Browse Peanuts Stories - Page 16

An impending El Niño weather pattern could negatively impact Georgia farmers’ abilities to harvest their peanut and cotton crops, according to University of Georgia climatologist Pam Knox.

Women own 13.6 percent of America’s active farms and their farms produce almost $13 billion worth of goods each year. Just like male farmers, they need access to business and technical information to help make their farms successful. But while many pride themselves on not needing a “women’s only” class on how to work the land or run a business, many other women simply feel more comfortable learning around other female farmers.

The top peanut-producing state in the country showcased its 2015 crop during the annual Georgia Peanut Tour, which was held Sept. 15-17. Tour attendees learned why peanuts are a high-value crop for Georgia farmers.

White mold disease has always been a problem for Georgia peanut farmers, according to University of Georgia plant pathologist Tim Brenneman. The disease has been even more of a nuisance due to the hot and humid weather conditions this growing season.

A week before Georgia’s annual Peanut Tour, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension peanut agronomist Scott Monfort is optimistic about the state’s peanut crop.

Cotton and peanut research will be featured at the University of Georgia field day, set for Wednesday, Sept. 9, on the UGA campus in Tifton.

Maxwell Lamptey is visiting America, specifically Griffin, Georgia, in the hopes of learning new methods to fight aflatoxin — a carcinogen produced by soil fungus that can grow on peanuts — in his home country of Ghana.

Drip irrigation systems have long helped Georgia vegetable farmers grow high yielding crops. Sub-surface drip irrigation can help some Georgia peanut farmers water their crops more efficiently, according to a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension expert. And, it won’t interfere with peanut digging equipment.

Each of Georgia’s top 10 peanut farmers relied on University of Georgia Cooperative Extension research to produce the highest yielding crops this year. These farmers were honored by the peanut industry this month for growing the year’s record-breaking crops.

Mark Abney’s message to Georgia peanut farmers is the same today as it was two years ago, when he was hired as the University of Georgia’s research and Cooperative Extension peanut entomologist: “We need to be scouting more of our peanuts.”