Category Archive

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 … Read More

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 … Read More

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 … Read More

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 … Read More

Central location and beautiful beaches are the main reasons why Panama City, Florida has been the place for southern peanut industry members and their families to gather once a year for a “working vacation.” “This continues to be a combined effort between the four southeastern states and together we coordinate this conference, plan the program and include some time in … Read More

The peanut industry has been blessed with much and they are pleased to be able to give back when they can to help others less fortunate. Peanut Proud was an effort started two years ago when the peanut industry faced the salmonella outbreak that threatened consumer perceptions of healthy peanut butter. When the industry came through the challenge stronger than … Read More

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

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

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