Central location and beautiful beaches are the main reasons why Panama City, Florida has been the place for southern peanut industry members and their families to gather once a year for a “working vacation.”
“This continues to be a combined effort between the four southeastern states and together we coordinate this conference, plan the program and include some time in there for families,” said Florida Peanut Producers executive director Ken Barton. “It’s a great location and not a great amount of travel time for anyone.”
There is record attendance at the meeting this year, despite a serious drought situation that producers in the entire southern producing area are facing. “It’s been a tough year so far,” Ken said. “We’re just now receiving some beneficial rains and that will go a long way in getting that crop going.”
Ken says the mood of the industry this year has gone from “an all time high to an all time low” with peanut prices high at the beginning of the year followed by what he calls “the most severe drought” he’s ever seen.
Listen to my interview with Ken in the player below.
Ken Barton Interview (MP3)