april 2015 - southeastern peanut farmer
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A communication service of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.
Inside:n Sod-based rotation for peanuts
n Disease & Insect Guidebook
n Martin family wins national award
6 Sod-based rotation great forpeanutsUniversity of Florida studies continue toshow the many benefits to peanuts fromsod-based crop rotation. Researcherssays crop rotation may determine theprofitability of peanuts in 2015 and highyields from good rotations may be theonly way to return a profit.
10 2015 Disease GuidebookThe 2015 Southeastern PeanutFarmer’s Disease Guidebook features information on the newPeanut Rx app, management ofleaf and southern blight and infoon a new fungicide and nematicidefor farmers to use in 2015.
15 Martin family wins NationalOutstanding Young FarmerAward Christopher Martin, Hawkinsville,Georgia, recently won the NationalOutstanding Young Farmer award at aceremony held in New Jersey. Learnmore about the Martin family in thisarticle.
Contents
April 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer 3
Southeastern Peanut Farmer is published six times a year
(Jan./Feb., March, April, May/June, July/Aug., and
Oct./Nov.) by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.
The publisher is not responsible for copy omission, typo-
graphical errors, or any unintentional errors that may
occur, other than to correct it in the following issue. Any
erroneous reflection which may occur in the columns of
Southeastern Peanut Farmer will be corrected upon
brought to the attention of the editor. (Phone 229-386-
3690.)
Postmaster: Send address changes (Form 3579) to
Southeastern Peanut Farmer, P.O. Box 706, Tifton,
Georgia, 31793.
Circulation is free to qualified peanut growers and others
allied to the industry. Periodical postage paid at Tifton,
Georgia and additional mailing office.
Editorial Content: Editorial copy from sources outside
of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation is sometimes
presented for the information and interest of our mem-
bers. Such material may, or may not, coincide with offi-
cial Southern Peanut Farmers Federation policies.
Publication of material does not necessarily imply its
endorsement by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation.
For editorial concerns call 229-386-3690. No portion of
this or past issues of the Southeastern Peanut Farmermay be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the
written consent of the editor. By-lined articles appearing
in this publication represent views of the authors and not
necessarily those of the publisher.
Advertising: The Publisher reserves the right to refuse
any advertisement. Corrections to advertisements must be
made after the first run. All billing offers subject to credit
review. Advertisements contained in this publication do
not represent an endorsement by the Southeastern PeanutFarmer or the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation. Use
of trade names in this publication is for the purpose of
providing specific information and is not a guarantee nor
warranty of products named. For advertising concerns
call 229-386-3690.
April 2015
Joy Carter Crosby
Editor
joycrosby@gapeanuts.com
229-386-3690
Contributing Writers
John Leidner
johnleidner@bellsouth.net
Teresa Mays
Teresa2@alpeanuts.com
Jessie Bland
jessie@gapeanuts.com
Southeastern Peanut Farmer
P.O. Box 706, Tifton, Ga. 31793
445 Fulwood Blvd., Tifton, Ga. 31794
ISSN: 0038-3694
D e p a r t m e n t s :Checkoff Report ..................................................................................Alabama Peanut Producers Association, Florida Peanut Producers Association,
Georgia Peanut Commission and Mississippi Peanut Growers Association
Washington Outlook ............................................................................
Southern Peanut Growers Update ........................................................
8
20
22
Cover Photo: Martin family named national winners in the Outstanding Young Farmer Award.
Pictured left to right: Wellsley, Grantson, Ginger and Christopher Martin of Hawkinsville, Georgia.
4 Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2015
2015 - International Year of Soils
(Let us know about your event. Please send detailsto the editor at joycrosby@gapeanuts.com.
We have all played with dirt at one time in our life as children,
whether it was making mud pies or playing farm with our toy
tractors. Even though we enjoyed the dirt as children; now as
adults we know the dirt or soil is vastly more important than
what we may have ever imagined. Soil is a living and life-giving natural
resource which is valuable to farmers across the U.S. and abroad. In fact
soils are so important that 2015 is being recognized as the International Year
of Soils.
As world population and food production demands rise, keeping our soil
healthy and productive is of paramount importance. So much so that the
Naitonal Resources Conservation Service believes improving the health of
our nation’s soil is one of the most important conservation endeavors of our
time.
Healthy soils are the foundation of the food system. Our soils are the
basis for agriculture and the medium in which nearly all food-producing
plants grow. Healthy soils produce healthy crops that in turn nourish people
and animals. Indeed, soil quality is directly linked to food quality and
quantity.
With a global population that is projected to exceed 9 billion by 2050,
compounded by competition for land and water resources and the impact of
climate change, our current and future food security hinges on our ability to
increase yields and food quality using the soils that are already under
production today.
Many farmers today follow conservation
agriculture methods that help maintain and improve
their soil. Conservation agriculture methods follow
three principles (minimal soil disturbance, permanent
soil cover and crop rotations) to improve soil condi-
tions, reduce land degradation and boost yields.
Throughout 2015, you can learn more about soil
health awareness on the NRCS website. The
resources on the website are designed to help visitors
understand the basics and benefits of soil health and
to learn more about soil health management systems
from farmers across the U.S. t
u USA Peanut Congress, June 13-17, 2015, Omni Grove Park Inn,
Asheville, N.C. For more information visit
peanut-shellers.org or call 229-888-2508.
u Stripling Irrigation Research Park FieldDay, July 8, 2015, Camilla, Ga. For more
information visit striplingpark.org or call
229-522-3623.
u Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day, July 9,2015, Moultrie, Ga. For more information visit
sunbeltagexpo.com or call 229-985-1968.
u American Peanut Research &Education Society Annual Meeting,
July 14-16, 2015, Francis Marion Hotel,
Charleston, S.C. For more information visit
apresinc.com or call 229-329-2949.
u Southern Peanut Growers Conference, July 23-25, 2015, Callaway Gardens, Pine
Mountain, Ga. For more information visit
southernpeanutfarmers.org or call
229-386-3470.
u American Peanut Shellers AssociationPre-Harvest Meeting, Aug. 4-5, 2015, Lake
Blackshear Resort & Golf Club, Cordele, Ga.
For more information, call 229-888-2508 or
visit www.peanut-shellers.org.
u Brooklet Peanut Festival, Aug. 15,2015. For more information visit the festival’s
website at brookletpeanutfestival.com.
u Georgia Peanut Tour, Sept. 15-17, 2015,Thomasville, Ga. and surrounding area. For
more information visit the tour blog at
gapeanuttour.wordpress.com.
u Plains Peanut Festival, Sept. 26, 2015.For more information visit plainsgeorgia.com.
u Sunbelt Ag Expo, Oct. 20-22, 2015. Formore information visit sunbeltagexpo.com or
call 229-985-1968.
u Georgia Farm Bureau Annual Meeting,Dec. 6-8, 2015, Jekyll Island, Ga. For more
information visit gfb.org.
u American Peanut Council WinterConference, Dec. 8-10, 2015, Atlanta, Ga.
Editorial Calendar of Events
Joy Carter CrosbyEditor
Soils maintain a diverse community of
organisms that:
n help control insect and weed pests andplant disease
n form beneficial symbiotic associationswith plant roots
n recycle essential plant nutrients
n improve soil structure
n Ninety-five percent of our food is directly or indirectly producedon our soils.
n Sustainable soil management could produce up to 58 percentmore food.
n Soils serve as a buffer to protect delicate plant roots from drasticfluctuations in temperature.
Learn more online at nrcs.usda.gov
University of Florida studies
continue to show the many
benefits to peanuts from
sod-based crop rotation.
Jim Marois, University of Florida
plant pathologist, recently reported on
crop rotation research he conducted with
University of Florida agronomist David
Wright. Their studies took place at the
North Florida Research and Education
Center in Marianna, Florida.
In the test, a 160-acre field was divid-
ed into quadrants of about 40 acres each.
The rotation featured two years of bahia-
grass, followed by a year of peanuts and
then a year of cotton.
In similar trials at Quincy, Florida,
scientists planted continuous peanuts for
four years to establish high levels of dis-
ease for fungicide research trials. These
trials are on the same Dothan sandy loam
soil as the crop rotation studies.
The sod-based rotation featured
peanuts grown once every four years after
a year of cotton and two years of bahia-
grass. The Quincy site also had a conven-
tional rotation of two years of cotton fol-
lowed by peanuts.
Peanut yields were low, only 1,600
pounds per acre where continuous peanuts
were grown with no fungicides. Adding a
standard fungicide program to the contin-
uous peanuts increased peanut yields to
3,800 pounds per acre. And when a
nematicide such as Velum from Bayer
CropSciences was added, the continuous
peanuts yielded 4,900 pounds per acre.
The peanuts in the conventional rota-
tion with two years of cotton followed by
a year of peanuts yielded 6,500 pounds
per acre without irrigation and 7,000
pounds per acre with irrigation.
Peanuts in the non-irrigated sod-
based rotation yielded 7,000 pounds per
acre, while those in the irrigated sod-
based rotation yielded 8,000 pounds per
acre.
Marois says the take-home lesson is
that crop rotations work, but sod rotations
work better. He adds that continuous
peanuts set the stage for declining yields
along with a buildup of disease organisms
such as those that cause white mold.
