SPFF News & Resources

A panel of experts from around the southeastern peanut growing region entertained questions from growers on a variety of topics during the SPGC on Friday.

Those experts included, in no particular order:
Jay Chapin – Clemson University, David Adams – University of Georgia, Nicholas Dufault – University of Florida, Tim Brenneman – University of Georgia, Mike Howell – Mississippi State University, Kris Balkcom – Auburn University, Eric Prostko – University of Georgia, Glen Harris – University of Georgia, and Scott Tubbs – University of Georgia.

One of the questions they were asked was “what is the most limiting factor for peanut production?” Thanks to Randall Weiseman with Southeast Agnet, you can listen to their answers to that question here:

Ask the Experts Panel (MP3)

13th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Jack DeLoney was raised on a farm and his art reflects his Southern roots.

“I paint a lot of agricultural things, peanuts and cotton,” the Alabama artist says. His new watercolor print called “Pickin’ Time” is a bit of a departure from much of his work that tends to focus on the heritage of farming in the south. “Usually they’re more of the mule-powered, older type work from the 1930s, 1940s,” he said. “This painting is very much the modern age for me and first time I’ve done a piece with this flavor.”

Jack’s new print was a hot selling item at the SPGC this year and framed copies were also awarded to the Peanut Profitability Award winners. Another copy was donated to the Casino Night effort to raise funds for Peanut Proud. All of Jack’s work can be seen and ordered on his website JackDeLoney.com.

Listen to my interview with Jack by clicking on the link.

Jack DeLoney Interview (MP3)

13th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association is still the “new kid on the block” at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference, even though they have been involved since 2006. Because Malcolm Broome is the newest of the executive directors charged with planning the conference, the running joke this year was that he got blamed for anything that went wrong!

Malcolm says being involved with conference has been great for the Mississippi peanut industry. “Worked to our advantage a lot, gave us contact with a lot bigger audience and we’ve been just tickled to death to be a part of it,” he told me.

There’s about 120 peanut farms in Mississippi now and one buying point, according to Malcolm. “We’re beginning to see some growth now where Louisiana and Arkansas bump up to Mississippi,” he said. “With the price of peanuts like they are, folks are interested in planting more acres.”

Listen to my interview with Malcolm by clicking on the link.

Malcolm Broome Interview (MP3)

13th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Increasing global demand for food will keep world agricultural trade on the forefront for U.S. producers well into the foreseeable future.

“You’re talking about farmers getting anywhere from 25% to 33% of their income from products being sold overseas,” said USDA Global Analysis and Policy Division Deputy Director Daniel Whitley in an interview with Randall Weiseman of Southeast AgNet after his presentation at the SPGC. “These times are prosperous and we’re expecting them to continue over the long term.”

Listen to Randall’s conversation with him here:

Daniel Whitley Interview (MP3)

13th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Kind of like the Israelites received manna from heaven to keep them from starving in the desert, malnourished children in the world are getting needed nutrition through MANA from peanuts.

Mark Moore, CEO of MANA Nutrition explained how at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference. “MANA stands for Mother Administered Nutritive Aid and our vision is that we can put this peanut paste product in the hands of moms” so they can feed it to their children who might otherwise die of severe acute malnutrition, Mark says.

The product itself is called by another acronym – RUTF, or Ready to Use Therapeutic Food. Basically, RUTF is peanut butter mixed with fortified milk in an over-sized ketchup packet On average, three packets a day for six weeks will revive a child, getting him or her back to normal nutritive levels, healthy, responsive and happy.

Randall Weiseman with Southeast AgNet interview Mark for us and you can find out more in this conversation and also from the MANA Nutrition website.

Mark Moore Interview (MP3)

13th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

The deans of the agriculture colleges for the major land grant universities in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi all attended the 2011 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Friday to deliver the same message – funding for agricultural research is down at a time when it is needed more than ever before.

Pictured here, from left to right, Dr. George Hopper with Mississippi State University, Dr. Scott Angle of University of Georgia, Dr. William Batchelor with Auburn University, and Dr. Joseph Joyce of University of Florida each presented the sobering news that money for extension, education and research is continuing to decline. Despite that, they are all optimistic about the future of the system, simply because it is so necessary to feed a growing population.

“The land grant model is still viable, still important to producers, but the funding mechanism is under stress and we’re all looking for new ways to leverage resources,” said Dr. Joyce.

Dr. Batchelor notes that agriculture is going to have to double food production within the next 39 cropping seasons in order to feed the growing global middle class. “It’s a daunting challenge for a dean of a college of agriculture to develop programs to do that,” he said.

“Whether it’s at the federal or state level, all land grant universities’ budgets are under challenge, despite the fact that we need to grow more food and train more students,” said Dr. Angle.

“We need your help,” said Dr. Hopper. “If you believe in the land grant universities, we need your help.”

He urged the peanut industry to help by letting their legislators know the importance of agricultural research, both on the state and federal level, and also by recruiting young people for the future of the industry.

Listen to brief comments from each of the deans here:

Land Grant University Agriculture College Deans (MP3)

13th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Southern Peanut Growers are spreading more peanut butter love than ever.

I talked with Leslie Wagner, executive director of the marketing organization for southern peanuts, and she is excited about their new website and social media outreach. “We started Facebook and Twitter last year and we also started PB&J My Way, a consumer recipe promotion,” she said. “We continued that this year with PB My Way, asking people to ‘lose the loaf’ and give us some entrees.” They got a wide variety of entries, including a peanut butter-inspired soup that took first place in an on-line vote.

Listen to my interview with Leslie here and be sure to check out the great new website, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @PNutButterLover.

Leslie Wagner Interview (MP3)

13th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album