By Clint Thompson
The University of Georgia (UGA) Cotton and Peanut Research Field Day was held on Wednesday and exposed growers and industry leaders to research being conducted on the UGA Tifton Campus.
Specialists talked about various research topics, ranging from crop breeding to pest and disease management to cover crops’ importance. The Georgia Cotton Commission and Georgia Peanut Commission provide funding that supports the university’s research and education efforts.
Camp Hand, UGA Extension cotton agronomist, talked about the field day and its significance.
“This is such a good opportunity, No. 1, to have the Cotton and Peanut Commissions at the same place at the same time. It’s grower money that’s going towards this research, whether it’s the Georgia Peanut Commission, Georgia Cotton Commission, Cotton Incorporated, National Peanut Council, any of that; that’s grower money that’s going into all this stuff,” Hand said. “If you invest your money in something, you want to know where it goes, right? And that’s what this is. This is an investment for them. It’s an investment in the future of these industries, and these industries are so important to South Georgia.”
Scott Monfort
Scott Monfort, University of Georgia Extension peanut agronomist, echoed his cotton counterpart’s feelings.
“It allows us to talk a little bit about our research that growers may not get to hear about much,” Monfort said. “These research projects are solely funded by the Cotton Commission and the Peanut Commission, which are grower dollars. We need to open it up to let growers come in and see what’s going on, because it’s up to them to come and do that and say, ‘Hey, you’re hopefully being good stewards of our money.’”