Crop rotation may determine the
profitability of peanuts in 2015, according
to Marois. He says during years when
crop prices are down, high yields from
good rotations may be the only way to
return a profit. t
6 Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2015
Sod-based rotation still greatfor peanuts
University of Florida studies continue to show the many benefits to peanuts from sod-based crop
rotation. The sod-based rotation featured peanuts grown once every four years after a year of
cotton and two years of bahiagrass.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack
appointed three producers and four indus-
try representatives to serve on the Peanut
Standards Board. Six members will serve
on the board through June 30, 2017. A
seventh member will fill a current vacan-
cy through June, 2015.
The Peanut Standards Board is made
up of 18 members representing the
Southeast Region, which covers Alabama,
Georgia and Florida; the Southwest
Region, covering Texas, Oklahoma and
New Mexico; and the Virginia-North
Carolina Region. One-third of the board is
appointed each year.
Selected were producer Marty
McLendon of Leary, Georgia, and indus-
try representative Elizabeth Kaye Smith
of Cumming, Georgia, to represent the
Southeast Region and producer Marshall
Wayne Baker of Portales, New Mexico,
and industry representative Byron Charles
Warnken of Pleasanton, Texas to represent
the Southwest Region. Producer James
Wilson Mason of Harrellsville, North
Carolina, and industry representative
Kathryn Olivia Swinson of Mount Olive,
North Carolina, will represent the
Virginia-North Carolina Region. James
Carlton Gray, Jr. of Courtland, Virginia,
was selected to fill an industry representa-
tive vacancy for the Virginia-North
Carolina Region, which ends June 30.
The Peanut Standards Board is
authorized under the Farm Security and
Rural Investment Act of 2002. t
Secretary Vilsack Appoints Peanut Standards Board Members
BY JOHN LEIDNER
Approximately 300 peanut
farmers and their families
attended the Florida
Peanut Producers
Association Annual Membership Meeting
held March 19 in Marianna, Florida.
During the evening’s events, two
members were elected to serve three-year
terms on the FPPA Board of Directors:
Jeffrey Pittman of Bascom and Michael
Davis of Graceville. They replace the two
positions vacated by Steve Jordan of
Bascom and Henry McCrone of
Blountstown due to term limits.
New officers elected during the meet-
ing include Andy Robinson, president
from Williston, Nick Marshall, vice presi-
dent from Baker, and David DeFelix, sec-
retary/treasurer from
Campbellton.
The Farm
Credit/FPPA Young Peanut
Farmer Award was pre-
sented to 5th generation
farmer Travis Smith of Jay,
Florida. Smith started his
farming career as a young-
ster when he could barely
see over the steering wheel
of his father’s tractor.
Several years ago, he
was a recipient of a schol-
arship from the Florida
Peanut Producers
Association, which is
indicative that when a per-
son is successful at win-
ning an honor early in life,
they go on to be successful
in other things.
Today, he still assists his father while
farming more than 200 acres of his own
in which he manages to do quite well.
Last year, he averaged more than 4,500
lbs. per acre with his peanuts.
This year, Smith will have more than
230 acres of row crops along with manag-
ing a small herd of cattle.
Smith is married to Brittany and they
have three children: Leah, Lexie and Tate.
Smith is a member of the Florida Peanut
Producers Association and is active in the
Young Farmers and Ranchers program.
He and his family are members of the
Century Church of Christ. In his spare
time, Smith loves to hunt, fish and bow
fish.
The evening’s program also consisted
of promotional highlights from Leslie
Wagner, executive director of Southern
Peanut Growers. Cathy Johnson, commu-
nications specialist of the National Peanut
Board, discussed some of the new market-
ing initiatives underway at the NPB. t
Florida Peanut Producers Associationholds 40th Annual Membership Meeting
BY JOY CROSBY
April 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer 7
Florida Peanut Producers Association board
members retire at annual meeting. Pictured left
to right: Henry McCrone of Blountstown, Ken
Barton, FPPA executive director, and Steve
Jordan of Bascom. McCrone and Jordan
received plaques in recognition of their dedicat-
ed service while serving on the FPPA Board of
Directors for the past six years.
Ken Barton, (left) Florida Peanut Producers Association executive
director, presents the Farm Credit/FPPA Young Peanut Farmer
Award to Travis Smith of Jay, Fla., during FPPA’s annual meeting.
Pictured left to right: Barton, Smith, Leah, Lexie, Brittany, Tate
and Mike Digmon, Farm Credit of Northwest Florida.
Members of the Florida Peanut Producers Association board. Pictured
left to right: Jeffrey Pittman, Bascom; Michael Davis, Graceville; Nick
Marshall, Baker; Chuck Hatch, Branford; Andy Robinson, Williston;
David DeFelix, Campbellton, and Ken Barton, FPPA executive
director. Not pictured are: Steven Godwin, Jay; Bud Baggett,
Marianna; and Jerry Mills, Jr., Morriston.
2015 FPPA Board of Directors
President- Andy Robinson, Williston
Vice President- Nick Marshall, Baker
Sec./Treas. - David DeFelix, Campbellton
Jeffrey Pittman, Bascom
Michael Davis, Graceville
Chuck Hatch, Branford
Steven Godwin, Jay
Bud Baggett, Marianna
Jerry Mills, Jr., Morriston
Check out the new FPPA website at: flpeanuts.com.
tian nutritionist and consultant
to the National Peanut Board.
Digital banner ads are also air-
ing on the CBS46 website and
the Weather Channel’s website.
The Georgia Peanut Commission has part-
nered with CBS46 in Atlanta through television
shows, health fair and digital advertising on the
website. The promotion is part of the co-promo-
tion project with the
Naitonal Peanut Board.
In Feburary, hun-
dreds visited the
Georgia Peanut
Commission booth at
the Parents: Be Smart,
Be Healthy Atlanta
Expo at Cumberland
Mall. The GPC staff
distributed peanut sam-
ples, pb spreaders,
nutritional information and recipes to all atten-
dees.
Several segments have also aired on CBS46’s
Atlanta Plugged In show featuring grilling dishes
by Don Koehler and heart healthy and toddler
meals by Sherry Coleman Collins, registred dieti-
The Alabama Peanut Producers
Association (APPA) exhibited at the
37th annual Alabama Food Service and
Nutrition Expo, which is sponsored by
the Alabama Association of Nutrition &
Foodservice Professionals, Alabama
Dietetic Association and Alabama
School Nutrition Association. As part of
this year’s participation, APPA hosted a
break-out session entitled “Peanuts - The
Truth.” Sherry Coleman Collins, registered dietitian nutritionist and consultant
for the National Peanut Board gave a standing room only educational seminar
concerning food allergies, which included an in-depth look at peanut allergy
concerns.
8 Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2015
Checkoff ReportInvestments Made by Growers for the Future of the Peanut Industry.
Mississippi Peanut Growers Association promotes peanuts
at Diabetes Foundation Super Conference
Alabama Peanut Producers Association exhibits at Alabama
Food Service and Nutrition ExpoThe Florida State Hospital in
Chattahoochee held their 26th annual Health
Fair for State Hospital employees. The Florida
Peanut Producers Association (FPPA) was one
of 55 exhibitors to
attend the event. The
heart healthy peanut
was popular with
employees and other
Health Fair
exhibitors. The FPPA
focused on the heart
health benefits of
peanuts and peanut
products while pro-
viding complimentary
bags of Florida
Roasted Peanuts that
display the Heart Healthy Check from the
American Heart Association. Heart health
information and recipe brochures were also
provided to attendees.
Florida peanuts at health fair
The Mississippi Diabetes Foundation Super Conference was held Feb. 21,
2015, in Jackson, Mississippi. This conference is held annually for those with
diabetes so they can learn more by hearing from highly recognized specialists
in the field of diabetic education and visiting with participants at industry
booths in the trade show. The Mississippi Peanut Growers Association had an
educational booth and provided copies of a Peanuts and Diabetes publication
for attendees. There were nearly 400 attendees at the conference and many
stopped by the MPGA booth asking about how peanuts grow and why peanuts
were important to those with diabetes. For the past five years, MPGA has been
an active sponsor of the diabetes walks. Since the first walk in 2010 until now,
MPGA has made some contact with about 20,000 participants in this program,
hopefully getting them to see the value of peanut products in their life.
Baldwin promotes Georgia peanuts at rodeos across the U.S.
Matt Baldwin, bullfighter, promotes Georgia
peanuts at rodeos across the U.S. Baldwin pro-
motes peanuts by wearing the Georgia peanuts
logo on his clothing, signing autograph sheets
with a peanut recipe and handing out sample
packs of peanuts at rodeos. The Championship
Bull Riding (CBR) events are also televised on Fox Sports One network reach-
ing 68 million households. More info is available online at cbrbull.com.
Sherry Saunders and
Roberta Stewart present
an employee of the Florida
State Hospital with a
peanut gift basket door
prize.
Sherry Coleman
Collins (left),
National Peanut
Board consultant,
visits with an
attendee during the
Alabama Food
Service and
Nutrition Expo.
Georgia Peanut Commission partners
with CBS46 in Atlanta
Georgia Peanut
Commission project coordi-
nator Jessie Bland visits
with consumers during the
health expo at Cumberland
Mall in Atlanta, Georgia.
Don Koehler, (right)
Georgia Peanut
Commission executive
director, demonstrates
grilling recipes using
peanut butter, with
Annalee Penny, host
of Atlanta Plugged In.
