southeastern peanut farmer - may/june 2014

A communication service of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.

Inside:n Southern Peanut

Growers Conference

set for July

n Peanut genome

sequences released

n 2014 Irrigation

Guidebook

mayjune_2014:decjan2009.qxd 5/20/2014 5:41 PM

5 Southern Peanut GrowersConference set for JulyThe 16th Annual Southern PeanutGrowers Conference is set for July 24-26, 2014, in Florida. The three-day eventprovides farmers the opportunity to learnmore about the industry and issuesaffecting them on the farm.

10 Peanut genome sequencesreleasedThe new peanut genome sequencewill be available to researchersand plant breeders across theglobe to aid in the breeding ofmore productive and more resilient peanut varieties.

13 2014 Irrigation GuidebookThis issue of the Southeastern PeanutFarmer guides farmers with tips formaximizing efficiency and yieldthrough the use of variable rate irrigation, subsurface drip, moisturesensors, adjusted growing degreemodel, Irrigator Pro and more.

Contents

May/June 2014 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.

May/June 2014

Joy Carter Crosby

Editor

[email protected]

229-386-3690

Contributing Writers

John Leidner

[email protected]

Teresa Mays

[email protected]

Jessie Turk

[email protected]

Southeastern Peanut Farmer

P.O. Box 706, Tifton, Ga. 31793

445 Fulwood Blvd., Tifton, Ga. 31794

ISSN: 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 ........................................................

8

20

22

Cover Photo: Center pivot irrigation at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Ga. Many tools today

allow farmers the ability to schedule irrigation in order to maximize efficiency and yield of their

peanuts. Photo by John Leidner.

Photo

by C

lint

Thom

pson,

Univ

ers

ity o

f G

eorg

ia.


4 Southeastern Peanut Farmer May/June 2014

Passage of the Farm Bill

(Let us know about your event. Please send detailsto the editor, using the following e-mail address:

[email protected])

The passage of a farm bill is never easy, and this bill was more

difficult than most. Still, we got a bill and to the benefit of the

whole, it is a really good bill. That is the best we can hope to

achieve with any farm bill. Essentially every farm is treated alike,

but different at the same time. This is the nature of base lines and historic

bases, which are all a key to managing cost.

This farm bill is not any different than past farm bills. In 2002, all

producers did not have the same amount of quota on which they were paid.

At the same time, when bases were established, every producer had a

different history and different farm situation on which to establish his base.

Some farmers purchased base from others because the historical producer did

not have land on which to assign base.

Not only did these base purchase transactions happen at the onset of the

2002 farm bill, farm bases have been bought and sold with the land for

decades. Part of the value of farmland when it was sold and bought was the

value of the farm bases assigned to the land. Buying land with base meant

buying base as a piece of property. In other situations, farmers had farmed for

years, often at low prices, while assuming all the risk just to build bases.

Fortunately, during this farm bill debate, it was recognized that cotton

base on land was part of the property, which had been purchased at a cost of

many producers and others who had farmed for years building up farm bases.

When the cotton program was changed to a non-base program, had it not

been for converting cotton base to generic base, farmers with cotton base

would have seen a decline in net worth based on the loss of some portion of

their farm base. There was no money to buy-out cotton base like the peanut

quota was bought in 2002.

While some farmers benefit more than others from the establishment of

generic base, at the same time, they have invested more to have that base.

Taking cotton base away without compensation would have been somewhat

of a socialist action. I once heard of a Russian farmer who told his leader he

was concerned his neighbor had a goat and he had none. When asked what

his solution would be to the problem, he suggested they kill his neighbor’s

goat.

We live in a society which rewards us for hard work and making smart

investments. We would never condone pushing a man’s farm shop or his

grain bins in a pile because we didn’t have those facilities on our farm. I hope

we would certainly all stand firm if our government chose to do so.

Also important, farmers are allowed to reallocate all farm bases beyond

the generic bases to better recognize changes in cultural practices. This

allows the farmer to make bases better fit his current

farming mix.

Congress delivered on a farm bill which is better

than the previous bill, and which moves peanut pro-

ducers as a whole forward. I trust this bill will be

given the chance to operate as it was intended by

Congress. That only makes sense. t

u USA Peanut Congress, June 19-23, 2014,Omni Nashville Hotel, Nashville, Tenn. For

more information call 703-838-9500 or visit

www.peanutsusa.com.

u American Peanut Research andEducation Society Annual Meeting,

July 8-10, 2014, Menger Hotel, San Antonio,

Texas. For more information visit

www.apresinc.com.

u Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day, July 10,2014, Moultrie, Ga. For more information visit

www.sunbeltexpo.com.

u Southern Peanut Growers Conference,July 24-26, 2014, Edgewater Beach Resort,

Panama City Beach, Fla. For more information

visit www.southernpeanutfarmers.org.

u American Peanut Shellers AssociationPre-Harvest Meeting, Aug. 5-6, 2014, Lake

Blackshear Resort & Golf Club, Cordele, Ga.

For more information, call 229-888-2508 or

visit www.peanut-shellers.org.

u Southeast Georgia Research andEducation Center Field Day, Aug. 13, 2014,

Midville, Ga. For more information call

478-589-7472.

u Southwest Georgia Research andEducation Center Field Day, Aug. 20, 2014,

Plains, Ga. For more information call

229-824-4375.

u Georgia Peanut Tour, Sept. 16-18, 2014,For more information visit the tour blog at

www.gapeanuttour.wordpress.com.

u Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day, Oct. 14-16,2014, Moultrie, Ga. For more information visit


u National Peanut Festival, Oct. 31-Nov. 9,2014, Dothan, Ala. For more information visit

www.nationalpeanutfestival.com.

u Georgia Farm Bureau, Dec. 7-9, 2014,Jekyll Island, Ga. For more information visit

www.gfb.org.

u American Peanut Council WinterConference, Dec. 10-13, 2014, Washington

Marriott Hotel, Washington, D.C.

Armond MorrisChairman

Georgia Peanut Commission

Guest Editorial Calendar of Events



2014 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Tentative ScheduleThursday, July 241:00 - 7:30 p.m. Conference Registration, Edgewater Conference Ctr.3:00 - 6:30 p.m. Room Registration, Edgewater Conference Ctr.1:00 - 6:30 p.m. Conference Hospitality, Edgewater Conference Ctr.7:00 p.m. Welcoming Reception, Sago Palm Ballroom 7:30 - 10:00 p.m. Welcoming Dinner, Grand Palm Ballroom

Friday, July 256:45 a.m. Registration Opens7:00 a.m. Prayer Breakfast, Grand Palm A & B

Presentation of the Valor Award8:15 a.m. General Session I - Peanut Markets Longterm

Topics include: By the Numbers, Exports and China

9:30 a.m. Spouse Program, Sago Palm 2 & 3 Refreshment Break

9:45 a.m. General Session II - Causing Demand to Catch up with Research

Noon Luncheon, Grand Palm A & B1:00 p.m. General Session III - Production Issues

Topics include: Weather & Climate, Rotation and the Direction of Research

Evening on Your Own in Panama City Beach!

Saturday, July 266:45 a.m. Registration Open7:00 a.m. Breakfast, Grand Palm A & B

Presentation of the Farm Press Peanut Profitability Awards8:45 a.m. General Session IV - Sustaining Farm Policy

Topics include: Congressional Update and The New Peanut Program

Refreshment BreakNoon Lunch on your own and

afternoon free!12:30 - 6 p.m. Golf Tournament, Hombre Golf Course7:00 p.m. Reception, Sago Palm Ballroom7:30 p.m. Dinner and Entertainment, Grand Palm Ballroom

Featuring Rocky & the Rollers

The 16th Annual Southern Peanut

Growers Conference is set for July

24-26, 2014, at Edgewater Beach

Resort, Panama City Beach,

Florida. The three-day event provides farmers an

opportunity to learn more about the industry and

issues affecting them while also enjoying a

relaxing time at the beach.

This year’s conference offers farmers an opportunity to

learn more about legislative issues, market growth and

production issues.

In addition to the conference sessions, the

event focuses on the family by offering a ladies

program and a golf tournament.

Conference registration information is avail-

able online at www.southernpeanutfarmers.org or

farmers can contact their state grower organiza-

tion for a registration form. Deadline to register

is June 30, 2014. Hotel registration must be made

separately with Edgewater Beach Resort by calling 1-800-874-

8686. When reserving rooms, be sure to ask for the Southern

Peanut Growers Conference rate. t

Southern Peanut Growers Conference set for July 24-26



Peanut Proud has assisted

families in need again after

the recent tornadoes that

swept through the Southeast.

The peanut industry’s humanitarian organi-

zation has loaded a total of 59,040 jars of

peanut butter recently to send to families

affected by the tornado disasters in

Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama.

The first donation contained 28,800

jars of peanut butter headed to the food

bank in Little Rock, Arkansas. Donations

were made by Kroger, American

Blanching, as well as Peanut Proud. Peanut

Proud president, Gregg Grimsley says he

is grateful for the industry’s support.

