By Clint Thompson
The 46th annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show was once again a success for the Georgia Peanut Commission and University of Georgia.
Peanut producers, industry leaders and exhibitors flocked to the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton, Georgia, on Thursday, Jan. 19, to learn about trends affecting one of the state’s top row crops.
More than 100 exhibitors showcased the latest technological advancements to the more than 1,000 attendees that were projected to visit the show this year.
Joe Boddiford, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission, discussed the event.
“The Georgia Peanut Commission and University of Georgia partner together for many years to have this program. We’ve got exhibitors to show the newest and latest and greatest equipment products; things that pertain to producing peanuts, even handling of peanuts beyond that,” Boddiford said. “We also had the production seminars where a farmer who wants to pick up the latest and greatest information can get the whole plate, you know. Most counties have a peanut production meeting where they will get half of that information. This gave (attendees) a broader knowledge.”
Hot Topic
The hot topic this year was tomato spotted wilt virus. It’s a disease that impacted much of the peanut crop produced in 2022. UGA specialists provided talks to help growers manage it, specifically with Peanut Rx.
This year marked the tenth time the Peanut Farm Show was held in Tifton. The Conference Center space and neutrality of Tifton, Georgia, provided the perfect spot to host such a large event.
“It’s a great time to meet with friends. Most of these folks come back year after year. It’s at a good time of the year before we have to be in the field planting. It’s at a time where we can be planning for the current crop year,” Boddiford said.