress, but potential new members

include former Agriculture Committee

Chairman Congressman Frank Lucas, R-Oklahoma, and freshman member Congressman Mark Alford, R-Missouri. U.S. Congressmen Austin Scott, R-Georgia, and Rick Allen, R-Georgia, will hold senior positions on the committee.

In the U.S. House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies, Congressman Andy Harris, R-Maryland, will likely be the subcommittee chair while Congressman Sanford Bishop, D-Georgia, will serve as the ranking member. Subcommittee members

Congressman Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, and David Valadao, R-California, both won in close elections and will keep their seats on the subcommittee.

In the U.S. Senate, the Agriculture Committee will continue to be led by Senator Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, as the chair and Senator John Boozman, R-Arkansas, as ranking member. Senator Warnock will keep his seat on the Agriculture Committee and as chair of the Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management and Trade.

Hurricane Ian, damaging freezes in the Southeastern U.S. earlier this year, and late planting due to flooding and other weather conditions, to name only a few hardships facing producers in 2022.

The 2023 Farm Bill presents an opportunity to strengthen the farm safety net to reduce, if not eliminate, the need for ad hoc programs, and we are working toward this end. However, including an extension of ERP for 2022 losses would serve as a critical bridge to the next Farm Bill. The approach taken under Phase I of ERP worked well for producers and we encourage Congress to use this model for future relief, including for Phase II as well as 2022 losses, except where a

unique approach for a commodity is required.”

Ag Trade Nominations Update

Alexis Taylor’s nomination for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in December. Doug McKalip’s nomination for Office of U.S. Trade Representative Chief Agricultural Negotiator still awaits a final vote on the U.S. Senate floor.

Both McKalip’s and Taylor’s nominations are critical for the peanut industry. They will be the top political appointees for trade matters at their agencies.

U.S. Congress Passes Omnibus Appropriations Bill

Includes USPF Supported Peanut Projects

The U.S. Congress has passed the $1.7 trillion Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 consists of all 12 FY23 appropriation bills, including the $25.5 billion Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies funding bill.

Included in the bill are peanut provisions proposed by U.S. House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman Sanford Bishop, D-Georgia, and supported by the peanut industry. These U.S. Peanut Federation (USPF) supported research initiatives—aflatoxin and nutrition—are in their second year of funding. Total funding for FY 2023 is $4 million for aflatoxin research at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Peanut Research Laboratory in Dawson, Georgia and $1.5 million for the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to work on peanut nutrition priorities.

The funding for peanut research will support activities and projects working to mitigate aflatoxin in peanuts and enhance ongoing collaborations with land grant institutions to further advance research efforts.

“USPF appreciates the recognition of the importance of peanut research in the FY23 Omnibus Appropriations bill,” states Karl Zimmer, USPF chairman. “Although the U. S. peanut industry has effective protocols in place to manage aflatoxin, our ability to reduce its large economic impact while maintaining a safe and reliable supply of peanuts will take investment in innovative research solutions.”

The funding for peanut nutrition research will support projects working to identify how peanut consumption contributes to overall health, wellness, and reduction of chronic disease risk in various groups and across lifespans. Research topics will include chronic diseases, nutrition and wellness at all ages, health disparities, dietary patterns for optimal health, and nutrition for the future.

The omnibus package includes over $3 billion for disaster assistance

“related to the loss of revenue, quality or production losses of crops, trees, bushes, and vines, as a consequence of droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, tornadoes, winter storms, freeze, including a polar vortex, smoke exposure and excessive moisture occurring in calendar year 2022.” The process for receiving disaster assistance will be determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture following the appropriation of the funds.

“Peanut producers have experienced many difficulties this year, from adverse weather conditions to rising input costs,” states Joe Boddiford, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission. “The disaster assistance included in this appropriations legislation will help ensure peanut producers can continue to produce a good crop and keep the agricultural economy functioning and healthy.”

Also included in the legislation is language proposed by U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, D-Georgia, chairman of the Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade to “encourage the Office of the Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs to prioritize interagency coordination with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and industry engagement in order to develop effective and lasting solutions that will allow increased market access for domestic peanuts into the European Union.”

Karl Zimmer, USPF chairman commented: “The European Union and United Kingdom are historically one of the largest export markets for U.S. peanuts. It is essential to the health of the peanut industry that we address trade barriers restricting peanut exports to the European Union.”

Lastly, the omnibus agreement includes language related to funding nutrition and feeding programs in the United States and abroad. The legislation encourages USDA to work with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to support the scale up of U.S. production and procurement of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF), and to develop a multi-year strategy to support this effort. The legislation also requires an increase in funding for nutrition programs, including $28.5 billion for

Child Nutrition Programs.