“I want to thank everyone in the

peanut industry for the great support given

to this effort and Peanut Proud,” Grimsley

says. “It’s very gratifying to see the

amount of support from the people who

work in the industry.”

The Georgia Peanut Commission also

donated approximately 7,500 packs of

roasted Georgia peanuts in the first ship-

ment heading to Arkansas. GPC chairman,

Armond Morris says GPC was happy to

assist in the donation.

“On behalf of the peanut farmers in

the state of Georgia, we are glad to take

part in the donation to help families affect-

ed by the tornado disasters,” Morris says.

“Peanuts and peanut butter are a great food

source during a situation such as this;

refrigeration and cooking are not required

and it provides a life-sustaining nutritional

benefit.”

The Mississippi Peanut Growers

Association and the Alabama Peanut

Producers Association assisted Peanut

Proud with the second shipment containing

30,240 jars of peanut butter. The peanut

butter included donations from Peanut

Proud, Kroger and San Filippo.


Association was also proud to assist with

the effort by donating $1,500 to the cause.

Malcolm Broome, MPGA executive direc-

tor, worked with Peanut Proud to coordi-

nate delivery efforts in Pearl, Mississippi.

Teresa Mays, information specialist

with APPA, assisted with the delivery

efforts to food banks in Birmingham,

Huntsville and Northport, Alabama.

Through the National Peanut Board,

America’s peanut farmers unanimously

voted to donate $10,000 to the industry’s

humanitarian arm Peanut Proud to assist

with the relief efforts. The donation covers

the cost of about 10,000 jars of peanut but-

ter.

“Our hearts go out to the families

affected by the tornadoes,” says NPB

chairman and Georgia delegate John

Harrell. “We’re humbled to make this

donation to Peanut Proud on behalf of

America’s peanut farmers to help in the

relief efforts.”

Peanut butter is ideal for food banks

and aid groups because it contains eight

grams of protein along with more than 30

essential vitamins and nutrients and it

doesn’t require refrigeration.

The peanut butter has been delivered

to each location through the generous

support of Southern Ag Carriers.

Peanut Proud is the humanitarian

relief organization of the U.S. peanut

industry. Individuals wanting to make a

donation to Peanut Proud for humanitarian

efforts may do so online at the organiza-

tion’s website, www.peanutproud.com or

send their check made payable to “Peanut

Proud” and mail to P.O. Box 446, Blakely,

Georgia, 39823. t

Peanut industry donates peanuts andpeanut butter to tornado victims

Peanut Proud representatives and Georgia Peanut Commission chairman Armond Morris (left)

were on-hand to assist with the first shipment of peanut butter to Arkansas. The peanut industry

donated nearly 60,000 jars of peanut butter to families in Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama

following the recent tornadoes in April.

Nominations are now open for the Peanut Leadership Academy which provides

leadership training for young farmers and sheller representatives throughout the

peanut industry. The academy is coordinated by the Southern Peanut Farmers

Federation. Through the training, participants gain valuable leadership skills, commu-

nication skills, knowledge of the peanut industry and insight into many different

types of issues the peanut industry faces. The two program includes leadership ses-

sions in the Southeast, West Texas and Washington, D.C.

Growers interested in applying for Class IX of the Peanut Leadership Academy

should contact their state grower organization or download an application online at

www.southernpeanutfarmers.org. The applications are due by Sept. 1, 2014.

Nominations open for Peanut Leadership Academy

BY JESSIE TURK AND JOY CROSBY


The Florida Peanut Producers

Association attended and exhibited

at the 64th Annual Florida School

Nutrition Association Conference

recently held at the Disney’s

Coronado Springs Resort in

Orlando, Florida. Approximately

1,100 school nutrition personnel

from across the state attended the

conference. The attendees included

school food service directors, man-

agers, dieticians and cafeteria staff.

The theme of this year’s con-

ference was “Bridge the Gap.”

Sessions were designed to help build

stronger relationships with

industry partners and to provide the

continuing education to help school

food service personnel provide

Florida’s students with healthy, nutri-

tious meals.

“Attending the Florida School

Nutrition Association Conference

allows us the opportunity to collect

useful data to determine peanut

product usage in school districts

across the state,” says Ken Barton,

FPPA executive director. “By using

the information collected at the

conference we can focus on those

schools and school districts that are

not currently using peanut butter and

other peanut products in their

breakfast and lunch menus and

provide them with the health and

nutritional information and planning

guides to help get peanut products on

their menu.”


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

Florida Peanut Producers attends Florida School Nutrition

Conference

Ken Barton, Florida Peanut Producers

Association executive director, discusses

peanut product usage with attendees during

the Florida School Nutrition Conference.


Association along with the Southern

Peanut Growers had an exhibit booth at

the Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and

Dietetics Annual Food and Nutrition

Conference and Exhibition on April 10,

2014, in Biloxi, Mississippi. The meeting

attracted approximately 200 participants

from Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama

in all areas of practice, including long-

term care, hospital setting, academics,

food service, and culinary arts.

During the event, representatives

were able to tell the story of the nutrition

benefits of peanuts to the attendees as

they visited the booth and provide atten-

dees with literature on heart health, dia-

betes, diabesity, recipes and even a sam-

ple bag of peanuts.

Malcolm Broome, MPGA executive

director and Leslie Wagner, SPG execu-

tive director, worked the booth. Wagner

was sponsored by MPGA as the presenter

for a one-hour breakout session on the

good nutrition of peanuts and peanut but-

ter. Several of the attendees picked up the

recipes that were available at the booth

and many were not aware of peanuts

being heart healthy and an ideal food for

diabetics.

Mississippi Peanut Growers Association and Southern Peanut Growers exhibits at Mississippi Academy of

Nutrition and Dietectics Conference

Malcolm Broome, Mississippi Peanut Growers

Association executive director, and Leslie

Wagner, Southern Peanut Growers executive

director, present nutritional information during

the Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and

Dietetics Annual Food and Nutrition Conference

held April 10, 2014.

Members of two 2014 March of Dimes

Peanut Teams for Mobile County and the

Dothan-Houston County area, joined hundreds

recently by participating in the March of Dimes’

annual March for Babies events held April 26,

2014.

The events were

held at the Geri Moulton

Children’s Park in

Mobile and at Westgate

Park in Dothan,

Alabama. This marks

the fifth consecutive

year the Alabama Peanut Producers Association

has sponsored the Kids Activities tent at both of

these events. Children of all ages and their par-

ents visited the peanut tent to make arts and

crafts, sample peanuts and get information

on the health benefits of peanuts.

Such walks are held across the U.S. to help

raise money so the March of Dimes can fund

research and help prevent prematurity and birth

defects. Representatives from the APPA, Alfa

Women’s Committee and the National Peanut

Festival made up the peanut teams for this year’s

events.

March of Dimes Peanut teams

promote healthy babies in Alabama


The Georgia

Peanut Commission

attended the Georgia

School Nutrition

Association annual

conference held

April 10-12 in Jekyll

Island, Georgia.

During the GSNA

meeting, approxi-

mately 800-1,200

school nutrition

personnel from

throughout the state

of Georgia attended

educational semi-

nars, visited with

food industry representatives and received recognition for

outstanding performance at their respective schools.

During the meeting, GPC recognized winners of the

GSNA recipe contest. This award was

given to GSNA members who develop new

peanut and peanut butter quantity recipes to

be used in schools for breakfast and lunch.

“We are excited to present the peanut

recipe awards to members of the Georgia

School Nutrition Association who are

developing new recipes using peanuts and

peanut butter,” Dawson says. “We applaud

all GSNA members for striving to promote

numerous health benefits by incorporating

peanuts and peanut butter in their nutrition-

al programs.”

In the breakfast category, Jane Raburn

from Carrollton Middle won first place for

her “Breakfast Bites: Peanut Oatmeal”

recipe, second place went to Ann Hamner

from Britt Elementary and third place went

to Marie May with Lowndes High. In the

lunch category, first place was awarded to

Ann Hamner from Britt Elementary for her

“Chicken and Pasta in Peanut Sauce”

recipe, second place went to Jennifer Scott

from Perry Primary and third place went to

Jane Raburn from Carrollton Middle.

The Georgia Peanut

Commission and the

Peanut Institute teamed up

to sponsor the Georgia

FFA Star in Agriscience

Award during the state

convention held in Macon,

Ga. The State Star in

Agriscience award was

presented to Callie

Warren of Lowndes

County. The state finalists

were Quinten Brown of

LaGrange FFA Chapter

and Haley Thorne of

Oglethorpe County FFA

Chapter.

The Georgia Peanut

Commission also exhibited

during the career show and

sponsored the Georgia FFA

Alumni photo booth during the

career show. Each member

received a 4x6 print with the

Georgia Peanuts logo displayed

on the photo.


