southeastern peanut farmer - march 2015

A communication service of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

Inside:n Control of Feral Pigs

n Weed Guidebook

n Seed Inoculation

6 Feral pigs wreck havoc throughSoutheastern agricultureFeral pigs are wreaking havoc on farmsacross the Southeast and farmers justwant to get rid of them. Feral pigs areestimated to cause in excess of $1.5 billion in damage nationwide.

10 2015 Weed GuidebookThe 2015 Southeastern PeanutFarmer Weed Guidebook featuresinformation on sicklepod, herbi-cide damage, perennial weeds andspiderling, a new weed noticed inFlorida.

18 Seed Inoculation is low-costinsuranceInoculants provide live beneficial

bacteria that live on peanut roots.University of Georgia researchersanalyzed data from three years, andfound that plots receiving an effectiveinoculant at planting were most profitable.

Contents

March 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer 3

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, typo-

graphical 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 229-386-

3690.)

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 mem-

bers. Such material may, or may not, coincide with offi-

cial Southern Peanut Farmers Federation policies.

Publication of material does not necessarily imply its

endorsement by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

For editorial concerns call 229-386-3690. No portion of

this or past issues of the Southeastern Peanut Farmermay 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 PeanutFarmer 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.

March 2015

Joy Carter Crosby

[email protected]

229-386-3690

Contributing Writers

John [email protected]

Teresa [email protected]

Jessie [email protected]

Southeastern Peanut FarmerP.O. Box 706, Tifton, Ga. 31793

445 Fulwood Blvd., Tifton, Ga. 31794ISSN: 0038-3694

D e p a r t m e n t s :Checkoff Report ..................................................................................Alabama Peanut Producers Association, Florida Peanut Producers Association,

Georgia Peanut Commission and Mississippi Peanut Growers Association

Washington Outlook ............................................................................

Southern Peanut Growers Update ........................................................

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Cover Photo: Feral pigs wreck havoc for Southeastern peanut farmers. Photo credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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4 Southeastern Peanut Farmer March 2015

Time to tell your story

(Let us know about your event. Please send detailsto the editor at [email protected].

It’s time to tell your story to children, consumers and to those individu-

als who just don’t know what agriculture is about. You know the folks

that think brown cows produce brown milk. Believe it or not, the ques-

tion has been asked before at an Ag Day event. Even though it was a

question from a young child, imagine 20 years from now what that child

(now adult) would think about agriculture if no one answered their question.

Would they wonder why no one took the time to answer their question or

explain where milk comes from, how peanuts are harvested, and more?

Unfortunately, many of the children today are removed several generations

from the family farm. So, those children do not know or understand the expe-

riences we enjoy by growing up on a farm. From being able to jump from

hay bale to bale during the hot summer months, going swimming in the pond

or learning how to drive a tractor before learning how to drive a regular vehi-

cle. Many times we may take what we learned and the fun times we had on

the farm for granted.

However, those experiences are really treasures for us, and so many chil-

dren today do not have the opportunity to enjoy the same treasures. Instead

they may have their video games, cell phones, unlimited television stations

and more, but they may not witness the sun rising over the field or setting at

the end of a long day harvesting peanuts. Many times, individuals today may

have misconceptions about the farm because of something they saw or heard

on tv that is inaccurate. Sometimes we may hear a news report where PETA

or another anti-ag group are going nuts again but at the end of the day it all

starts back with us and if we are telling our story to those we come in contact

with so the truth is being told.

There really is no better time to tell your story than during the month of

March since the peanut industry celebrates National Peanut Month all month

long and National Ag Day is held during the month of March. By telling your

story to those you come in contact with this month then you may help anoth-

er individual understand the value of agriculture in their daily lives.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Promote agriculture on your social media pages if you are tech savvy.

2. Visit a classroom in your area to tell children

how about your farm and the crops you grow and

livestock you raise.

3. Write a letter to the editor of your local news-

paper about the importance of agriculture in your

local community. (I’m positive your local Extension

office will have any specific data for your county if

you need it.)

If you have any stories to share on how you

have helped spread the word about peanuts and

agriculture then let us know. We would love to hear

how you are working to educate others about

peanuts and agriculture. t

u Peanut Proud Festival, March 28, 2015,Blakely, Ga. For more information visitpeanutproudfestival.com.

u Peanut Profitability Award Deadline, April 15, 2015. For more information visit southeastfarmpress.com or call 662-624-8503.

u USA Peanut Congress, June 13-17, 2015, Omni Grove Park Inn,Asheville, N.C. For more information visitpeanut-shellers.org or call 229-888-2508.

u Stripling Irrigation Research Park FieldDay, July 8, 2015, Camilla, Ga. For more information visit striplingpark.org or call 229-522-3623.

u Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day, July 9,2015, Moultrie, Ga. For more information visitsunbeltagexpo.com or call 229-985-1968.

u American Peanut Research &Education Society Annual Meeting, July 14-16, 2015, Francis Marion Hotel,Charleston, S.C. For more information visitapresinc.com or call 229-329-2949.

u Southern Peanut Growers Conference, July 23-25, 2015, Callaway Gardens, PineMountain, Ga. For more information visitsouthernpeanutfarmers.org or call 229-386-3470.

u American Peanut Shellers AssociationPre-Harvest Meeting, Aug. 4-5, 2015, LakeBlackshear Resort & Golf Club, Cordele, Ga.For more information, call 229-888-2508 orvisit www.peanut-shellers.org.

u Brooklet Peanut Festival, Aug. 15,2015. For more information visit the festival’swebsite at brookletpeanutfestival.com.

u Georgia Peanut Tour, Sept. 2015. Formore information visit the tour blog atgapeanuttour.wordpress.com.

u Plains Peanut Festival, Sept. 26, 2015.For more information visit plainsgeorgia.com.

u Sunbelt Ag Expo, Oct. 20-22, 2015. Formore information visit sunbeltagexpo.com orcall 229-985-1968.

Editorial Calendar of Events

Joy Carter CrosbyEditor

National Peanut Month had its beginnings as

National Peanut Week in 1941.

It was expanded into a month-long

celebration in 1974.

UFeral pigs may be prime

prey for hunters, but to

Georgia farmers they’re

the ultimate predator. They

destroy farmland, eat away at a farmer’s

crops and drastically reduce potential

profits.

Feral pigs are wreaking havoc on

farms across the Southeast and farmers

just want to get rid of them. In order to do

so many organizations are trying to deter-

mine how severe the problem is and what

areas across the Southeast have damage.

Feral pigs—also called feral swine,

wild pigs, feral hogs, wild hogs and wild

boar—are estimated to cause in excess of

$1.5 billion in damage nationwide, says

Mike Mengak, University of Georgia

wildlife specialist.

Feral swine are an Old World species

and are not native to the Americas. The

first wild pigs in the United States origi-

nated solely from domestic stock brought

to North America by early European

explorers and settlers. Many years later,

Eurasian wild boar were introduced into

parts of the United States for hunting pur-

poses. In areas where domestic pigs and

Eurasian wild boar were found together in

the wild, interbreeding occurred. Today,

many hybrid populations exist throughout

the wild pig’s range.

Pigs were first introduced in the

1500’s to what is now the southeastern

U.S. by Spanish Explorer, Hernando

DeSoto. In the centuries following

European exploration and colonization of

the eastern U.S., free-range livestock

management practices and escapes from

enclosures resulted in the establishment of

wild pig populations and promoted their

spread.

The popularity of wild pigs as a game

species has played a major role in the

expansion of their range throughout the

United States. The sudden presence of

wild pigs in new areas is most often a

result of escapes of stocked animals from

privately owned hunting preserves or ille-

gal translocation where feral swine are

captured, transported to a new location

and released into the wild.

According to Rod Pinkston, founder

and CEO of Jager Pro, feral swine can’t

be treated or managed the same as game

animals.

“Feral pigs are not game animals

even though a lot of people want to treat

pigs the same way as they treat a deer,”

Pinkston says. “It is not ethical to shoot a

fawn deer, elk calf or bear cub because all

of those species have an annual hunting

season and a bag limit.”

He adds, all those have one or two

offspring too. On the other hand, he says,

feral pigs reach sexual maturity at 6 to 8

months of age and they drop five litters

every two years.

“You can’t manage feral pigs mathe-

matically using traditional methods,”

Pinkston says. “An animal that drops 12

to 25 offspring annually the same way as

you would a deer dropping one or two

fawns.”

According to the Mississippi State

University Wild Pig Info website, feral

swine populations can be managed by

lethal or nonlethal methods. Nonlethal

methods include installing fencing to

exclude pigs, using guard animals to pro-

tect livestock, and vaccinating animals to

prevent disease spread. Although in some

situations nonlethal methods are appropri-

ate and effective, in many cases they are

not a good option, either because they do

not work well or are too expensive.

Therefore, lethal methods are often

the most practical and widely used. They

include trapping, shooting, and hunting


Feral pigs wreck havoc throughSoutheastern agriculture

Feral pigs—also called feral swine, wild pigs, feral hogs, wild hogs and wild boar—are estimated tocause in excess of $1.5 billion in damage nationwide,

Feral pigs wreak havoc on this peanut field byrooting up and eating peanut seed.

Photo

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with dogs. Currently, there

are no toxicants registered

for use on wild pigs in the

United States, so poison-

ing is not an option.

Farmers across the

Southeast are looking for

answers and solutions to

feral pig issues. One of

those farmers is Lonnie

Fortner, Pt. Gibson,

Mississippi, who has been

battling feral swine for the

past 20 years on his farm.

“We usually start

hunting for wild hogs after

deer season is over and

continue until the peanut

plants are too large and we

can’t see the hogs any-

more,” Fortner says. “We

hunt every night for them

and it never feels like you get ahead of

them.”

However, Pinkston is making some

headway controlling feral pigs and has a

proven track record in Georgia with

killing 20,000 to 25,000 feral pigs in the

past few years. His method - the

Integrated Wild Pig ControlTM model uses

a strategic approach using a series of

lethal control methods and technologies,

applied in a specific sequence based on

seasonal food sources and emphasis is

placed on efficient removal of entire

sounders at one time to eliminate escapes

and education.

According to Pinkston many people

believe capturing 29 out of 33 wild pigs

with an 88 percent success rate is the

solution to the problem. However, he

believes this mindset is incorrect especial-

ly due to the prolific nature of feral pigs.

In Pinkston’s example, the last four

sows to enter the trap all were pregnant

carrying 28 fetuses. So, according to

Pinkston, a farmer would be right back at

the same number of feral pigs within one

month if the farmer would have set the

trap before catching the remaining four

sows.

Pinkston always shoots for a 100 per-

cent success. As soon as he goes into a

new area, Pinkston identifies the food

source for the feral pigs, captures video

and photos of the area to determine the

feral pigs bedding areas and trails, travel

patterns and where they are eating.

In his first step, Pinkston, conditions

the feral pigs to use a daily food source

by using an automatic feeder with a digi-

tal timer. He uses one feeder per 250

acres. After a week of using the feeders,

Pinkston adds a trap enclosure and then

watches the feral pigs for several days.

