Plans underway for Georgia Peanut Farm Show Jan. 15, 2026, in Tifton

(Jan. 6, 2026) Producers can improve the bottom-line of their farming operation with knowledge, connections and information gained at the 49th annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference, held at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center, Jan. 15, 2026. The show ­hours will be 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Peanut farmers and those involved in the peanut industry will be able to learn more about the latest products, services and peanut research at the show, which is sponsored by the Georgia Peanut Commission.

The show offers farmers an opportunity to view the products and services of nearly 100 exhibitors and educational programs. The Georgia Peanut Commission, in cooperation with the OneBlood, will also host a blood drive from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. during the show.

The University of Georgia Peanut Team will present an educational peanut production seminar from 9:00 until 10:30 a.m., titled, “Remaining Profitable in 2026.” UGA specialists will present information regarding production advice to remain profitable for 2026 and what it will cost, as well as disease and weed management tips for 2026. Farmers will have the opportunity to earn private or commercial pesticide applicator certification.

An Industry Seed Seminar will also be held from 10:35 to 11:35 a.m. during the show. This event is sponsored by the American Peanut Shellers Association, the Georgia Peanut Commission, Southern Peanut Farmers Federation and the U.S. Peanut Federation. Growers will be able to learn about peanut varieties available for 2026 and varieties on the horizon.

During the show, there will be a free luncheon at noon for all peanut farmers in attendance. The Georgia Peanut Commission will also present a short program beginning at 12:15 p.m. with award presentations and an update from the National Peanut Board and Washington, D.C.

During this year’s show, Kelley Manufacturing Co. is providing the Grand Door Prize of one season’s use (2026) of a new peanut combine (choice of four-row, six-row or combine with Unload-On-The-Go option) and $5,000 cash money. At the end of the 2026 season, the winner has the option of purchasing the combine from an authorized KMC dealer with $15,000 off the list price. In lieu of the combine, the winner may choose the use of another KMC peanut harvest implement with a 10 percent discount off the list price for purchase.

Additionally, farmers can register to win the Grower Prize, donated by Amadas Industries. This prize includes a certificate good for $15,000 towards the purchase of a new Amadas self-propelled peanut combine or $7,500 towards the purchase of a new four-row or six-row Amadas pull-type combine or $4,500 towards the purchase of a new Amadas six-row or eight-row peanut digger or $1,500 towards the purchase of a new Amadas peanut dump cart and a customized Grizzly cooler. Amadas is also offering a second prize including a customized Grizzly cooler containing a certificate good for a parts credit of $1,500 for Amadas parts through a local authorized Amadas dealer.

The winners of the Grand Door Prize and the Grower Prize must be certified peanut farmers with an FSA farm number and present to win.

For more information on the show, contact GPC at 229-386-3470 or online at www.gapeanuts.com.

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Jan/Feb 2026 – Southeastern Peanut Farmer

The January/February 2026 issue of the Southeastern Peanut Farmer is now available online.
Click here!

This issue features:

  • From Dothan to the Nutmobile
  • 2026 Peanut Variety Guidebook
  • Health Nut Club Tour
  • Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show Set for
    Jan. 29, 2026
  • Powerful Peanut Experience Launches at Georgia National Fair
  • Mental Health & Wellness: Eat What You Grow
  • Check off reports from the state grower organizations
  • Legislative Update
  • Southern Peanut Growers Update
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USPF Thankful for Agricultural Economic Assistance

(Dec. 9, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) Yesterday, President Trump announced a new agricultural economic assistance package, totaling $11 billion for row crop producers, including peanuts. Specific payment rates for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program have not yet been announced, but farmers can expect to receive payments as early as February 2026.

U.S. peanut growers have continued to struggle with high costs of production, low commodity prices, and recent natural disasters. The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) is grateful to President Trump and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins for their continued attention to the success of rural America’s producers.

For the peanut industry, this announcement strengthens the farm safety net and provides confidence for producers to continue their farming operations. USDA Secretary Rollins noted that producers will have payment rates by the end of 2025 and will be able to provide this information for lending purposes as growers enter the new crop year. As of now, USDA has shared the following details: the payment rate will apply to 2025 planted acres; a $155,000 payment limit applies; a $900,000 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) test applies; and for growers who double crop, both crops will be eligible for payments. Additionally, in order to be eligible for this program, growers must file their acreage report and ensure farm data is up to date with their local county Farm Service Agency (FSA) office by December 19, 2025.

