Pod blasting refers to a method of determining peanut maturity that involves utilizing a pressure washer to blow off the outer peanut shell.
Houston County Peanut Pod Blast Schedule
Henry County Peanut Pod Blast Schedule
Alabama Peanut Producers Association is hosting a photo contest through Oct. 31, 2023, featuring peanut farms harvesting their 2023 crop across the state.
Enter for a chance to win an Amazon gift card and free Alabama peanut merchandise!
Selected photos will be used on APPA social media platforms and in various promotional projects by APPA, such as the Alabama Peanut News & Views newsletter, throughout the year. Alabama farmers and their families are encouraged to submit their best high-resolution photos from the 2023 harvest season.
Below are tips to consider when selecting a photo send:
– Make sure the photo is not offensive and avoid photos with large, easy-to-read corporate logos.
– Showcase your family (young and old) and what being an Alabama peanut farmer means to you.
– Choose a photo you feel helps others understand more about how you care for the crop they love.
Email your submissions to kaycee@alpeanuts.com. Please include the following in your email:
– Name
– Farm name
– County
– Phone number
The top photo submission will receive Alabama Peanuts merchandise and will be contacted by Nov. 3, 2023 by phone and email.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it will begin providing additional, automatic financial assistance for qualifying guaranteed Farm Loan Programs (FLP) borrowers who are facing financial risk. The announcement is part of the $3.1 billion to help certain distressed farm loan borrowers that was provided through Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act.
“USDA continues to make progress on our goal to provide producers access to the tools they need to help get back to a financially viable path and ultimately succeed as thriving agricultural businesses,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The financial assistance included in today’s announcement will provide a fresh start for distressed borrowers with guaranteed farm loans and will give them the opportunity to generate long-term stability and success.”
Since the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law by President Biden in August 2022, USDA has provided approximately $1.15 billion in assistance to more than 20,000 distressed borrowers as a part of an ongoing effort to keep borrowers farming, remove obstacles that currently prevent many borrowers from returning to their land, and improve the way that USDA approaches borrowing and loan servicing in the long-term. The financial assistance announced today will provide qualifying distressed guaranteed loan borrowers with financial assistance similar to what was already provided to distressed direct loan borrowers. Based on current analysis, the financial assistance announced today will assist an estimated approximately 3,500 eligible borrowers, subject to change as payments are finalized.
An FLP guaranteed loan borrower is distressed if they qualify under one of the options below. FLP guaranteed borrowers who qualify under multiple options will receive a payment based on the option that provides the greatest payment amount:
• Payment of any outstanding delinquency on all qualifying FLP guaranteed loans as of Oct. 18, 2022. This includes any guaranteed loan borrowers who did not receive an automatic payment in 2022 on that loan because they were not yet 60 days delinquent as of Sept. 30, 2022, as well as guaranteed borrowers that became delinquent on a qualifying FLP guaranteed loan between September 30, 2022, and Oct.18, 2022.
• Payment on a qualifying FLP guaranteed loan for which a guaranteed loan borrower received a loan restructure, which modified the guaranteed loan maturity date, between March 1, 2020, and Aug. 11, 2023. The payment amount will be the lesser of the post-restructure annual installment or the amount required to pay the loan in full. The guaranteed loan must not have been paid in full prior to Aug. 11, 2023.
• Payments on certain deferred amounts on qualifying FLP guaranteed loans, not to exceed $100,000, for guaranteed borrowers who received a deferral or another type of payment extension, for at least 45 days, between March 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2022, from their guaranteed lender on that qualifying guaranteed loan in response to COVID-19, disasters, or other revenue shortfalls. The Inflation Reduction Act payment amount will be the lesser of the most recent deferral or extension amount on the qualifying FLP guaranteed loan, or the amount required to pay that loan in full. The guaranteed loan must not have been paid in full prior to Aug. 11, 2023.
This assistance is only available for FLP guaranteed loan borrowers who did not or will not receive an initial payment on the same FLP guaranteed loan under Inflation Reduction Act assistance announced in October 2022.
Distressed guaranteed borrowers qualifying for this assistance will receive a United States Department of the Treasury check that is jointly payable to the borrower and the lender. These borrowers will also receive a letter from FSA informing them of Inflation Reduction Act assistance they will receive as well as instructions to make an appointment with their lender to process the payment and apply it to their qualifying guaranteed loan accounts. Guaranteed lenders will receive an email in the coming days informing them of this assistance and any next steps. Lenders will also receive letters informing them which borrowers will receive assistance and the amount of assistance they will receive.
Any distressed guaranteed borrowers who qualify for these forms of assistance and are currently in bankruptcy will be addressed using the same case-by-case review process announced in October 2022 for complex cases.