Once all the feral pigs go into the trap

then he sets the trap and eliminates the

threat to agriculture in the area.

Billy Sanders, a longtime Dooly

County farmer in Georgia, has witnessed

his share of feral pig disaster and he has

noticed the feral pigs seem to migrate

close to water sources.

Four or five years ago, Sanders’ 60-

acre peanut field was destroyed to the

tune of $30,000. The devastation came

after the peanuts sat in the field for three

weeks because of excessive rainfall. As

Sanders notes, what was initially a harvest

operation quickly became a salvage oper-

ation.

Today, researchers at universities

across the Southeast are working towards

helping farmers manage feral swine.

However, first the universities

are conducting surveys to

determine the extent of the

damage.

University of Georgia

researchers have begun sur-

veying landowners in parts of

Georgia to assess how much

economic damage feral swine

are causing throughout the

state.

A new survey, “Feral

Swine on Private Lands in

Georgia,” has been mailed to

3,000 landowners across

Georgia and is being conduct-

ed by Mengak and students in

UGA’s Warnell School of

Forestry and Natural

Resources.

Bill Hamrick, Extension

associate with the Department

of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture at

Mississippi State University, is conduct-

ing a survey of Mississippi farmers trying

to quantify wild pig damage and evaluate

control methods farmers are using. The

survey is online at

wildpiginfo.msstate.edu.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture

kicked off a national effort last year to

reduce the devastating damage caused by

feral swine. The $20 million program

aims to help states deal with a rapidly

expanding population of feral swine that

causes $1.5 billion in annual damage and

control costs.

Initial state funding levels will be

based on current feral swine populations

and associated damage to resources.

“We’ve already begun this type of

work through a pilot program in New

Mexico,” says Undersecretary for USDA’s

Marketing and Regulatory Programs

Edward Avalos. “Through this pilot pro-

gram, we have successfully removed feral

swine from 5.3 million acres of land. By

applying the techniques such as trap mon-

itors and surveillance cameras we have

developed through this pilot project, we

aim to eliminate feral swine from two

States every three to five years and stabi-

lize feral swine damage within 10 years.”

A key part of the national program

will also include surveillance and disease

monitoring to protect the health of the

U.S. domestic swine. t


BY JOY CROSBYTraps are one way farmers can eliminate feralswine on their farm.

Rod Pinkston (center), CEO and founder of Jager Pro, discusses the IntergratedWild Pig ControlTM model with B. Jones (left), Chula, Mississippi, and LonnieFortner, Pt. Gibson, Mississippi, during the Mississippi Peanut GrowersAssociation Annual Meeting and Trade Show in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Photo

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Rod P

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Jager

Pro

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The Georgia Young Farmers

Association presented Marcus Evans,

Georgia Peanut Commission director

of field services and industry informa-

tion, with Honorary Membership dur-

ing the association’s annual meeting

in January.

Evans has worked at GPC for 28

years. He has shown a true dedication

to the peanut and agriculture industry

through the years and has dedicated

his life towards bettering the liveli-

hood of farmers.

In his role at GPC, Evans coordi-

nates GPC representation at Extension

grower meetings throughout the state,

serves on the Georgia Peanut Tour

Committee and coordinates many of

the promotional activities at GPC.

Some of the specific activities he

coordinates include Sunbelt Ag Expo,

Georgia Peanut Bank Week, and all

peanut festivals in Georgia.

Evans is the also the lead staff

member who works directly with the

Georgia Young Farmers Association.

He coordinates GPC’s sponsorship to

the association and is in charge of the

exhibit at the annual meeting, includ-

ing frying the peanuts.

Before beginning his career at

GPC, Evans worked for Allied

Chemical in Metropolis, Illinois, and

Crop Production Services (formerly

Agrico) in western Kentucky as a

chemical and fertilizer salesman. He

currently resides in Tifton, Georgia,

with his wife Rhonda.

The 12th annual Florida

Agriculture Literacy Day is scheduled

for Tuesday April 21, 2015, and a

new non-fiction children's book

developed for it will highlight

Florida’s livestock and poultry indus-

tries. The book, the title of which is

‘Drive Through Florida: Livestock

and Poultry,’ features an animated red

truck that takes students on a tour of

Florida’s beef, dairy, poultry, swine,

equine, sheep and goat industries.

The annual reading event is a

chance for farmers, ranchers, exten-

sion and 4-H agent, master gardeners,

FFA teachers and students and agri-

culture industry representatives to

read a children’s book about the

Florida agriculture industry to stu-

dents in kindergarten through fifth

grade.

Please check Florida Agriculture

in the Classroom’s website at faitc.org

for information about registering to

read for the event.


Checkoff ReportInvestments Made by Growers for the Future of the Peanut Industry.

Florida Ag Literacy Day set for April 21

Evans receives Honorary Membership in the Georgia Young

Farmers Association in JanuaryFlorida Peanut Producers Association

(FPPA) attended and exhibited at this year’s

Florida State Fair in Tampa, Feb. 5-16. The

Fresh From Florida breakfast kicked off open-

ing day of the state fair with the Governor of

Florida Rick Scott, Commissioner of

Agriculture Adam

Putnam and many

more of the

Governor’s cabinet

members attending

along with state legis-

lators and many local

elected officials.

FPPA served the

crowd grilled peanut

butter and jelly sand-

wiches and made

available recipe cards,

health and nutritional

information, peanut

seed kits, roasted

peanuts and general information about peanut

production in Florida.

The Florida State Fair celebrates agricul-

ture through the twelve-day event that takes

place every year in Tampa. One day was desig-

nated as Peanut Day at the Fair. Florida Peanut

Producers Association held cooking demonstra-

tions on the cooking stage in the Ag Hall of

Fame Building. Large crowds gathered as

recipes were prepared using peanut butter and

then everyone enjoyed samples.

“The Florida State Fair provides a great

opportunity for us to showcase new recipes

using peanuts and peanut butter,” says Ken

Barton, executive director of the Florida Peanut

Producers Association. “We also share the mes-

sage of the health and nutritional benefits of

consuming peanut products and provide infor-

mation about peanut production in Florida.”

More than 500,000 people attended the

2015 Florida State Fair. For more information

on the fair visit their website online at

www.floridastatefair.com.

FPPA exhibits at Florida State Fair

Florida's Governor, RickScott eats a grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwichand visits with SherrySaunders during theFlorida State Fair.

Greg Mims (right), Georgia Young FarmersAssociation (GYFA) president, presentsMarcus Evans, Georgia Peanut Commissiondirector of field services and industry infor-mation, with Honorary Membership intoGYFA during the annual meeting in January.

The Georgia Peanut

Commission promoted peanuts

to thousands during the

American Farm Bureau Annual

Convention and Trade Show,

Jan. 9-14, 2015, in San Diego,

California. The event provided

GPC the opportunity to tell the

peanut story to many farm

bureau members not familiar

with how peanuts grow. Also,

GPC staff and board members

distributed Georgia peanut

packs, Jif To Go peanut butter

packs, recipes and nutritional

information.

Georgia Farm Bureau received AFBF Awards for Excellence in educa-

tion and outreach, leadership development, member services, membership

initiatives and public relations and communications.


Reports from the:Alabama Peanut Producers AssociationFlorida Peanut Producers AssociationGeorgia Peanut CommissionMississippi Peanut Growers Association

Mississippi Peanut Growers Association recognized for

sponsorship of Friday Night Under the Lights

Georgia Peanut Commission exhibits at American Farm

Bureau’s Annual Meeting in January

The Mississippi Peanut

Growers Association (MPGA)

checkoff dollars were used along

with National Peanut Board (NPB)

co-promotion funds to sponsor a

15-week program called Friday

Night under the Lights (FNUTL).

The program covers high school

football through a call-in radio and

web page show on Friday night.

During the Mississippi Peanut

Growers Association annual meet-

ing in January, Russ Robinson,

CEO of FNUL, presented Malcolm

Broome, MPGA executive director, a plaque for the association in honor

of their sponsorship of the Ahh Nuts!! Play of the Year.

The 2014 Ahh Nuts!! Play of the Year was awarded to Cooper Henry

of Jackson Prep, in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools

Championship AAA-I game.

As part of the sponsorship, MPGA has a video placed on the FNUTL

website showing how peanuts are harvested. The video has been used

throughout the state by teachers and can be viewed online at fnutl.com.

Lonnie Fortner, Port Gibson, Mississippi, was

recently appointed to serve as the alternate mem-

ber for Mississippi on the National Peanut Board.

Fortner’s term begins immediately and ends on

Dec. 31, 2016.

Fortner operates Rock Lake Planting

Company and grows runner peanuts in addition to

cotton, corn, wheat, soybeans and sesame. Fortner

is a third generation farmer who earned his Ag

Economics degree from Mississippi State

University.

Fortner is a 2012 graduate of the Peanut

Leadership Academy. He is a board member of the

Mississippi Peanut Growers Association and the

Farmers Coop. Fortner is also vice president of the

Claiborne County Farm Bureau, chairman of the

Mississippi Farm Bureau Peanut Advisory Board

and chairman of the Mississippi Peanut Promotion

Board.

Fortner is glad to join the National Peanut

Board. “It’s good to be involved on the frontline to

ensure that the grower’s investment is going to the

right place,” he says.

Fortner appointed to represent

Mississippi on National Peanut Board

Alabama Peanut Producers

Association exhibit at ALFA annual

meeting

The staff members from the Alabama Peanut

Producers Association recently served grilled

peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to guests during

the 93rd annual meeting of the Alabama Farmers

Federation held in Montgomery, Alabama.

Approximately 500 delegates from the 67 counties

in the state attended the two-day convention.

Pictured left to right serving the sandwiches are

APPA’s Jim Cravey, Carole Granger and Teresa

Mays. Henry county

farmer Chappy Trawick

(right) was more than

happy to get a chance to

taste the specially made

peanut butter treat.

For additional

information on APPA

promotions visit alpeanuts.com.

Georgia Peanut Commission staff and boardmembers exhibit during the American FarmBureau Federation annual meeting. Picturedleft to right: Laura Chase, Donald Chase ofOglethorpe, Georgia, Marcus Evans, GPCdirector of field services, and Beverly and DavidReed of Pinehurst, Georgia.

Russ Robinson, CEO of Friday NightsUnder the Lights (FNUL), presentsMalcolm Broome, Mississippi PeanutGrowers Association executive director, aplaque for MPGA’s support of the FNULhigh school sports radio program.


Sicklepod, sometimes called

coffeeweed or roundleaf cof-

feeweed, has become a prob-

lem in Georgia peanut fields

during recent years.

Farmers have seen Palmer amaranth

become resistant to glyphosate. So they

are alert to the problems caused by weeds

becoming resistant to herbicides. Some of

these farmers worry that sicklepod is

becoming resistant to Cadre.

University of Georgia Extension

weed scientist Eric Prostko is conducting

extensive greenhouse testing to determine

if sicklepod has developed resistance to

Cadre.

“We don’t want to alarm anyone, but

we do want farmers to know that we are

looking into this possibility,” Prostko

says.