The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) promoted peanuts
throughout the month of March by sponsoring the #34 car at the
Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR race, hosting the annual
PB&J Day at the state capitol, participating in the Georgia Ag Day
and Peanut Proud and distributing
peanuts at the state’s welcome centers.
The GPC kicked off the month long
celebration by sponsoring Joe Nemechek
in the NASCAR race held March 1 at the
Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Georgia
Peanuts logo was on display on both
sides of the rear panel of the car.
The annual Georgia PB&J Day was
held March 3, at the Georgia State
Capitol in Atlanta. Exhibitors from the
peanut industry served PB&Js, grilled
PB&Js, country-fried peanuts, boiled
peanuts and more. During the special pro-
gram celebrating National Peanut Month,
Sen. John Wilkinson, chairman of the
Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs
Committee, and Rep. Buddy Harden, vice
chairman of the House Agriculture and
Consumer Affairs Committee, presented
resolutions highlighting the importance of
peanuts to Georgia’s economy.
The GPC and Peanut Proud donated
more than 10,000 jars of peanut butter to
the Atlanta Community Food Bank to cel-
ebrate National Peanut Month and
National Nutrition Month during the
annual PB&J Day.
Tourists traveling throughout
Georgia were able to learn more about the
importance of peanuts to Georgia’s econ-
omy by stopping by one of the 11 visitor
information centers entering the state.
The GPC provided the visitor information
centers with peanuts and recipes to give
to tourists as they stopped to learn more
about Georgia.
The GPC also exhibited at the
Georgia Ag Awareness Day at the State
Capitol and the Peanut Proud Festival in
Blakely, Georgia. View photos from all
National Peanut Month events at
gapeanuts.com.
The Alabama Peanut Producers
Association (APPA) celebrated
National Peanut Month by expanding
promotional efforts to several media
outlets across the state including
Dothan, Montgomery, Birmingham,
Mobile and Huntsville.
The first appearance was on
Dothan’s WDHN-TV 18 Top of the
Morning Show with host Charlie Platt.
APPA’s Caleb Bristow and Jim Cravey
demonstrated how to grill unique
peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and
pepper jelly roll-ups. A record number
of staff interviews and appearances
were also documented including six
television station appearances, live
interviews on eight radio stations and
numerous newspaper articles. Peanut
gift baskets and peanut butter cookie
trays were also delivered to each
media location by APPA staff mem-
bers.
In addition to the media efforts,
APPA exhibited at the Taste of
Alabama legislative reception, March
4, 2015, at the Alabama Farmers
Federation’s home office in
Montgomery. One of the items sampled
during the event was grilled PB&Js.
April 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer 9
Reports from the:Alabama Peanut Producers AssociationFlorida Peanut Producers AssociationGeorgia Peanut CommissionMississippi Peanut Growers Association
Alabama Peanut Producers Association Georgia Peanut Commission
March National Peanut Month television promotions –
MPGA prepared “peanut goody baskets” that got Malcolm
Broome, MPGA Executive Director live interviews at 5 TV sta-
tions across the State during first week of March. The baskets
were used as talking points since they contained all kinds of
peanuts and peanut products and peanut facts. Each interview
was at least 5 minutes plus one station even allowed time for 3
peanut breakfast items to be prepared on their kitchen set. Two
other stations taped additional interview footage to be shown
through the month. For a very small cost, we get quite a bang
for the buck as the saying goes and even received positive
responses from viewers!
Mississippi Peanut Growers Association
March - National Peanut Month promotions across the Southeast
Caleb Bristow, (center)
APPA executive director,
presents a peanut gift bas-
ket to radio brodcasters at
WOOF 997 in Dothan, Ala.
Teresa Mays, (left) APPA
information specialist,
presents a peanut gift
basket to Tonya Terry,
WSFA 12 News anchor.
APPA staff members
attending the Taste of
Alabama include (left to
right) Jim Cravey, Caleb
Bristow and Carole Granger.
Joe Nemechek samples
Georgia peanuts prior to
the NASCAR race.
Georgia PB&J Day atten-
dees with Gov. Nathan
Deal and Commissioner of
Agriculture Gary Black.
Georgia Peanut Commission
and Peanut Proud donated
more than 10,000 jars of
peanut butter to the Atlanta
Community Food Bank.
Peanut exhbit at the
Ringgold visitor informa-
tion center on Interstate
75 in Georgia.
10 Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2015
The new Peanut Rx smart
phone app is available for
iPhone and Android
phones. The idea for the
app had its origin in annual meetings with
the Peanut Rx team says University of
Georgia Extension plant pathologist Bob
Kemerait.
Kemerait worked with colleagues in
Georgia and neighboring states who are
on the Peanut Rx Committee to update
risk factors and treatment options for vari-
ous peanut diseases.
The final Peanut Rx smart phone
package was put together by a
Pennsylvania-based firm, ZedX, Inc.
In essence, Peanut Rx is a disease
risk index that allows growers in the
Southeast to predict relative disease risk
for the upcoming season based on man-
agement practices.
The Peanut Rx smart phone app is
available free at the App Store for iPhones
and at Google Play for Android phones.
Kemerait hopes that many growers
and others interested in peanut diseases
will download and use the app. He antici-
pates making additional improvements in
the app as he receives feedback from
users during and after this first year
of widespread availability.
The app has information on dis-
ease treatments from fungicide manu-
facturers, and can be used to help
make decisions on specific farms and
fields, according to Kemerait.
“So it is all there,” he adds. “It
expands the opportunities for the
users, and provides more information
for the users than either the Peanut
Rx versions on a card or in the
Georgia Peanut Update Extension
publication. The best feature of this
smart phone version is that it allows
you to make decisions.”
The overall Peanut Rx is a risk
management tool for diseases of
peanuts, and is updated each year by
scientists at the University of
Georgia, University of Florida, Auburn
University and Mississippi State
University.
An important aspect of Peanut Rx is
the assessment of varieties for resistance
to tomato spotted wilt virus, leaf spot,
limb rot and white mold or stem rot. With
Rx, growers have the opportunity to select
varieties with improved resistance and to
tailor a fungicide program appropriate for
the total risk in the field, to include the
variety planted.
The app allows growers to ask ‘what
if” questions to see how various manage-
ment practices will change the risks for
specific diseases. Data used in the app
remain with the smart phone user and are
not shared with other devices. t
DISEASE GUIDEBOOK
Peanut Rx smart phone app
Save on fungicides with new varietiesUniversity of Georgia plant patholo-
gist Tim Brenneman says new peanut
varieties are changing the economics of
disease control.
His tests during 2013 and 2014
showed that expensive fungicide applica-
tions tended to pay for themselves and
produce profitable yields when applied to
the widely grown Georgia-06G variety.
It was a different story for the new
Georgia-12Y variety known for its resist-
ance to white mold. With 12Y, the highest
profits came from applications of low-
cost fungicides.
Brenneman explains that the tests
included low-cost treatments such as a
chlorothalonil formulation such as Bravo,
or a combination of chlorothalonil and
tebuconazole. These were compared to
more expensive fungicide programs such
as those that included Fontelis and banded
Proline treatments.
His most expensive treatment at a
cost of about $117 per acre included
Bravo, Proline, tebuconazole and Fontelis.
By comparison, a treatment of Bravo
alone cost about $42 per acre, and Bravo
plus tebuconazole cost about $50 per acre.
The tests with the various fungicides
applied to the 06G and the 12Y took place
in a field with a long history of white
mold.
During both 2013 and 2014, the 12Y
variety showed much more resistance to
white mold. Brenneman said the 12Y had
about one third of the disease incidence as
06G across all treatments.
Brenneman says it is important to
know disease risk levels by using tools
such as Peanut Rx. “New fungicides are
really effective, but are more expensive,”
he says. “New cultivars with improved
resistance are changing the economics of
disease management.” t
BY JOHN LEIDNER
BY JOHN LEIDNER
In-furrow and early banded fun-
gicide applications are aimed at
early season control of soil-
borne peanut diseases. But this
use of these fungicides can also give
peanuts some protection from leaf spot,
according to Albert Culbreath, University
of Georgia plant pathologist.
He was prompted to study this topic
after seeing promising results from in-fur-
row Proline in helping to control
Cylindrocladium black rot (CBR) and in
suppressing stem rot or white mold.
In some of these tests, he planted
peanuts during August and September and
adjacent to established peanuts where leaf
spot outbreaks were at epidemic levels.
In this situation with heavy disease
pressure, in-furrow Proline provided
about 30 days of protection from leaf
spot. “But residual effects were not long
enough to indicate that in-furrow applica-
tions would be of much benefit for leaf
spot control in typical situations.”
In some of his tests, he concentrated
the broadcast fungicide rate and applied it
in a narrow one-foot-wide band 21 days
after planting. Where leaf spot infected
peanuts early, Culbreath applied Proline
or Headline fungicides in the 12-inch
bands three weeks after planting. He saw
that these applications prevented leaf spot
for three weeks or longer.
“Results from three years indicate
that banded applications of these fungi-
cides three weeks after planting may pro-
vide adequate control of leaf spot until
subsequent applications are needed for
white mold control,” Culbreath says.
Overall, Culbreath said banded appli-
cations of Proline, Headline or Priaxor 21
days after planting provided 20 to 25 days
of control before leaf spot incidence
increased sharply.
