Board member and alternate board member appointments for the National Peanut Board were announced recently, and Tyron Spearman has the details.
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ATLANTA— United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently made board member and alternate board member appointments for six states on the National Peanut Board. The appointees will serve three-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2015, and ending on Dec. 31, 2017, with the exception of an Arkansas member and an alternate member who will begin immediately and end on Dec. 31, 2016.
For Alabama, Ed White of Newville is the reappointed Board member.
White operates White Farms with his wife Bonnie and son Jason. White Farms grows runner peanuts in addition to cotton, corn and small grains. The Whites also have a hunting operation and a cattle operation. White earned a Bachelor of Science from Troy State University and a Master of Education from Auburn University. He farmed part time and taught at Wallace Community College before he embraced his passion for farming and became a full-time farmer about 35 years ago. Over the years, White has been involved in many professional and agricultural organizations, including GFA Peanut Association Board, Alabama Farm Analysis Board, Henry County Farmers Federation Board, First South Farm Credit Regional Board, Alabama Peanut Producers Association Board, Peanut Advisory Board, National Peanut Growers Group, American Agricultural Movement -Washington delegate, Henry County Cattleman’s Association Board and Foreign Trade Relations Commission.
White is a deacon at First Baptist Church in Headland, Ala. and is involved with the Sunday school program. He enjoys fishing, hunting and spending time with his eight grandchildren. In addition to their son, White and his wife have three daughters. White said, “I consider it an honor that my fellow peanut farmers are willing to trust me to spend their check-off dollars wisely. I want help make sure their dollars, so hard-earned, benefit not only the growers, but also the entire peanut industry.”
Tom Corcoran of Eufaula is the reappointed Alabama alternate member. Corcoran owns/operates Liikatchka Plantation in partnership with his wife Denise, brother Walt Corcoran, sister-in-law Kim Corcoran and nephew Liston Clark. He has owned and operated the farm since 1983. They produce runner peanuts in addition to cotton, soybeans, corn and wheat. They also have a cow/calf operation. Outside of his farm, Corcoran is a member of several professional and agricultural organizations, including the Alabama Farmers Federation and Barbour County Cattlemen. He was also 2011 President of the S.A.F.E. Board Calves sale. Corcoran is also an active member of the First Baptist Church in Eufaula. Corcoran and Denise have two sons, Joseph and Liston.
Corcoran said, “Serving on the National Peanut Board helps me stay informed about what’s going on in the industry. I like being able to contribute my ideas to help the peanut industry move in the right direction.”
For Arkansas, Gregory Gill of Walnut Ridge is the new Board member. Gill operates Greg Gill Farms and has been engaged in peanut production most recently for four years. Gill previously grew peanuts with his father from 1968-1979. “I feel honored to have been selected for the National Peanut Board and I hope that I represent Arkansas well,” said Gill. “There’s a lot of potential for peanuts in Arkansas and I plan to learn what I can to help our state’s growers.” Gill grows runner peanuts, rice, corn and soybeans. He and his wife Kim have three children, Jennifer, Gary and Nash; son-in-law, Scott; daughter-in-law, Holly; and two grandchildren, Luke and Paige. Gary also operates his own farm.
Gill graduated from Highland High School and attended Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. He is current president of the Arkansas Peanut Growers Association and member of the Arkansas Rice Growers Association. He also serves as a board member for Farm Service Inc. and the Lawrence County School Board, and was a former board member of the Northeast Arkansas Horse Show Association. In his spare time, Gill enjoys horse showing, snow skiing in Colorado, spending time outdoors and staying active with Nash’s sporting events.
Gregory Baltz of Pocahontas is the new Arkansas alternate member. Baltz operates Running Lake Farms and has been growing peanuts for four years. He farms runner peanuts, rice, corn and soybeans. “There’s been great work done by predecessors to establish peanuts in Arkansas,” said Baltz. “I’m honored that Arkansas has been accepted as a major peanut-producing state and hope we can be a model for the industry.”