Prostko is supervising University of

Georgia graduate student Wen Carter

from Worth County, Georgia, who is

working on the project. The project

involves spraying Cadre at its normal rate

onto populations of sicklepod grown in

the greenhouse. If any survive at the nor-

mal rate, additional sicklepod from this

population are grown in the greenhouse

and rates are increased, up to ten times

the normal rate to see if resistance devel-

ops.

Though the complaints from farmers

have not been widespread, Prostko feels it

is important to check out the complaints

he does hear about, mainly because these

observations have come from farmers

who normally experience good weed con-

trol on their farms.

Prostko said he was inspired to study

sicklepod and its possible resistance to

Cadre by farmers such as Jud Greene of

Decatur County, Georgia, who noticed

that sicklepod was more difficult to con-

trol. Prostko praises growers such as

Greene for bringing potential problems to

the attention of state Extension specialists.

“We started this testing in October of

2014,” says Prostko. “We have just

scratched the surface, and we are repeat-

ing the experiments. Our greenhouse

space is limited and it takes at least five

weeks to complete the planting, then

spraying, and seeing what survives that

might indicate resistance.”

Prostko is not ready to say that sick-

lepod has developed resistance to Cadre.

“I hope it doesn’t show this resistance

because that would be a difficult situation

for growers to face,” he explains.

He collected sicklepod seed from

farms where growers have complained

about possible resistance, and from a pop-

ulation where there has been no history of

Cadre use, and therefore, no population

likely to have resistance to Cadre herbi-

cide and other herbicides in this class.

Bill Vencill, a UGA weed science

researcher in Athens, collected sicklepod

samples from Peach and Taylor counties

in Georgia during 2013. He reports that

these populations were only 40-60 percent

controlled by four times the normal rate

of Cadre. In response to these observa-

tions, Prostko expanded the studies in

2014 and collected sicklepod seed from

29 fields, including sites in Berrien,

Colquitt, Decatur, Dooly, Early, Evans,

Pierce, Sumter, Tattnall, Tift and Terrell

counties.

“Farmers are more aware of resist-

ance issues,” Prostko says. “They’ve seen

firsthand what resistance has done in

Palmer amaranth, and these farmers are

more than willing to share their concerns

over this possibility.”

“The last thing these farmers want is

to hear that their sicklepod has become

resistant to Cadre herbicide,” Prostko

says. “It would be nice if we could identi-

fy other causes of poor sicklepod control

such as improper rates or applying the

herbicide to weeds that are too tall.”

He points out that not every herbicide

failure is due to resistance. Prostko says

weed control failures are more often

Sicklepod has become a problem in Georgia peanut fields during recent years.

University of Georgia researchers are studyingsicklepod and its possible resistance to Cadrethrough repeated experiments in thegreenhouse in Tifton, Georgia.

WEED GUIDEBOOK

Sicklepod makes a comeback

Nothing is more important

for peanut farming than

getting the crop off to a

good start, and one of the

major keys to doing this is to plant them

in a field that is free of weeds.

“Getting a clean start will be very

important this year,” says Eric Prostko,

University of Georgia Extension weed

scientist.

“Starting clean is huge,” Prostko

says. “If you think a disk harrow will take

care of one-foot-tall pigweeds, it won’t.

There are often delays between tillage and

planting, and that is a time when trouble-

some or perennial weeds can get a head

start.”

Prostko says that if peanut farmers

are getting ready to plant, and they see

pigweeds that are greater than six inches

tall, then he recommends parking the

planter and the sprayer, and to use instead

the mower, the disk and the bottom plow

to get the field ready for planting.

“For whatever reason, I have

received many inquiries about the control

of perennial weeds in peanuts,” Prostko

says. “Horsenettle, dogfennel, trumpet-

creeper, Virginia creeper and maypop

passionflower are examples of some of

the perennial weeds that can sometimes

be found in peanut fields.”

It may take a few years to get such

perennial weeds under control, according

to Prostko. Some of the treatments that

may be

needed

would

include

fall appli-

cations of glyphosate. This glyphosate

would be applied after digging but at least

two weeks before the first frost.

Generally, there are no selective

herbicides that can be used to control

perennial weeds in peanuts, according to

Prostko. He says the best approach is to

avoid planting peanuts in fields with

known populations of these weeds.

Another approach would be to use fall

applications of glyphosate. These should

take place when the weeds have regrown

after peanut harvest, but before first frost.

Perennial weeds need to be treated with

both fall and spring applications of

glyphosate following other crops in the

rotation, and over many years before

long-term weed control will be

successful. t

March 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer 11BY JOHN LEIDNER

Start with a clean stand

caused by poor timing of the herbicide application

and by unfavorable environmental conditions. But he

realizes that weed resistance is a possibility that

should not be overlooked. “If resistance is a problem,

then we must determine what we can do about it,”

Prostko adds.

Sicklepod can be troublesome to control because

it produces so many seeds, up to 5,000 to 10,000

seeds per plant, according to Prostko. Sicklepod seed

can also remain viable in the soil for at least five

years. Also, none of the residual herbicides labeled

for use in peanuts provide adequate control.

He says the herbicides Gramoxone and 2,4-DB

would become the herbicides farmers would need to

rely on to control sicklepod found to be resistant to

Cadre. Peanut farmers facing sicklepod challenges

should plant in twin rows and apply Cadre when the

weeds are less than three inches tall. Also, the herbi-

cide 2,4-DB can be used to slow the growth of sick-

lepod.

“But it will rarely provide complete control,”

Prostko adds. “As a last resort, Gramoxone

(paraquat) can be applied with a non-selective appli-

cator such as a rope-wick, wiper or sponge to help

control escaped sicklepod weeds.” t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Sicklepod continued from page 10


New cotton and soybean

varieties will be coming

into use with built-in tol-

erance to the broad spec-

trum herbicides dicamba and 2,4-D. This

new technology promises to improve con-

trol of some troublesome weeds, includ-

ing glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth.

Peanuts are sensitive to both dicamba

and 2,4-D. The danger to peanuts could

come from unintended exposure to these

herbicides, either from drift or from

sprayer contamination.

Barry Brecke, University of Florida

weed scientist, has spent the past few

years researching this threat to peanuts.

“We will see an increase in this unintend-

ed exposure,” Brecke says. “We could see

this exposure resulting in growers decid-

ing to terminate their peanut crops.”

Brecke and his colleagues decided to

test the response of peanuts to these her-

bicides, and conducted the tests at

research locations in Jay and Citra,

Florida. The tests included various rates

and applications of the herbicides at 21 or

42 days after planting.

“We didn’t simulate drift,” recalls

Brecke. “These were direct applications.”

The Florida studies replicated similar

results from studies in Georgia. “There

were no differences from the applications

at 21 or 42 days after planting,” Brecke

says.

The studies found that dicamba pro-

duced much more peanut injury than did

2,4-D. “Even one ounce of dicamba

resulted in 20 to 30 percent foliar injury

on the peanuts, and we saw no recovery

of these peanuts late in the season,”

Brecke explains. “With one ounce of

dicamba applied, we saw a 20 percent

reduction in yield.”

“With the dicamba, we saw a linear

response in the foliar damage and the

yield loss,” Brecke says. “For instance,

where the dicamba caused 60 percent

foliar injury, yield losses were 60 per-

cent.”

Brecke found that it was more diffi-

cult to use foliar injury from 2,4-D as a

predictor of yield loss.

“With 2,4-D, we saw much less dam-

age to peanuts than from the dicamba,”

Brecke says. “We also some recovery of

peanut plants three weeks after 2,4-D

application. Even with eight ounces per

acre of 2,4-D applied to the peanuts, we

saw only 10 percent foliage injury. With

16 ounces of 2,4-D, we had 16 percent

foliar damage.”

“We found that dicamba caused two

to three times the yield reduction as 2,4-

D,” Brecke says. “We could predict yield

loss with foliar injury from dicamba, but

it was more difficult to predict yield loss

from 2,4-D foliar injury.”

New or different spray nozzles will

be needed to minimize herbicide drift

problems with the new 2,4-D and dicam-

ba formulations. The new nozzles will

spray the herbicides in large, coarse

droplets, not the fine mist and small

droplets used with most herbicide

sprayers in recent years. University of

Georgia Extension weed scientist Eric

Prostko says he hopes to evaluate how the

new nozzles will work in spraying herbi-

cides and other crop chemicals onto

peanuts.

These new 2,4-D and dicamba tech-

nologies will be introduced to farmers

during the next few years. Some of this

technology is available in soybean vari-

eties grown in the Midwest, according to

Prostko. He anticipates that new soybeans

with resistance to these herbicides will

become available for commercial planting

in the Southeast during 2016.

The dicamba-resistant cotton varieties

will be sold in Georgia this year, but the

dicamba herbicide formulation to treat

these varieties will not be registered for

use this year. Prostko says the dicamba-

resistant cotton varieties also have resist-

ance to glyphosate and Liberty herbicides,

and that farmers will have a chance to

check the genetics of these new varieties

before planting them on a wide scale. t

Dicamba, 2, 4-D precautions

Chart Illustration:1. This chart shows that dicamba is much more damaging to peanuts than 2,4-D. Source: Eric Prostko, University of Georgia Extension weed scientist.

BY JOHN LEIDNER


Peanuts are resilientT

he peanut is an amazing

plant. It can withstand all

sorts of abuse when it is

young, and still recover,

put on foliage and produce a high yield-

ing crop.

Peanut foliage can be assaulted by

herbicides, by plant diseases and by insect

pests and still continue to produce new

leaves.

Peanuts can withstand a lot of leaf

loss from insects and still make good

yields.

Mark Abney, University of Georgia

Extension entomologist, says he believes

many treatments for foliage feeding

insects are unneeded. He says the treat-

ment threshold for foliage feeding cater-

pillars is eight caterpillars per foot of row.

“Too many Georgia acres are sprayed at

populations below this threshold,” he

adds.

“During the past two years, we saw

heavy thrips pressure,” Abney recalls.

“The thrips damage on peanuts looked

bad in May and early June. But with the

help of irrigation, the peanuts outgrew the

thrips damage, and at the end of the sea-

son you couldn’t tell the thrips were

there.”

In the years prior to the threat of

tomato spotted wilt virus, peanuts were

able to withstand thrips damage and still

produce good yields. In those days, treat-

ing peanuts for thrips was hardly ever rec-

ommended.

Peanuts can even withstand poor ini-

tial stands. Recent University of Georgia

tests shows that it only pays to replant

with additional seed if the initial stand in

single rows is less than about one plant

per foot of row.

Newer varieties have much stronger

resistance to damage from threats such as

spotted wilt, leaf spot and even white

mold and root knot nematodes.

If weeds could ever be controlled

with cultural or mechanical methods,

many of the new peanut varieties would

be good candidates for use in organic pro-

duction.

University of Georgia plant patholo-

gist Albert Culbreath has noticed a ten-

dency in some peanut lines that he calls

“refoliation.” This is the ability to pro-

duce new foliage late in the growing sea-

son following initial defoliation from late

leaf spot. Refoliation may be associated

with later maturity, but may also represent

a type of tolerance to some diseases.