In 2014, Culbreath compared the new
BASF fungicide Priaxor to Headline for
leaf spot control in several experiments.
Culbreath said that before 2014, we had
very limited information on efficacy of
Priaxor compared to Headline and other
fungicides, so we wanted to get as much
information as we could in 2014.
Fortunately, we had heavy pressure from
leaf spot in most trials, so it was a rigor-
ous test. He found that Priaxor was com-
parable to or superior to Headline against
early or late leaf spot. Based on his 2014
studies, Culbreath says direct substitution
of Priaxor for Headline should work well
for leaf spot control.
Priaxor is a mix of two active ingre-
dients, fluxapyroxad and pyraclostrobin,
with two different modes of action. This
should help prolong the efficacy of the
product in the event that resistant popula-
tions of leaf spot fungi develop to one of
the fungicide groups, according to
Culbreath. Pyraclostrobin is the same
active ingredient as found in Headline.
He also conducted tests at Plains,
Georgia in 2014 to compare fungicides in
plots where leaf spot was already estab-
lished. He called these the “delayed appli-
cation” tests. He conducted similar trials
since 2009.
In these tests, Proline alone or
Proline plus Topsin showed potential as
an alternative to Headline for use where
leaf spot epidemics are in progress. He
also noted that mixtures of Proline and
Topsin provided leaf spot control that was
similar to that from 9 ounces of Headline
per acre. In 2014, a mix of Alto plus
Topsin did well in stopping leaf spot epi-
demics that were already in progress.
Priaxor also provided better control than
Headline when applied in this manner in
2014, according to Culbreath. t
April 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer 11
Peanut leaf infestation of early leaf spot.
The latest leaf spot results
BY JOHN LEIDNER
Where Tifguard fitsGrowers planting fields with severe damaging levels
of peanut root-knot nematodes should consider planting the
Tifguard runner peanut variety, says University of Georgia
Extension plant pathologist Bob Kemerait.
Tifguard is nearly immune to the peanut root-knot
nematode and does not need to be treated with a nemati-
cide.
Kemerait says the concern that some have expressed
over weak peg strength in Tifguard remains difficult to
verify. He says growers should give significant importance
to the near immunity of this variety to the peanut root-knot
nematode and keep any concerns about peg strength in
proper perspective given the impact this pest can have on
yield. t
BY JOHN LEIDNER
Disease Guidebook
12 Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2015
Alan Henn, Mississippi
State University Extension
plant pathologist, has
spent the past two years
testing early fungicide applications to
control southern blight.
In his tests, Henn used seven fungi-
cides applied with 20 gallons of water per
acre. He ran the sprayer at 33 pounds of
pressure per square inch and equipped it
with two nozzles per row. “We wanted to
make sure the fungicide got to the base of
the plant where the disease starts,” he
says.
In timing the applications, he tested
three different dates. These were at 100
percent plant emergence, 20 days after
100 percent plant emergence and 40 days
after 100 percent plant emergence. The
applications 40 days after 100 percent
emergence provided the most consistent
control. Of the seven fungicides tested,
Convoy and Fontelis were the most con-
sistent in reducing the incidence of south-
ern blight. In individual fields the low-
cost treatment of generic tebuconazole
was about as effective as a more expen-
sive treatment of Provost and Proline.
These tests were conducted in fields
with a history of southern blight. The
application date of 40 days after 100 per-
cent emergence coincided with the time
that peanut vines from adjacent rows had
not quite met in the row middles.
Henn prefers to call the disease
southern blight or stem rot. He says the
term white mold is confusing. Both
Sclerotium rolfsii and Sclerotinia minor
produce white mycelia growth on peanuts,
and different fungicides are required to
control southern blight and Sclerotinia
blight. Both diseases are found in
Mississippi fields.
This past year on farms with silty
type soils in the Mississippi Delta, he
found southern blight infecting peanut
pods below the ground level. The above
ground leaves and stems appeared
healthy, but when he used a shovel to dig
up the plants, he found southern blight
disease symptoms on the roots.
To combat such outbreaks, he recom-
mends an early season fungicide applica-
tion with enough water to move the fungi-
cide into the soil where the disease is
active. University of Georgia studies have
shown that since peanut leaves fold up at
night, nighttime applications allow more
of the fungicide to enter the soil instead
of being stopped by the leaves. Henn says
use at least 20 gallons of water per acre.
You need to drench the soil with the fun-
gicide. “The fungicide doesn’t do as much
good if it only hits the leaves,” and your
target is southern blight he adds. t
Timing southern blight applications
Early hit of southern blight or stem rot on peanuts can be found in fields across the Southeast.
BY JOHN LEIDNER
Abound in-furrowUniversity of Georgia plant patholo-
gist Tim Brenneman says Abound fungi-
cide has been shown to reduce Aspergillus
crown rot and to improve young peanut
stands.
Aspergillus crown rot is often a prob-
lem, according to Brenneman, and it can
lead growers to question if they need to
replant their stands.
He says Abound shows great poten-
tial as an in-furrow treatment to help
insure good early stands. Even Abound at
low in-furrow rates of 2.9 ounces per acre
were beneficial in improving stands in
these tests.
Final peanut stands were similar from
Abound application, whether the rate was
2.9 ounces per acre or 11.6 ounces per
acre.
At this low rate, the cost was only
about $3 to $4 per acre for Abound in-fur-
row applied in single rows.
Brenneman says azoxystrobin, the
active ingredient in Abound, will be avail-
able in generic formulations this year, so
it may be even less expensive to apply.
The studies also showed the value of
a seed treatment with Dynasty. Where
Dynasty was omitted, stands were as
sparse as one plant per foot, but where
Dynasty was used on seed, the stands
were much better, about four plants per
foot of row. t
BY JOHN LEIDNER
Disease Guidebook
Peanut field with stand issues related to a bad
seed lot with high levels of Aspergillus crown
rot in the background versus a good seed lot
with little disease in the foreground.
Peanut farmers will be able to
use a new nematicide this
year. It’s named Velum Total,
and it helps control both
nematodes and thrips.
Velum Total is a product of Bayer
CropScience. The product is a combination
of two active ingredients, fluopyram and
imidacloprid.
University of Georgia Extension plant
pathologist Bob Kemerait says fluopyram is
a member of the SDHI (succinate dehydro-
genase inhibitor) class of chemistries and it
affects nematodes in the same way that
other SDHI fungicides such as Fontelis and
Convoy affect fungal pathogens.
Imidacloprid is an insecticide sold as
Admire and under other brand names.
Kemerait says Velum Total is an effec-
tive tool for managing nematodes and
thrips. In University of Georgia studies,
Velum Total reduced nematode damage to
peanuts and increased yields in plots com-
pared to those that received no nematicide.
Kemerait says the Velum Total has per-
formed as well as or better than Temik with
applications at planting. Research will con-
tinue to determine how best to replace the
benefits of the popular pegging-time appli-
cation of Temik.
Velum Total will be launched on a lim-
ited basis this year for the Southeast, and
will become more widely marketed in 2016.
The label will allow for application in both
peanuts and cotton.
A liquid formulation of Velum Total
allows applications in-furrow at planting.
Velum Total can be applied this way without
hurting liquid seed inoculants.
The product will also find uses in
chemigation. The fluopyram component of
Velum Total was originally developed as a
fungicide, but it is not effective on seedling
diseases caused by Pythium or Rhizoctonia
organisms. So a conventional seed treatment
will still be needed for peanuts.
Velum Total is a bit different from the
no-longer-used Temik. Velum Total actually
kills nematodes while Temik was a nematis-
tat in that it confused or injured nematodes
and prevented them from infesting crop
roots.
In addition to controlling nematodes
and thrips, the new product should also be
effective on aphids, leafhoppers and white-
flies.
Velum Total also shows promise in sup-
pressing leaf spot. University of Georgia
plant pathologist Albert Culbreath reported
that in-furrow applications of 5.7 fluid
ounces of Proline per acre controlled early
leaf spot for about 28 days after application.
He noted that in-furrow applications of 18
fluid ounces of Velum Total provided even
longer control in 2014. He plans to continue
work to determine whether the in-furrow
application can subsitute for an early season
leaf spot spray. However, Culbreath says it
is still too early to suggest doing that.
The application rate for peanuts will be
18 fluid ounces per acre. The Velum Total
label prohibits the application of more than
19 fluid ounces per acre per year. The label
also prohibits grazing of treated fields and
prohibits feeding hay from treated fields. t
Elatus is a new fungicide for
peanuts from Syngenta that
should be approved in time
to use during the 2015 grow-
ing season. Elatus will offer control for both
leaf spot and soilborne diseases.
The main advantage of Elatus is that it
produces residual control of Sclerotium rolf-
sii, the fungus that causes stem rot.
The diseases controlled by Elatus
include southern stem rot, Rhizoctonia limb
rot, early and late leaf spot. It should also
provide excellent control of peanut rust.
Results have been mixed when Elatus was
used to treat Cylindrocladium black rot
(CBR) and Sclerotinia blight.
Elatus consists of solatenol, a new
broad-spectrum fungicide active ingredient,
and azoxystrobin, the active ingredient in
Abound fungicide.
Patent protection has expired for
azoxystrobin which should become avail-
able in generic formulations. Syngenta is
developing Elatus as its replacement for
Abound.
The solatenol portion is a third genera-
tion SDHI (succinate dehydrogenase
inhibitor) fungicide, and is considered a
group 7 fungicide by the industry’s
Fungicide Resistance Action Committee.
