Syngenta Helps #Peanut Growers Celebrate Survival

Cindy ZimmermanJuly 25, 20162016 Conference, Audio, Conference Sponsors0 Comments

Attendees at the 2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference danced the night away to the sounds of The American Flyers Saturday night, thanks as always to the generous support of Syngenta.

“We were one of the first sponsors and we’re proud to be part of it – it’s a family,” said Lyle Stewart with Syngenta, who says they are with peanut growers for the long haul.

“The one thing we continue to try to do is reinvest in our products through research and development,” Stewart said. Syngenta has introduced two new products recently for peanut growers with another one on the way in 2018. “Our hope is that if we continue to do the research to offer these new products to the peanut growers that will help them survive,” Lyle added.

Interview with Lyle Stewart, Syngenta

Thanks again to all of the sponsors who make the SPGC possible – See you next year!

2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Alabama Peanut Exec Survives #2016SPGC

Cindy ZimmermanJuly 25, 20162016 Conference, Audio1 Comment

Alabama Peanut Producers Association Executive Director Caleb Bristow survived his first “real” Southern Peanut Growers Conference and came through with flying colors.

“Last year I didn’t have a whole lot to do because I was still the new guy on the block, but this one has been a lot more involved and it’s been good,” said Bristow, who adds that attendance was back up in the 600 range this year.

Bristow says the theme of Survivor really struck a chord with participants this year. “Market prices are low, farmers are struggling – they’re surviving,” he said.

In this interview, Caleb also discusses the state of the Alabama peanut crop: Interview with Caleb Bristow, Alabama Peanut Producers

2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Koehler Honored by Congress

Cindy ZimmermanJuly 25, 20162016 Conference, Audio1 Comment

Georgia Peanut Commission Executive Director Don Koehler was honored last week by a Congressional resolution honoring him for his 30 years of service to the industry.

“It was a real shock,” Don said after receiving the presentation from Michael Reed, chief of staff for Rep. Sanford Bishop, Jr. (D-GA2). In addition to Bishop, the motion for the resolution was introduced by several other Georgia Congressional representatives, including Reps. Buddy Carter (R-GA1), Austin Scott (R-GA8), David Scott (D-GA13), and Rick Allen (R-GA12). “The commission’s been in business 53 years and I’ve been there 30 of them as executive director and I love the people I do this with and for – I’m a blessed person.”

In this interview, Don talks about this year’s SPGC and what the peanut crop looks like in Georgia – all the good, the bad and the ugly of it. Interview with Don Koehler, GA Peanut Commission

2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Verdesian Primo Power for #Peanuts

Cindy ZimmermanJuly 25, 20162016 Conference, Audio0 Comments

Verdesian Life Sciences was on hand at the 2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference to talk about a new product to help producers survive.

“We have a new liquid in-furrow peanut inoculant called Primo Power CL,” said Stan Deal with Verdesian. “It’s a higher concentrated form inoculant for the rhizobia for the peanut plants and it’s going to be released this year.”

Learn more in this interview: Interview with Stan Deal, Verdesian

2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

New Company Joins #2016SPGC Family

Cindy ZimmermanJuly 25, 20162016 Conference, Audio, Conference Sponsors0 Comments

Vantage South is a precision equipment and services dealer based in Alabama and they were a new sponsor this year at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference.

Josh Carnley says they really enjoyed their first year. “This is a venue where most of your progressive, larger, more advanced farmers come and that’s our target customer,” said Carnley.

Vantage South is a Precision Planting and Trimble dealer for Alabama, Northwest Florida, and Southern Mississippi. Learn more about them at their website or Facebook page and in this interview:

Josh Carnley, Vantage South

2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

#Peanut Oil – Fuel for Survival

Cindy ZimmermanJuly 25, 20162016 Conference, Audio0 Comments

Providing a new jet fuel source could be a new market for the peanut industry, one that is in the process of being evaluated by both USDA and the Navy.

“I think we owe it to ourselves that any time we can get our product into a new market that we explore these options,” said Dr. Marshall Lamb with the USDA/ARS National Peanut Research Lab during a panel presentation at the 2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference on the potential for peanut oil as a fuel source.

