Awards Highlight Georgia Farm Show
Peanut growers from around Georgia gathered at the Georgia Peanut Farm Show & Conference on the University of Georgia’s Tifton Campus in January. More than 1,500 participants had the opportunity to learn about research, products and the latest trends in the peanut industry.
The one-day show, sponsored by the Georgia Peanut Commission, offered farmers a chance to view the products and services of nearly 100 exhibitors and education opportunities. The University of Georgia peanut team presented an educational peanut production seminar focusing on the impacts of multiple weather events in 2024 and what to expect in 2025, management of foliage feeders and soil-borne insects, history of tropical spiderwort in Georgia and how to manage it and effects of the expanded season and weather on leafspot management. An industry seed seminar was held, which highlighted peanut varieties available for 2025.
During the show, the PB&J team was busy grilling hot peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The JIF and apple jelly were contributed by Smuckers. During the show program, the GPC presented the following awards to those who have contributed to the advancement of the peanut industry:
■ Distinguished Service Award – T.E. Moye, Jr., President of Georgia Federal State Inspection Service
■ Research and Education Award – Dr. Tim Brenneman, Professor, UGA Peanut Disease Management
■ Media Award – Jim Wallace, Retired, Anchor, WALB-TV-Karla Heath Sands accepted the award on his behalf.
■ Outstanding Young Peanut Farmer – Ryan Ireland of Turner County.
■ Outstanding Georgia Peanut Farmers of the Year – District 1: Martine Phillips, Colquitt; District 2: Billy Senkbeil, Sylvester; District 3: Daniel L. Johnson, Alma; District 4: Wayne Peavy, Vienna; District 5: Sauls Partnership, Shellman.
At the close of the day, the presentation of the grand door prize donated by Kelley Manufacturing Co. was Robb Lane, Omaha, Georgia, who received one season’s use of a new KMC peanut combine and the option of purchasing the combine from a KMC dealer with $15,000 off the list price at the end of the season, as well as a cash prize.
Amadas Industries also provided the grower door prize to Melissa Williams, Lenox, Georgia. Williams received a customized Grizzly cooler and a certificate toward the purchase of a new Amadas self-propelled peanut combine, pull-type peanut combine, peanut digger or peanut dump cart. Williams also received a certificate for Amadas parts.
Amadas Industries had a second drawing with the winner receiving $1,500 of Amadas Parts Credit and a Grizzly cooler. The winner was Joey Williams of Lenox, Georgia.
The PAC (political action committee)-sponsored Great Cash Giveaway of $5,000 was won by Mike Roberts, Jr., of Sylvester/Warwick, Georgia.
Peanut Caucus Organizes
Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) and Congressman Barry Moore (AL-01) re-registered the Congressional Peanut Caucus and will serve as the caucus’s bipartisan co-chairs. The caucus works to ensure that policy issues related to peanut production, management and marketing are considered in agricultural legislation. It also serves as a means by which members can become familiar with industry-related issues and express support for peanut growers, shellers and manufacturers.
“As we continue to work on the next Farm Bill, it is crucial that the Congressional Peanut Caucus provides a strong voice and demonstrates the important role that the peanut industry plays in our country,” says Rep. Bishop.
“Alabama peanut producers farm more than 160,000 acres across our state,” says Rep. Moore. “I am proud to join Rep. Bishop in leading the Peanut Caucus to ensure Alabama producers, along with the thousands of peanut producers across our country, have a seat at the table as we craft a new Farm Bill.”
The United States is the world’s fourth-largest producer and exporter of peanuts, with U.S. peanut production valued at $1.6 billion a year. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, over 4,900 U.S. farms grow 6.5 billion pounds of peanuts on 1.8 million acres.
Farm Bill Update
In December 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate passed a one-year extension of Farm Bill programs at the same levels authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill. This extension will expire on Sept. 30, 2025. U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman have expressed their commitment to passing a new Farm Bill this year.
“This committee’s number one priority for this Congress will be the passage of a bipartisan, five-year Farm Bill. One that restores the farm safety net, prioritizes voluntary, locally led and incentive-based conservation programs, advances our competitiveness through robust market access and trade promotion opportunities, strengthens programs, including those in the nutrition title, to demand transparency and accountability to the taxpayer and revitalize rural communities and restore their prosperity,” Thompson says.
“There are many pressing needs of agriculture producers that we will work to address including passing a Farm Bill that provides farmers and ranchers the policies and support they desperately need to continue feeding, clothing and fueling the world. I look forward to working with President Trump and my colleagues to implement an agenda that delivers certainty and predictability for hardworking farm families, improves the regulatory landscape to ensure it’s fair and transparent and bolsters rural communities,” Boozman says.
On the topic of tariffs and trade, Rep. Thompson offered these comments. “After four years of the Biden-Harris Administration’s failure to expand foreign markets, which led to an inflated agricultural trade deficit of $45.5 billion, America’s producers deserve an administration that will fight for them. I look forward to working alongside of President Trump to support our hardworking producers and to make agriculture great again.”
USPF Letter To President Trump
The U.S. Peanut Federation, representing growers, buying points and shellers, along with other commodity organizations, recently sent a letter to President Trump emphasizing the importance of continuing the success of commodity checkoff programs.
