Category Archive

For four young producers participating in the Peanut Leadership Academy, farming is more than a career—it is a commitment to building something that can be passed on to the next generation. During a young peanut producers panel at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference, Garrett Moore of Alabama, Jeffrey Pittman of Florida, Mary Katherine Harrington of South Carolina and Adam Curls … Read More

During the third general session of the Southern Peanut Growers Conference, Bob Redding of The Redding Firm, provided an inside look at the issues shaping federal agricultural policy, discussed the latest developments in Washington and their potential impact on peanut farmers. Redding highlighted the significance of provisions included in the One Big Beautiful Bill, including increased peanut reference prices, higher … Read More

William “Bill” Beam, administrator with the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) outlined several provisions at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference that could provide additional support and flexibility for peanut producers. Beam highlighted changes involving base acres, reference prices, payment limits, Marketing Assistance Loans and the agency’s efforts to modernize its record keeping systems. One significant change is the addition of … Read More

Top peanut producers are recognized for their ingenuity, sustainability and high yields as the 2026 Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Award winners during the Southern Peanut Growers Conference. The 27th Class of PEA winners are: Upper Southeast – Babb Farm, Windsor, Va. Lower Southeast – Barksdale Farm, Sylvester, Ga. Delta – Lonnie Fortner, Port Gibson, Miss. Southwest – Henry Froese, Seagraves, … Read More

During the Southern Peanut Growers Conference luncheon, Marshal Sewell of Mind Your Melon, delivered a powerful and deeply personal message on mental health in agriculture. Drawing from his experience as part of a fifth-generation fruit and vegetable farming family in Plant City, Florida, Sewell connected the pride of agricultural heritage with the pressures and uncertainties that come with carrying on … Read More

For decades, peanut research has helped transform U.S. peanut production, with average yields increasing from about 2,600 pounds per acre in the 1990s to roughly 4,000 pounds—or two tons—per acre since 2012. Dr. Marshall Lamb, research leader at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Peanut Research Laboratory, says that progress is the result of collaboration among universities, Extension, private industry … Read More

Weather remains one of the biggest variables in peanut production, affecting everything from planting through harvest. While farmers cannot control the weather, advances in precision agriculture, artificial intelligence and data technology are providing new ways to better anticipate conditions, respond to challenges and make more timely management decisions. During General Session 1, Simer Virk, extension specialist in Precision Agriculture and … Read More

The Southeast experienced one of its most significant droughts in recent history during the winter and spring, with South Georgia and North Florida among the hardest-hit areas. During General Session 1, David Zierden, state climatologist with Florida State University, examined the causes of the drought, its impacts and what the transition to a strong El Niño could mean for the … Read More

The 2026 Valor Award was presented to Don Koehler, retired executive director of the Georgia Peanut Commission. John Altom with Valent presented the award and explained that the winners each year are selected because they model the definition of Valor, which means “great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle.” Don has served as executive director of the … Read More