In the southeast, the drought continues in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama.
There has now been wildfires that have expanded, causing evacuations, especially near the Georgia-Florida line. Peanut farmers have been able to get into the fields of plant, hoping that some moisture can come with the rain as quick as possible. The Peanut Commission in Georgia has approved some research projects.
They invest $2 a ton annually in research, education, and promotion, and this research allocation was about $764,000. The board said they approved additional projects this year, focusing on non-food uses of peanuts, since we have some extra peanuts. The project aims to provide a new opportunity for growth within the industry.
The new projects are looking at the utilization of whole in-shell peanuts in poultry rations, and other innovations as non-food users of peanut oil and peanut shells. The Georgia Peanut Commission also manages a fund for research, in cooperation with the Southeastern Peanut Research Initiative, which includes research funding of $1.7 million for projects in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, through the National Peanut Board. These projects are funded through the National Peanut Board Checkoff Program, which farmers pay each year.
Audio Reporting by Tyron Spearman for Southeast AgNet.