This information is important to know so
that growers can rotate fungicide groups to
prevent diseases from developing resistance.
University of Georgia Extension plant
pathologist Bob Kemerait says Elatus per-
formed well in 2014 tests. As a combination
of a strobilurin and an SDHI fungicide,
Elatus offers a broad spectrum of activity
against peanut diseases, according to
Kemerait.
University of Georgia plant pathologist
Albert Culbreath reports that Elatus per-
formed as well as Headline in his tests in
2014 for controlling leaf spot. “Elatus is
good on early and late leaf spot. But it looks
to be better for duration or protection fungi-
cide than a curative treatment,” Culbreath
adds.
For leaf spot control, Elatus performed
better than Fontelis in Culbreath’s tests.
Both Elatus and Fontelis were better than
the chlorothalonil standard. In another trial
that included only three fungicide applica-
tions, Elatus was similar to Priaxor for leaf
spot control and better than Proline.
Culbreath says that Elatus applications will
probably be timed for optimal control of
stem rot, also known locally as “white
mold.” Based on his studies, Elatus should
also do a good job of controlling leaf spot.
University of Georgia plant pathologist
Tim Brenneman says Elatus will probably
be targeted for use during the middle of the
soilborne disease treatment season. This is
when the risk of yield loss is high.
Brenneman says other lower cost
chemistries can be used early and late in the
treatment season.
Syngenta data suggests that in some of
the early trials, stem rot (white mold) infec-
tion rates were less than 10 percent for
Elatus-treated peanuts, compared to about
40 percent for untreated controls. Yields in
these trials were increased by 2,000 pounds
per acre over untreated peanuts and by 800
pounds per acre over industry standard fun-
gicide applications. t
April 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer 13
BY JOHN LEIDNER
Syngenta introduces Elatus, a new fungicide for growers
Bayer CropScience introduces Velum Total, a new nematicide for growers
BY JOHN LEIDNER
Disease Guidebook
14 Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2015
Though the extent to which chlorothalonil, market-
ed under various names such as Bravo, Echo,
Equus and Chloronil, will be in short-supply dur-
ing the 2015 growing season is unclear, most in
the crop protection industry believe a shortage will be a reality.
There are likely several reasons for such; however one is cer-
tainly that global demand for this chemistry has increased and
has affected our supply in the peanut fields of Georgia.
Bob Kemerait, Extension plant pathologist at the University
of Georgia, has recommended that peanut growers should con-
tact their fungicide dealer and inquire as to the availability of
chlorothalonil this season. Once the level of supply is estab-
lished, growers can then decide how best to make up for any
shortage.
Kemerait notes that there is any number of ways to extend
use of chlorothalonil, as through tank-mixing with other fungi-
cides for leaf spot control and even through replacing applica-
tions of chlorothalonil with other products.
“While a shortage of a back-bone product like
chlorothalonil is cause for awareness, the sky is not falling,”
Kemerait says. “Finding replacements can be confusing, even
for me; however there are plenty of alternatives.”
For example, 1.5 pt/A chlorothalonil can be replaced with
15 fl oz/A ELAST (NOT 1.5 pt/A as some growers may have
heard Kemerait state during peanut production meetings this
past winter in Georgia) or a pint of chlorothalonil can be mixed
with products like Alto, Tilt, Bumper, Topsin-M, etc. There real-
ly are some good options available.
According to Kemerait, effective management strategies for
good leaf spot control include:
• The first two applications of chlorothalonil (30 and 40
days after planting (DAP)) can be removed if Proline, 5.7 lf
oz/A is banded at approximately 35 DAP and a Provost program
is initiated at 60 DAP. The first two chlorothalonil applications
can also be omitted if Priaxor is used on the crop approximately
45 DAP.
• Chlorothalonil can be extended by tank mixing a reduced
rate (e.g. 1.0 pt/A rather than 1.5 pt/A) with 2 fl oz/A
Tilt/Bumper, 5 fl oz/A Topsin-M, or Alto, 5 fl oz/A
• Tilt-Bravo or Echo-Propimax can be substituted for
chlorothalonil.
• An application of Elast (15 fl oz/A) can be used to
replace an application of chlorothalonil.
• For a single application during a season, Topsin-M,
10 fl oz/A, can replace an application chlorothalonil.
• Absolute (trifloxystrobin + tebuconazole, 3.5 fl oz/A) and
Stratego (trifloxystrobin + propiconazole, 7.0 fl oz/A) can be
substituted for chlorothalonil.
Chlorothalonil update
April 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer 15
Christopher and Ginger
Martin of Hawkinsville,
Georgia, were selected
national winners at the
59th annual National Outstanding Young
Farmers (NOYF) Awards Congress held
Feb. 12-15 in Cherry Hill, N.J. Four
national winners were selected from a
group of 10 finalists for the award based
on their progress in an agricultural career,
extent of soil and water conservation
practices, and contributions to the well-
being of the community, state, and nation.
Guest Master of Ceremonies, Tom
Steever of Brownfield Ag News,
announced the four national winners after
10 finalists were interviewed at the annual
awards congress. The three other national
winners for 2014 are from California,
North Dakota, and Kentucky. National
winners received a savings bond from
corporate sponsor John Deere and the
opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C.,
during National Ag Week in 2016.
Christopher Martin grew up in
Pulaski County in a farming family. His
father and uncle farmed together as
Martin Brothers Farms and Christopher
got his first start in agriculture working
part time for them while in high school.
After high school he attended ABAC and
earned an Associate’s Degree in Agri-
Business and then a Bachelor’s in
Business Management from Georgia
College and State University.
After college Martin started his own
Agri-consulting business that covered
13,000 acres across nine counties. Martin
specialized in scouting, soil sampling, and
irrigation services for cotton, peanuts,
watermelons, soybeans, and pecans. The
consulting business, while successful, was
not his dream. His dream was always to
farm.
“It is impossible to explain why I
wanted to farm so badly,” Martin says. “I
simply always knew I would.”
At the age of 27 he had saved enough
money to start farming on his own. In his
first year he farmed 535 acres of cotton
and peanuts and 20 acres of watermelons
without help, equipment, or financing
from anyone. Twelve years later, he now
farms nearly 3,400 acres of cotton,
peanuts, wheat, rye, and corn. All of
which is voluntarily under strict conserva-
tion practices. He also participates in mul-
tiple research and development plots
including the University of Georgia
(UGA) Extension On-Farm Cotton
Variety Trials.
The Martin farm has hosted extensive
research, development, and plot testing
for state agencies and private companies.
The studies include a “rolling rye” pilot
program through the NRCS with an
objective to provide sunlight-blocking
ground cover to diminish the germination
of pigweed during primary crop planting.
Ensuring that his farm is environmentally
and economically sound is a primary goal
for Martin. His conscientious farming
methods earned him the title of district
Soil Conservationist of the Year in 2004,
and he is one of 20 farmers nationwide to
participate in a five-year soil quality
study.
In 2009, he was one of four Georgia
farmers nominated to the Peanut
Leadership Academy, an elite two-year
program, where he gained more knowl-
edge about the peanut industry, participat-
ed in media training and learned more
about legislation issues facing the peanut
industry.
“Christopher is the type of farmer
that every county extension agent loves to
work with. He has always worked very
closely with Extension and has helped
with many UGA Extension on-farm
research trials,” says Mark Freeman
Pulaski County Extension agent. “He is
on the forefront of new technology and is
always willing to try new techniques or
varieties that come available.”
He is married to his wife Ginger and
they have two children, son Grantson and
daughter Wellsley where they live in
Hawkinsville.
The NOYF program is the oldest
farmer recognition program in the United
States, selecting its first group of national
winners in 1955. The program is spon-
sored by John Deere, administered by the
Outstanding Farmers of America (OFA),
and supported by the National Association
of County Agricultural Agents and the
U.S. Jaycees. t
Martin family named national winners inOutstanding Young Farmers Program
Mark Freeman, Pulaski County Extension agent, presents Christopher Martin and family with a
plaque for winning the National Outstanding Young Farmers Award at a special recognition
banquet held in Hawksinville, Ga. Pictured left to right: Freeman, Christopher, Ginger, Wellsley and
Grantson Martin.
BY JOY CROSBY
16 Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2015
Thrips pressure in seedling
peanut in 2014 was high in
Georgia for the second year in a
row, and like 2013, thrips migra-
tion into peanut fields occurred
later than the historical average.
The question now is: Will
increased thrips pressure in late
May become the new normal? While we cannot predict
what will happen in 2015, growers should be aware that
thrips flights can occur anytime from mid-April to early
June.
It is important that we continue to use the recom-
mendations found in Peanut Rx for reducing thrips pres-
sure and Tomato spotted wilt virus. Phorate (Thimet®) is
still the only insecticide that has been shown to reduce
TSWV incidence in peanut, and it provides good protec-
tion against direct feeding damage. In-furrow applica-
tions of liquid imidacloprid (Admire Pro®) have shown
good efficacy against thrips in a number of University
trials in recent years. To date, seed treatments in peanut
have not provided adequate thrips suppression in years
with heavy pest pressure.
It is common to see some thrips feeding injury on
peanut seedlings regardless of what at-plant insecticide
is used; no insecticide will be completely effective 100
percent of the time. The impact of direct thrips feeding
on yield and time to maturity is not well understood.