“We are very pleased to see the importance of investing in nutrition reflected in this legislation,” states Cole McNair, president of the National Peanut Buying Points Association. “The peanut industry has long been committed to educating and advocating for healthful lifestyles across all communities. It is important that we continue to invest in nutrition research and nutrition programs that make healthy foods, such as peanuts, accessible around the globe.”

FDA "Healthy" Definition Proposed Rule

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a proposed rule to update the definition of “healthy” claim on food packaging to help improve American diets. This proposed rule would align the definition of the “healthy” claim with current nutrition science, the updated Nutrition Facts label and the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This proposed rule makes an effort to emphasize dietary patterns rather than focusing on specific nutrients and includes nuts under the protein food category of a healthy diet.

The U.S. Peanut Federation (USPF) will be submitting comments to the FDA regarding this proposed rule. Scientific evidence shows that peanuts provide health benefits for Americans at every stage of life including pregnancy, infancy, childhood, adulthood and older adulthood. Additionally, peanuts are an energy-dense, nutritious food that fits into many healthy dietary patterns. The varied forms of peanuts and peanut products, including peanut oil, peanut butter and peanut powder allow for increased versatility in various diets. There is evidence that peanut consumption can aid in the prevention of at least three of the most prevalent diseases in the United States, including heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

The USPF comments regarding this rule will emphasize the health benefits of peanuts and encourage FDA to change any provisions in the proposed rule that would exclude peanuts or peanut products from the “healthy” definition. The comments submitted by USPF are online at www.sepfonline.com. USPF encourages industry groups to submit comments as well. 

1025 Sugar Pike Way · Canton, Georgia 30115 |(770) 751-6615 | lpwagner@comcast.net

Eat Better, Eat Together Satellite Media Tour

Southern Peanut Growers worked with A-1 Broadcast and Zatarain’s on a national Satellite Media Tour for October: Eat Better, Eat Together Month.

Chef Lauren Van Liew, Chopped Champion and author of the cookbook, Bring it Back to the Dinner Table, shared tips and recipes for getting the whole family to the dinner table together. She showcased a Thai Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce with vegetables; Thai Naan Pizzas which allow everyone to get involved in making their own creation with a peanut sauce, chicken and a selection of veggies; and Peanut Butter Pie.

Chef Lauren did 25 interviews with a final television audience of 15.3 million and a potential online audience of more than 70 million.

District 9 PTA Fall Conference

Leslie Wagner was invited to exhibit and speak about Managing Food Allergy in Schools at the District 9 PTA Fall Conference on Oct. 6 in Marietta, Georgia. District 9 is one of the largest Georgia PTA districts which includes Cobb County, Marietta City Schools, Paulding County, Douglas County, Polk County and Haralson County.

Several local PTA board members in attendance got information on managing food allergies in schools and discussed resources available to them to work against bans.

Mississippi Nurses Association Conference

Southern Peanut Growers partnered with Mississippi Peanut Growers to exhibit at the Mississippi Nurses Association Annual Conference Oct. 20—21 in Biloxi, Mississippi. Malcolm Broome and Leslie Wagner worked the exhibit booth where they distributed early introduction to prevent peanut allergy cards, new Dietary Guidelines for pregnant moms and infants, diabetes brochures, recipes, peanuts and peanut butter spreaders. There was a large contingent of nursing students at this conference who were particularly interested in the information.

Spread the Joy Virtual Cooking Class

Chef Jessica Revels, pastry chef and house manager at Mac’s Kitchen and Bar in Chattanooga, Tennessee, led the Southern Peanut Growers' Spread the Joy virtual cooking class focused on beautiful desserts going into the holidays. There were 100 participants across the country in the live class which will be posted to YouTube for future viewing. Chef Jessica showed how to make a peanut butter mousse which could then be used for both a peanut butter pie and a Peanut Butter Yule Log.

Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Peanut Butter Cream

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream

8 oz. cream cheese

3 Tbsp. powdered sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

Whipped Cream

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup powdered sugar

Peanut Butter Cream Directions

Whisk heavy cream in stand mixer with whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and whisk until firm peaks form. Transfer to clean bowl. With a paddle attachment, put cream cheese in stand mixer and mix until light and creamy. Add peanut butter and vanilla and mix until completely combined. Fold whipped cream into peanut butter mixture until combined and refrigerate at least one hour.

Whipped Cream Directions

Whisk heavy cream until soft peaks form in stand mixer with whisk attachment. Add powdered sugar and whisk until soft peaks form and refrigerate until ready to assemble pie.

To assemble pie, divide peanut butter mousse between two prepared pie shells and smooth out into an even layer. Top with whipped cream and press with small spatula to achieve cloud-like peaks. Top with shaved chocolate.

Chef Lauren Van Liew, Chopped Champion and cookbook author, shared tips and recipes during an October Satellite Media Tour.