FSA will also provide relief to qualifying FLP guaranteed loan borrowers determined to be distressed borrowers based on liability for remaining federal debt subject to debt collection and garnishment after the liquidation of their guaranteed loan account as of July 31, 2023. This will allow some borrowers to potentially return to farming. Guaranteed borrowers who qualify for this assistance will have their federal debt paid automatically by FSA and will receive a letter informing them of the payment made on their federal debt.
All letters to qualifying guaranteed loan borrowers will contain instructions for opting out of assistance if a borrower chooses to do so.
Important Tax Information
Similar to other USDA Inflation Reduction Act assistance, payments provided to borrowers and payments to be applied to FSA farm loan accounts will be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Borrowers receiving this assistance will receive a 1099 form from FSA. Please note that payments over $600 are subject to Federal and State Income Taxes and will be reflected on your annual 1099 form. Borrowers are encouraged to consult a tax professional with all tax-related questions regarding any Inflation Reduction Act assistance received. USDA also has tax-related resources at farmers.gov/taxes.
Individual Requests for Farmers Seeking Assistance
In addition to the automatic payments announced today for distressed guaranteed loan borrowers, FSA continues to accept and review individual distressed borrower assistance requests from direct loan borrowers who missed a recent installment or are unable to make their next scheduled installment on a qualifying direct FLP loan. All FSA direct borrowers should have received a letter detailing the eligibility criteria and process for seeking this type of assistance, which is available even before they become delinquent. As the letter details, borrowers who are within two months of their next installment may seek a cash flow analysis from FSA using a recent balance sheet and operating plan to determine their eligibility.
FSA direct borrowers also received a letter detailing an opportunity to receive assistance if they took certain extraordinary measures to avoid delinquency on their qualifying direct FLP loans, such as taking on or refinancing more debt, selling property, or cashing out retirement or college savings accounts.
Borrowers can submit requests for extraordinary measures or cash flow-based assistance in person at their local FSA office or by sending in a direct request using the farmers.gov 22006 assistance request portals at farmers.gov/loans/inflation-
As USDA learns more about the types of situations financially distressed farmers are facing, the Department will continue to update borrowers and the public about new assistance for distressed borrowers. USDA will also provide regular updates about its progress in deploying this funding to farmers who need it.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville and Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate hosted a farm bill listening session at the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center. Local farmers filled the room for a chance to have their voices heard on current agricultural issues. Tuberville and Pate discussed several topics with the group, such as fiber internet service for rural America, financial assistance for young and small farmers, and increasing reference prices for all crops.
Reliable internet has become increasingly necessary as more farm business models rely on staying connected. As we step into the future, successful farms have equipment that requires internet. “We passed an infrastructure bill, and a lot of money should be coming to the states to help with rural internet,” said Tuberville. He assured session attendees that he is working hard on the issue, and it will continue to be one of their main priorities.
The younger generations find it especially difficult to get rooted in the farming industry unless they inherit land and equipment. ”Young men and women are saying I’m not doing it; I want to do something where I can make a living.” says Senator Tuberville. The upcoming farm bill will include an increase in FSA-guaranteed loan limits. The current caps for guaranteed loan limits are 1.75 million dollars, but the new farm bill hopes to increase that number to upwards of 3 million dollars through the Farm Service Agency. “If we can’t keep young people in this business, we’re going to lose,” stated Sen. Tuberville.
Tuberville and Pate also acknowledged the need for increased reference prices, stating that since the last presidential election, there has been a 28% increase in farm production costs, making it the largest increase in history for two years. “Within the peanut industry specifically, the cost of production has gone up over $100 per acre in the past two years. Y’all can’t compete and stay in business with that, so we’re working to increase reference prices and address the cost of production,” explained Emma Johnston, Legislative Assistant for the Senator.
Senator Tuberville added that he often brings packs of Alabama peanuts to Washington, D.C. He stated, “I’ve got them in the Senate and the House. Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas all have their own peanuts. Well, we always do these taste tests, and Alabama’s always wins.”
There were brief discussions on other issues, including feral swine eradication, promoting locally grown products and small farms, land conservation, and animal husbandry. “I would say the number one thing we want to do is keep the government out of the way so that you can do the job that you want to do,” declared Johnston. Farmers and attendees were able to shake Senator Tuberville and Commissioner Pate’s hands following the session.
The Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries is hiring seasonal workers for the 2023 Peanut Harvest season.
They will be accepting applications and conducting interviews for temporary employment between the hours of 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM on the dates/locations listed below. No experience is necessary. Visit www.agi.alabama.gov/afsis to fill out and print the application ahead of time. Applications are accepted by applicants that attend one of the following interview sessions.
This work consists of sampling, grading, assisting in grading of peanuts during harvest season as they arrive at buying points throughout South Alabama. Positions available and starting salaries are listed below. All applicants hired will be E-Verified. Must be available to work up to FIFTEEN hours per day, seven days a week. Overtime paid after 40 hours per week.