Until economic thresholds are available, minimizing
crop stress will continue to be an important considera-
tion in making thrips management decisions.
ThripsLesser cornstalk borer (LCB) is probably
the most destructive insect pest of peanut in
Georgia, and 2014 was an outbreak year.
Though some growers escaped with little or
no damage, LCB infestations were common in
non-irrigated peanut fields across much of the
growing region. There is no chemical insecti-
cide available that can eliminate LCB in
peanut.
Some promising results were seen in
2014 insecticide research trials, but additional
data are needed before any changes will be
made to the University of Georgia manage-
ment recommendations. Granular chloropyri-
fos (Lorsban® 15G) is recommended for LCB
control; to be effective, this product requires
rainfall or irrigation soon after application.
Hot, dry conditions are favorable for LCB
outbreaks, but damaging pest populations do
not always occur even under ideal environ-
mental conditions. Growers should be aware
that while possible, lesser cornstalk borer out-
breaks in back to back years would be very
uncommon. Regular scouting is the best way
to determine if pests are present at damaging
levels in peanut.
Lesser Cornstalk Borer
The same hot, dry conditions that
favored lesser cornstalk borer population
growth also contributed to very heavy two
spotted spider mite (TSSM) pressure in
2014. Non-irrigated fields and the dry
corners around pivots were commonly
infested.
Management options for TSSM in
peanut are essentially limited to one active
ingredient, propargite (e.g. Comite®). There were many cases of very
heavy spider mite pressure in fields where the pyrethroid insecticide
bifenthrin was applied either for caterpillar or spider mite control.
While products with the active ingredient bifenthrin list spider mites
on their labels, this active ingredient is not recommended for spider
mite control in peanut in Georgia except in very rare cases. The use of
a pyrethroid in fields where TSSM is present usually results in a tem-
porary, short-term decline in mite populations followed by a rapid and
dramatic increase in pest numbers.
Detecting and treating TSSM infestations before they become
severe is critical to achieving acceptable control. By the time plants are
covered with mites and webbing and begin to turn yellow/bronze, no
chemical treatment is capable of bringing mite populations in check.
Scout regularly and avoid using pyrethroid insecticides in fields where
even low populations of spider mites have been observed.
Two Spotted Spider Mite
INSECT GUIDEBOOK
Thrips damage.Lesser cornstalk borer
moth on peanut foliage.
Two spotted spider mites on
peanut foliage.
Lesser cornstalk borer
larva on peanut stem.
Lesser cornstalk borer
damage to peanut pod.
University of Georgia Extension
Peanut Insect Survey
Your answers can help us improve
management of important pests like
Burrower Bug and Lesser Cornstalk Borer.
Grower Response is Critical
The online survey takes about 10-20
minutes to complete and you must be
18 years of age or older to participate.
Every peanut grower who responds
can enter to win a
Stihl MS291 chainsaw.
Visit gapeanuts.com to
complete the survey.
Burrower bug continues to be a signifi-
cant threat to Georgia peanuts, and after two
years of little to no pressure, the insect caused
severe damage to portions of the crop in
2014. The burrower bug joins lesser cornstalk
borer and two spotted spider mite as pests that
thrive in hot, dry conditions. While some-
times a problem in irrigated fields, all three of
these pests are most prevalent and damaging
in the state’s non-irrigated acreage. Granular
chloropyrifos (Lorsban® 15G) is the only
insecticide that has been shown to have any
efficacy against burrower bug, and it does not
provide complete control. The factors that are
known to increase the risk of burrower bug
damage are conservation tillage and hot, dry
soil conditions. Conversely, deep turning and
irrigation reduce the likelihood of infestations.
Many growers have asked the question, “Will
abandoning conservation tillage in favor of a turning plow eliminate the bur-
rower bug problem?” Previous research suggests that the risk of damage will
decline, but there are no certainties. Burrower bug damage has been reported
in Georgia from fields that were turned prior to planting. Work is currently
underway to quantify the risk associated with different production practices,
location, soil type, etc. In the near term, management options available to
growers who have experienced significant losses due to burrower bug are lim-
ited to deep turning and application of granular chloropyrifos.
Burrower Bug
There are several species of caterpillar
pests that feed on peanut foliage, and in high
numbers they can cause economic loss.
Scouting is the only way to know for sure if
insecticide treatment is needed. Growers
should keep a close eye on seedling peanuts
for infestations of tobacco budworm that can
very quickly defoliate young plants. While
early season tobacco budworm infestations do
not occur in every field, they have become more common in recent years.
There is no published threshold for caterpillars on seedling peanut, so growers,
Extension agents, and consultants will have to use their best judgment when
making treatment decisions. The threshold for caterpillars later in the season
ranges from 4 to 8 insects per row foot depending on the condition of the
plants. The higher threshold can be used in healthy, vigorously growing peanut,
while stressed, slow growing fields should be treated at the lower end of the
threshold range. There is almost always more than one caterpillar species in a
field at any given time. It is important to identify the species present and know
which are the most abundant because not all insecticides are equally effective
against all species. Caterpillars present in peanut fields at digging can cause a
problem if they begin to feed on pegs after the plants are inverted. Growers are
strongly encouraged to scout just before digging and consider treating fields if
moderate numbers of caterpillars are present.
Foliage feeding caterpillars
Three corneredalfalfa hopper
The three cornered
alfalfa hopper (TCAH)
has become one of the
most commonly treated
insect pests in south-
east peanut fields. At
this time, there is no
science-based econom-
ic threshold for TCAH
in peanut. Research is
underway to determine
the economic threshold,
but in the meantime we
are left to make deci-
sions based on our
experience and best
guess. While the insect
is not difficult to kill, it
is highly mobile, and
re-infestation of treated
fields can happen
quickly. It is thought
that the immature
stages of the insect are
responsible for most of
the stem girdling dam-
age we see in peanut, but the immature stages
are much more difficult to detect than the adults.
The broad spectrum insecticides used to control
TCAH have relatively short residual activity and
can flare secondary pests like two spotted spider
mite. We do not want to ignore TCAH, but we
also encourage growers not to be too aggressive
with their management practices. We are usually
better off if we can avoid an insecticide spray
and conserve our beneficial insects as long as
possible.
Burrower Bug
Burrower Bug damage to peanuts.
Caterpillar on peanut leaves.
Three cornered alfalfa
hopper nymph.
Three cornered alfalfa
hopper adult.
Three cornered alfalfa
hopper girdle on peanuts.
Insect Guidebook
April 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer 17
Information contained in the
Insect Guidebook was provided by
Mark Abney, University of Georgia
Extension Entomologist.
For additional information throughout
the growing season, check out Abney’s
blog at:
blog.extension.uga.edu/peanutent
Thursday, July 231:00 - 6:30 p.m. Conference Registration6:30 p.m. Welcoming Reception 7:00 p.m. Welcoming Dinner
Sponsored by Bayer CropScience
Friday, July 246:30 a.m. Syngenta Start Strong 5K & Fun Run8:00 a.m. Prayer Breakfast
Featuring The Akins
9:30 a.m. General Session I Research - The Future is Now
10:30 a.m. Spouse Program Refreshment Break
10:45 a.m. General Session I continuedResearch - The Future is Now
11:45 a.m. Luncheon
1:15 p.m. General Session IIThe Future Generation
2:00 p.m. Survey on Future Conferences
7:00 p.m. Cookout at Robin LakeSponsored by DupontAdditional events include: FSU Flying High Circus*Movie at Robin Lake Beach* Limited Availability
Saturday, July 257:30 a.m. Breakfast - Farm Press Peanut
Profitability Awards
9:15 a.m. General Session IIIThe Future in Washington, D.C.Refreshment Break
Noon Lunch on your own and afternoon free!
12:30 - 6 p.m. Golf Tournament7:00 p.m. Reception7:30 p.m. Dinner and Entertainment
Sponsored by Syngenta
The 17th Annual Southern
Peanut Growers Conference
is set for July 23-25, 2015
at Callaway Gardens, Pine
Mountain, Georgia. The three-day event
provides farmers with information peanut
production, legislative issues, marketing
and promotions.
The theme for the 2015 conference,
Planting Our Future, sets the stage for the
general sessions that will provide innova-
tive information on research, the future
generation of farmers and the future of
polictics and trade development in
Washington, D.C. The research focused
session also allows growers to join in by
answering questions and providing input
for the speakers. U.S. Congressman Ted
Yoho, R-Florida, will speak during the
legislative session.
Additional conference information is
available at southernpeanutfarmers.org. t
Southern Peanut Growers Conferenceset for July 23-25 at Callaway Gardens
18 Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2015
2015 Tentative Schedule
Additional activitiesEach room reservation provides free
access to the following:
n Robin Lake beach area for swimming and sunbathing
n Florida State University’s Flying High Circus
n Tour of the Gardens
n Children’s Playgrounds
n Giant Chess and Checker sets
n Miniature Golf
n Table Tennis
n Suffleboard
Discounted activities for conference
attendees and registered guests at
Callaway Gardens:
n Aqua Island
n Paddle boats
n The Excelerator (inflatable waterslide)
n Rock Climbing Wall
n Spider Jump (bungee jumping)
n Bouncy House
n Trapeze Adventure
n Roadster (pedal kart)
n Waterskiing, Wakeboarding & Tubing
n Fishing
n Canoe or Kayak rental
n Treetop Adventure - zip line & obstacle course
Participants of Class IX of
the Peanut Leadership
Academy met March 9-11,
in Albany, Georgia, for the
second session of the two year program.