The letter read, in part, “Research and promotion boards exist to develop new markets and strengthen existing channels for specific commodities while conducting important research and promotional activities. They also work to educate consumers on behalf of a particular commodity to expand total demand to the benefit of all producers. Using the pooled resources and stakeholder investments obtained through checkoff assessments, they promote the product as a whole to create an industry-wide benefit through increased sales, consumer awareness and higher overall demand. For every dollar invested into a commodity checkoff, producers see several more in return.”
Georgia Peanut Commission’s Koehler Announces Retirement
During the recent Georgia Peanut Farm Show, longtime Georgia Peanut Commission executive director Don Koehler announced plans to retire Aug. 1, 2026. The GPC board of directors is now seeking candidates for the position to oversee the management of commission resources and serve as the staff team leader.
Founded in 1961, the GPC is funded through a grower assessment on all peanuts produced and marketed in Georgia. The commission carries out programs in the areas of research, education, promotion and advocacy.
“We are looking for someone with a huge passion for agriculture, specifically peanuts,” says Joe Boddiford, GPC chairman. “The Georgia Peanut Commission needs someone with great leadership qualities, exceptional communication talents and a strong advocate for Georgia’s peanut farmers.”
Ideal candidates will be energetic leaders with experience in agriculture. This position operates in a high-pressure environment and requires a great deal of time commitment of the individual. It is also a very diverse position that requires an individual with broad vision to truly lead. It requires a combination of depth and vision, people skills, management ability and dedication to the commission’s purpose.
For more details about the position and job description, visit the GPC website at gapeanuts.com/executivedirector.
Peanuts Promoted As Feed Ingredient At Poultry Expo
The Georgia Peanut Commission promoted peanuts as a poultry feed ingredient at the International Production and Processing Expo hosted at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, Jan. 28-30, 2025.
Georgia is the No. 1 producing state for both broilers and peanuts, and it ranks sixth in egg production. In recent years, GPC has funded research conducted by Dr. Ondulla Toomer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service examining the use of unblanched high-oleic peanuts as a preferred alternate feed ingredient in layer and broiler diets. The feeding trials have resulted in a premium quality, nutritionally enriched end product.
IPPE is the world’s largest annual display of technology, equipment, supplies and services used in the production of processing eggs, meat and poultry and those involved in feed manufacturing.
Representatives from GPC, the research team and industry suppliers, were available to answer questions and provide additional information during the event, and Toomer presented a TECHTalk presentation on her research as well.
Alabama-Florida Peanut Show Well Attended
Peanut growers from Alabama and Florida were able to fine-tune their farming operations with information gained at the Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show Jan. 30, 2025, at the National Peanut Festival fairgrounds in Dothan, Alabama. The trade show was hosted by the Alabama Peanut Producers Association and the Florida Peanut Producers Association and sponsored by the National Peanut Board. The venue sponsor was the National Peanut Festival.
More than 400 peanut growers and industry partners from Alabama and Florida attended to view industry products and services offered by more than 60 exhibitors.
Researchers from Auburn University and the University of Florida were on hand to showcase the peanut research they are working on with the support of grower check-off dollars. Growers could talk to the researchers one-on-one about the research projects.
Trade show attendees enjoyed a special visit from the Planters NUTmobile and Mr. Peanut. The Peanutters, as the NUTmobile crew is called, visited with growers and learned more about how peanuts are grown. Mr. Peanut provided joy and entertainment to the trade show attendees.
During the lunch program, attendees received an update from the National Peanut Board by Lindsay Dominy. Bob Redding of the Redding Firm gave a legislative update, and Dr. Marshall Lamb, from the National Peanut Research Lab, spoke to growers about the 2025 peanut market outlook.
The Grand Door Prize, provided by Kelley Manufacturing Co., was a voucher that could be used toward $5,000 off the price of any one piece of equipment or for $5,000 worth of parts for KMC equipment, was won by Gaylan Shelly of Brewton, Alabama.
Rene Jordan, of Bascom, Florida, won a free trip to the 2025 Southern Peanut Growers Conference in July. Allen Mininger, of Walnut Hill, Florida, won a Benelli 12-gauge shotgun.
Make Plans To Attend The Oklahoma Peanut EXPO
The 2025 Oklahoma Peanut EXPO will be held Thursday, April 3, 2025, at the Stafford Air & Space Museum in Weatherford, Oklahoma. Ashton Pellom will represent the National Peanut Board, and Dr. Marshall Lamb will once again provide the peanut marketing update.
This year, there will be two speakers from the University of Georgia: Scott Monfort, Extension agronomist, who will talk about understanding your peanut grade report, and Mark Abney, Extension entomologist, who will talk about burrower bugs in peanuts. Oklahoma State University researchers will provide 2024 results on weed and disease control projects, and USDA-ARS researchers will give an update on new breeding lines and disease-resistant variety research.
This year, more time will be provided for producers to visit with sponsor displays and their representatives. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the EXPO at 9 a.m., wrapping up around 2 p.m.
Following the EXPO, the Oklahoma Peanut Commission election caucuses will be held for producers for two commissioner positions from district 1 (West) and nominations to be the Oklahoma representative and alternate for the National Peanut Board.