In some newer varieties, Culbreath

has noted that resistance to tomato spotted

wilt virus is strong enough that Thimet

may not be needed especially if planted

near the optimal time for minimizing

spotted wilt.

Perhaps nowhere is this resilience on

the part of peanuts more impressive than

in the plant’s ability to overcome early-

season herbicide injury. University of

Georgia Extension weed scientist Eric

Prostko has evaluated several peanut vari-

eties for their susceptibility to damage

from the broad spectrum herbicide

paraquat, often sold under the Gramoxone

trademark. In these tests, the peanuts have

always done well despite the paraquat

injury. These tests have convinced

Prostko that the risk of yield loss from

weeds is much greater than the risk of

yield loss from paraquat injury. So if

weeds are a threat, go ahead and apply the

paraquat.

One herbicide mix Prostko tested

included Gramoxone, Storm and Dual.

This mix caused peanut plant damage.

“But the current data suggests that yields

will be fine,” Prostko says. Using such a

mix, he says, early applications are better.

That’s because the weeds are smaller and

there will be more time for the peanut

plants to recover from the damage. Yield

losses are more likely if such a mix is

applied after the plants have started flow-

ering.

Prostko has evaluated a number of

other herbicides said to have caused

peanut injury. In almost all cases, the

peanuts outgrow the damage. “For

instance, we’ve seen Select Max herbicide

mixed with boron fertilizer produce a lit-

tle burn on peanut plants, but the peanuts

outgrew this burn,” Prostko says.

And sometimes, damage to peanuts

attributed to herbicides is actually due to

another cause. Prostko recalls a field in

Brooks County, Georgia, where peanut

plant damage was thought to be due to

Valor herbicide. After he checked the

field, he determined that the cause of the

poor plants was actually zinc toxicity.

“We often see peanut injury after a

pre-emergence Valor treatment and rain-

fall at cracking,” Prostko says. “But the

peanuts have always outgrown this dam-

age. In 15 years of testing, we have never

seen yield losses from Valor on peanuts.”

Prostko has seen Dual Magnum her-

bicide cause j-rooting in peanuts. But in

32 out of 33 tests, he saw no negative

yield effects from Dual Magnum. He

notes that other causes of j-rooting can

include poor seed quality, soil compaction

and planting in cold and wet soils.

The only labeled herbicide to have

caused peanut problems in Prostko’s tests

has been Classic, and only when applied

to the Georgia-06G and Tifguard vari-

eties.

There are thousands of possible tank

mixes that can be used on peanuts, and

Prostko has not tested them all. Growers

should use caution when tank-mixing

more than three chemicals at one time.

There is nobody on the planet that can tell

you with 100 percent certainty that any

tank-mix will be 100 percent safe and

effective.

Prostko says local Extension agents

can help in mixing small amounts of pes-

ticides to see which are compatible for

tank mixing. In short, he says peanuts are

amazing plants, able to withstand a lot of

early season abuse, and still recover to

produce good yields. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Peanut foliage can be

assaulted by herbicides,

by plant diseases and by

insect pests and still

continue to produce new

leaves. Peanuts can

withstand a lot of leaf

loss from insects and

still make good yields.


Watch Warrant herbicide labelWarrant was a new herbicide

approved this past year. It’s possible that

the Warrant label will have a major

change this year.


weed scientist Eric Prostko explains that

the label last year allowed Warrant appli-

cations at rates of 1.25 to 2 quarts per

acre from the time of emergence up until

the time of flowering.

“That’s a narrow window,” Prostko

says. “Some peanuts may begin flowering

as soon as 22 days after planting.”

“The label change we hope to see

would allow the application window to

expand, up until the time the crop starts

first pegging,” Prostko adds.

He adds that the proposed label

change would allow applications at the

same 1.25 to 2 quarts per acre rate up

through the R1 plant growth stage. R1 is

the beginning of bloom and it ends when

50 percent of the plants in an area have

visible pegs.

“If this label change is approved for

2015, it would allow Dual and Warrant to

be used in exactly the same way on

peanuts,” Prostko adds. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Though no new herbicides will

likely be approved for peanuts in 2015,

there’s a possibility that two new ones

will become available for the 2016

growing season. These two herbicides

are Zidua and Anthem Flex.

Zidua is from BASF and contains

the herbicide pyroxasulfone. Anthem

Flex is from FMC and it contains a mix

of pyroxasulfone and Aim herbicide.

Aim’s common name is carfentrazone.

“These herbicides will be used

much like Dual or Warrant,” Prostko

says. He adds that the University of

Georgia will not likely recommend

either Zidua or Anthem Flex for use in

preemergence applications. That’s

because the herbicides haven’t shown

the necessary crop safety margins in

these early applications.

Prostko says once these new herbi-

cides are approved, they will be recom-

mended in postmergence tank mixes

with Gramoxone and/or Cadre.

“As a reminder, it is illegal to use

any herbicide in a non-registered crop,”

Prostko adds. t

New peanut herbicides

SpiderlingNew peanut weed threat

University of Florida

Extension weed specialist

Jason Ferrell advises

farmers in North Florida

to be on the lookout for spiderling.

Spiderling was once a weed only

seen on roadsides. However, it has recent-

ly become established in no-till peanut

fields and perennial peanut hay fields.

In the seedling stage, spiderling often

has deep red and purple leaves. These

leaves turn green as the plant matures.

Ferrell says the leaves have deep inset

veins, and the stems at the base of the

plant are often red in color.

In northern climates, spiderling is an

annual, but grows more as a perennial in

Florida, according to Ferrell.

Spiderling has a short, thick taproot.

Pulling the weed by hand often causes the

taproot to break off and the weed re-

grows.

Ferrell is testing herbicides to see

which may control the new weed. So far,

neither 2,4-D nor Cadre provided success-

ful control. Until an effective herbicide

can be identified which will not harm

peanuts, Ferrell recommends cultivation

and then watching the site for survivors. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Spiderling seedling showing characteristic redcoloring.

Mature spiderling with green leaves.

Spiderling stems showing red coloration.

Photo

cre

dit:

Ja

so

n F

err

ell,

Un

ive

rsity o

f F

lorid

a.

Photo

cre

dit:

Jason

Fe

rre

ll, U

niv

ers

ity o

f F

lorid

a.

Ph

oto

cre

dit:

Ja

so

n F

err

ell,

Un

ive

rsity o

f F

lorid

a.

Spiderling (Boerhavia spp.)

u Seedling plants often show a deepred/purple color in the leaves

u Stems are often red toward the base,but become progressively green asyou move upward

u Fairy short, but thick taproot

u Grows fairly erect if other plants arenear, but in open environments it islikely to sprawl with the stems lyingflat on the ground


Beware of peanuts on new ground

UUniversity of Georgia

Extension agricultural

economist Nathan Smith

predicts that Georgia

farmers will plant more than 700,000

acres of peanuts this year, a considerable

increase in planted acreage over recent

years.

Overall, Smith says that Georgia

peanut acreage may increase by 20 per-

cent over 2014 plantings and that U.S.

peanut acreage could increase by as much

as 15 percent in 2015.

Scott Monfort, University of Georgia

Extension peanut agronomist, says crop

rotations will be strained because he does-

n’t see farmers increasing their plantings

of either cotton or corn.

In addition to the normal risks of

growing peanuts, planting peanuts on new

land or on land that hasn’t grown peanuts

in many years has several other major

challenges. For instance, such land likely

will need inoculated peanut seed to pro-

duce good yields. Seed inoculation is

especially important to use on land that

hasn’t been growing peanuts for a number

of years.

Also, University of Georgia

Extension weed scientist Eric Prostko

says such land may be growing perennial

weeds that can be difficult to control.

Increased peanut acreage also likely

means a reduction in the number of years

between peanut and other legume crops

on a given piece of land. For instance,

crop economics or farm programs may

tempt farmers to plant peanuts on land

that has grown soybeans in recent years,

or to add soybeans to land normally

included in a peanut rotation.

Soybeans are among the worst possi-

ble rotation crops for peanuts, mainly

because beans host southern blight and

root knot nematodes that attack peanuts. t

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Can you identify these common weeds or herbicide injury?

1. ________________

6. ________________5. ________________

4. ________________3. ________________2. ________________

9. ________________

8. ________________7. ________________

12. ________________11. ________________10. ________________

The first person to email Dr. Eric Prostko at [email protected] the correct answer to the weed id and herbicide inquryquiz will receive a free hat. Answers will appear in the April issue of the Southeastern Peanut Farmer.

Important Phone Numbers for

Pesticide Applicators

u National Poison Control Center 800-222-1222

u CHEMTREC (24 hours) 800-424-9300

u National Pesticide InformationCenter 800-858-7378


The dense mat formed by

common bermudagrass can

make it almost impossible

to harvest peanuts. And one

application of glyphosate won’t eliminate

bermudagrass as a weed.

University of Florida scientists decid-

ed to test Fusilade and Select herbicides

to see if they could control bermudagrass

in an old pasture.

No peanuts were planted and no

tillage took place at this site. It was

selected to represent a worst case sce-

nario, according to Jason Ferrell,

University of Florida Extension weed spe-

cialist.

Fusilade DX at 12 ounces per acre

was compared to Select 2EC applied at 16

ounces per acre. Applications began on

May 21 and a second application was

made 14 or 28 days later.

The Fusilade and Select treatments

looked similar during the first four weeks

after application. Ferrell says neither her-

bicide provided 100 percent control but

both provided more than 90 percent con-

trol during this period.

Differences between the two herbi-

cides showed up 10 weeks after treatment.

At the 10-week stage, two applications of

Fusilade provided 64-74 percent control

while two applications of Select provided

32-35 percent control.

Ferrell says the second application is

needed for the best control. It didn’t mat-

ter in this test if the second application

was made at 14 or 28 days after the first

treatment. Don’t wait too long to make

the second application, however. Ferrell

says if the second application is delayed

until the bermudagrass is back to 100 per-

cent green, then control will follow the

same pattern of a single application.

Up to 48 ounces per acre of Fusilade

DX can be applied to peanuts during a

growing season as long as the last appli-

cation doesn’t occur within 40 days of

harvest. Ferrell notes that Fusilade can

also be applied with commonly used

peanut fungicides. t

Common Bermudagrass control


weed scientist Eric Prostko is recom-

mending more use of the herbicide

2,4-DB in 2015 peanut fields.

“We are at the point now that 2,4-

DB needs to be included with all of

our postemergence applications 30 to

45 days after planting,” Prostko says.

“This herbicide is needed to improve

control of Palmer amaranth, sicklepod

and annual morningglory.”

Prostko says 2,4-DB is not really

that expensive. He estimates costs at

about $2.75 per acre for an application

of 18 ounces per acre. Prostko says

2,4-DB can be added to three-way

tank mixes with Cadre and Dual or

Warrant, or with Cobra or Ultra

Blazer plus Dual or Warrant.

“Where Warrant is used, add a

non-ionic surfactant at a rate of 0.25

percent volume percent concentra-

tion,” he adds.

