This morning, three growers were recognized at the 10th Annual Peanut Profitability Awards Presentation. The awards, sponsored by Farm Press, are based on production efficiency and honor those growers who produce the highest yields at the lowest cost per acre. The awards are based on a producer’s entire farm operation – not just on individual farms or small plots.
This year’s winners (shown left to right) are T.E. Moye, Jr. of Newton, GA for the southeast region, John Crumpler of Suffolk, VA for the Virginia-Carolina region, and Weldon Shook of Seminole, TX for the southwest region.
Cindy interviewed each of the winners to get their thoughts on profitability in the peanut industry.
Listen to or download the interviews here:
T.E. Moye (6:00 min MP3)
John Crumpler (4:00 min MP3)
Weldon Shook (4:30 min MP3)
This is the second year for the Southern Peanut Growers Conference blog and the second year it has been sponsored by 
Brian says the sponsorship of the blog, using new media technology, is a good fit for their companies. “Using this type of technology seemed like a good synergy,” he said. “It really shows that we really are a technology group. We deal with all things ag and if it deals with technology inside that world, that’s what we do.” He says they listen to the needs of growers and bring the technologies to them and the farmers really show them how to make money with it.
The role that peanut growers play in food safety was addressed during the Southern Peanut Producers Conference today by Dr. Darlene Cowert, president of 
Southeast district sales manager John Hand says Bayer Crop Science is committed to the peanut industry. “The information that is shared at this meeting for producers is vital for their success and we have a large portfolio of products that we offer to help them be successful as well,” John tells me.
First up on the agenda at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference Monday morning was Congressman Allen Boyd (D-FL), who gave growers and industry members an update on what’s happening in Washington DC these days could will affect them. Among the topics he discussed were food safety, agriculture funding, health care reform and energy.
“We’ve got a good solid farm bill that was written just a year ago, we’re going to get some energy legislation that I hope is going to work for us,” Boyd said. “Number one, it’s going to give us a less expensive, reliable energy source domestically, and number two we (agriculture) are going to be in a large part providing that resource.”
A new addition this year to the Southern Peanut Growers Conference first day fun was a Redfish Sport Fishing Seminar, presented by 
A simply divine treat is in the bag of goodies given to each person at registration for the Southern Peanut Growers Conference – chocolate covered peanut butter cherries. And they are just incredibly delicious.
Leslie Wagner with the 
Registration for a conference is often just a hum-drum experience – but at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference, it’s a taste of true southern hospitality.
The Peanut Advisory Board has made it an annual tradition to welcome the peanut industry members and families as they arrive in Panama City Beach with a sweet treat – ice cream with all kinds of toppings, especially peanuts.
The theme of the 11th annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference is really a tribute to the U.S. peanut industry for overcoming adversity in 2009.
“Farmers are really resilient and even though it wasn’t a crisis they caused themselves, we have made it through,” Don says. “And the really good news is that our May 2009 numbers for peanut butter were 13 1/2 percent over what we did in May 2008.”
The 11th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference promises to be a “star-studded” event. The conference gets underway Sunday July 12 at the