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

Thousands of

needy families will be

receiving peanut

butter thanks to a

large donation from

Peanut Proud and the

Alabama Peanut

Producers Association

to the Bay Area Food

Bank in Mobile,

Alabama. The seven

pallets of peanut

butter, 10,080 jars,

were delivered to the

food bank, courtesy

of Southern Ag

Carriers on Thursday, April 24, 2014.

“We’re very glad to receive this

donation of peanut butter as it’s always

one of our most needed items at the food

bank,” says Dave Reaney, executive

director of Bay Area Food Bank. “Its

nutritious value makes it a great staple

for growing children

and for families on a

budget trying to

provide healthy food

choices.”

“Peanut butter is

very nutritious and is

packed with pro-

tein,” says Carl

Sanders, president of

the Alabama Peanut

Producers

Association. “So it’s

no surprise that peo-

ple in need of food,

from facilities as our

state’s food banks, have peanut butter at

the top of their list.”

The peanut butter donated to the

food bank will be distributed to help

those in need across the state, including

Mobile County and Baldwin County,

Alabama.

Bay Area Food Bank receives peanut butter donation

Georgia Peanut Commission sponsors Georgia FFA

Donald Chase congratulates the Star in

Agriscience winners for Georgia FFA. Pictured

left to right, Chase; Callie Warren, State winner

from Lowndes County; Quinten Brown, Central

Region winner from LaGrange and Haley

Thorne, North Region winner from Oglethorpe

County.

On hand for the peanut butter delivery to

the Bay Area Food Bank in Mobile, Ala.

were left to right, Mark Kaiser, APPA board

member from Baldwin County, Dave

Reaney, executive director of the Bay Area

Food Bank, Debbie Freeland, Alabama

Farmers Federation, and Joel Sirmon,

APPA board member from Baldwin County.

Georgia Peanut Commission sponsors recipe

contest at Georgia School Nutrition Conference

Rodney Dawson, Georgia Peanut

Commission board member, congratulates

the Georgia School Nutrition Association

Peanut Recipe winners during the awards

dinner. Pictured left to right are Ann

Hamner, Britt Elementary; Jane Raburn,

Carrollton Middle; Jennifer Scott, Perry

Primary School and Dawson.



The International Peanut

Genome Initiative — a

multinational group of crop

geneticists who have been

working in tandem for the last several

years — has successfully sequenced the

peanut’s genome.

Scott Jackson, director of the

University of Georgia Center for

Applied Genetic Technologies in

the College of Agricultural and

Environmental Sciences, serves as

chair of the International Peanut

Genome Initiative, or IPGI.

The new peanut genome

sequence will be available to

researchers and plant breeders

across the globe to aid in the

breeding of more productive and

more resilient peanut varieties.

Peanut, known scientifically as

Arachis hypogaea and also called

groundnut, is important both com-

mercially and nutritionally. While

the oil- and protein-rich legume is

seen as a cash crop in the devel-

oped world, it remains a valuable

sustenance crop in developing

nations.

“The peanut crop is important

in the United States, but it’s very

important for developing nations as

well,” Jackson says. “In many

areas, it is a primary calorie source

for families and a cash crop for

farmers.”

Globally, farmers tend about

24 million hectares of peanut each

year and produce about 40 million metric

tons.

“Improving peanut varieties to be

more drought-, insect- and disease-resist-

ant can help farmers in developed nations

produce more peanuts with fewer

pesticides and other chemicals and help

farmers in developing nations feed their

families and build more secure

livelihoods,” said plant geneticist Rajeev

Varshney of the International Crops

Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics

in India, who serves on the IPGI.

The effort to sequence the peanut

genome has been underway for several

years. While peanuts were successfully

bred for intensive cultivation for

thousands of years, relatively little was

known about the legume’s genetic

structure because of its complexity,

according to Peggy Ozias-Akins, a plant

geneticist on the UGA Tifton campus who

also works with the IPGI and is director

of the UGA Institute of Plant Breeding,

Genetics and Genomics.

“Until now, we’ve bred peanuts rela-

tively blindly, as compared to other

crops,” says IPGI plant geneticist David

Bertioli of the Universidade de Brasília.

“We’ve had less information to work with

than we do with many crops, which have

been more thoroughly researched and

understood.”

The peanut in fields today is the

result of a natural cross between two

wild species, Arachis duranensis and

Arachis ipaensis, which occurred in

north Argentina between 4,000 and

6,000 years ago. Because its ancestors

were two different species, today’s

peanut is a polyploid, meaning the

species can carry two separate

genomes, designated A and B

subgenomes.

To map the peanut’s structure,

researchers sequenced the genomes of

the two ancestral parents because

together they represent cultivated

peanut. The sequences provide

researchers access to 96 percent of all

peanut genes in their genomic context,

providing the molecular map needed to

more quickly breed drought- and

disease-resistant, lower-input and

higher-yielding varieties of peanut.

The two ancestor wild species had

been collected in nature, conserved in

germplasm banks and then used by the

IPGI to better understand the peanut

genome. The genomes of the two

ancestor species provide excellent

models for the genome of the

cultivated peanut. A. duranenis serves as a

model for the A subgenome of the

cultivated peanut while A. ipaensis

represents the B subgenome.

Knowing the genome sequences of

the two parent species will allow

researchers to recognize the cultivated

peanut’s genomic structure by differentiat-

The International PeanutGenome Initiative releases firstpeanut genome sequences

UGA peanut geneticist Peggy Ozias-Akins, director of the

UGA Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics,

examines a peanut blossom. Ozias-Akin's lab on the Tifton

campus focuses on female reproduction and gene transfer in

plants.


Two University of Georgia

College of Agricultural and

Environmental Sciences

faculty have received

Walter Barnard Hill Awards in recognition

of their public service and outreach pro-

grams.

Stanley Culpepper, a professor of

crop and soil sciences, and Bob Kemerait,

an associate professor of plant pathology,

both received Hill Awards for

Distinguished Achievement in Public

Service and Outreach.

The Hill Award is named in honor of

Chancellor Walter Barnard Hill, who led

UGA from 1899 until his death in 1905.

Hill’s desire for more university involve-

ment in the state and his application of

these outreach goals helped pave the way

for a modern public service oriented uni-

versity.

The awards were presented during

the 23rd Annual Public Service and

Outreach Meeting and Awards Luncheon

held April 7 in Athens.

Stanley CulpepperCulpepper, assists in the sustainabili-

ty of family farms by helping growers

control weeds effectively and economical-

ly. As a UGA Cooperative Extension

weed scientist, he focuses his work on

weed control in cotton, vegetables and

small grains. He is actively involved in

applied weed management research.

Culpepper has received numerous

awards, the pinnacle of which came in

2010 when he became the first person in

Extension to win the EPA’s Montreal

Protocol Award for the preservation of the

ozone layer.

Bob KemeraitKemerait focuses his work on disease

and nematode management in peanuts,

cotton, soybeans and field corn. He joined

UGA in 2000 as an Extension researcher

and specialist.

Highlights of his career have includ-

ed the development of “Peanut Rx,” a risk

index for peanut diseases and the devel-

opment of set recommendations for con-

trolling nematodes affecting cotton.

Kemerait has worked in Guyana and Haiti

helping lead CAES peanut projects spon-

sored by the United States Agency for

International Development.

Both Culpepper and Kemerait are

also past recipients of the D.W. Brooks

Award for Excellence in Extension. The

award is presented by UGA in honor of

CAES alumnus D.W. Brooks, founder and

chairman emeritus of Gold Kist Inc. t


ing between the two subgenomes

present in the plants. Being able to see

the two separate structural elements

also will aid future gene marker

development — the determination of

links between a gene’s presence and a

physical characteristic of the plant.

Understanding the structure of the

peanut’s genome will lay the ground-

work for new varieties with traits like

added disease resistance and drought

tolerance.

In addition, these genome

sequences will serve as a guide for the

assembly of the cultivated peanut

genome that will help to decipher

genomic changes that led to peanut

domestication, which was marked by

increases in seed number and size. The

genome sequence assemblies and

additional information are available at

www.peanutbase.org/files/genomes/.

The International Peanut Genome

Initiative brings together scientists from

the United States, China, Brazil, India and

Israel to delineate peanut genome

sequences, characterize the genetic and

phenotypic variation in cultivated and

wild peanuts and develop genomic tools

for peanut breeding.

The initial sequencing was carried

out by the BGI, Shenzen, China.

Assembly was done at BGI, USDA-ARS,

Ames, Iowa, and UC Davis, Davis,

California. The project was made possible

by funding provided by the peanut indus-

try through the Peanut Foundation, by

MARS Inc., and three Chinese Academies

(Henan Academy of Agricultural

Sciences, Chinese Academy of

Agricultural Sciences, Shandong

Academy of Agricultural Sciences). A

complete list of the institutions involved

with the project and the other funding

sources is available online at

www.peanutbioscience.com.

About the peanutIn the U.S., peanuts are a major row

crop throughout the South and Southeast.

While they are a major economic

driver for the U.S. economy, the

legume is also crucial to the diets and

livelihoods of millions of small farm-

ers in Asia and Africa, many of whom

are women.