Baltz and his wife Mary Nell have been married for 36 years and have three children: Lewis, a geologist; Clinton, a mechanical engineer; and Angela, a biomedical engineer.
Baltz graduated from University of Arkansas with a degree in biological and agricultural engineering. He is a current member and former county president of Farm Bureau and current member of Farm Bureau National Peanut Advisory Committee, Black River Technical College Ag Advisory Committee and University of Arkansas Academy of Biological and Agricultural Engineers. Baltz is a former executive officer of the Knights of Columbus. He is a crops spokesperson for the development of the Arkansas Water Plan and is involved with intensive crop drying research with the University of Arkansas. In his spare time, Baltz enjoys traveling across the country and internationally.
For Florida, Jeffery Pittman of Bascom is the newly appointed Board member. Pittman previously served two terms as Florida alternate on the National Peanut Board. Pittman is owner and operator of Jeffery C. & Ginger W. Pittman Farm where he grows peanuts, cotton, corn, soybeans, sunflowers, small grains, hay, and has additional acreage for cattle. He is a fourth-generation diversified farmer in Northeast Jackson County. Upon graduation from Malone High School in 1989, Pittman assisted with the family farming operation until he and his wife Ginger became sole proprietors in 1997. Together they have three children: Jeffery Jr., Mary Katherine, and Wilton Grant.
Currently Pittman serves as state director, District 2, for the Florida Farm Bureau, president of Jackson County Farm Bureau and president of Jackson County Cattlemen’s Association. He is on the board of Sowega Cotton Inc., is a partner of Malone Peanut LLC, in Malone Fl., chair of Jackson County Farm Service Agency committee and has served on various Farm Bureau commodity advisory committees.
He and his family are members of Lovedale Baptist Church. When Pittman is away from the farm, he and his wife focus on their children’s activities such as FFA, 4H and baseball. Pittman said, “Due to the efforts of the National Peanut Board to specialize in promotion and research, it enables us to be a valuable tool for today’s peanut farmers.”
For Mississippi, Joe Morgan of Hattiesburg is the new Board member. Morgan operates M&M Farms and has grown peanuts for nearly 25 years. He grows runner peanuts, corn and cotton. “Our entire operation is centered on peanuts,” said Morgan. “I’m honored to serve on the Board and to contribute something back for all that peanuts have done for us.”
Morgan and his wife Patricia recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and have two children, Joe Jr. and Tommy Jean (Daugherty); four grandchildren, Madelyn, Dylan, Monica and Colton; and two great grandchildren, Ainsley and Jacob.
Morgan graduated from Runnelstown High School and studied mechanical engineering at Jones County Junior College before pursuing his career in farming. He completed National Corn Growers Association and CIBA-Geigy Leadership Development Program and is current president of the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association; member of First South Farm Credit board of directors; member of Forrest County FSA committee; and member and former director-officer of Forrest County Farm Bureau. He is a former Forrest County NRCS Commissioner, FSA committee chairman and co-op board of directors member. He is also a member of Pineview Baptist Church.
Donald Self of Hamilton is the newly appointed Mississippi alternate member.
Serving two previous terms as NPB’s Mississippi Board member, Self is the owner and operator of Self Farms with his father Dennis. The farm produces peanuts, cotton, corn, wheat, and soybeans. “My past service on the National Peanut Board has been one of the richest experiences of my life,” said Self. “I relish the opportunity to be a part of this for another three years and I am grateful to Mississippi’s peanut farmers for allowing me to do so.”
Self and his wife Lisa have two children and four grandchildren: Nathan Self and wife, Tara, and their children, Myles and Alexis; Leslie Self Harrington and husband Hank, and their children Laney and Walker B. Harrington. A lifetime farmer and graduate of Hamilton High School, Self is currently a member of the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association and the Monroe County School Board. He also serves on the board of deacons at New Prospect Baptist Church, where he is the AWANA Commander, church musician (guitar) and soloist. Self enjoys the outdoors and is an avid hunter, fisherman and conservationist.
