Post Archive by Month

Different weather conditions have challenged peanut growers this year, including lesser cornstalk borer where fields have been dry. FMC Technical Service Manager Blaire Colvin said a project using smart traps to monitor those moths throughout Alabama and Georgia is helping growers to identify and control that pest. She said now that some areas are receiving rain, disease pressure is a … Read More

Congressman Michael Cloud (R-Texas) shared thoughts on the state of U.S. peanut policy during the 2022 Southern Peanuts Growers Conference. He said the American agriculture industry continues to do a great job even amid policies that are sometimes restrictive. “What we’ve seen over the last year is the American ag industry continues to have higher yields with less inputs. That’s … Read More

It is important for peanut growers to be involved in the community and to establish themselves as a resource for school districts. That was the message shared by Judson Crane with the Florida School Nutrition Association during the Southern Peanut Growers Conference. Crane said one school district’s experience with parents making unreasonable demands because of their son’s peanut allergy opened … Read More

The School District of Lee County in Florida brought peanuts back to school menus in 2022 after the product had been banned in the district’s school kitchens since 2004. While labor shortages and supply chain challenges were large factors in bringing peanut products back, Food and Nutrition Services Coordinator Amy Carroll said allergy management education is a more realistic and … Read More

Today’s technology allows landowners to control feral hogs with a trap activated and monitored by their cell phones. But Chris Monhof with Jager Pro Hog Control Systems said education is also a big part of the company’s mission. “We need to start conducting hog control on the farm fields just like you would do maintenance on your tractors,” Monhof said. … Read More

Peanut growers across the southern states are in good spirits since timely rains have come to their fields this season. But that moisture also means timely applications of fungicide will be important, according to Syngenta Agronomy Service Representative Wilson Faircloth. “Elatus and Miravis are two keystone products. We like to see them put together, but timely is the most important,” … Read More

The work on equipment never really stops for the folks at Ag Technologies. As soon as planters are parked for the season, it’s time for annual inspections, maintenance and rebuilding as needed. And although availability has been volatile, Executive Vice President of Technology Travis Kelly said things are looking good for next season. “Obviously, everything is on the rise cost-wise, … Read More

Labor shortages are affecting most American industries, and agriculture is no exception. As many former farm workers have taken other jobs, farm owners struggle to find reliable employees for hard work that is often seasonal. “It has exacerbated the problem on the farm to find workers who will come in, do the job for a season or even year-round, and … Read More

During the Conference four peanut producers received the annual FarmPress Peanut Efficiency Awards presented at the Friday Saturday breakfast. Producers were praised and recognized for efficiently growing high-yielding peanuts. The 2022 winners are: Upper Southeast: Ben Cowin, Williamston, N.C. Lower Southeast: Wayne Hobbs, Irwin County, Ga. Delta: Mitchell Rogers, Covington County, Miss. Southwest: Karl Stutzman, Weatherford, Okla. Pictured are the … Read More

The first general session this year was titled, “School Nutrition, How Importance Is It?” Sherry Coleman Colling, dietician for the National Peanut Board has lots of reason. I visited with her after the session to get a few of her takeaways. A main focus was on allergies with good information on how schools can and do have protocols to address … Read More