Apart from being a rich source of

oil (44 percent to 55 percent), protein

(20 percent to 50 percent) and

carbohydrates (10 percent to 20

percent), peanut seeds are an important

nutritional source of niacin, folate,

calcium, phosphorus, magnesium,

zinc, iron, riboflavin, thiamine and

vitamin E.

“While the sequencing of the

peanut can be seen as a great leap for-

ward in plant genetics and genomics, it

also has the potential to be a large step

forward for stabilizing agriculture in

developing countries,” says Dave

Hoisington, program director for the U.S.

Agency for International Development

Feed the Future Peanut and Mycotoxin

Innovation Lab, which is hosted at UGA.

“With the release of the peanut

genome sequence, researchers will now

have much better tools available to accel-

erate the development of new peanut vari-

eties with improved yields and better

nutrition,” he said. t

BY MERRITT MELANCONUNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

Culpepper, Kemerait named Walter Barnard Award recipients

BY SHARON DOWDYUNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

The new peanut genome sequence will be available to

researchers and plant breeders across the globe to aid in

the breeding of more productive and more resilient peanut

varieties.



Florida Commissioner of

Agriculture Adam H.

Putnam helped celebrated

Florida Agriculture Literacy

Day by reading a new book on Florida

farming to second graders from Florida

A&M Developmental Research School in

the historic Senate Chambers of the Old

Capitol in Tallahassee.

“Florida Ag Literacy Day is a

wonderful opportunity to teach our next

generation about the Floridians who

provide the food and fiber to meet the

needs of the world’s growing population,”

Commissioner Putnam says.

Commissioner Putnam read the book

as the children followed along with their

own copies. The kids talked about their

favorite foods and where they came from.

Afterwards, the kids sampled Fresh From

Florida fruit and vegetables and roasted

peanuts.

For the 11th Annual Florida

Agriculture Literacy Day, Commissioner

Putnam joined more than 2,000 others,

including Florida farmers, growers,

ranchers, FFA and 4-H students and

teachers, extension agents, master

gardeners and agriculture industry repre-

sentatives who read in honor of the event.

This year’s Ag Literacy book, Florida

Farms at School, highlights the agricultur-

al programs already in schools, such as

Agriculture in the Classroom, 4-H, FFA,

Farm to School and others. Volunteers

visited more than 3,600 elementary class-

rooms, reaching more than 72,000 Florida

students in 60 counties around the state

with the message of the importance of

Florida agriculture.

“Florida Agriculture Literacy Day

has become a very popular program in

our industry because it gives farmers and

others involved in agriculture a chance to

step into the classroom and educate

students about the important role agricul-

ture plays in students’ daily lives,” says

Ken Barton, chairman of the Florida

Agriculture in the Classroom board of

directors and executive director of the

Florida Peanut Producers Association.

Florida Ag Literacy Day is sponsored

by Florida Agriculture in the Classroom

Inc., a nonprofit organization that devel-

ops and trains teachers and agriculture

industry volunteers in agriculture curricu-

lum in order to educate students on the

importance of agriculture in Florida. The

nonprofit is funded by sales of the spe-

cialty agricultural license plate known as

the Ag Tag. t

Florida Ag Literacy Day showcases agriculture

Florida's Commissioner of Agriculture, Adam

Putnam reads to second grade students from

Florida A&M Developmental Research School

during Ag Literacy Day.

The Georgia Peanut

Commission (GPC) board

of directors has approved

$293,780 in new research

project funding for the 2014-15 research

budget year. This action was taken during

the commission’s March board meeting.

The research projects approved include 28

project proposals submitted from the

University of Georgia and USDA

Agricultural Research Service.

“We are proud of our close relation-

ship and partnership with research institu-

tions in the state,” says Donald Chase,

GPC Research Committee chairman.

“Peanut growers are pleased to invest in

the future by providing monetary support

for research and education that has con-

tinued to demonstrate a return on our

investment. Due to the continuing success

enjoyed by Georgia peanut farmers over

the past few years, we were able to again

increase research funding for 2014.”

Georgia's peanut growers invest $2

per ton annually toward GPC programs

which includes research, promotion and

education. Research comprises 22 percent

of available funds in the commission's

budget.

“We’re very thankful to the Georgia

Peanut Commission for the $256,280 in

support of our research and extension

peanut team,” said Robert Shulstad,

associate dean for research at the UGA

College of Agricultural and

Environmental Sciences. “Everything

from breeding to weed control to pest

management to marketing and policy is

addressed by members of our peanut team

to support the peanut industry in the

state.”

“Growers have improved cultivars,

technologies and better access to informa-

tion today than ever, allowing them to be

more efficient due to research that has

been done ten to fifteen years ago,” says

Jamison Cruce, GPC director of research

& education. “With ever-increasing

production and input costs, we must

continue our funding trend to ensure the

future of the peanut farming in Georgia

remains viable and economical.”

At 4,430 pounds per acre, the state

average peanut yield in 2013 was the

second highest in history, following on

the heels of 2012’s state record of 4,580

per acre. A national study conducted by

USDA National Agricultural Statistics

Service shows peanut yields increased 23

percent from 2008 to 2012. All other

major row crops increased 2 to 4 percent.

For additional information and a

complete list of the research projects

funded by the Georgia Peanut

Commission visit www.gapeanuts.com. t

Georgia Peanut Commission increasesfunding for research projectsThe commission approves $293,780 in peanut research projects

BY JOY CROSBY


The University of Georgia’s

Extension irrigation spe-

cialist is cautious when dis-

cussing the future of irriga-

tion and its impact on farmers statewide.

Wesley Porter’s job is to educate both

Georgia and Alabama farmers on the best

way to manage the precious resource.

“Definitely when we get down to

water management restrictions, as much

as we want to turn a blind eye to them

right now and pretend like it’s not going

to happen, one day we’re going to be

restricted by how much water we can

use,” Porter says. “But what’s the best

way to do that? Lets use that water where

it’s absolutely necessary and absolutely

needed.”

Identifying timely irrigation schedul-

ing methods has been a part of Porter’s

job responsibilities since arriving on the

UGA Tifton Campus on Jan. 1. Hired by

UGA’s College of Agricultural and

Environmental Sciences, in partnership

with the Alabama Cooperative Extension

System (Auburn University), Porter pri-

marily works on row crops, but he also

has responsibilities in horticulture, turf,

trees and orchards, in both Georgia and

Alabama.

In his short time on the job, Porter

has quickly identified the difference in

irrigational philosophies between both

states. Georgia “is extremely progressive”

with its irrigation work, while Alabama

“is brand new,” he says.

At UGA, several faculty members

who have conducted irrigation research

have paved the way for Porter.

“We’ve had a lot of work donethroughout the years by other irrigation

specialists. There’s a lot of work continu-

ing to be done by people like George

Vellidis, Calvin Perry and other faculty

focusing on irrigation principles,” Porter

says. “We’re ahead of Alabama and a lot

of the rest of the nation when it comes to

irrigation implementations, scheduling

and irrigation work in general.”

In comparison, Alabama has a lot of

surface water, rivers and lakes, but not

very many irrigation systems, he says.

“I’m looking at it from two different

spectrums, which can be good because we

have all the knowledge based here in

Georgia. I can easily transfer that over to

Alabama,” Porter says.

While each state is distinctively dif-

ferent in their irrigational work, they

share the prospect of a dwindling water

supply that could lead to increased restric-

tions on farmers in both states.

“It’s going to come down to, ‘If I

have limited water, how much should I

apply and what’s the best method to do

that with?’” Porter said. “That’s why

we’re focusing a lot on these scheduling

methods so we can find the answers to

some of those questions.”

Though Porter’s time will be divided


UGA irrigation specialist helping farmersmaximize efficiency and yields

IRRIGATION GUIDEBOOK

Wesley Porter, hired in January, is the irrigation

specialist and serves Georgia and Alabama.

Wesley Porter, the new Extension irrigation specialist for both Alabama and

Georgia, says farmers are becoming interested in the use of variable rate irrigation.

“Many producers either have variable rate control capability or they are becoming

interested in this technology,” he says.

“An on-off control is a great use for a variable rate irrigation system,” he says.

“It aids in saving water and money when compared to a conventional system that

applies water over an entire field.”

He says it costs about $11 per acre-inch of water to irrigate. This is money that

is wasted if irrigation water is applied over waterways, ponds, swampy or wet areas

that are not planted to crops.

These costs can be considerable. For instance, assume that an entire farm’s

irrigated land consists of 100 acres of non-cropped land. If 15 inches of water are

applied to both the cropped and non-cropped land during a dry year, then the farmer

will be wasting $16,500 that year in applying water to land that does not grow

crops.

Porter says an investment in variable rate irrigation can quickly pay for itself,

perhaps after only one growing season based on each individual case. He also notes

that cost-share programs may be available to help farmers offset the initial costs of

variable rate irrigation and the investment of soil moisture sensors.