Dr. Lamb told attendees that peanuts have an advantage over many other crops in that they have a very high oil content. “We’ve got an oil content of roughly 50 percent,” he said, compared to soybeans at just 18 percent and canola about 40. “And if you look at the amount per acre, peanuts are far higher than any other crops we can grow.”

Listen to Marshall’s presentation here: Dr. Marshall Lamb, National Peanut Research Lab

Also presenting during the session were Ronnie Davis, USDA Rural Development, and Ed Coppola, Applied Research Associates and you can listen to them below. Chris Tindell with the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy was unable to attend the conference as scheduled but another representative gave a power point presentation by phone on the evaluation of peanut oil as a fuel under the U.S. Navy’s biofuel mandate.

Ronnie Davis, USDA Rural Development

Ed Coppola, Applied Research Associates

2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Farm Press Honors Efficient #Peanut Farmers

Cindy ZimmermanJuly 25, 20162016 Conference0 Comments

The 17th annual Farm Press awards presented to peanut farmers in different regions this year had a new name – the Peanut Efficiency Awards. The Farm Press editorial staff made the name change this year from profitability to efficiency but the end result is the same – three outstanding farmers who utilize the best tools and practices for maximum results on their farms.

This year’s winners are pictured here with Farm Press Publications Content Director Forrest Laws on the right and Dr. Marshall Lamb of the National Peanut Research Laboratory on the left.

They are:
Lower Southeast Region – Matt Bryan of Newton, GA with his wife Tonya
Upper Southeast Region – the Belch family of Conway, NC – Brandon and fiance Lauren, Mike and Cindy
Southwest Region – Rickey Beardon of Plains, TX with his wife Karen

Learn more about them from Farm Press and thanks to Farm Press for their long standing support of the peanut industry and the Southern Peanut Growers Conference.

2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

How BASF Helps #Peanut Farmers Survive

Cindy ZimmermanJuly 25, 20162016 Conference, Audio, Conference Sponsors1 Comment

Peanuts may be considered a minor crop when it comes to the agriculture industry as a whole, but its an important one for sponsors of the Southern Peanut Growers Conference like BASF.

“We have a good product line for peanuts so we value our relationship with the peanut farmer,” says William Reed with BASF. Last year BASF introduced Priaxor fungicide for peanuts last year and Reed says they anticipate Zidua herbicide will be labeled for peanuts next year, with more products in the pipeline.

When it comes to surviving tough times, Reed says higher yields are more important than ever. “With a low price, you’ve got to produce a yield, and that’s where we really think we can benefit growers,” he said.
Interview with William Reed, BASF

2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Happy 75th to M&Ms!

Cindy ZimmermanJuly 25, 20162016 Conference, Audio1 Comment

The melt-in-your-mouth-not-in-your-hand classic candy is 75 years old this year and Mars has been celebrating by targeting the biggest generation in history with modern messaging.

“We want to make sure that we’re staying relevant with our consumer base and the largest consumer base is the millennials,” said Anne-Marie DeLorenzo, who serves as strategic sourcing manager for Mars Chocolate North America. “The way they get their news and media is on some type of device.”

That’s why Mars has really stepped up its use of social media channels such as Facebook and Instagram to really connect with millennials this year, starting with the release earlier this year of a remake of Sammy Davis Jr.’s 1972 classic “The Candy Man” by recording artists Zedd and Aloe Blacc.

“The Candy Man remake was 98 percent neutral to positive response, which is a phenomenal response for an advertising campaign,” said DeLorenzo.

In this interview, Anne-Marie also talks about how Mars will be 100% high oleic peanuts in 2018. Interview with Anne-Marie DeLorenzo, Mars Chocolate

If you haven’t seen the M&Ms Candyman, watch it below – it’s a treat!

2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

#2016SPGC was a Blast with DuPont

Cindy ZimmermanJuly 25, 20162016 Conference, Conference Sponsors0 Comments

DuPont gave young and older alike a blast of fun at the 2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference at Sandestin Resort.

The 2400 acre resort includes a village with shops, restaurants and entertainment including an arcade which DuPont rented out for Friday afternoon to provide a fun place for everyone to hang out in the air conditioning after a long day of meetings or the beach.

DuPont has been a long time supporter of the conference and started offering the Friday afternoon family-oriented entertainment option the past couple of years and this year was definitely a blast for all!

2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

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