During this session, peanut growers and
sheller representatives had the opportunity
to build on leadership development skills,
as well as tour peanut industry facilities in
the area. Participants also attended the
American Peanut Shellers Association’s
Industry Spring Conference.
On day one of the session, partici-
pants heard from Georgia Farm Bureau’s
Agriculture in the Classroom coordinator,
Donna Rocker, and learned ways to advo-
cate for peanuts and agriculture to com-
munities and consumers. They also were
presented an overview of the peanut
industry’s humanitarian organization,
Peanut Proud from Gregg Grimsley, who
serves as president of the organization.
Participants concluded the day by review-
ing proper dinner etiquette with Joy
Crosby, director of communications at the
Georgia Peanut Commission, and engaged
in a dialogue about current industry
issues.
Participants began day two bright and
early at Birdsong Peanuts’ shelling facili-
ty in Sylvester, and then traveled to Tifton
where they toured Kelley Manufacturing
Co.’s facility, visited the Georgia Peanut
Commission’s office and heard from
Dr. Corley Holbrook and Dr. Craig Kvien
about current research at the National
Enviromentally Sound Production
Agriculture Laboratory (NESPAL). The
day concluded with a tour of Tara Foods’
peanut butter manufacturing facility in
Albany.
To wrap the session up, par-
ticipants attended the APSA
Industry Spring Conference
where they heard from various
industry representatives covering
a variety of topics from market-
ing to research. They were also
introduced to the meeting atten-
dees and had an opportunity to
visit with those in attendance.
The Peanut Leadership
Academy is coordinated by the
Southern Peanut Farmers
Federation and sponsored by
Syngenta and the American
Peanut Shellers Association. For
more information on the Peanut
Leadership Academy, visit
southernpeanutfarmers.org. t
BY JESSIE BLAND
Peanut Leadership Academymeets for session II in Georgia
Participants in the Peanut Leadership Academy discuss key industry issues during session II held
in Albany, Georgia.
National Peanut Board
Dexter Gilbert, Campbellton, Florida
Meredith Rogers, Camilla, Georgia
North Carolina
Wade Stanaland, Bladenboro
Texas
Kelton Coleman, Lamesa
Virginia
West Drake, Newsoms
Sheller Representatives
Colton Farrow, Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts
Paul Huber, Birdsong Peanuts
Japheth Saecker, Birdsong Peanuts
Learn more at:
southernpeanutfarmers.org
Peanut Leadership Academy Class IX members Alabama
Brian Byrd, Ariton
Jeremy Sessions, Grand Bay
Marshall Speake, Eufaula
Russ Walters, Andalusia
Florida
Levi Findley, Jay
Jeremy Rolling, Westville
Trey Sanchez, Old Town
Georgia
Bubba Curry, Shellman
Justin Harrell, Nicholls
Jeff Heard, Newton
Zack Thaggard, Leesburg
Austin Warbington, Pinehurst
Mississippi
B. Jones, Ridgeland
April 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer 19
USDA releases actively engaged
definitionThe U.S. Department of Agriculture has
released its proposed rule to limit payments includ-
ing its new definition of “actively engaged.” All
stakeholders interested in submitting comments on
the proposal have until May 26, 2015, to do so.
The current definition of “actively engaged” was
established in 1987.
The proposed rule limits farm payments to
individuals who may be designated as farm man-
agers but are not actively engaged in farm manage-
ment. In the farm bill, Congress gave USDA the
authority to address this loophole for joint ventures
and general partnerships, while exempting family
farm operations from being impacted by the new
rule USDA ultimately implements.
The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) and
the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation (SPFF)
are reviewing the USDA proposal and will submit
comments. The GPC and SPFF are working with
other major agricultural organizations on this most
important issue for peanut producers.
The House subcommittee on General Farm
Commodities and Risk Management Chairman
Rick Crawford called the newly proposed “actively
engaged” regulations “arbitrary and capricious,”
noting that the regulation “ignores the remarkable
diversity and complexity in agriculture today.”
2016 Budget process heads to
conference The House and Senate have passed their 2016
budget legislation which includes some cuts to
agriculture. The House bill includes $1 billion in
cuts for agriculture and major reforms for SNAP or
food stamps. The Senate package includes $1 bil-
lion in agricultural program cuts and an additional
$14 billion reduction in conservation, natural
resource and energy programs. House and Senate
budget negotiators will now work out the differ-
ences in the two bills.
It is important to note that the anti-agriculture
amendments proposed did not become part of
either bill. In the Senate, the GPC and SPFF were
concerned about crop insurance amendments pro-
posed by Senator Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, including
an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) test. Senate
Leadership did not allow the amendment to come
up.
Washington Outlookby Robert L. Redding Jr.
20 Southeastern Peanut Farmer April 2015
Ag Committees review 2014 Farm Bill implementationBoth the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture and the Senate
Committee on Agriculture called hearings to review the implementation of the
2014 Farm Bill. The House subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and
Risk Management held a hearing that included witnesses Brandon Willis,
Administrator, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management
Agency and Val Dolcini, Administrator, USDA’s Farm Service Agency.
The subcommittee’s chairman is Congressman Rick Crawford, R-
Arkansas. Chairman Crawford spoke at the 2014 Southern Peanut Farmers
Conference in Panama City, Florida.
Chairman Crawford commented at the hearing: “While the 2014 farm bill
was drafted during a period of record-high prices, producers are now experi-
encing a staggering 43 percent drop in net farm income,” Crawford says.
“Current conditions are going to test the farm bill and its ability to mitigate
and respond to growing financial stress in farm country. I firmly believe that
the situation calls for the farm bill to be implemented in the most farmer-
friendly manner possible within the limits of the law.”
The Senate Agriculture Committee also held a hearing on the 2014 Farm
Bill implementation. Ronnie Lee, peanut and cotton farmer from Bronwood,
Georgia, testified at the hearing.
In his testimony, Lee stated: “Like other commodities, the peanut market
fluctuates and peanut prices are low at this time. The University of Georgia’s
National Center for Peanut Competitiveness (NCPC) has been monitoring
peanut acres through its representative farms for many years. These represen-
tative farms stretch across all regions of the peanut belt. The NCPC reports
that the 2014 certified planted peanut acreage of 1,342,689 acres was below
2005, 2008 and 2012 certified acres. These three years are high acreage points
for U.S. peanut plantings. The 2015 peanut planted acreage would require a
28 percent increase over the 2008-12 Olympic average of peanut planted
acreage to exceed acreage in 2005 and 2012.
The runner variety of peanuts comprises about 80 percent of U.S. peanut
consumption. Runners are used primarily for peanut butter. For all varieties of
peanuts, processors need approximately three to four months carryover. When
evaluating the supply and demand of the 2014 crop, we will have approxi-
mately a 120 day carryover, for all peanuts, when we begin the 2015 crop
year. Runner peanuts will have approximately a 99 day carryover, which is a
very tight market for runner peanuts.”
Lee continued with comments on implementation and the new Peanut
Revenue Insurance Program: “The peanut industry is pleased with the peanut
provisions of the 2014 Farm Bill. I would also like to acknowledge USDA’s
implementation of the farm bill to date. Although all regulations are not final-
ized, the department has done a good job of farm bill implementation in a
timely manner. In addition, Congress included a new Peanut Revenue
Insurance Program in the 2014 Farm Bill. The Risk Management Agency
(RMA) team worked with stakeholders to establish this new program. RMA’s
effort was an inclusive process and has produced an insurance tool that we
believe will benefit farmers. We are in an educational stage with peanut
organizations and land grants providing information to producers about the
new insurance policy.”
April 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer 21
State
Area Planted
2013 2014 20151
Percent of
Previous
Year
(1,000 acres) (1,000 acres) (1,000 acres) (percent)
Alabama 140 175 185 106
Florida 140 175 160 91
Georgia 430 600 720 120
Mississippi 34 32 33 103
New Mexico 7 5 5 100
North Carolina 82 94 94 100
Oklahoma 17 12 19 158
South Carolina 81 112 115 103
Texas 120 130 130 100
Virginia 16 19 20 105
United States 1,067 1,345 1,481 109
USDA releases prospective
planting numbers The USDA’S National Agricultural Statistics
Service has released it’s March 31, 2015
Prospective Planting projections. For peanuts,
U.S. 2015 plantings are expected to increase 9
percent as compared to the 2014 crop. In
Georgia, producers are projected to plant 20 per-
cent more acres in 2015 than in 2014.
It is important to note that, according to the
National Center for Peanut Competitiveness that
2014 certified peanut acreage was below 2005,
2008 and 2012 certified peanut acreage. In addi-
tion, U.S. 2015 planted acreage would require a
22 percent increase over 2014 acreage to exceed
acreage in 2005 and 2012. NASS projections
have a 9 percent peanut acreage increase nation-
ally.
Finally, 2015 peanut planted acreage would
require a 28 percent increase over the 2008-2012
Olympic average of peanut planted acreage to
exceed acreage in 2005 and 2012.
Peanut Area Planted - States and United States: 2013-2015
1 Intended plantings in 2015 as indicated by reports from farmers.
Source: USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service March 31, 2015 Prospective Planting Report.