Additional savings in both water and irrigation costs may be realized when

irrigation rates for cropped land can be adjusted to best fit various irrigation

management zones within a field.

New specialist encouragesvariable rate irrigation

continued on page 15 continued on page 15

Photo

by C

lint

Thom

pson,

Univ

ers

ity o

f G

eorg

ia.


Peanut farmers who want to

conserve water while still

harvesting higher yields of

irrigated peanuts may want

to take a look at subsurface drip irrigation

(SDI).

Because of above normal rainfall,

there wasn’t a great peanut yield benefit

from SDI, center pivot irrigation or any

type of irrigation used the past

two years in the Southeast.

But the next drought could

hit at any time, so being ready

with irrigation still makes

sense if you’re growing

peanuts in the Southeast.

Calvin Perry, University of

Georgia superintendent at the

C.M. Stripling Irrigation

Research Park near Camilla,

Georgia, has completed six

years of study on SDI irrigated

crops at the Stripling facility,

with the last two on peanuts.

He has been looking at the

response of a full rotation of

corn, cotton, and peanuts to

SDI and different tillage

treatments on a sandy soil in

the Coastal Plain.

Perry says SDI is more

expensive to install than center

pivot irrigation.

Subsurface drip irrigation

is especially suited to small fields where

it is difficult to make center pivot systems

fit. SDI is also best suited for fields where

farmers can use global positioning

systems and automated tractor steering to

set the drip lines and to make sure that

later trips over the field do not interfere

with or damage the irrigation lines under

the ground.

“We got a lot of rain last year,” Perry

says as he reported results from the 2013

studies. He worked on the project with

University of Georgia agronomist Scott

Tubbs and Extension economist Amanda

Smith.

Perry says that many Georgia farmers

have already installed pivot irrigation in

fields that are easily irrigated, based on

field shape and size. Irregularly shaped,

smaller fields where pivots are not

feasible show great potential for SDI,

according to Perry. Plus, SDI systems can

often operate successfully using a much

smaller water source than a center pivot

and can be easily automated.

He says drip irrigation achieves close

to 100 percent water application efficien-

cy. He adds that drip irrigation may offer

other potential uses such as a means for

applying nematicides and fertilizers.

“We were able to maintain our peanut

yields with drip irrigation,” Perry says.

“And when we used SDI on cotton, we

were able to increase our yields slightly

over what we were able to obtain with

center pivot irrigation.”

In these tests, Perry used a full irriga-

tion schedule that applied 13 inches of

water through the SDI last year. He also

followed a deficit irrigation schedule that

applied seven inches of water last year.

The peanut crops in the test also received

28.50 inches of rainfall last year.

Perry reports that during the wet

growing season of 2013, the peanuts

irrigated with the deficit irrigation

schedule actually yielded higher than

those receiving more water from the full

irrigation schedule. Peanuts receiving SDI

irrigation water with the full irrigation

schedule probably received too much

water, according to Perry.

He said he has been using a modified

UGA Extension checkbook method for

scheduling the drip irrigation water

applications.

Research over a 10-year period by

USDA-ARS scientists at the National

Peanut Research Laboratory in Dawson,

Ga., suggest that lateral drip lines placed

under every other peanut

row would be as effective

in watering the plants as

lateral lines placed under

every row. Placing drip

lines under every other row

will also save on installa-

tion and pumping costs.

The SDI lines at Stripling

Park follow the “every

other row” pattern.

In Perry’s SDI studies,

he has also evaluated con-

servation tillage vs. strip

tillage, and subsoiling vs.

no subsoiling. He was

surprised to find that non-

subsoiled peanuts produced

higher yields than peanuts

in the subsoiled land in

2013. He reports the con-

ventional tillage peanuts

had a slight yield advan-

tage over the strip till

peanuts in the 2013 test. In

prior years, the research always indicated

subsoiled plots yielded higher. Clearly,

Perry noted 2013 was a “different” year.

Wesley Porter, Extension irrigation

specialist in Alabama and Georgia, says

peanuts can be a challenging crop for SDI

irrigation. Full tillage prior to planting

could interfere with buried drip lines

farmed without the use of RTK steering

technology. This should not be a problem

if the field is farmed with RTK automated

steering technology. Such technology can

make sure the tillage is offset from the

lines, or producers can use tillage that is

not as deep as the buried water lines.

Also, digging peanuts could be a problem.

“But as long as the drip line is installed

deeper than the digger will ever reach,

this should not be an issue,” Porter adds.


Tips for using subsurface drip

Calvin Perry has been studying subsurface drip irrigation on peanuts at the

Stripling Irrigation Park. Two years of abundant rainfall negated the yield bene-

fits of his irrigation treatments.

Irrigation Guidebook

continued on page 15


Speaking at a 2013 peanut

field day, Jason Krutz,

Extension irrigation special-

ist with the Mississippi State

University’s Delta Research & Extension

Center, said he is a strong believer in the

use of soil moisture sensors for schedul-

ing irrigation.

Krutz says farmers who use soil

moisture sensors can typically save up to

two irrigations per growing season.

Checking the soil moisture sensors will

also give farmers an indication of when to

irrigate several days ahead of when the

water needs to be applied.

“I don’t care what the crop is, we

can’t deplete more than 50 percent of soil

moisture without hurting yields,” Krutz

says. He also advises farmers to consider

soil type in making irrigation decisions.

For row crops in the Mississippi

Delta, furrow irrigation is used on about

80 percent of the irrigated land, according

to Krutz. He recommends using a

computer software program called

PHAUCET. This stands for pipe hole and

universal crown evaluation tool. It

basically shows farmers how big a hole

they need to use in polypipe to get the

most efficient use of irrigation. It shows

great potential for reducing the amount of

water pumped from the Delta’s under-

ground water resources.

PHAUCET uses engineering

equations to calculate pipe pressure and

flow rates for each watered furrow. It

applies system flow rate, pipe diameter,

watered furrow spacing, row lengths and

elevations down the length of the pipe.

The user can select a hole size design for

each watered furrow to deliver water

uniformly. When tested in soybeans,

PHAUCET provided a 20 percent savings

in pumping times and water use.

PHAUCET was developed by the

USDA-Natural Resources Conservation

Service in Missouri and has been

available to Mississippi farmers through

the Yazoo-Mississippi Water Management

District.

By combining PHAUCET and soil

moisture sensors, farmers may be able to

save up to 50 percent of the water they

had been using for irrigation, according to

Krutz.

He says that for a fee, the Delta

Plastics firm offers a similar program to

PHAUCET for farmers alled Pipe

Planner.

While furrow or polypipe irrigation

has been successful in the Mississippi

Delta, soil type and topography may pre-

vent this type of irrigation from being

used in other peanut growing regions of

the Southeast. Wesley Porter, Extension

irrigation specialist for Alabama and

Georgia, says the sandy soil in the Coastal

Plains region is not conducive to furrow

irrigation either by flood or by using

polypipe. t


Moisture sensors make sense

Mississippi irrigation specialist Jason Krutz

recommends soil moisture sensors and

accuracy in determining the size of pipe holes

used in furrow irrigation.

BY JOHN LEIDNER


Overall, Porter says more research

and demonstration plot work is needed to

help farmers become more comfortable

about using SDI in growing peanuts.

Perry has tested drip lines for single-

row peanuts so far. He plans to team up

with Tubbs and Porter to look at twin-

row peanuts as well. He says that drip

lines placed at six-foot centers in every

other row middle (the “soft” middle), and

12 inches deep in the soil have provided

good results.

With the drip lines 12 inches deep,

the irrigation tubes have not been injured

when digging the peanuts or when sub-

soiling the land, according to Perry. He

says the drip lines should last at least 15

years before they would need to be

replaced. t

Along with variable rate irrigation, he’d like to see more farmers adopt smarter

irrigation scheduling methods, from something as simple as the University of

Georgia-developed Easy Pan method, or as advanced as scheduling based on the use

of soil moisture sensors.

In his own irrigation studies, Porter is aiming to determine the ideal time to use

limited supplies of irrigation water, such as when pumping from a farm pond with a

limited supply of water. As Porter puts it, “Let’s make every drop count.” t

New specialist encourages variable rate irrigationcontinued from page 13

UGA irrigation specialist helping farmers maximize efficiency and yieldscontinued from page 13

between Georgia and Alabama, a lot of his research will be applicable in both states.

Publications, fact sheets or demonstrations conducted in Georgia can easily cross over

into Alabama and vice versa, he says.

Porter, who has a background in precision agriculture, has planned projects on

corn, cotton and peanuts so far. The majority of his research will be conducted at

UGA’s Stripling Irrigation Park in Camilla, Georgia.

For more about Stripling Irrigation Park, see striplingpark.org. t

Tips for using subsurface dripcontinued from page 14

BY JOHN LEIDNER

BY JOHN LEIDNER

BY JOHN LEIDNER




For a web-based peanut

irrigation scheduling tool,

one that features an array of

smart sensor instruments for

collecting important information, check

with George Vellidis, researcher on the

Tifton Campus of the University of

Georgia in the Crop & Soil Sciences

Department.