“I have not been a fan of three-

way tank mixtures in the past,”

Prostko says. He says data collected in

2014 showed that three-way tank

mixes that included 2,4-DB did not

cause significant peanut yield losses

under weed free conditions. t

2,4-DB needed nowmore than ever

Steve Li is the new extension weed

science specialist and assistant professor

in Department of Crop, Soil and

Environmental Sciences at Auburn

University. His past research experiences

included water management in double

and intercropping system, bermudagrass

control in St. Augustine and Zoysiagrass,

problematic weed management in row

crops, herbicide soil behavior, movement,

persistence, carryover injury, and weed

physiology. Li is specialized in soil herbi-

cide weed control as affected by various

environmental factors and soil types.

Li has extension responsibility of

weed control in peanut, right of way, pas-

ture, forage, forestry, and other non-crop

areas. Meanwhile, he has to provide

extension assistance in turf, weed ID,

spray efficacy,

herbicide drift

control, off target

movement and

carry over injury.

His research will

be focused on

resistant and

problematic weed

control in major row crops (peanut, cot-

ton, corn, etc.) and non-crop areas. He

will also conduct field, greenhouse and

laboratory experiments to provide

insights in drift management, herbicide

persistence, degradation, and herbicide-

crop-weed interactions as affected by

complex environmental conditions.

Li can be contacted at 334-844-3804

or via email at [email protected]. t

Auburn hires Li as new Extension weed scientist

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Triangle Chemical Company of Macon, Georgia, is pleased to announce the defin-

itive merger with Cardinal Chemicals, Inc., a leading provider of agricultural inputs to

all key crops in the North Carolina market. The two companies have agreed, in princi-

ple, to merge. The union further strengthens the Triangle legacy in the Southeast

regional agricultural field.

Cardinal Chemicals, Inc. comprises 11 retail sites under the governance of its orig-

inal location in Kinston, North Carolina, since 1974. As a member of Tenkoz and

PROKoZ, the company will remain a highly reputable designation throughout North

Carolina.

Triangle Chemical Company was founded in 1947 in Macon and has consistently

provided dedicated service and industry-leading products to help clients throughout the

Southeast. As a member of Tenkoz, the largest distribution entity for crop protection

products in the United States, Triangle is a local, fourth generation, family-run busi-

ness. For more information, contact 478-743-1548 or visit trianglecc.com. t

Triangle Chemical Company announces merger

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Seed inoculation is low-cost insurance

University of Georgia

Extension agronomist

Glen Harris who special-

izes in soils and fertility

says he would like to see the seed of

every peanut acre inoculated with nitro-

gen-fixing bacteria.

Inoculants provide live beneficial

bacteria that live on peanut roots. These

bacteria take nitrogen from the air in the

soil and convert it into a form that can be

used by the plant.

There are several types of inoculants.

These include liquid, granular and sterile

peat and powder formulations. Liquid

inoculants applied during planting in the

seed furrow have become the most popu-

lar among farmers, according to Harris.

Liquid inoculants also provide more live

bacteria than the other formulations. The

peat and powder formulations are typical-

ly mixed with the seed in the planter hop-

per. This can be a time consuming chore.

Also such mixing may damage the seed,

according to Harris.

Improper storage is the biggest rea-

son inoculants fail to work, according to

Harris. Inoculants are living bacteria.

Storage in direct sunlight or heat can kill

them. Harris adds that low soil pH can

also kill bacteria. In addition, he warns

that micronutrients may kill or interfere

with the bacteria.

“We don’t recommend starter fertiliz-

er for peanuts,” Harris adds.

Recommended fungicides and insec-

ticides applied to peanuts at planting

shouldn’t harm the bacteria. For informa-

tion on products that may hinder inocu-

lants, check the inoculant label or check

with the dealer who sold the inoculant.

Harris says inoculation is inexpensive

insurance, especially if soils have been

saturated with water for extended periods.

A cool, wet winter may jeopardize the

survivability of these beneficial bacteria.

Plants with yellow leaves may indi-

cate a lack of nitrogen. You can check the

effectiveness of inoculants by taking a

shovel and digging up the roots. Clean the

roots off, and look for nodules on the

roots.

Nodules indicate the presence of the

beneficial bacteria, but are only beneficial

if they are actively fixing N. If you cut

the nodules in half and see a bright pink

or red color, that’s an indication the bacte-

ria are working. Small nodules may be

white when you cut them in half. The

white color indicates the bacteria are

immature and haven’t started working yet.

The ideal time to check plant roots

for the presence of the beneficial bacteria

is 30 to 45 days after planting, when the

plant begins to flower.

Generally, Extension recommenda-

tions call for inoculation if peanuts have

not been grown in a field for five or more

years. Inoculation shouldn’t be needed if

well-nodulated peanuts have grown in the

field at any time during the previous three

years. But Harris says inoculation may

still pay off even in fields with a short

peanut rotation and in fields where peanut

yields are high.

“There is some research that indicates

if you harvest 5,000 pounds of peanuts

per acre, you may still benefit from inocu-

lation,” Harris says.

Harris also reminds growers to use

inoculants that are specifically designed

for use on peanuts. Bacterial inoculants

intended for soybeans will not benefit

peanuts.

Scott Tubbs, University of Georgia

cropping systems agronomist, has con-

ducted studies in recent years on peanut

inoculants. He says wet conditions can

move the bacteria out of the seed furrows.

Tubbs reminds growers to use non-

chlorinated water with liquid inoculants.

That’s because chlorine in water can kill

the bacteria.

Well inoculated peanut plants will lap

the rows earlier than those that are not

inoculated, according to Tubbs. Quicker

canopy closer in inoculated peanuts will

help in providing season long weed con-

trol.

If inoculation fails, a broadcast nitro-

gen fertilizer application may rescue the

peanuts, but the yields will probably not

equal those of a crop that was effectively

inoculated. Tubbs and his colleagues test-

ed inoculation against ammonium sulfate

nitrogen fertilizer in a Tift County,

Georgia, field that had not grown peanuts

for 28 years. The field was not irrigated

and dry weather hurt yields more than the

lack of nitrogen, according to Tubbs.

Tubbs and his team checked the nod-

ules on the peanut roots. They also found

that the nitrogen fertilizer improved the

foliage color by making the plants green-

er, though this green color diminished

near the end of the growing season. Also,

the nitrogen fertilizer inhibited the forma-

tion of nodules.

They concluded that if inoculants are

not used or are ineffective for any reason,

a small supplemental application of nitro-

gen may benefit the peanuts. Tubbs was

joined in this study by University of

Georgia Extension agricultural econo-


Extension recommendations call for inoculation if peanuts have not been grown in a field for five ormore years. Inoculation shouldn’t be needed if well-nodulated peanuts have grown in the field atany time during the previous three years. Pictured are untreated peanuts on the left and inoculatedpeanuts on the right.

BY JOHN LEIDNER


mists Amanda Smith and Nathan Smith. They analyzed data

from three years, and found that plots receiving an effective

inoculant at planting were most profitable.

However, where an inoculant was not used, plots that

received 60 pounds of N per acre at flowering helped to pro-

duce profitable peanuts.

The study included an untreated control, an inoculant

treatment, and three treatments with no inoculants but with

supplemental N applications of 60, 120 and 180 pounds of N

per acre at flowering. Other treatments in the study included no

inoculants but 60 pounds of N at flowering plus 60 pounds of

N at row lapping, and no inoculants but 120 pounds of N at

flowering plus 60 pounds of N at lapping.

Their analysis showed that plots receiving an inoculant

were $43 per acre more profitable than plots that received no

inoculant and supplemental nitrogen fertilizer.

Plots that received no inoculant but 60 pounds of N fertil-

izer at flowering were $38 per acre more profitable than those

plots that received higher levels of N. Plots with no inoculants

that received split fertilizer applications at flowering and at

lapping were the least profitable.

They concluded that inoculants applied at planting provide

the most profit potential. However, if there is an inoculant fail-

ure, farmers should consider applying no more than 60 pounds

of N fertilizer per acre at flowering. t

The Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation

Administration recently proposed a framework of regulations

that would allow routine use of certain small unmanned aircraft

systems (UAS) in today’s aviation system, while maintaining

flexibility to accommodate future technological innovations.

The FAA proposal offers safety rules for small UAS

(under 55 pounds) conducting non-recreational operations. The

rule would limit flights to daylight and visual-line-of-sight

operations. It also addresses height restrictions, operator certifi-

cation, optional use of a visual observer, aircraft registration

and marking, and operational limits.

The public will be able to comment on the proposed regu-

lation for 60 days from the date of publication in the Federal

Register, which can be found at www.regulations.gov.

Separate from this proposal, the FAA intends to hold public

meetings to discuss innovation and opportunities at the test

sites and Center of Excellence. These meetings will be

announced in a future Federal Register notice.

Under the proposals, a person flying a small UAS would

have to be 17 years old, pass an aeronautical knowledge test

and obtain an FAA UAS operator certificate. To keep the certi-

fication, operators would have to pass a FAA knowledge test

every two years.

To view the full proposal for small UAS, visit faa.gov.

DOT and FAA propose newrules for small unmannedaircraft systems

Bristow joins staff as APPA executive director

Caleb Bristow of Henry

County is the new execu-

tive director for the

Alabama Peanut

Producers Association, a division of the

Alabama Farmers Federation. His first

official day was Feb. 16, but he was intro-

duced to peanut farmers at the APPA

Annual Meeting in Dothan, Alabama,

Feb. 12, 2015.

Federation Governmental and

Agricultural Programs Director Brian

Hardin said Bristow’s strong work ethic

was developed growing up on a family

farm in Columbia, Alabama.

“We are fortunate and thrilled to have

Caleb join the APPA and the Federation

family,” Hardin says. “He will provide

excellent leadership with his natural tal-

ents. Caleb is a smart, hard worker who

has a great ability to connect with people

and make them feel comfortable.”

Bristow’s family raises nearly 3,000

acres of peanuts and cotton and has a herd

of beef cows. He is a two-time Auburn

University graduate, earning his master’s

degree in agronomy (weed science) in

2012 and his bachelor’s in agronomy and

soils in 2010.

Bristow said the Federation’s reputa-

tion as a conservative, family-friendly

organization that represents farmers on

the state and national levels, were among

the things that attracted him to the career

move. But mostly, he said, it was an

opportunity for him to help farmers.

“I am very excited about this oppor-

tunity,” Bristow said. “I am ready to work

not only with farmers, but also for farm-

ers.”

In addition to working with farmers

to help improve their livelihoods, Bristow

said he would also be a “peanut promot-

er.”

“Peanut farmers produce a delicious,

healthy food that is safe and affordable,”

Bristow says. “Helping encourage con-

sumers to eat more of what our farmers

grow is an exciting opportunity I’m look-

ing forward to.”

APPA President Carl Sanders said

Bristow represents the future of peanut

farming.

“Caleb’s energy and enthusiasm will

serve farmers well as we navigate a new

farm bill and spring planting begins,”

Sanders says. “His first-hand knowledge

of the peanut industry will allow him to

understand what our farmers need and

help them get it.”

