SPFF News & Resources

Nuseed Carinata was one of this year’s exhibitors at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference, offering peanut growers an opportunity to plant a cover crop that provides extra income.

“Our crop is rotated in with peanuts,” said Michelle Howard, Carinata commercial program manager. “You can plant carinata in the early November to mid November time frame and then harvest in April to May…It’s a cover crop that is profitable as well.” Howard says this is the second year they are contracting with growers.

Farmers harvest the carinata and Nuseed buys it from them. “It’s crushed and blended into biodiesel…the oil we produce is actually owned by BP and BP is using it for aviation fuel.”

Learn more in this interview.
2023 SPGC – Michelle Howard, Nuseed (2:11)

2023 Southern Peanut Growers Conference photo album

Finding new uses for peanuts is becoming a priority for the industry and Dr. Marshall Lamb, USDA-ARS National Peanut Research Lab, says a recent symposium explored some of the possibilities, such as high-oleic peanuts.

“Scientists are proving that we can add high oleic peanuts into the diets of poultry and actually see the benefits in the final product to the consumer, which is a more heart-healthy egg,” said Dr. Lamb.

Lamb says another opportunity for peanuts is sustainable aviation fuel. “Peanut oil is very suitable for conversion into a jet fuel…to be able to get into that market would be a further use for peanuts and peanut oil in the future,” he said.

Marshall Lamb, National Peanut Research Lab (2:54)

University of Georgia peanut breeder Dr. Nino Brown says they are developing varieties for both the high oleic and normal oleic peanut market.

“The high-oleic acid concentration gives it much longer shelf life, so it’s really good for candy bars,” said Dr. Brown. “Whereas a normal oleic peanut is required for the peanut butter industry.”

Dr. Brown says they are also developing peanuts with higher oil content for the fuel market, and he says it takes about ten years for a new peanut variety gets to market.

Nino Brown, University of Georgia (3:03)

2023 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Everyone in the peanut business knows LMC Manufacturing, since about 95 percent of the industry uses machinery built by the legendary company started in 1941 by Lewis Carter Jr.’s grandfather.

This year, Carter received the Valor award, sponsored by Valent, for the contributions LMC has made to the peanut industry. “We look for that winner to be somebody that’s made a big difference in the peanut world,” said Valent territory manager David Yoder.

“When the people you work with, your customers, your associates, recognize the contributions you try to make, it’s very humbling and overwhelming,” said Carter.

David Yoder, Valent” (1:37)

Lewis Carter, Jr., LMC Manufacturing (1:50)

2023 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

With Congress on summer vacation until September 12, it’s unlikely the September 30 deadline for a new farm bill before the old one expires will be met. But, as Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA) told the Southern Peanut Growers Conference, Congress still has to do something.

“Every five years we write a farm bill, it’s a temporary change to permanent law written in the ’30s and ’40s,” said Scott. “The option of doing nothing doesn’t exist. If you do nothing, you revert to permanent laws that are dust bowl era policies that would destroy the food supply of this country.”

Scott, who is a member of the House Agriculture Committee, believes the time has come to separate farm programs – ARC, PLC and crop insurance – from SNAP and the other food programs that make up the bulk of a farm bill. “Many of the people in the ag industry have disagreed with me on this, but it’s time to split the bill,” he said.

Since SNAP benefits are part of permanent law and will continue even if a farm bill does not get passed, Scott suggests making ARC and PLC part of permanent law as well. “And then we need to separate the legislation and do smaller pieces of legislation every other year instead of one super-sized piece of legislation every five years.”

Scott also expressed disappointment that Congress failed to pass an agriculture appropriations bill last week but found time to have a hearing on UFOs. Listen to his remarks and comments to the media below.

Rep. Austin Scott remarks (13:35)

Rep. Austin Scott media (13:41)

2023 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

At the start of conference we get a chance to visit with each of the state peanut association executives. This year we have a new Executive Director at the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, Libbie Johnson. Along with her are Ken Barton, Florida Peanut Producers Association, Don Koehler, Georgia Peanut Commission and Malcolm Broome, Mississippi Peanut Growers Association.

Topics and issues in the states are pretty similar to last year. Each executive director provides an outlook on the peanut crop in their state. The Farm Bill is of higher importance because we’re getting closer to possible new legislation by the end of the year. We’ll be hearing more about it during the conference. Input costs and other factors are making financial difficulties for peanut farmers. Relatively new on the program this year is a discussion on new non-edible uses for peanuts and newer precision agriculture technology.

Listen in and hear how things are going in each state.

Malcolm Broome, Mississippi Peanut Growers Association (5:05)

Don Koehler, Georgia Peanut Commission (6:58)

Ken Barton, FPPA (4:32)

Libbie Johnson, Alabama Peanut Growers Association (3:47)

2023 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Dr. Stanley Fletcher encouraged peanut producers to get involved in the upcoming farm bill process if they want to see a strong safety net for peanuts continue. He also recommended some innovative thinking when it comes to expanding markets for the product.

“You need to think outside the box and create new demand because basic productivity exceeds the traditional demand growth,” said Fletcher, who is with the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation.

He pointed to trendline yields that continue to grow, while peanut demand for food use and exports remains largely flat.

You can learn more in our interview: Remarks by Dr. Stanley Fletcher” (26:38)

2022 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

There was excitement around a new product from Verdesian Life Sciences at the 2022 Southern Peanut Growers Conference. Phil Shelley covers the southeast peanut market, as well as some cotton and soybean acres. He shared information about SEED+GRAPHITE, a nutritional planter box solution that is already available for cotton and is now in trials for peanuts.

“The big thing on SEED+ graphite seed treatment is definitely the micronutrient package,” said Shelley. “It gives them a boost on that plant when it comes out of the ground. And the retailers are really liking that product from the dry down standpoint. They’re able to treat cotton seed right now and be in the field in two or three hours versus 24 hours.”

Shelley said peanut growers in his territory are a bit behind due to a dry May, but could finish strong if August brings wet conditions.

You can learn more in our interview: Interview with Phil Shelley” (4:04)

2022 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

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 larger problem.

“Peanuts, of course, are always getting disease. We’re starting to get rains. A lot of our peanuts are in that 70-day-old time frame so we need to be looking out for leaf spot and white mold with these hot temperatures,” said Colvin.

Colvin said FMC has a number of proven products, as well as some new formulations, to help farmers fight disease pressure in peanuts.

You can learn more in our interview: Interview with Blaire Colvin” (2:19)

2022 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

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 an amazing story that needs to continue to be told,” Cloud said.

In the meantime, he recognized that farmers need solutions for supply chain breakdowns and high input costs rather than electric tractors.

You can learn more in our press conference interview: Interview with Congressman Michael Cloud” (3:12)

Full remarks by Congressman Cloud: Remarks from Congressman Michael Cloud” (22:17)

2022 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album