USDA Undersecretary Dr. Gale Buchanan may work in Washington, DC but his heart is in the southeast. “I spent 21 years at Auburn University conducting research in peanuts and other crops,” said Buchanan. “Then went to the University of Georgia as the director of the Coastal Plain Experiment Station and dean at the college of agriculture.” He also attended the … Read More
Future Peanut Leadership
The Peanut Leadership Program is a cooperative effort between Syngenta Crop Protection, grower organizations and agricultural extension. Participants are nominated by agricultural leaders in their counties and then selected by a committee of state leaders. One of the program participants this year is Jeramie Grissom from Seminole, Texas who was attending his first Southern Peanut Growers Conference this week. Jeramie … Read More
Farm Press Peanut Profitability Winners
Three producers from the major peanut growing regions of the country were honored Tuesday morning as the 2008 Peanut Profitability Award Winners, presented by Farm Press/Penton Media and the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation. Left to right, the winners are William McElveen of Bishopville, SC; Otis Johnson of Seminole, TX; and Mike Nugent of Willacoochie, GA. Nugent farms 330 acres in … Read More
Using New Media to Reach Growers
Farmers and others in agriculture are just like everyone else these days. For the vast majority of us, computer usage is becoming a part of our everyday lives, if it hasn’t already taken it over! That’s why all commodity organizations are becoming more adept at using the internet to reach out to growers and peanuts are no exception. That’s why … Read More
Congress 101
A great interactive session held on Monday at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference should be a required course for every agricultural producer in the country. Led by Cody Lyon with the American Farm Bureau and Keith Gray of Alabama Farmers Federation, several hundred peanut growers got a taste of what it is like to serve in Congress. Split into groups, … Read More
Peanuts Important to BASF
Peanuts are considered to be a specialty or minor crop to many chemical companies and often it is the case that minor use crops get the benefits of major crop developments. In the case of BASF Headline, it worked the other way. Regional sales manager William Reed (center) says that versitile fungicide – which is now labeled for use in … Read More
Bayer CropScience Proud to Be a 10-Year Sponsor
Nine companies have been sponsors of the Southern Peanut Growers Conference for all ten years of its existence and one of them is Bayer CropScience. Here is a family photo of the Bayer team at their booth here, with the recognition award they received for ten years of sponsorship on display. I finally got a chance to chat with regional … Read More
“Peanut Congressman” Provides Update
Congressman Sanford Bishop of Georgia’s 2nd District says he is proud to be known in the House as the “peanut congressman,” since he serves the southwest part of Georgia “the largest peanut growing district in our country.” Congressman Bishop gave peanut producers an update on the “2007 Farm Bill finally passed in 2008” as well as concerns about USDA now … Read More
Congressman Recognized for Support
Congressman Terry Everett of Alabama is retiring after 16 years representing the interests of peanut producers and other southeastern farmers in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Everett is pictured here with Randy Griggs of the Alabama Peanut Producers after he was recognized by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation for his many years of service to the industry, especially as … Read More
And Now a Word From Our Sponsor
New technology and new media are a perfect fit, so it is fitting that Trimble/Ag Technologies is the sponsor of this blog coverage of the Southern Peanut Growers Conference. I got a chance to chat with Josh Pitts of Ag Technologies, Trimble regional sales manager Tim East and Brian Kelly with Ag Technologies who are here representing the companies. Tim … Read More