The conference ended with a big party featuring the music of The Tams. It was a time to do a little dancing and some peanut growers jumped right in. Please feel free to check out our photo albums with the links below. When you click on them you’ll go to the album, be able to watch the photos as a … Read More
Wrapping Up With Don Koehler
Don Koehler, Executive Director, Georgia Peanut Commission, helped me wrap things up for the conference. As of this point in time everyone has a free afternoon before our concluding dinner this evening. I’ll be adding some photos from that event to the photo album. You can also find another set of photos taken by Joy Carter, Georgia Peanut Commission on … Read More
Show Me The Energy
Showing farmers how to get involved in renewable energy was Steve Flick, Show Me Energy Cooperative. Steve thinks his participation on the program was a two way educational experience since he learned a lot about peanut farming while he was here. Steve says they have shown that farmers can produce renewable energy on a local level and peanut farmers in … Read More
Promoting Ethanol In The Southeast
Bioenergy was a big topic this morning with a pair of presentations. First up was Dennis Wiese, Growth Energy. Dennis says they need to get outside the cornbelt on this issue so he was happy to have a chance to speak to farmers in the southeast. Growth Energy is an ethanol advocacy organization based in Washington, DC. He’s hoping that … Read More
Ban No Peanuts Award
Providing an outlook of what’s going on in Washington, DC was Congressman Bobby Bright, AL (pictured left). He didn’t know it was coming but he was presented a special award today from the Alabama Peanut Producers Association. The award was presented for his work on the halt of the Department of Transportation ban on peanuts in public transportation. So the … Read More
Ag Technologies Going Wireless
The sponsor once again this year for the conference blog is Ag Technologies/Trimble. I spoke with Josh Pitts to learn what’s new with the company. Josh says that technology has become more solutions based so they’re moving more toward implement control after being focused on guidance for so long. So they’re introducing wireless technology which will allow growers to connect … Read More
New Auburn University Ag School Dean
The new Dean of the College of Agriculture at Auburn University, Bill Batchelor, joined us this morning. I spoke to him about his new position on a break. Bill comes from an ag engineering background and sees dealing with the realities of the economic downturn as a priority for the school. He says that they have to learn how to … Read More
Investing Farmer Checkoff Dollars
One of the sponsors of the conference is the National Peanut Board. I spoke with Marie Fenn, President and Managing Director, about the ways the Board is investing farmer dollars. She says it’s on two fronts. One is production research. She points out that the profitability winners announced here are using technology and information that comes out of research projects … Read More
Peanut Profitability Winners
The Farm Press Peanut Profitability Awards were announced this morning. A winner is selected from each of the three main peanut producing regions. Pictured are (l-r) Richard Rentz, South Carolina, Greg Frey, Publisher, Farm Press, Rusty Strickland, Texas and Al Sudderth, Georgia. I spoke to each of the winners and asked them what the award means to them, what makes … Read More
Determining Peanut Maturity
We heard from National Peanut Research Laboratory, representative, Wilson Faircloth during a question and answer session all about research and production. He was part of a large panel for growers to pose questions to. Wilson says that he’s working on irrigation since we’re at that peak time when peanuts need moisture. He says they’re refining models and encourages to use … Read More