“Following years of financial strain for peanut farmers, we are grateful for the efforts made by the Trump Administration to identify options for relief. This new economic assistance package will ensure our industry can continue to operate under a struggling farm economy. We are thankful to President Trump and Secretary Rollins for listening to the voices of production agriculture and prioritizing the success and sustainability of our industries,” said Jamie Brown, U.S. Peanut Federation Chairman.

“Peanut growers have remained steadfast in their operations over the past few years, even while facing challenging economic conditions at the farm level. We are grateful to President Trump and Secretary Rollins for their leadership in securing this economic assistance and their continued advocacy for rural America. This announcement provides hope to U.S. peanut growers as they prepare to enter the next crop year,” said Joe Boddiford, Georgia Peanut Commission Chairman.

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The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) is comprised of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, the American Peanut Shellers Association, and the National Peanut Buying Points Association. USPF serves as a unified voice in Washington D.C. for all sectors of the peanut industry and advocates actively for strong agricultural policy. For additional information, contact Lorene Parker at (202) 543-7464 or by emailing lparker@reddingfirm.com.

 

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Georgia Peanut Commission announces hiring of Taylor Arnold as executive director

(Dec. 1, 2025 – TIFTON, Ga.) The Georgia Peanut Commission is pleased to announce the hiring of Taylor Arnold as its new executive director, succeeding longtime director Don Koehler, who is retiring after more than four decades of dedicated service to Georgia’s peanut industry.

Arnold joins the commission with an extensive background in agricultural leadership, farm program administration, and on-the-ground experience in production agriculture. Since 2017, he has served as County Executive Director for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Worth County, where he managed county office operations, supervised staff, and oversaw the implementation of key federal programs supporting farmers. In this role, Arnold directed programs including the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, Agriculture Risk Coverage/Price Loss Coverage, Conservation Reserve Program, Livestock Forage Program, and multiple disaster assistance initiatives. He also chaired the District Payment Eligibility and Limitation Review team, ensuring compliance and accuracy across the region.

Arnold holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Mercer University, where he served as president and vice president of his fraternity, director of judicial affairs for the Interfraternity Council, and volunteered extensively with IRS VITA and Relay for Life.

“We are excited to welcome Taylor Arnold as the next executive director of the Georgia Peanut Commission,” says Joe Boddiford, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission Board. “Taylor’s passion for agriculture, strategic vision, and proven leadership make him the ideal person to guide the commission into its next chapter. We are confident he will continue building on the strong foundation established under Don Koehler’s leadership.”

Arnold expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to serve Georgia’s peanut farmers.

“I am honored to join the Georgia Peanut Commission and work on behalf of the growers who make Georgia the nation’s leading peanut-producing state,” Arnold says. “I look forward to continuing the commission’s commitment to research, innovation, and industry collaboration. Don Koehler’s impact on this industry is immeasurable, and I am grateful to follow in his footsteps.”

Koehler, who has served as executive director since 1986, leaves behind a legacy of advocacy, partnership building and significant growth in Georgia’s peanut sector. His leadership helped position Georgia as a global leader in peanut production, research and quality.

Arnold will begin as executive director at the commission on Jan. 1, 2026. Koehler will serve as senior executive director until his retirement on July 31, 2026.

The Georgia Peanut Commission represents the interests of more than 4,000 peanut farmers across the state. Through its investments in research, education, and promotion, the commission works to ensure the long-term sustainability and success of Georgia’s peanut industry.

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Trump Administration Delivers Second Stage of Crop Disaster Assistance for Farmers

(Nov. 17, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) Three days after the government reopened and despite the radical left Democrat caused shutdown, President Donald J. Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins continue to put Farmers First, including the unprecedented move to reopen over 2,000 county FSA offices in the middle of the government shutdown so farmers could continue to access U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) services during harvest. Today, the USDA will continue to support farmers and will release billions in disaster assistance for those recovering from natural disasters across the country.

“President Trump continues to put Farmers First and provide relief to American farmers reeling from the devastating natural disasters that struck across the United States in 2023 and 2024. The continued financial success of our farming and ranching operations is a national security priority,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “USDA is doing whatever it takes to make good on President Trump’s promise to expedite disaster recovery assistance to U.S. farmers and ranchers, ensuring viability, prosperity, and longevity for these men and women who dedicate their entire lives to our nation’s food, fiber and fuel production. The majority of payments from the first stage are already in the hands of producers helping them prepare for and invest in the next crop year.”