Hardin and Sanders both praised the

work done by Jim Cravey, who has served

as APPA interim executive director for

more than a year. Cravey, who retired

from the Federation in 2006 as

Commodity Department director, will

continue to work for APPA through

Bristow’s transition.

Bristow, 26, and his wife, Freda, live

in Headland. He previously was a manag-

er and salesman for Kelly Ag in Headland

and is a member of Gamma Sigma Delta,

Auburn’s Honor Society of Agriculture.

He can be reached at the APPA office in

Dothan at [email protected] or

334-792-6482. t

BY DEBRA DAVISALABAMA FARMERS FEDERATION


U.S. Department of Agriculture’s

Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden (USDA)

recently announced more than $18 million

in grants to educate, mentor, and enhance

the sustainability of the next generation of

farmers. The grants are available through

the Beginning Farmer and Rancher

Development Program (BFRDP) adminis-

tered by the National Institute of Food

and Agriculture (NIFA), which was

authorized by the Agricultural Act of

2014 (Farm Bill).

“As new farmers and ranchers get

started, they are really looking to their

community for support. The Beginning

Farmer and Rancher Development

Program empowers these farmers and

ranchers to bring innovative ideas to the

table when it comes to addressing food

security, creating economic enterprises,

and building communities,” says Deputy

Secretary Krysta Harden. “As we cele-

brate the first anniversary of the 2014

Farm Bill, programs like these are evi-

dence that an investment in beginning

farmers and ranchers is an investment in

our future.”

The grant announcement was made at

Recirculating Farms Coalition in New

Orleans. Recirculating Farms received a

BFRDP grant to develop training sessions

focusing on soil-based production and

aquaculture for new and beginning farm-

ers in New Orleans.

The BFRDP program, first estab-

lished by the 2008 Farm Bill, aims to sup-

port those who have farmed or ranched

less than 10 years with workshops, educa-

tional teams, training, and technical assis-

tance throughout the United States. NIFA

awards grants to organizations that imple-

ment programs to train beginning farmers

and ranchers. This announcement was

funded by the 2014 Farm Bill, which con-

tinued authorization of this program.

The 2014 Farm Bill mandated at least

five percent of BFRDP funding support

veterans and socially disadvantaged farm-

ers. Among this announcement, more than

15 percent of the funded projects have a

substantial component that supports veter-

ans and farming, while about 50 percent

of the projects focus mainly on socially

disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. A

fact sheet with a complete list of

awardees and project descriptions is avail-

able on the USDA website.

Since 2009, FSA has issued more

than 8895,000 direct and guaranteed farm

operating and farm ownership loans to

beginning farmers and ranchers. The 2014

Farm Bill also strengthens the Noninsured

Crop Disaster Assistance Program for

new producers by reducing the premiums

on buy-up level coverage by 50 percent

for new farmers and waiving their appli-

cation fee.

More information is available online

at usda.gov/newfarmers. t

USDA invests $18 million to train beginning farmers

The 10th annual Alabama-

Florida Peanut Trade Show

hosted a record number of

650 attendees at the

National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds in

Dothan, Feb. 12. Farmers elected new

leaders, learned about new technologies

and attended seed, research and produc-

tion seminars during the event.

Dale County peanut and cotton

farmer Chris Thompson said the trade

show is an opportunity to connect with

other farmers and gain information to

help him on his farm.

“It’s great to look at new equipment,

talk with other producers about farm poli-

cy and what FSA and USDA are trying to

implement this winter,” Thompson says.

“Any time you get the opportunity to

learn more about what you do, it’s good

to take advantage of it.”

Butler County farmer Steve Tanner

won a $5,000 discount towards an

Amadas combine or picker/inverter. He

said he saw a product at the meeting that

could help with nematode management on

his farm.

“Neem Oil is supposed to fight nema-

todes, and they’ve done some research in

Georgia with it,” Tanner says. “A lot of

people have used it over there and believe

in it. It’s something the deer won’t eat, so

in the areas I’m having deer trouble, I can

use this to control that, too.”

Before lunch, the Alabama Peanut

Producers Association (APPA), a divi-

sion of the Alabama Farmers

Federation, met to elect new members

to its board of directors and appoint

members to PeanutPAC.

Carl Sanders of Coffee County was

reelected APPA president. Also reelect-

ed were Mark Kaiser and Joel Sirmon

of Baldwin County and Ed White of

Henry County. Thomas Adams of

Henry County was elected to the board.

Bert Driskell of Mobile County,

Brad Smith of Dallas County and Tom

Corcoran, Barbour County were reap-

pointed to PeanutPAC.

The Florida and Alabama peanut

producers associations honored former

Auburn University professor Joe

Touchton, who was head of the universi-

ty’s Crop, Soil and Environmental

Sciences Department, for his years of

service to peanut farmers. t

AL/FL Peanut Trade Show attracts record crowd

The Florida and Alabama peanut producers associa-tions honored former Auburn University professor JoeTouchton, who was head of the university’s Crop, Soiland Environmental Sciences Department, for hisyears of service to peanut farmers. Pictured left toright: Jim Cravey, APPA interim executive director,Touchton and Carl Sanders, APPA president.

BY TERESA MAYS


Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conferenceprovides a day of education for peanut farmers

More than 2,100 atten-

dees were able to fine-

tune their farming

operations with infor-

mation gained at the 39th Annual Georgia

Peanut Farm Show and Conference on

Jan. 15, 2015, at the University of

Georgia Tifton Campus Conference

Center in Tifton, Georgia. The show is

sponsored by the Georgia Peanut

Commission in cooperation with the

University of Georgia Tifton Campus and

the Southeastern Peanut Farmer.

The one-day show offered farmers a

chance to view the products and services

of more than 100 exhibitors, as well as a

day of education. The University of

Georgia Peanut Team presented an educa-

tional peanut production seminar focusing

marketing, SDHI chemistries and the

changing face of disease and nematode

management, insect management and

more. An industry seed seminar was held

which highlighted peanut varieties avail-

able for 2015.

The Georgia Peanut Commission pre-

sented awards to individuals and busi-

nesses for their service to the peanut

industry and promotion of peanuts across

the U.S. The award recipients are:

Distinguished Service Award – Birdsong

Peanuts; Research and Education Award –

Steve Brown, retired University of

Georgia interim associate dean for

Extension; Media Award – 92.5 The

Farm, WKZZ; and Special Awards to

Steve Spooner of S&S Marketing, Peanut

Proud, Inc. and Debbie Cannon, retired

regional representative for U.S. Sen.

Saxby Chambliss.

The Outstanding Georgia Young

Peanut Farmer Award was presented to

Andrew Grimes of Tifton, Georgia. The

award is presented to one Georgia peanut

farmer based upon the applicant’s overall

farm operation; environmental and stew-

ardship practices; and leadership and

community service activities. This year’s

winner demonstrates volunteerism and

service to agriculture in his local area.

Grimes developed his passion for

farming while growing up on a diversified

row crop operation including peanuts, cot-

ton, corn, wheat and vegetables. On the

farm, Grimes is very involved in steward-

ship and conservation practices. Grimes

utilizes GPS technology, plants a cover

crop, uses twin-row planting and a 3-year

rotation to aid in crop efficiency and

replenishing the soil with nutrients. His

farming practices continue to help him

achieve high yields annually with an aver-

age of 7,200 pounds per acre for peanuts.

Grimes receives a sign to display at

his farm and a trip to the Southern Peanut

Growers Conference in July. This award

is sponsored by the Georgia Peanut

Commission and BASF.

In addition to the Outstanding

Georgia Young Peanut Farmer Award, the

Georgia Peanut Commission and Agri

Supply presented the Outstanding Georgia

Peanut Farmers of the Year Award to indi-

viduals representing each of the commis-

sion’s five districts. The GPC board mem-

bers started this award to honor farmers

each year who have the passion, dili-

gence, leadership and desire to see the

peanut industry in the state of Georgia

continue to be the highest quality.

Winners include: District 1 - Wayne Carr,

Donalsonville, District 2 - Ralph

Underwood, Moultrie, District 3 - Olin

Boyd, Sylvania, District 4 - James

Warbington, Vienna, and District 5 -

Jimmy Curry, Shellman. These farmers

received a sign to display at their farm

and a $100 gift card from Agri Supply.

At the close of the day, the presenta-

tion of the Grand Door Prize donated by

Kelley Manufacturing Co. was presented

to Jared Cross, Unadilla, Georgia. Cross

received one season’s use of a new six-

row KMC peanut combine and the option

of purchasing the combine from a KMC

dealer with $15,000 off the list price at

the end of the 2015 season. KMC also

provided $1,000 cash as part of the Grand

Door Prize package to Drew Whigham,

Cairo, Georgia.

Amadas Industries also provided a

Grower Door Prize of one season’s use of

a new Amadas four-row or six-row

peanut inverter or a certificate good for

The Georgia Peanut Commission presented awards to individuals and businesses for their serviceto the peanut industry and promotion of peanuts across the U.S. Pictured left to right: ArmondMorris, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission, Andrew Grimes, Outstanding Georgia YoungPeanut Farmer recipient from Tifton, Ga., Media Award - Becky Davis, director of ag news with92.5 The Farm, WKZZ; Distinguished Service Award – Charles Birdsong, vice president of opera-tions and procurement for Birdsong Peanuts; Special Recognition - Debbie Cannon, retired region-al representative for U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss; Special Award – Greg Grimsley, president ofPeanut Proud, Inc. and Steve Spooner of S&S Marketing. Not pictured: Research and EducationAward – Steve Brown, retired University of Georgia interim associate dean for Extension.

the amount of $5,000 towards the purchase of any Amadas pull-type

peanut combine to Steve Shivers, Ft. Gaines, Georgia.

For photos and additional information on the Georgia Peanut Farm

Show and Conference visit the Georgia Peanut Commission web site at

www.gapeanuts.com. t


BY JOY CROSBY

Five Outstanding Georgia Peanut Farmers of the Year were honored at a breakfastprior to the Georgia Peanut Farm Show, Jan. 15, 2015. The district winners are (leftto right) District 1 - Wayne Carr, Donalsonville, District 2 - Ralph Underwood,Moultrie, District 3 - Olin Boyd, Sylvania, District 4 - James Warbington, Vienna andDistrict 5 - Jimmy Curry, Shellman.

The Georgia Peanut Commission will hold a

referendum March 16 through April 15 giving

peanut producers an opportunity to vote on reaffirm-

ing the commission. State law mandates that a refer-

endum be held every three years. Georgia peanut

producers invest $2 per ton to fund the commission

and its research, education, promotion and commu-

nication programs.

The last referendum in 2012 passed with an

87.6 percent reaffirmation. GPC Executive Director

Don Koehler urges producers to contact him by

email at [email protected] or 229-386-3470 if

they have any questions about the commission’s

activities or the referendum.

Peanut producers who do not receive a ballot

may obtain one by calling the commission. The

commission requests that anyone who receives a

ballot but is no longer farming to write, “no longer

producing” on the certification envelope and return

it to the commission. This will assist the commis-

sion in updating its mailing list. The commission’s

address is P.O. Box 967, Tifton, Georgia 31793.