Vellidis and his colleague Calvin

Perry have installed the smart sensors in

11 farm fields in South Georgia, and then

used the data generated from these

sensors to track soil moisture conditions

throughout the 2013 growing season.

Perry works as superintendent at the

Stripling Irrigation Research Park near

Camilla, Georgia. The 11 fields are

equipped with center pivots that can apply

variable rate irrigation.

They call each group of instruments a

node. Each node contains a probe of three

Watermark soil sensors installed at depths

of 8, 16 and 24 inches. Each of the 11

fields are equipped with 10 to 12 of these

nodes. Data from each node was transmit-

ted using a wireless system to a base

station located at each pivot point. “From

the base station, the data were sent via a

cellular phone modem to our web server,”

Vellidis says. For the 2013 growing

season, participating producers could

access soil moisture data for their fields in

real time from any internet-capable

device, including smartphones and tablets.

The collected data showed a wide

variation in soil moisture within any

given field. “The key to optimizing water

use and maximizing yield potential is to

apply water at the rates needed by the

plants in different locations of the field,”

Vellidis explains.

Throughout the 2013 growing season,

Vellidis and Perry used data from each

node to manually run the Irrigator Pro

model, and then sent the model’s irriga-

tion decision to each participating produc-

er. “Since then, we have automated this

process,” Vellidis says. “So during the

2014 growing season, participating

producers will automatically receive the

Irrigator Pro decision by email or text

message.”

Although Irrigator Pro is a great tool,

it does not recommend the amount of

irrigation needed to replenish soil

moisture, according to Vellidis. “To fully

enable variable rate irrigation, we need to

know the optimal irrigation amount for

each irrigation management zone within

the field,” he explains. “To achieve this,

we are now developing a web-based

irrigation scheduling tool. It will allow

producers to remotely check soil moisture

in fields, and it will also provide recom-

mended irrigation amounts for each

irrigation management zone within a

field.”

As Vellidis envisions it, the informa-

tion from the smart sensor array will be

sent to a prescription irrigation map and

downloaded to the pivot’s variable rate

irrigation controller. “This web tool will

be available for the 2014 growing

season,” Vellidis says.

The Smart Sensor Array also features

flexible fiberglass eight-foot-long anten-

nas which transmit the data from the

sensors to the base station. Vellidis

developed this wireless, low-cost method

of transmitting data from the soil moisture

sensors.

These antennas allow the signals

from the soil sensors to be sent without

interference from the plant canopy. The

antennas are mounted on a spring which

allows them to bend over completely. As

a result, tractors and sprayers can pass

directly over the antennas and the accom-

panying sensors without damaging the

instruments.

Also, the University of Georgia

Smart Sensor Array has been licensed to

the FirstWater Ag firm, a new company

based in Atwood, Kansas, that is special-

izing in variable rate irrigation technolo-

gy.



the licensing of the University of Georgia-

developed Smart Sensor Array is good

news for farmers who are interested in

variable rate irrigation. “This system

should be commercially available by next

year,” Porter says.

Porter says the UGA-developed sen-

sors should provide a low cost alternative

method to monitor soil moisture at multi-

ple points within a field. This system will

give farmers a cost-effective tool to use in

scheduling variable rate irrigation, accord-

ing to Porter. t

George Vellidis is making good progress in

developing easy to use smart sensors and

internet-based variable rate irrigation

scheduling tools for peanuts.

Smart sensors help schedulevariable rate irrigation

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Smart sensors installed in a corn field in

Georgia. The sensors provide data to track soil

moisture conditions.



Old reliable Irrigator Pro

One of the oldest and most

dependable indicators of

when to irrigate peanuts

is the Irrigator Pro model

developed by USDA researchers at the

National Peanut Research Laboratory in

Dawson, Georgia.

First tested during the 1980s,

Irrigator Pro for peanuts has stood the test

of time. It has also been improved over

the years. The newest versions of Irrigator

Pro offer irrigation scheduling advice to

growers of corn and cotton.

Irrigator Pro is just one of several

software programs included in the USDA-

developed Farm Suite group of programs,

including one that is useful in whole farm

financial planning.

To run Irrigator Pro for peanuts, a

farmer will need a computer, a soil

thermometer and a rain guage. The soil

thermometer is used to measure tempera-

ture at a two-inch soil depth. The rain

gauge is needed to collect information on

the amount of rainfall and irrigation water

a field receives during the growing

season.

The thermometers will record daily

minimum and maximum temperatures.

This information can be collected two or

three times per week. The software

program will then advise farmers if

irrigation is needed, how much to irrigate

and when to check the thermometers

again.

Deciding when to dig

peanuts has been the

biggest selling point of the

adjusted growing degree-

day model developed at the USDA

National Peanut Research Laboratory in

Dawson, Georgia, and the University of

Florida in Gainesville, Florida.

But the model also has another

feature that may be just as important. That

feature will give farmers an indication of

when they need to irrigate their peanuts.

Diane Rowland, now a researcher at

the University of Florida, helped to

develop the model when she worked at

the National Peanut Research Lab. She

says the model has been an accurate tool

to use in determining when to harvest

peanuts and has the potential to help

schedule irrigation.

Farmers using the model will be able

to enter data for the amount of water from

irrigation or rainfall that reaches each

peanut field.

For farmers who use the model,

Rowland says it will provide daily infor-

mation for each field and will tell the user

that moisture is adequate, or to start

checking for moisture status and prepare

to irrigate soon or to irrigate now.

The model is based on a previous

tool developed by Anthony Drew and

Jerry Bennett from UF and estimates crop

canopy cover and daily water use while

accounting for evapotranspiration rates,

either from nearby weather stations or

from a grower’s own in-field weather

stations. The model serves as a stand-in

for observing plant growth and develop-

ment, so it can be a good tool for showing

when to irrigate, according to Rowland.


specialist who works in both Georgia and

Alabama, says the model tracks the

peanut water use curve that changes over

time as the crop matures. “The adjusted

growing degree day model is a very good

model for predicting crop maturity

throughout the entire production season,”

Porter says.

The model is currently able to access

data from weather stations in Georgia,

North Carolina and Florida, and a limited

number in Alabama according to Porter.

“We’re working on getting stations from

South Carolina and additional stations in

Alabama included also,” he adds.

Porter also intends to use the adjusted

growing degree day model for scheduling

irrigation in his own irrigation tests and

plots this year. Porter’s research aims to

help to provide validity and confidence in

the model for Georgia and Alabama

peanut producers when using the model

themselves.

The University of Florida Agronomy

Department manages the software and the

Peanut Field Agronomic Resource

Manager (Peanut FARM) website that

allows farmers access to the model. Porter

says farmers can use the model by creat-

ing an account at the following website:

http://agronomy.ifas.ufl.edu/peanutfarm.t

Check adjusted growing degreeday model for when to irrigate

BY JOHN LEIDNER

Diane Rowland with the University of Florida

says farmers can determine when to irrigate by

using the adjusted growing degree day model.


continued on page 19


The software will also generate use-

ful graphs showing how the moisture and

temperature readings for peanuts in a par-

ticular field compare to ideal levels.

The peanut irrigation recommenda-

tions are based on more than 20 years of

studies. Irrigator Pro for peanuts is also

adapted to modern varieties and it works

in all U.S. peanut growing regions. The

idea behind Irrigator Pro is to make sure

that soil temperature and soil moisture are

maintained at levels needed for good

yields.

In research and in on-farm trials, fol-

lowing Irrigator Pro recommendations has

increased peanut yields by 300 pounds

per acre and sound mature kernels by two

percent.

The newer versions of Irrigator Pro

for cotton and corn require farmers to

invest in soil moisture sensors.



Irrigator Pro is a very good scheduling

method for producers to use. He likes its

flexibility. “It could fit into about any

operation,” Porter says. He says farmers

can use the simpler method mentioned

above, including the soil temperature,

rainfall received and irrigation applied to

get scheduling advice, or they can use it

for more advanced scheduling in conjunc-

tion with soil moisture sensors such as the

Watermark brand. t


BY JOHN LEIDNER


UGA, IBM work with farmers on water conservation project

Researchers in the

University of Georgia

College of Agricultural

and Environmental

Sciences are teaming up with IBM to

work with farmers in Georgia’s Lower

Flint River Basin to enhance water

efficiency by up to 20 percent.

The college and IBM are collaborat-

ing with the Flint River Partnership —

which includes the Flint River Soil and

Water Conservation District, the U.S.

Department of Agriculture’s Natural

Resources Conservation Service and the

Nature Conservancy — to help farmers

make the best irrigation scheduling

decisions to conserve water, improve crop

yields and mitigate the impact of future

droughts.

The Lower Flint River Basin is one

of the most diverse and ecologically rich

river systems in the Southeast. The area is

also the epicenter of agriculture in

Georgia: Its 27 counties contribute more

than $2 billion in farm-based revenue

annually to the region’s economy.