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is delivering more than $16 billion in total Congressionally approved SDRP assistance. This is on top of over $9.3 billion in Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) assistance to over 560,000 row crop farmers and over $705 million in Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) assistance to over 220,000 ranchers. Stage Two of SDRP covers eligible crop, tree, bush and vine losses that were not covered under Stage One program provisions, including non-indemnified (shallow loss), uncovered and quality losses. For Stage Two program details, including fact sheets, please visit fsa.usda.gov/sdrp.

The first stage, announced in July, remains available to producers who received an indemnity under crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for eligible crop losses due to qualifying 2023 and 2024 natural disaster events. FSA county offices will begin accepting SDRP Stage Two applications on November 24, 2025. Producers have until April 30, 2026, to apply for both Stage One and Stage Two assistance. FSA is establishing block grants with Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, and Massachusetts that cover crop losses; therefore, producers with losses on land physically located in these states are not eligible for SDRP program payments.

Since March 2025, USDA has supported U.S. farmers and ranchers with more than $16 billion in supplemental disaster assistance mandated by Congress in the American Relief Act, 2025 including $9.3 billion through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, over $1 billion through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program and, to date, more than $5.7 billion in SDRP Stage One payments.

Milk and On-Farm Stored Crop Loss Assistance

The Milk Loss Program provides up to $1.65 million in payments to eligible dairy operations for milk that was dumped or removed without compensation from the commercial milk market because of a qualifying natural disaster event in 2023 and/or 2024.

Producers who suffered losses of eligible harvested commodities while stored in on-farm structures in 2023 and/or 2024 due to a qualifying natural disaster event may be eligible for assistance through the On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program, which provides for up to $5 million to impacted producers.

The enrollment period to apply for milk and on-farm stored commodity losses is Nov. 24, 2025, through Jan. 23, 2026. Information and fact sheets for both programs are available online at fsa.usda.gov/mlp for milk loss and fsa.usda.gov/ofsclp for on-farm stored commodity losses.

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Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

 

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Oct/Nov 2025 – Southeastern Peanut Farmer

The October/November 2025 issue of the Southeastern Peanut Farmer is now available online.
Click here!

This issue features:

  • Prayer Over Pivots: Billy Senkbeil’s Faith-Fueled Farm Life
  • R. 1, The One Big Beautiful Bill Act Peanut Provisions Explained
  • Georgia Peanut Farm Show set for Jan. 15, 2026
  • Georgia Peanut Achievement Club
  • 2025 Southern Peanut Growers Conference in Review
  • Peanut Leadership Academy Class XIII Graduates
  • Check off reports from the state grower organizations
  • Legislative Update
  • Southern Peanut Growers Update
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USPF Comments on United States/European Union Trade Statement

(Aug. 25, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) Last week, the White House released a statement regarding the Framework on an Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade (“Framework Agreement”) made by the United States (U.S.) and the European Union (EU).

According to the U.S. EU Joint Statement, The European Union intends to eliminate tariffs on all U.S. industrial goods and to provide preferential market access for a wide range of U.S. agricultural goods. Additionally, the European Union and the United States have committed to work together to address non-tariff barriers affecting trade in food and agricultural products.

For almost a decade, the U.S. peanut industry has advocated for EU trade solutions, specifically regarding non-tariff barriers the industry has faced due to EU sampling protocols. The EU has been a long-time importer of U.S. peanuts, and the U.S. peanut industry appreciates the Trump Administration’s efforts to assist in strengthening one of our top export markets.

“We are grateful for the efforts made by the Trump Administration to identify solutions to the non-tariff trade barrier issues the U.S. peanut industry has been facing. The European Union has the potential to be one of our strongest export markets, but we have continued  at a significant disadvantage over our export competitors. This agreement provides a sense of security to the U.S. peanut industry with the knowledge that the Administration has prioritized resolving unfair, non-tariff trade barriers for U.S. agricultural products,” said Jamie Brown, United States Peanut Federation Chairman.

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The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) is comprised of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, the American Peanut Shellers Association, and the National Peanut Buying Points Association. USPF serves as a unified voice in Washington D.C. for all sectors of the peanut industry and advocates actively for strong agricultural policy. For additional information, contact Lorene Parker at (202) 543-7464 or by emailing lparker@reddingfirm.com.

 

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July/August 2025 – Southeastern Peanut Farmer

The July/August 2025 issue of the Southeastern Peanut Farmer is now available online.
Click here!