The Certified Public Accounting Firm of Allen,

Pritchett, and Bassett will count the votes. t

Georgia Peanut Commission holdsreferendum March 16 – April 15

The Mississippi Peanut

Growers Association held

their annual meeting and

trade show Jan. 28-29,

2015, at the Lake Terrace Convention

Center, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. More

than 100 farmers and industry representa-

tives gathered for the two-day meeting

that featured promotional and research

reports during the annual meeting, as well

as the opportunity for farmers to visit

with 35 agricultural businesses in the

trade show.

Bob Redding, Washington representa-

tive for the Georgia Peanut Commission

and the Southern Peanut Farmers

Federation, kicked off the MPGA annual

meeting by discussing some of the top

issues in Washington, D.C., including

immigration reform, appropriations, trade

and energy. According to Redding, some

of the top priorities for the peanut indus-

try in 2015 are protecting the 2014 Farm

Bill, continuing to work with administra-

tors on regulations and implementation,

planning for the 2018 Farm Bill, trade and

government peanut butter purchases.

Redding noted that there has been a sig-

nificant drop in government peanut butter

purchases and the peanut industry needs

to work with the government on increas-

ing the amount of purchases.

George Hopper, dean of the

Mississippi State University College of

Agriculture and Life Sciences, spoke to

the group regarding the university and

Mississippi agriculture. According to

Hopper, Mississippi agriculture and

forestry production farm gate value totals

$7.9 billion and provides $17.2 billion in

value added to the Mississippi economy.

More than one-fourth of all jobs in

Mississippi are directly related to agricul-

ture and forestry.

According to Hopper, MSU is going

to make a specific emphasis on precision

agriculture in the next few years. “There

are lots of questions to answer,” Hopper

says. “Precision Ag is about doing the

right thing at the right time and place.”

He continues by stating, precision

agriculture is not new but the technology

is continuing to advance and it’s impor-

tant for the next generation of leaders to

understand all that’s available for them.

Additional speakers during the annual

meeting presented information on peanut

diseases, weeds, irrigation, yield monitor

systems, varieties, insect management,

market outlook and wild hog control.

Growers also heard updates from Cindy

Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Commissioner

of Agriculture, as well as, reports on the

Southern Peanut Farmers Federation,

Southern Peanut Growers and the

National Peanut Board.

During the annual meeting of the

association, new board members were

elected to serve on the MPGA board. The

board members elected include Joe

Morgan, president; Lonnie Fortner, vice

president; District 3 representative Alan

Atkins; District 4 representative Daniel

Parrish; and At Large members Corley

Moses, Bernard Jones and Steve Seward.

For more info on the MPGA visit

misspeanuts.com. t

Mississippi Peanut Growers annual meetingand trade show

BY JOY CROSBY

Jason Ward, Mississippi State University Extension agricultural engineer, discusses research onyield monitor systems to attendees at the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association Annual Meetingand Trade Show held Jan. 28-29, 2015, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.


Premium Peanut, LLC was formed in

fall of 2014 to provide a market for

peanut growers in south Georgia.

Premium Peanut is grower owned and is

committed to delivering the very best

peanut possible.

Premium Peanut, LLC has begun

construction on a new ultra-modern

peanut shelling facility to be complete

before harvest 2015. The shelling plant

will be an LMC plant. Originating from

the rural peanut farms of South Georgia,

LMC has become the world leader in

peanut shellers and equipment for the

peanut shelling process. LMC equipment

is responsible for shelling 90 percent of

the commercial peanut market.

The owners of seven buying points in

Coffee, Jeff Davis, Berrien, Irwin and

Appling Counties formed Premium

Peanut. Using modern shelling equip-

ment, the plant is expected to begin with

110,000 tons from the 2015 crop and

grow to 140,000 tons in its first three

years.

For additional information visit their

website at premiumpeanutllc.com. t

Premium Peanut shelling plant going up in Georgia

Bennie Branch (left), president of KelleyManufacturing Co., presents the Grand DoorPrize to Jared Cross, Unadilla, Georgia, duringthe Georgia Peanut Farm Show andConference. Cross received one season’s useof a new six-row KMC peanut combine and theoption of purchasing the combine from a KMCdealer with $15,000 off the list price at the endof the 2015 season.

Congratulations to these Door Prize winners!

Mark Mathis (right) of Amadas Industries pres-ents the Amadas door prize to Steve Shivers,Ft. Gaines, Georgia, during the Georgia PeanutFarm Show and Conference held in Tifton,Georgia. Shivers received one season’s use ofa new Amadas four-row or six-row peanutinverter or a certificate good for the amount of$5,000 towards the purchase of any Amadaspull-type peanut combine.

Chris Beaty (left) of Amadas Industries pres-ents the Amadas door prize to Steve Tanner,Greenville, Alabama, during the AL/FL PeanutTrade Show held in Dothan, Alabama. Tannerreceived one season’s use of a new Amadasfour-row or six-row peanut inverter or a certifi-cate good for the amount of $5,000 towards thepurchase of any Amadas pull-type peanut com-bine.

Chris Beaty (left) of Amadas Industries pres-ents the Amadas door prize to Kyle Williams,Fruitdale, Alabama, during the MississippiPeanut Growers Association Annual Meetingheld in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Williamsreceived one season’s use of a new Amadasfour-row or six-row peanut inverter or a certifi-cate good for the amount of $5,000 towards thepurchase of any Amadas pull-type peanut com-bine.

Tyler Ulrich, Bonifay, Florida, won the KelleyManufacturing Co. door prize during the AL/FLTrade Show held in Dothan, Alabama. Picturedleft to right: Danny Bennett, KMC, Ulrich, MissNational Peanut Festival Laura McKenny, LittleMiss National Peanut Festival Ray Anna Ansleyand Hal Waller, KMC. Ulrich received one sea-son’s use of a new six-row KMC peanut com-bine.

Keith Weeks (left) of Kelley Manufacturing Co.presents the door prize to Pete Rutland ofMize, Mississippi, during the Mississippi PeanutGrowers Association Annual Meeting. Rutlandreceived one season’s use of a new six-rowKMC peanut combine and the option of pur-chasing the combine from a KMC dealer with$15,000 off the list price at the end of the 2015season.

Thanks to KMC and Amadas for their generous donation!Contact KMC and Amadas at:

KMC229-382-9393

www.kelleymfg.com

Amadas(229) 439-2217

www.amadas.com


The 17th Annual Southern

Peanut Growers

Conference is moving to

Callaway Gardens, Pine

Mountain, Georgia for 2015, but the pro-

gram line up and social events offered

will still be stellar. The conference is

planned for July 23-25.

Owned and operated by the non-prof-

it Ida Cason Callaway Foundation,

Callaway Gardens includes a garden,

resort, preserve and residential communi-

ty on 13,000 acres. Highlights include a

butterfly conservatory, horticultural cen-

ter, discovery center, chapel, inland beach,

nature trails and special events throughout

the year.

In addition, Callaway Gardens offers

nearly 80,000 square feet of meeting

space, 685 guest rooms, restaurants,

shops, golf, tennis, fishing and more.

Callaway Gardens is home to a

4,610-acre forest preserve, which is sus-

tainably-managed for biological studies

and environmental education programs,

and has provided a place of relaxation,

inspiration and a better understanding of

the living world for millions of visitors.

As for the conference, producers will

continue to have an opportunity to learn

more about legislative issues, marketing

opportunities, production issues and pro-

motional efforts.

Additional information is available

by visiting southernpeanutfarmers.org.

Southern Peanut Growers Conferenceset for July 23-25 at Callaway Gardens


Thursday, July 231:00 - 6:30 p.m. Conference Registration6:30 p.m. Welcoming Reception 7:00 p.m. Welcoming Dinner

Friday, July 246:30 a.m. Syngenta Start Strong 5K &

Fun Run8:00 a.m. Prayer Breakfast 9:30 a.m. General Session I 10:30 a.m. Spouse Program

Refreshment Break10:45 a.m. General Session II11:45 a.m. Luncheon 1:15 p.m. General Session III7:00 p.m. Cookout at Callaway Gardens

Additional events include: FSU Flying High Circus*Fireworks at Robin Lake Beach** Limited Availability

Saturday, July 257:30 a.m. Breakfast - Farm Press Peanut

Profitability Awards9:15 a.m. General Session III

Refreshment BreakNoon Lunch on your own and

afternoon free!12:30 - 6 p.m. Golf Tournament7:00 p.m. Reception7:30 p.m. Dinner and Entertainment

2015 Tentative Schedule

Number of Registrants Registration On or before After Subtotal Rates: June 30 July 1 Registration

_____ U.S. Peanut Growers $125 $175 ____________ Spouse $125 $175 ____________ Children (per person) $125 $175 ____________ General Registration: $245 $295 _______

(Including media, government, research, grower representatives)

_____ International Attendees $695 $745 _______

Special Activities:_____ Golf (per person) $100 _______includes green fees, cart rental and prizes

TOTAL amount enclosed (U.S. Dollars) $ _______

Credit Card Information: (Check one) o Amex o Visa o MasterCard

Credit Card Number: __________________________________________________________

Expiration Date:______________________________________________________________

Name on Credit Card: _________________________________________________________

Signature: __________________________________________________________________

Fax registration form with credit card authorization to the Georgia Peanut Commission at (229)386-3501.

Make checks payable to: Southern Peanut Growers ConferenceMail check with payment to: Georgia Peanut Commission (SPGC Conf.)

P.O. Box 967 Tifton, GA 31793

Name:

Company Name: Farm # (required of peanut producers):

Address: City: State: Zip:

Telephone: Fax: Email:

Spouse Name (if registering): Child’s Name(s) (if registering):

Registration deadline is June 30, 2015.For on-site registration, add $100 to original

registration rate for each registrant.Cancellation Refund Policy: 100% On or before

July 1, 50% July 2 - 11 and 0% after July 12

Registration Rates: Full Package includes all meal functionsand spouse program.

For our planning purposes, check the boxes of special activity events you plan to attend. Spouse Program: o Friday, July 24, 10:30 a.m. to noon

Golf Tournament: includes green fees, cart rentaland prizes Name: ____________________________________Handicap or Average Score: __________________

Register for Special Activities

Name badges are required at all conference functions. Only those registered for the conference will receive a name badge.

Hotel Reservationsmust be made separately and directly with

Callaway Gardens by calling: 844-532-7325 or visit their website atwww.callawaygardens.com/aspgc2015.

July 23-25, 2015Callway Gardens Pine Mountain, Georgia

- REGISTRATION FORM -

SOUTHERN PEANUTGROWERS CONFERENCE

17th Annual

(When making your hotel reservations, ask for the Southern Peanut Growers Conference rate.)

Name of Buying Point:

For More Information Contact:ALABAMA PEANUT PRODUCERS ASSN.

(334) 792-6482 FLORIDA PEANUT PRODUCERS ASSN.

(850) 526-2590 GEORGIA PEANUT COMMISSSION

(229) 386-3470MISSISSIPPI PEANUT GROWERS ASSN.