Irrigation is central to production, and

because of the area’s unique hydrogeolo-

gy, maximizing water conservation helps

support sensitive habitat systems.

UGA faculty members George

Vellidis, Wes Porter, Ian Flitcroft, Calvin

Perry, Craig Kvien and John Snider have

worked to develop the irrigation models

and recruit farmers to test the new system.

“The UGA-CAES faculty have been

working with the Flint River Partnership

for a number of years to develop tools,

techniques and technologies to help grow-

ers improve the efficiency of agricultural

water use,” Perry says, who is superinten-

dent of UGA’s C.M. Stripling Irrigation

Research Park in Camilla, Georgia.

Stripling Irrigation Research Park has

been the proving ground for many of

these tools, he continued, and serves as a

focal point for many of these research,

Extension and outreach activities.

“Our job is to help farmers conserve

water. Irrigation scheduling based on

highly accurate weather forecasts and

real-time field data will optimize decision

making and consequently reduce resource

use,” says Marty McLendon, chairman of

the Flint River Soil and Water

Conservation District. “Having access to

such forecasts and field data on a mobile

platform makes the data relevant, so that

we can make proactive irrigation schedul-

ing decisions on the fly.”

The Flint River Partnership is using

IBM’s Deep Thunder precision weather

forecasting service to refine farmers’

already successful irrigation models and

water conservation practices. The added

weather information will help farmers

conserve more water and improve crop

yields.

Because the forecasts will be avail-

able on mobile devices, farmers will have

24-hour access to critical weather infor-

mation in conjunction with other relevant

field data. The partnership is also offering

farmers the use of IBM Softlayer to

manage their field and weather data and

automate irrigation recommendations.

UGA faculty have worked with the

Flint River Partnership for many years on

projects such as using variable-rate irriga-

tion for precision water placement, the

UGA Smart Sensor Array for monitoring

soil moisture conditions and field map-

ping with Real Time Kinematic GPS,

among others, Perry says. They also are

“bringing in the UGA-led Georgia

Automated Environmental Monitoring

Network to provide historic weather data

for use in training the IBM Deep Thunder

weather forecast system for localized,

southwest Georgia conditions.”

The integration of complex data

streams generated by GPS-enabled farm

equipment and in-field sensors with

IBM’s Deep Thunder weather forecasting

technology delivered to mobile devices

will provide 72-hours advance notice of

weather in the Flint region, allowing

farmers to be more prepared to make

decisions on when to irrigate, plant,

fertilize and deploy labor resources.

“Farming operations are highly sensi-

tive to weather. In the U.S., that sensitivi-

ty is about $15 billion per year,” says

Lloyd Treinish, distinguished engineer

and chief scientist of IBM Research. “For

example, the USDA estimates that 90

percent of crop losses are due to weather.

In addition, improving efficiency in

irrigation will reduce the impact in areas

with limited water supplies. By better

understanding and then predicting these

weather effects, we can help mitigate

these impacts.

“Innovators like the Flint River

Partnership are showing how they can

leverage IBM’s advanced modeling and

analytics to increase crop yields. When

we consider the need to increase food

availability to a growing population, their

leadership is helping to create a more sus-

tainable approach to agriculture.”

For more information on the C.M.

Stripling Irrigation Research Park, visit

www.striplingpark.org. For more

information on the College of Agricultural

and Environmental Sciences, visit

www.caes.uga.edu. t

BY DANA ANASTASI & CLINT THOMPSON

Old reliable Irrigator Procontinued from page 18


Southern Peanut Farmers Federation Washington,

D.C. fly-inLeaders from the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, comprised of

the Georgia Peanut Commission, Alabama Peanut Producers

Association, Florida Peanut Producers Association and the Mississippi

Peanut Growers Association, will be in Washington, D.C., during May,

to discuss 2014 Farm Bill Regulations with the USDA and Capitol Hill

leaders.

USDA announces demonstration projects to fight

hungerAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced new funding opportu-

nities for state agencies and Indian tribal organizations to develop inno-

vative strategies to prevent hunger and food insecurity. The demonstra-

tion projects under the new initiative are designed to find solutions so

that no child goes hungry.

“These projects offer an opportunity to explore new ways of com-

bating childhood hunger,” Vilsack says. “By encouraging new innova-

tions, we can not only improve childhood nutrition, but also promote

economic development in high-need areas.”

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010 provided

$40 million to conduct and evaluate demonstration projects aimed at

ending childhood hunger, including alternative models for service deliv-

ery and benefit levels that promote the reduction or elimination of child-

hood hunger and food insecurity. Nutritious foods are essential to getting

kids off to a healthy start in life, and too many families are unable to

provide proper nutrition for their children.

Potential projects could include innovative program delivery models

for school meals, afterschool snacks programs, and the Child and Adult

Care Food Program; enhanced Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

Program benefits for eligible households with children; and changes to

other targeted federal, state or local assistance, including refundable tax

credits, emergency housing, employment and training, or family preser-

vation services for households with children who are experiencing food

insecurity.

Through these demonstration projects, USDA will target areas or

populations where there are currently elevated levels of food insecurity

or gaps in nutrition assistance program coverage. The HHFKA requires

that at least one demonstration project be carried out on an Indian reser-

vation in a rural area with a service population having a prevalence of

diabetes that exceeds 15 percent.

Approximately $30 million will be awarded for up to five demon-

stration projects in the form of cooperative agreements between USDA’s

Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and grantees. The remaining funds

will be used for independent evaluations of each project.

Federal feeding programs purchase significant amounts of peanut

butter. The Southern Peanut Farmers Federation is working with

Congress and USDA to increase these purchases.

Washington Outlookby Robert L. Redding Jr.

Legislative Updates available online at www.americanpeanuts.com


USDA makes progress on regulationsWith much interest in the outcome of the U.S.

Department of Agriculture proposed regulations on the

2014 Farm Bill, the department has made available a

summary of the legislation and begun working on the

most critical pieces of the bill. In addition, USDA has

held public forums in Washington, D.C., allowing indi-

viduals and groups to give input to the USDA Farm

Bill Team.

To review the USDA summary of the 2014 Farm

Bill, the National Center for Peanut Competitiveness

(NCPC) analysis of the key peanut provisions as well

as a NCPC review of the new base guidelines, visit the

Georgia Peanut Commission’s legislative blog at

www.americanpeanuts.com.

Congressman Bishop supports peanut

industry position at ag hearingDuring a U.S. House of Representatives

Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, U.S.

Congressman Sanford Bishop, D-Georgia, highlighted

the importance of Congress’ intent relative to Title I

Commodity regulatory provisions now being consid-

ered by USDA. Congressman Bishop noted the indus-

try’s support for the 2014 Farm Bill and congressional

intent as related to base acre provisions.

Witnesses at the hearing included USDA Under

Secretary Michael Scuse and Farm Service Agency

Administrator Juan Garcia.

To view the hearing and Congressman Bishop’s

remarks, visit www.americanpeanuts.com.

Senate to review farm bill progressThe U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee reviewed

the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s efforts to imple-

ment the 2014 Farm Bill in a hearing recently. Senator

Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, chairwoman of the

U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and

Forestry, convened the committee hearing, Wednesday,

May 7, at 9:00 a.m. in room 328A of the Russell

Senate Office Building. The hearing, 2014 Farm Bill:

Implementation and Next Steps, examined USDA’s

ongoing implementation of the 2014 Farm Bill.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack testified.

The Secretary also testified at a recent hearing on

the Rural Economy in the U.S. House of

Representatives Committee on Agriculture where a

number of 2014 Farm Bill questions were raised.



The Sunbelt Expo Field Day

is scheduled for Thursday,

July 10, 2014, beginning at

7:15 a.m. Attendees will

not only have a chance to learn from the

region’s top agricultural consultants and

specialists to many of the pertinent areas

of agriculture, but they will be able to

participate in hands-on demonstrations.

Registration begins at 7:15 a.m.,

followed by a complimentary biscuit

breakfast, exhibit viewing and welcome

from Georgia Department of Agriculture

and Georgia Farm Bureau. Attendees will

have a chance to win some great door

prizes as well as receive a free Expo cap.

The trams will depart for the field tour at

8:00 a.m. sharp. The field day is free and

open to those involved in agriculture and

agribusiness.

Visitors can see new demonstrations,

examine research trial results and speak

with company representatives and

university researchers to get up-to-date

recommendations on topics like new seed

varieties, irrigation, crop protection,

precision agriculture, soil fertility and

organic farming. It’s an opportunity to

preview what you will see at the 37th

annual Sunbelt Ag Expo which will be

held October 14-16, 2014.

Research presented at the field day is almost totally driven by those we serve.

University researchers and company

representatives gather information about

problems farmers are facing and work to

solve those. Research is done in collabo-

ration with farmers, industry, government

and other universities in order to deter-

mine the best approach – economically,

environmentally and socially – for the

challenges that confront Southeast farm-

ers. Anyone attending this field day –

owner, operator or land steward — will

take away useful information on a variety

of topics and subject matter they can

apply to their agriculture or agribusiness

operation. t

Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day Schedule

Biscuit Breakfast Reception beginning at 7:15 a.m.

