Board Meeting

Yesterday started at 7am with our joint legislative committee. The Committee has representatives from Georgia Farm Bureau, the Georgia Peanut Commission, the Georgia Peanut Producers Association, the GFA, and the National Peanut Buying Points Association.

Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duval joined us for the breakfast meeting and updated us on several issues of interest to peanut farmers. He also joined in the discussion on USDA's misguided effort to lower the loan rate on Runner Peanuts by $7. He has gotten American Farm Bureau involved in Washington to work closely with Bob Redding who represents the Commission to put this issue to bed for future years. The decision to start it this year was rescinded by the Department.

President Duval also came to our 9am Board Meeting. This is the first time in 22 years that I recall the President of Georgia Farm Bureau attending a board meeting of the Commission.

He is a man of Faith and integrity and Farm Bureau is truly in good hands with him at the helm.

We finalized the budget at the board meeting and had a lot of reports on activities of the Commission. We had two pretty intense days with all the Committees meeting and passing the annual plan of work and budget.

After lunch an industry grading committee representing all facets of the industry met in our board room to discuss changes int he grading system and current research seeking ways to make peanut grading more accurate and efficient.

Representatives of the National Peanut Lab in Dawson and of UGA both gave reports and sought input.