(601) 606-3547

House Ag Committe makes budget case to House Budget

CommitteeThe House Agriculture Committee has submitted its fiscal year 2016 budget

letter to the House Budget Committee. The letter was signed by Chairman Mike

Conaway, R-Texas, and Ranking Member Collin Peterson, D-Minnesota. The let-

ter noted:

“While the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the farm bill) comprises 2 percent of the

total Federal budget, with support to producers under the Commodity Title and

Crop Insurance constituting only 0.29 percent of the overall budget, the

Committee on Agriculture is proud to have made a significant contribution to

deficit reduction with the passage of the farm bill, which CBO estimated at the

time would save $16 billion over 10 years or $23 billion when including seques-

tration of the May 2013 baseline. When comparing the CBO baseline used during

the farm bill with CBO’s January 2015 baseline update, we estimate that anticipat-

ed taxpayer savings remain intact.

Nevertheless, while the contribution to deficit reduction already made by the

Committee on Agriculture is very significant, exclusive or even overreliance upon

savings from our committee in the future will greatly undermine important mis-

sion areas while failing to seriously move the needle in meeting the fiscal objec-

tives that our committees share. While additional, responsible savings might be

achieved by our committee in the future depending upon the outcome of an exam-

ination of the policies within our jurisdiction, truly meaningful deficit reduction

will necessarily depend on contributions from beyond the jurisdiction of the

Committee on Agriculture, where more than 98 percent of Federal spending

resides.”

One of the key messages from the Agriculture Committee to House Budget

Committee Chairman Tom Price, R-Georgia, was, “In short, the farm bill is work-

ing as it was intended to work, meeting our objectives with substantially fewer

resources.”

GPC joins effort to stop crop insurance cuts The Georgia Peanut Commission and the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation

joined other agricultural organizations in an effort to stop proposed 2014 Farm

Bill crop insurance program cuts. The President has proposed crop insurance cuts

in his Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Proposal and other harmful, legislation has also

been introduced. It is anticipated that these cuts will be an issue during the Fiscal

Year Agricultural Appropriations debate.

In a letter to U.S. House and Senate Budget leaders, agricultural organizations

stated: “The farm bill places greater emphasis on risk management than previous

farm bills. Farmers spend approximately $4 billion a year of their own money to

purchase insurance from the private sector, which is far more efficient and effec-

tive than government-run crop insurance delivery systems. Crop insurance prod-

ucts and protection levels can be tailored to the individual farm, making it so

effective in managing risk that more than 90 percent of eligible farmland is cur-

rently protected.”

U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, and Patrick Toomey,

R-Pennsylvania, have introduced Senate Bill 345 which caps premium subsidies

for crop insurance at $50,000. The GPC opposes the Shaheen-Toomey legislation.

Washington Outlookby Robert L. Redding Jr.

Legislative Updates available online at www.americanpeanuts.com


U.S. House Ag Committee holds

farm bill review hearingThe U.S. House of Representatives

Agriculture Committee held a hearing on the

“State of the Rural Economy.” Implementation

of the now one-year old 2014 Farm Bill was

the central topic of the hearing. Secretary of

Agriculture Tom Vilsack testified at the hear-

ing.

One of the dominant topics of the day was

the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Proposal by the

administration which included severe cuts to

crop insurance programs in the 2014 Farm Bill.

“We have a new farm bill on the books

that passed with bipartisan support,” says

House Ag Committee Chairman Mike

Conaway, R-Texas. “The President’s proposed

cuts to crop insurance, which the Secretary has

vocally supported, would undermine the farm

bill and make the inherently risky business of

growing our nation’s food supply even riskier.

We should recognize the contributions agricul-

ture has made to deficit reduction and give the

new farm bill time to work.”

In addition to crop insurance, the commit-

tee addressed several key peanut issues with

Sec. Vilsack.

U.S. Rep. David Scott, D-Georgia, pointed

out the federal government’s “drastic decline”

in its purchases of peanut butter. Congressman

Scott highlighted the decline since the ‘90s in

the purchase of peanut butter as compared to

recent years. Sec. Vilsack said he would ask

his staff to review the issue and report back to

the committee. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Florida, also

raised the peanut issue, saying that “we have to

increase consumption” and suggesting that it

be included in food aid.

U.S. Senate hosts 2014 Farm Bill

review hearingThe U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee

held a 2014 Farm Bill Implementation hearing

Feb. 24, 2015. Georgia farmer and agribusi-

nessman Ronnie Lee testifed before the com-

mittee with other farmers and Sec. of

Agriculture Tom Vilsack. View Lee’s testimo-

ny online at www.americanpeanuts.com


Feb. 4, 2015

House and Sentate Budget Committee Chairs and Ranking Members:

The agriculture community is committed to the belief that balancing the Federal budget is important, which is why the industry

supported the passage just last year of a farm bill that was estimated to reduce the deficit by $16.6 billion. Additionally, crop

insurance has been contributing more than $1.2 billion a year towards reducing government spending since the 2008 Farm

Bill.

Therefore, we strongly oppose the President’s budget proposal to make crippling cuts to crop insurance. Attacking farmers’

most important risk management tool only weakens the farm safety net in the bipartisan farm bill that Congress carefully craft-

ed after years of deliberation and more than 40 hearings.

The farm bill places greater emphasis on risk management than previous farm bills. Farmers spend approximately $4 billion a

year of their own money to purchase insurance from the private sector, which is far more efficient and effective than govern-

ment-run crop insurance delivery systems. Crop insurance products and protection levels can be tailored to the individual

farm, making it so effective in managing risk that more than 90 percent of eligible farmland is currently protected.

This popularity enabled the country to face back-to-back years of wide scale natural disasters, including the historic drought of

2012, without a single ad hoc disaster bill introduced for cropland. Such unbudgeted disaster bills were commonplace before

crop insurance provided the depth and breadth of coverage that it does today, and these disaster bills were fully funded by tax-

payers.

Budget levels currently in place for crop insurance ensure the affordability and availability of risk protection, while maintain-

ing the viability of private-sector delivery. Arbitrary funding reductions only weaken the system and ultimately shift risk

exposure back to taxpayers.

As the House and Senate develop their own budget proposals we urge you to protect crop insurance and recognize its central

importance to farmers, lenders and all of rural America.

Sincerely,

American Bankers Association

American Farm Bureau Federation

American Insurance Association

American Sugar Alliance

American Sugarbeet Growers Association

Association of Equipment Manufacturers

American Soybean Association

Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau

Crop Insurance Professionals Association

Farm Credit Council

Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America

Independent Community Bankers of America

National Association of Professional Insurance Agents

National Association of Wheat Growers

National Barley Growers Association

National Corn Growers Association

National Cotton Council

National Council of Farmer Cooperatives

National Crop Insurance Services

National Farmers Union

National Sorghum Producers

National Sunflower Association

Southern Peanut Farmers Federation

Southwest Council of Agribusiness

US Canola Council

US Dry Bean Council

US Rice Producers Association

US Beet Sugar Association

USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council

USA Rice Federation

Western Peanut Growers Association

USDA provides one-time extension of deadline to update base acres or yield history for

ARC/PLC programs Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced a one-time extension will be provided to producers for the new safety-net

programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill, known as Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC). The final

day to update yield history or reallocate base acres has been extended one additional month, from Feb. 27, 2015 until March 31,

2015. The final day for farm owners and producers to choose ARC or PLC coverage also remains March 31, 2015. If no changes are

made to yield history or base acres by March 31, 2015, the farm's current yield and base will be used. A program choice of ARC or

PLC coverage also must be made by March 31, 2015, or there will be no 2014 payments for the farm and the farm will default to

PLC coverage through the 2018 crop year.

Celebrate March, National Peanut

Month with “PB My Way All-Time

Favorites” recipe contestReach into your

recipe box for that dog-

eared and peanut butter-

stained favorite recipe

card! Whether your

favorite peanut butter

recipe is one that has

been passed down for generations or one that you dis-

covered or created yourself, Southern Peanut Growers

invites you to enter it in the annual “PB My Way” recipe

contest.

Enter your favorite recipe at www.peanut but-

terlovers.com in one of these categories: Family

Favorites; Breakfast or Brunch?; Festive Holidays or

Dreamy Desserts. One grand prize – a KitchenAid stand

mixer – and four top in category prizes – a year’s supply

of peanut butter – will be awarded!

Southern Peanut Growers works

with Georgia Grinders, a new

peanut butter brandGeorgia Grinders

just launched the first

hand-crafted, small-

batch peanut butter

company exclusively

using Georgia-grown

peanuts. Jaime Foster,

left the corporate world

and launched

NaturAlmond almond butter in January of 2012. Peanut

butter – made from Georgia’s official state crop – was

the most natural next step!

SPG will be sampling Georgia Grinders at upcoming

consumer shows and health events and Georgia Grinders

will do one cooking demonstration at the Savannah and

Nashville Southern Women’s Shows with Southern

Peanut Growers.

Made with just peanuts and sea salt, a 12-oz. jar

sells for $5.99 - $6.99. Georgia Grinders is available in

retailers nationally including Sprouts Farmers Market

and Whole Foods, as well as specialty and online stores.

Southern Peanut Growers

Marketing arm of Southern Peanut Growers1025 Sugar Pike Way · Canton, Georgia 30115

(770) 751-6615 · FAX (770) 751-6417 email: [email protected]

Visit our website athttp://www.peanutbutterlovers.com

Southern Peanut Growers exhibited at 26.2

with Donna Marathon WeekendSouthern Peanut Growers exhibited at

the 26.2 with Donna Marathon Weekend

February 13-14 in Jacksonville, Florida.

The event – the only marathon in the U.S.

dedicated to breast cancer research and

care - attracted more than 12,000 regis-

tered runners from all 50 states and more

than 20 countries worldwide. Southern

Peanut Growers distributed recipes, nutri-

tion information, peanuts, and peanut pro-

motional items.

Southern Peanut Growers plans to

exhibit at additional marathons throughout

the Southeast in an effort to reach con-

sumers and marathon enthusiasts.

Pork or Chicken SatayMarinade Ingredients:6 oz. plain yogurt

6 oz. creamy peanut butter

6 oz. pineapple juice

1 Tbsp. grated ginger

1 Tbsp. lime juice

2 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. red chili pepper paste

2 lbs. pork or chicken

Marinade Directions:Whisk ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Cut meat into

stips appropriate to thread onto skewers. Mix meat strips into sauce

and marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour to overnight.

Thread meat onto skewers and grill. Serve warm with satay sauce.

Donald Chase, peanut farmerfrom Oglethorpe, Georgia,ran in the marathon andshared the peanut story atSouthern Peanut Growersexhibit.

Satay Ingredients:6 oz. can pineapple juice

2 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. Teriyaki sauce

1 Tbsp. red chili pepper paste

1 Tbsp. ground ginger

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. lime juice

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Satay Directions:In a sauce pan, mix all

ingredients except peanut

butter over low heat until

warm. Remove from heat and

whisk in peanut butter. Serve

with warm, marinated meat.

Recipe created by Don Koehler,Georgia Peanut Commission.

southeastern peanut farmer - march 2015

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