Georgia peanut research continues in the era of COVID-19. The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) reminds farmers and industry leaders that the commission’s Research and Report Day will be held virtually Wednesday, Feb. 10.
Growers and industry representatives can learn about the latest information regarding peanut research projects funded by the Georgia Peanut Commission in 2020.
“We really use it as our basis for determining how to allocate this year’s research budget. For our board, it serves a couple of purposes. It just allows us to look at what’s been going on and what people see as new opportunities for research and helps us make decisions. Then it also gives a kind of a heads-up to growers,” said Donald Chase, Georgia Peanut Commission Research Committee chairman.
“A lot of the things we’ll discuss won’t necessarily be an Extension recommendation for a couple of years, but it’ll give us an opportunity to think about some things. It’s always better to be informed about what’s going on.”
GPC Research Projects
The GPC awarded $739,693 to peanut research facilities throughout the state in 2020. This includes 40 projects from the University of Georgia, the USDA Agricultural Research Service and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Research focuses primarily on peanut breeding, conservation methods, irrigation and water management, along with pests, weed and disease management.
“We’re really fortunate that we have a bunch of dedicated researchers who continued despite the challenges that COVID brought. I’m looking forward to hearing how some of those projects panned out,” Chase said. “I think even more so in these crazy times, this is a value that the growers get back for the dollars they’ve invested in the Georgia Peanut Commission. A lot of things we had to curtail but not research. I’m excited to be able to hear progress made and maybe some challenges, too.”
The agenda for the GPC Research Report Day is available online at www.gapeanuts.com. All research reports will be available online following the GPC Research Report Day.
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