This issue features:

  • An Eye for the Sky
  • 2025 Peanut Harvest Guidebook
  • Peanut Pride in Action
  • Upcoming Field Days
  • 2025 Georgia Peanut Tour set for Valdosta Area
  • USA Peanut Congress held in June
  • Check off reports from the state grower organizations
  • Legislative Update
  • Southern Peanut Growers Update
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U.S. Congress Approves Budget Reconciliation Bill

Legislation Includes Key Peanut Provisions

(July 3, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the final version of H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, in a 218-214 vote. This follows the U.S. Senate passage of the legislation in a in a 51-50 vote Tuesday, with Vice President JD Vance casting the vote required to break the tie. The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) applauds the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives for working diligently to pass this legislation and send it to the President’s desk for final approval.

The U.S. House Agriculture Committee and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee both prioritized many typical Farm Bill provisions to be included in this budget legislation package, additions which focused on investments in rural America. The final legislation included meaningful provisions for the peanut industry, including an increase in the reference price for the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program, a voluntary base acres update, a marketing loan increase, and modified payment limitations that reflect increased costs of production.

 Specifically, this legislation:

  • Increases the peanut reference price from $535/ton to $630/ton, beginning with the 2025 crop year
  • Provides an additional 30 million new base acres, beginning with the 2026   crop year
  • Increases the peanut marketing loan from $355/ton to $390/ton, beginning with the 2026 crop year
  • Increases payment limitations from $125,000 to $155,000 per entity
  • Includes a separate peanut payment limit set at $155,000 per entity

USPF commends the efforts of Congressional agricultural leaders for working tirelessly to protect peanut industry provisions and ensure these meaningful policies were included in the final legislation. During the U.S. Senate approval process, the peanut industry and other agriculture commodity industries faced a challenge with an amendment offered by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to restrict payment limits. USPF joined over 40 agriculture groups in signing a letter to Senate leadership to oppose the amendment, and on June 30, Senator Grassley withdrew his amendment.

“The peanut industry has struggled over the past several years due to increases in farm inputs, labor shortages, and trade barriers. This inclusion of peanut provisions in the budget legislation package is significant in our efforts to provide producers with the tools and assistance they need to continue to produce our nation’s food, fuel, and fiber. USPF applauds the Members of Congress who supported rural communities by voting to advance this important legislation. We are grateful to U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman for their hard work and leadership in ensuring the much-needed provisions for the peanut industry were included in the final version of this bill,” said Jamie Brown, U.S. Peanut Federation Chairman.

“The budget legislation passed today reflects a strong response to the peanut industry’s continued discussions about challenging economic conditions. Alabama peanut growers appreciate the U.S. House Agriculture Committee and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee for their actions taken to address these issues. After two extensions of the 2018 Farm Bill, producers currently have no viable safety net in today’s economy. The peanut provisions in this package address these outdated farm bill provisions and provide a chance to quickly improve financial conditions for growers. We applaud Congress for prioritizing the advancement of this legislation,” said Carl Sanders, Alabama Peanut Producers Association President.

“The budget reconciliation package provides much-needed financial relief to the peanut industry. Peanut growers have faced significant economic strain due to high production expenses and low commodity prices. The detrimental financial situation has made increasing the reference price essential to preserving the farm safety net. The legislation passed today contains our industry’s top policy priorities, and we are thankful for the urgency in passing this bill,” said Joe Boddiford, Georgia Peanut Commission Chairman.

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The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) is comprised of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, the American Peanut Shellers Association, and the National Peanut Buying Points Association. USPF serves as a unified voice in Washington D.C. for all sectors of the peanut industry and advocates actively for strong agricultural policy. For additional information, contact Lorene Parker at (202) 543-7464 or by emailing lparker@reddingfirm.com.

 

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USPF Urges U.S. House to Swiftly Pass Final Budget Legislation

Agriculture Title Includes Key Peanut Provisions

(July 1, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) applauds the U.S. Senate for working diligently to pass H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act earlier today. The bill passed by a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the vote required to break the tie.

U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman’s proposed legislation portion focused on Investment in Rural America. The Senate bill is similar to the bill first passed by the U.S. House, containing several important provisions for the U.S. peanut industry, including an increase in the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) reference price, an update for base acres, a marketing loan increase, and payment limitations that reflect increased costs of production.

“We are grateful to the U.S. Senate and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman for their hard work in ensuring the much-needed provisions for the peanut industry were included in this bill. We now urge the U.S. House to act quickly in their review process and final passage of the legislation package,” stated Jamie Brown, U.S. Peanut Federation Chairman.

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The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) is comprised of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, the American Peanut Shellers Association, and the National Peanut Buying Points Association. USPF serves as a unified voice in Washington D.C. for all sectors of the peanut industry and advocates actively for strong agricultural policy. For additional information, contact Lorene Parker at (202) 543-7464 or by emailing lparker@reddingfirm.com.

 

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