For North Carolina, Dan Ward of Clarkton is the newly-appointed Board member. Ward previously served two terms as the North Carolina alternate to the National Peanut Board. Ward grows Virginia-type peanuts along with corn and soybeans. His wife Julie and parents Wilbur and Joyce are integral to the farming operation. A graduate of North Carolina State University with a B.S. in agricultural engineering, Ward is also chairman of The Peanut Foundation, vice chairman of the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and serves on the Bladen County Planning Board. He is a member of the sustainability committee with the American Peanut Council. Previously, Ward served as past-president of the North Carolina Peanut Growers Association and was on the American Farm Bureau’s Peanut Advisory Committee.
Ward is an elder at Clarkton Presbyterian Church and is involved with the Sunday school program. Ward and Julie have two daughters, Emily and Abby. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time at the beach. Ward said, “I am excited about serving on the National Peanut Board and helping our research efforts continue to utilize grower dollars to get maximum benefits.”
Raymond Garner, Jr. of Roanoke Rapids is the new North Carolina alternate member. Garner is a fifth-generation farmer in Halifax County and has been farming since 1992. As owner and operator of Garner Farms, he grows peanuts, cotton, soybeans and wheat. Garner graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy. Before he became a farmer he worked with NC Cooperative Extension Service serving as agriculture agent.
Garner is the current president of the Halifax County Farm Bureau and also serves on the NC Farm Bureau State board of directors. He is a partner in Roanoke Cotton Company, LLC, in Weldon. In addition, he serves in a variety of roles at Smith United Methodist Church and serves on the board of trustees at Halifax Academy. Garner and his wife Janice have two children; Elizabeth and Ray III. In their spare time, Ray and Janice enjoy NC State University football games and attending their children’s sports events and extracurricular activities.
Garner said, “The promotions projects of the National Peanut Board have done a lot to increase consumption of peanuts in the U.S. and I’m honored to be a part of that. It makes sense we need to have a strong market for the crops we grow. So peanut promotion is important for all of us.”
For Virginia, John Crumpler II of Suffolk is the reappointed Board member. Crumpler and his wife, Terri, own and operate RCR Farms, Inc., in Suffolk. They grow peanuts, soybeans, cotton, corn and wheat. Crumpler has more than 10 years of experience in farming. Before becoming a full-time farmer, Crumpler worked for 12 years in the fertilizer industry. In 2009, he received the Southeast Farm Press Peanut Profitability Award for the Upper Southeast region. A lifelong resident of Suffolk, Crumpler is a member of Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church. He enjoys spending time with his family, including son Robert and daughter-in-law Erica; traveling; and hunting.
Crumpler said, “Serving on the National Peanut Board is important to me, especially helping to make decisions about where our farmers’ check-off dollars are being utilized. It has been very educational to be involved with the Board’s strong approach towards peanut allergy education and allergy research funding which has helped so many people with food allergies. The production research we fund has helped on the farm with the development of new plant varieties that has resulted in increased yields.”
Paul Rogers III of Wakefield is the reappointed Virginia alternate member. With his father, Rogers farms about 150 acres of Virginia-type peanuts in addition to cotton, corn, soybeans, and wheat. Rogers graduated from Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Technology and has been actively farming since graduation. Rogers and his wife Dawn have two children, Jake and Lauren. Rogers is two-time past-president of Wakefield Rotarian Club and current co-chair of the Airfield Ducks Unlimited chapter. Rogers also serves on the board of directors of the Virginia Cotton Growers Association and Virginia Farm Bureau Cotton Advisory Committee, as well as on several local civic boards of directors. Outside of farming, Rogers enjoys hunting, baseball and coaching the local recreational baseball 11-12-year-old team.
Rogers said, “It has been enlightening for me to learn about all aspects of the peanut industry as an alternate on the Board. I have been amazed at how much the Board has accomplished with grower dollars, such as allergy awareness. The Board is blessed with great members and an outstanding staff and I look forward to doing my part in investing grower dollars wisely for the betterment of the peanut industry in the future.”
The appointees will be sworn in by USDA for their new terms at the December meeting of the National Peanut Board.