Apply here: https://agi.alabama.gov/afsis/
Alabama’s 900-plus peanut farmers have a new champion in their corner. Libbie Johnson joined the Alabama Peanut Producers Association (APPA) as executive director on June 5.
Johnson hails from Florida Extension, where she gleaned over 20 years of industry experience and built relationships critical to her new role.
“I’m excited to get to know Alabama’s peanut producers and understand more about agriculture in Alabama,” Johnson said. “I’m thankful to represent such a unique commodity and the hard-working farmers of this state.”
As executive director, Johnson will oversee peanut checkoff projects related to research, promotion and education. She’ll also work with land-grant universities and farmers on research trials; advocate for the protein-packed legume with decision-makers in Washington, D.C.; and expand the peanut industry’s footprint in Alabama, in addition to overseeing staff in APPA’s Dothan office.
“Libbie is energetic, knowledgeable and talented, and we are excited to see the direction she takes our organization,” said APPA President Carl Sanders, who farms in Coffee County. “The board is confident in Libbie’s ability to advocate for Alabama peanut farmers and make an impact on our industry.”
APPA is an affiliate of the Alabama Farmers Federation, the state’s largest farm organization serving 355,000 member families. Johnson will work closely with the Federation’s Governmental & Agricultural Programs (GAP) Department staff serving farmers.
“There’s no doubt that Alabama peanut farmers will benefit from Libbie’s leadership,” said GAP Department Director Mitt Walker. “Libbie’s strong skill set uniquely positions her to work with the APPA board, research-focused scientists or high-profile officials in our nation’s capital. We are excited to see her lead APPA into a new chapter.”
Since 2003, Johnson has served farmers in the Florida Panhandle’s Milton and Escambia counties. Areas of expertise include row crops, fruits and vegetables, livestock and natural resources.
Johnson is no stranger to leadership. She’s chaired national Extension-related committees; is past president of the Florida Association of County Agricultural Agents; and served on the University of Florida (UF) Peanut Team and the Sunbelt Ag Expo Team.
She’s also a member of Florida Farm Bureau, which named her the Extension Professional of the Year in 2018 and has earned multiple service awards from the National Association of County Agricultural Agents.
Johnson, a Louisiana native, holds bachelor’s degrees in political science and plant science from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a master’s degree in agroecology from UF.
The 24th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference will be held July 27-29, 2023 at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort, Miramar Beach, Florida. The three-day event provides farmers with information about peanut production, legislative issues, marketing and promotions. Click here to register and see the conference schedule. Visit the conference blog to see speaker and sponsor interviews as well as photos from past conferences.
In addition to the conference sessions, the event focuses on the family by offering a ladies program and a golf tournament. Additional information about the conference and sponsorship opportunities is available by contacting one of the coordinating partners listed below.
Register by June 30, 2023, to receive the early bird discount.
Members of the NRCS funded project “The Future of Farming” are hosting two Irrigation and Sustainability Field Days scheduled for this summer. Aspects related to Best Irrigation Management Practices, Fertigation, Variable Rate Irrigation, and the Impact of Conservation Practices on Sustainability will be covered.
On June 26th, the first field day will take place in Ashford, AL and the second field day will be on July 19th in Society Hill, AL. The program will begin at 9:00 a.m.
If you have additional questions, contact Brenda Ortiz.
Office phone: 334-844-5534
The USDA National Agricultural Statistic Service (NASS) has published the 2022 estimated peanut production for Alabama. NASS has estimated that Alabama peanut growers produced 559 million pounds of peanuts in 2022. That makes Alabama 2nd in the nation in peanut production, with Georgia ranking first. The U.S. produced 5.57 billion pounds of peanuts in 2022.
Houston County is estimated as the top peanut-producing county with 106,960,000 pounds of peanuts produced, and Geneva County comes in next at 71,680,000 pounds of peanuts produced. The top five is rounded out by Baldwin County, Henry County and Escambia County, respectively.
Released May 2023, USDA NASS
USDA Urban Agriculture Programs at a Glance
Agricultural producers can begin to apply for two new important programs for revenue losses, from 2020 and 2021 natural disasters or the COVID-19 pandemic. Both programs equitably fill gaps in earlier assistance. Applications for both new programs are due June 2, 2023, and you can apply for both programs during your same appointment with USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).
First, you may be eligible for assistance through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) Phase Two if you experienced revenue losses from eligible natural disasters in 2020 and 2021. ERP Phase Two is for producers who didn’t receive assistance from ERP Phase One.
You may also be eligible for the Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP) if you experienced revenue losses in calendar year 2020. PARP is addressing gaps in previous pandemic assistance, which was targeted at price loss or lack of market access, rather than overall revenue losses.
Producers interested in ERP Phase Two and PARP, should reach out to their local USDA Service Center to inquire and request assistance. You can also call the FSA call center at 877-508-8364.
Source: USDA Farm Service Agency