Georgia peanut producers are being asked to vote in a referendum to reaffirm support for the Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC).

The vote is being held March 15 through April 15 under the state law mandates that a referendum be held every three years. Georgia peanut producers invest $2 per ton to fund the commission and its research, education, promotion and communication programs. The last referendum in 2009 passed with an 87.4 percent reaffirmation.

Georgia’s peanut farmers have experienced record prices this past year and the industry has also witnessed record yields and consumption of peanut products the past several years. “I urge all peanut producers to vote in this referendum. Research, education, and promotion continue to be the core focus of the commission,” says Armond Morris, GPC chairman and Irwin County peanut farmer. “With continuing budget cuts at the federal and state level it is extremely important for growers to continue to focus their efforts on supporting research and promotional efforts through their checkoff dollars. One way for farmers to do that is by continuing their support of the Georgia Peanut Commission.”

Among the many promotional efforts that GPC supports is the annual “Peanut Proud” event. Peanut Proud 2012 is set for March 24 in Blakely, Georgia, starting with a 5K & Fun Run, followed by the Peanut Proud Parade, and including lots of entertainment, activities, food and fun.

Peanut Proud will also be hosting an educational symposium on the day before on March 23 in Blakely. That event will feature a variety of government officials and industry representatives who will be talking about the importance of peanuts and peanut butter as a nutritious and sustaining foodstuff for disaster situations, malnourished children, and hunger victims around the globe.

The 25th Georgia Peanut Tour this year hosted participants from 12 states and international attendees from Belgium, Canada and Argentina.

The event, held at the end of September in the Southwest area of Georgia, allowed many first time attendees to actually walk through a peanut field and see peanuts plowed up with a digger at harvest. The tour included stops in some of the top ten peanut producing counties in Georgia including Decatur, Seminole, Miller and Early counties.

The Georgia Peanut Tour brings the latest information on peanuts while giving a first-hand view of industry quality and infrastructure from production and handling to processing and utilization. The 2011 tour included farm visits, peanut harvest clinics, production research at the University of Georgia Attapulgus Research and Education Center, peanut handling and grading facilities and on-farm demonstrations. The tour also included a visit to LMC and American Peanut Growers Group in Donalsonville, Ga., Birdsong Peanuts, JLA and Olam Edible Nuts in Blakely, Ga.

The Georgia Peanut Tour is coordinated by the Georgia Peanut Commission, the University of Georgia Tifton and Griffin Campus, Southwest Georgia Research and Education Center in Plains, Attapulgus Research and Education Center and the USDA ARS National Peanut Research Laboratory in Dawson, Ga.

See photos from the tour by the Georgia Peanut Commission on Flickr and find out more on the Georgia Peanut tour blog.

It’s time once again for peanuts on the beach in Panama City, Florida – where it’s cooler than it is here in the Midwest!

It’s the 13th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference (SPGC), being held once again at the beautiful Edgewater Beach Resort, July 21-23, and I will once again be the official SPGC blogger. This will be the fourth year we have been providing this forum for all the action from the event – photos, interviews and video – officially kicking off today with registration and yummy grilled PB&Js! Follow all the action, and check out the past three years of SPGC on the blog.

The theme this year is “Windows of Opportunity” and the schedule is packed full of powerful peanut production presentations, like the general sessions on “The Marketplace” and “Production Agriculture & The Land Grant System” as well as “Challenges for Agriculture,” including insight on the next Farm Bill debate coming in Congress. In addition, the motivational keynote speaker for lunch on Friday will be none other than AgChat Foundation founder Michele Payn-Knoper!

The annual event is hosted by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, which includes the producers associations of Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi and has a whole host of great sponsors. The blog is once again jointly sponsored this year by Trimble Agriculture and Ag Technologies. Be sure to check it out and feel free to download and use any of the photos or audio you happen to find there.

See you on PCB!

March is National Peanut Month and to celebrate it, the Georgia peanut industry brought peanuts to the state capitol last week.

In addition to providing plenty of grilled PB&J’s and boiled peanuts, the peanut industry put on a program about the importance of peanuts to the state.

“Peanuts are Georgia’s Official State Crop and the state boasts the largest share of peanut production in the U.S. at nearly fifty percent,” says Armond Morris, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission. “Georgia’s 4,500 peanut farmers contribute approximately $2 billion annually to the state and local economy.”

Coincidentally, March is National Nutrition Month – a great time to recognize the nutritional value of peanuts. One serving of peanuts is a good source of protein, Vitamin E, Niacin, Folate, Phosphorus and Magnesium. Peanuts are naturally cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat.

The sponsored program also included the latest in peanut research being done by University of Georgia Peanut Team and the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Peanut Research Lab in Dawson, Ga.

Anyone who thinks a PB&J is boring or just for kids should try it with Bananas Foster or Chocolate Panini, or maybe strawberries and basil.

That’s just a few of the ten winning recipes in the Southern Peanut Growers “PB&J My Way” contest. The contest kicked off during March Peanut Month, pledging to donate one jar of peanut butter to Feeding America for each recipe submitted. They are donating 3,000 jars to the charity – that amounts to a whole bunch of creative PB&J recipe ideas!

“Not only did this contest inspire imagination among peanut butter lovers,” said Leslie Wagner, executive director, Southern Peanut Growers, “it also gave participants a unique opportunity to make a difference by providing nutritious food to the people who need it most.”

SPG narrowed the recipe entries down to the top ten creative sandwiches. Rules were simple: include peanut butter, and offer a fresh perspective on the traditional treat. Below are SPG’s top three picks:

The Bangkok Peanut Butter Sandwich, submitted by Michael C. of California, with ingredients including Serrano pepper, soy sauce, coconut and mint leaves. The spread is layered over sliced bread and topped with cucumber slices and a hint of orange marmalade.

Peanut Butter, Strawberries and Basil Sandwich, submitted by Merry G. of California, simply peanut butter-covered baguette slices topped with freshly sliced strawberries and finished with a sprinkle of fresh, chopped basil.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwich, submitted by Dyan C. of Virginia, which is two dark chocolate cookies, smothered with peanut butter and vanilla ice cream to resemble a moon pie.

Check out all of the winners here.