Trams will begin their route to the fields promptly at 8:00 a.m.

More information available by calling 229-985-1968 or visiting


Expo is 4 miles southeast of U.S. Hwy 319 on Hwy 133.

Mark your calendar!

37th Annual Sunbelt Ag Expo - October 14-16, 2014

Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day set for July 10

Visitors at Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day are able

to see crop demonstrations and examine

research trials.

The Alabama Peanut Producers Association is

required by law to hold a producer referendum

every three years continuing the state check-off

program for peanuts. This year’s referendum has

been set for Tuesday, June 17, 2014.

Polling places in

each county have been

established. These

counties will have

over 500 acres of

peanuts in the 2013

crop year. However, there is no problem with coun-

ties less than 500 acres having a polling site if they

wish. The polling hours will be between 8 a.m. (or

normal hours) and 3:00 p.m. Any producer who has

grown peanuts in crop years 2011, 2012, or 2013 is

eligible to vote.

For a list of polling locations, contact the

Alabama Peanut Producers Association office at

334-792-6482 or your local county agent.

APPA referendumThe Florida Peanut Producers

Association is pleased to announce

the opening of their 2014

Scholarship Award Program, effec-

tive April 1, 2014. Two $1,200

scholarships will be awarded to deserving high school seniors and/or col-

lege students. The applicant or someone in the applicant’s family must be

an actively producing peanut grower, not necessarily a member of the

FPPA.

It is the intent of the Scholarship Award Committee, however, that the

award recipients attend a Florida junior college or four-year university.

Each winner will receive $600 when the scholarship winners are

announced. The remaining $600 will be awarded after the completion of

one semester and documentation of passing grades is submitted to the

FPPA Office.

“The Florida Peanut Producers Association is committed to helping

further the education of young people in Florida, and the scholarship pro-

gram is evidence of our commitment,” says Ken Barton, executive director

of the FPPA.

For an application, contact the FPPA office at 850-526-2590. The

scholarship applications must be postmarked no later than July 1, 2014.

FPPA scholarship


Food service promotionsThe Southern Peanut Growers works hard to build

relationships across the food service arena – from fine

dining restaurants to quick-service chains.

• SPG’s partnership with

Noodles & Company for March,

National Peanut Month resulted in

about 875,000 impressions and a

noticeable increase in sales of the

Indonesian Peanut Saute which was promoted during

March. In their eclub newsletter, Noodles & Company

specifically gave a shout-out (and web link) to ‘our

friends at the Southern Peanut Growers.”

• Jeanne Bauer, SPG’s food service consultant

attended the New York Women’s Culinary Alliance

meeting on April 7 where the little bags of peanuts

were greatly appreciated.

• SPG is sponsoring a break during the National

Restaurant Association’s annual meeting in May in

Chicago. The break gives us an opportunity to

showcase some great new menu ideas using peanuts

and peanut butter to the executives who make menu

decisions.

Nutrition OutreachSouthern Peanut Growers has jumped on board

National Peanut Board’s new slogan, The Perfectly

Powerful Peanut, as we spread the good news about

peanuts and peanut butter.

• SPG exhibited with the Georgia Peanut

Commission at the Georgia Dietetic Association

meeting on March 20.

• SPG provided peanuts and materials promoting

protein in peanuts and peanut butter to the Vegetarian

Dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition

and Dietetics.

• SPG exhibited with the Mississippi Peanut

Growers Association at the Mississippi Association of

Nutrition & Dietetics on April 10. Leslie Wagner,

executive director of SPG, led a breakout session

inviting attendees to Hear and Taste the Good Nutrition

of Peanuts and Peanut Butter. “The combination of the

serious nutrition and new allergy information with the

fun of tasting easy and healthy peanut and peanut

butter recipes was a big draw,” Wagner says. “More

than half the attendees attended this session and were

actively engaged throughout the presentation.”

Ingredients:1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup unsalted peanuts halves

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and

line with parchment paper so it over hangs the edges. Beat the peanut

butter with the sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, until

well incorporated. Beat in the milk until smooth. Stir the flour with the

baking powder and salt. Stir into the wet mixture just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Scatter the peanuts and chocolate

chips over the top of the loaf. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick

comes out clean when inserted into the center of the loaf. Transfer to a

wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Use the parchment paper to lift the

loaf out of the pan and directly onto the rack cool completely.

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 Web site at

http://www.peanutbutterlovers.com

Peanut Butter Loaf with Chocolate Chips

Consumer promotions#PBPride Twitter Party

SPG hosted a Twitter Party on March 12 resulting in a high level of

engagement. #PBPride trended for nearly half the one-hour party as

people shared their favorite recipes and answered trivia questions about

our favorite food!

PB My Way Recipe Contest

Recipes poured in from peanut butter lovers across the United States

during SPG’s The United States of Peanut Butter Promotion. As of press

time, SPG continues to engage with peanut butter lovers as they vote for

their favorite regional finalists on SPG’s Facebook page to determine the

grand prize winner. Regional finalists are:

• West: Easy Peanut Butter & Jam Pastries, Peanut Butter Vanilla

Bean Cake, and Pacific NW Satay Salmon

• Southwest: Nutty Jalepeno-Chicken Stuffed Peppers, Spicy

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Baklava, and PB&J Chicken Wings

• Southeast: Carolina Dreaming Appetizer Meatballs, Peanut Lovin’

Banana Pudding, and Peanut Butter & Berry Biscuits

• Midwest: After School Peanut Butter Apple Pie, Peanut Butter

Sugar Cream Pie, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Popcorn

• Northeast: Pennsylvania PB&C Bars, Chinatown Peanut Butter &

Pork Pot Stickers, and Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites



In an overwhelming show of

confidence in the National

Peanut Board, America’s

peanut farmers voted in favor

of continuing the Peanut Promotion,

Research and Information Order, which

authorizes the National Peanut Board.

In order for the continuance

referendum to pass, a majority of eligible

producers needed to vote in favor of

continuing the Order. The referendum

passed with a 92 percent approval rate.

Voting in the referendum took place from

April 7 through April 18. Growers who

paid assessments on peanuts produced

during the representative period from

January 1 through December 31, 2013,

and were current peanut producers were

eligible to vote.

The Commodity Promotion,

Research and Information Act of 1996

requires a referendum be conducted every

five years by the U.S. Department of

Agriculture.

“It is gratifying to know the work of

the National Peanut Board is recognized

by the growers we serve as essential to

their success and contributes to keeping

peanuts as America’s most preferred nut,”

says John Harrell, chairman of the

National Peanut Board.

Harrell also said, “On behalf of the

Board, we’re thrilled at this vote of

confidence and we pledge to continue

working hard for America’s peanut

farmers.”

Since its inception in 2001, the

National Peanut Board has been pivotal in

maintaining receptive markets and

increasing consumption of USA-grown

peanuts. Some highlights include:

• Everyday frequency of consumption

of peanuts has doubled since 2001 and

everyday consumption of peanut butter

increased 71 percent in the same time

period; according to a consumer tracking

study by The Bantam Group, 2012.

• NPB recently launched the brand

platform, The Perfectly Powerful Peanut,

the centerpiece of a new nationwide,

multi-media advertising campaign and

slogan, helping to unify messages across

the entire peanut industry.

• NPB has invested more than $20

million in 900+ production research

projects to help farmers increase yields

while implementing the most sustainable

agricultural practices.

• NPB has funded more than $10

million in food allergy research, education

and outreach to help identify causes and

seek treatments for food allergy sufferers.

• Peanut menu listings have more

than doubled on American menus,

increasing 122 percent from January to

June 2007 to April-June, 2013, and

continuing to outpace almonds; according

to data from Technomic Menu Monitor,

2013. t

Peanut referendum wins tremendoussupport from producers


Southern Peanut Growers Conference

E D G E W A T E R B E A C H R E S O R TJuly 24-26, 2014 Panama City Beach, Florida

Brought to you by the: Alabama Peanut Producers AssociationFlorida Peanut Producers AssociationGeorgia Peanut CommissionMississippi Peanut Growers Association

Brought to you by the: Alabama Peanut Producers AssociationFlorida Peanut Producers AssociationGeorgia Peanut CommissionMississippi Peanut Growers Association

Key topics: Legislation,Research and Promotion For more information contact:Alabama Peanut Producers Association

P.O. Box 8805Dothan, AL 36304

334-792-6482

Florida Peanut Producers Association2741 Penn Avenue, Suite 1

Marianna, FL 32448850-526-2590

Georgia Peanut CommissionP.O. Box 967

Tifton, GA 31793229-386-3470

Mississippi Peanut Growers AssociationP.O. Box 284

Petal, MS 39465601-606-3547

Register online atwww.southernpeanutfarmers.org

www.southernpeanutfarmers.org

16th Annual

Event!


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