USDA-NASS March Peanut Planting Intentions What does it really say?
The U.S. peanut industry is
adjusting to the 2014 Farm
Bill and the associated com-
peting crops depressed mar-
ket prices. While comments have been
made about the potential significant
increase in peanut acreage over last year
due to the farm bill, the USDA-NASS
March 2015 planting intentions did not
support those views.
Since 2008, under the 2008 Farm
Bill, the March 2015 peanut planting
intentions would rank 3rd in total U.S.
peanut acreage. While 2012 had the
largest acreage under the 2008 Farm Bill,
that acreage was approximately 19,000
acres less than the 2005 peanut acreage
which was under the 2002 Farm Bill. If
one looks at what the acreage was under
the previous peanut program where there
was a quota program in place, the 2012
peanut acreage was only approximately 6
percent above the 2001 peanut acreage.
For 2015, NASS reports that peanut
farmers are going to plant only approxi-
mately 90 percent of what they planted in
2012. This implies that U.S. peanut farm-
ers are going to plant less than their 2001
peanut acreage under the quota program
to the level of approximately 60,000
acres.
Several interesting facts can be
gleaned from the USDA-NASS March
2015 Planting Intentions report. First,
peanut farmers are very cognizant of the
importance of rotation in their farming
operation even in the environment of
depressed commodity prices for their
alternative crops. Peanut farmers know
that if their peanut rotation is shortened
this will lead to increase disease and weed
issues and reduce future peanut yields.
While there may be a one year benefit to
shortening the rotation, they know in the
long run the sustainability of their opera-
tion will be severely damaged.
Second, the 2014 Farm Bill has not
lead to significant increases in peanut
acreage as predicted by many opponents
of the peanut title. As indicated earlier,
the 2015 peanut acreage intentions are
below acreage levels during the quota
program, 2002 and 2008 Farm Bills. In
fact, one would expect the 2015 planting
intentions even if the 2008 Farm Bill still
existed given the depressed cotton and
corn prices.
The last insight is in regards to the
“generic” base introduced in the 2014
Farm Bill. Some individuals stated
unequivocally that “generic” base would
cause an avalanche of peanut acreage.
While this event did not occur in 2014,
many argued that the reason it did not
happen is that planting time and passage
of the 2014 Farm Bill were too close and
farmers had not had time to understand
the farm bill. Yet, the 2015 planting inten-
tions did not support those views.
Both Mississippi and South Carolina
have minimal peanut base but significant
“generic” base. Yet, when compared to
2012, South Carolina peanut acreage is
only 5 percent above their 2012 level and
Mississippi is at only 63 percent of their
2012 level. Texas and Georgia are two of
the major cotton states. Texas is intending
to plant only 87 percent of their 2012
peanut acreage level with no change from
2014 planting level. While Georgia’s
2015 intentions are approximately 20 per-
cent above 2014, the intentions are only
98 percent of the 2012 acreage level. If
generic base was to have such a major
impact, those four states should have seen
significant increases. t
BY THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA NATIONALCENTER FOR PEANUT COMPETITIVENESS
Southern Peanut Growers and Georgia
Peanut Commission promote peanuts at
Southern Women’s Show in SavannahSouthern Peanut Growers (SPG) and the Georgia
Peanut Commission (GPC) teamed up to promote peanuts
at the Southern
Women’s Show in
Savannah, Georgia,
March 6-8.
Approximately 13,000
people attended the
three-day event.
Peanuts had a
booth space and five
cooking demonstration times on the Celebrity Cooking
Stage during the show. Friday was Peanut Lovers Day at
the show and the first 250 people in line received a Peanut
Butter: Spread the Love cutting board.
Georgia Grinders, a new
Georgia-grown and pro-
duced hand-crafted peanut
butter, sampled their product
at the show on Peanut
Lovers Day and secured
Chef Bobby J., Chef de
Cuisine at Leoci’s in
Savannah, for one of the
cooking demonstrations that
day. Chef Bobby J. made
Chicken Croquettes with Peanut & Hot Pepper Jelly Sauce
during his demonstration.
The SPG and GPC distributed peanuts, recipe cards,
peanut butter product samples and nutrition information
from the booth all three days.
Southern Peanut Growers
Marketing arm of Southern Peanut Growers1025 Sugar Pike Way · Canton, Georgia 30115
(770) 751-6615 · FAX (770) 751-6417
email: lpwagner@comcast.net
Visit our website at
http://www.peanutbutterlovers.com
#PBFaves Twitter Party kicks off March,
National Peanut MonthTo celebrate the kick-off of
this year’s PB My Way: All-Time
Favorites Recipe Contest,
Southern Peanut Growers (SPG)
hosted a Twitter Party on March
10, to foster online discussion
about peanut butter’s versatility
as an ingredient and spark recipe
ideas incorporating peanut butter
into breakfast or brunch, holiday
dishes, family favorites and
dreamy desserts. The party also
encouraged participation in
SPG’s PB My Way contest. Co-hosts Bruce Weinstein and Mark
Scarbrough, cookbook authors of “The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book,”
offered their own creative culinary ideas and photos to this successful
social event.
The SPG promoted the Twitter Party through Twitter invites, a
Facebook post, Bruce and Mark’s online mentions and a few online
calendar listings. By the day of the Twitter Party, fans and followers
were excited to chat about peanut butter. The Twitter Party resulted in
442,652 impressions.
The Twitter Party resulted in a huge boost to SPG’s Twitter pro-
file in new fans, engagement and multiplied content. Key statistics for
@pnutbutterlover include: 175 new Twitter followers, a 23 percent
increase of overall Twitter followers and 1,700,000 impressions.
Peanut Butter BBQ SauceIngredients:8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/4 cup honey
3 Tbsp. creamy peanut
butter
1 Tbsp. stone ground
Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. red chili pepper
paste
1 Tbsp. zesty horseradish
mustard
Marinade Directions:Mix all ingredients together and use as a dip or to brush on meat
while cooking.
The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC), along with
Southern Peanut Growers (SPG), attended the Georgia
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Conference, March 18,
in Augusta, Georgia. During the exhibitor portion of the
conference, representatives from GPC and SPG had the
opportunity to visit with attendees about peanuts and
peanut nutrition. Peanut samples, peanut recipe cards and
recent peanut nutritional research information were provid-
ed to approximately 300 attendees.
Southern Peanut Growers and Georgia
Peanut Commission participate in nutritional
conference
April 2015 Southeastern Peanut Farmer 23
Most peanut producers
have made their
ARC/PLC program elec-
tions and the farms with
peanut base and/or generic base should
have chosen PLC for peanuts. Farmers now
have until June 1 to add a person, spouse or
legal entity to their farm at the local Farm
Service Agency office.
“The main message is if a farmer has a
significant peanut base on a farm and the
farmer plans to plant a lot of peanuts on a
farm in 2015, the farmer may be at risk of
leaving significant payments on the table
because of maxing out the payment limit of
$125,000 per person or legal entity,” says
Nathan Smith, University of Georgia
Extension peanut economist. “The end
result would be having grown several tons
of peanuts that ended up with a lower price
than expected.”
A spreadsheet has been developed by
Stanley Fletcher with the National Center
for Peanut Competitiveness that will help a
farmer estimate the program payments and
effective price of peanuts. The spreadsheet
will calculate the number of entities
required given the average peanut price
received on production, PLC payment yield,
generic acres with peanuts planted, and
expected yield. The spreadsheet is posted
on the Georgia Peanut Commission website
at gapeanuts.com and the UGA Peanuts
website at ugapeanuts.com.
For example, assume the average price
offered for peanuts in 2015 is $385 per ton.
Next assume the national marketing year
(season) average price for peanuts ends up
at $415 per ton. Farm 1234 has one entity,
500 acres of peanut base, a 2 ton PLC pay-
ment yield, 500 acres of generic base allot-
ted to peanuts, a 2.5 ton expected peanut
yield, and 750 acres of peanut planted on
the farm. In this case the farm would be
leaving $64,108 of payments on the table
and average $399 per ton effective price for
the peanuts produced. The farm needs to
add an entity, such as adding a spouse and
the result would raise the payment limit to
$250,000 for the farm and increase the
effective price to $427 per ton.
“The other important consideration for
payment limits is the potential of marketing
loan gains (MLG) being applied to the
payment limit,” Smith says. “If prices are
low due to a large supply, it’s possible the
National Posted Price (NPP) for Peanuts
could drop below $355 per ton.”
The NPP is the repayment rate for the
marketing loan for peanuts. If the NPP falls
below $355, say to $325, then a marketing
loan gain of $30 per ton is realized if the
loan peanuts are redeemed at $325. Besides
getting a 1099 form come tax season, the
$30 MLG will be applied to the payment
limit. In the case above, the $30 MLG is
based on the expected yield and total plant-
ed peanut acres, resulting in a $67,500 total
MLG. This would put the farm above the
total payment limit by $6,608. To keep from
leaving money on the table in this case,
another entity is needed or additional quar-
ter or third at least.
Ownership interest for direct attribu-
tion of payments is based on ownership
interest that a person or legal entity holds in
a legal entity on June 1 of the current year.
So, to add an entity with ownership interest,
it needs to be done by June 1. Check with
the local FSA office to determine how to
add a spouse, partner, or member of a legal
entity. t
June deadline to add a legal entity
BY JOY CROSBY
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