Busy Week

This has been a busy week with a lot of things happening at the Peanut Commission.

We had a meeting with Brad Day of the Chamber and the Development Authority to discuss the possible acquisition of the old state patrol location on I-75 to build a new GPC office which would become an educational and promotional facility for Georgia's peanut farmers. The Commission Board has decided to move forward with an offer on the property. We have studied the issue long and hard but the time is now to move forward.

We also had a board meeting and covered a lot of business. The Administration continues to offer challenges in the implementation of this farm bill. The 10 acre base exclusion has caused a lot of problems for a lot of farmers and is a way bigger issue than peanuts. Pennsylvania has the most farms affected.

After the board meeting we had a meeting of the industry-wide grading committee. We seemed stalled for so long and now I am encouraged that there is a great deal of movement toward improving peanut grading.

I think somewhere along the way things will slow down and let us catch our breath but farming is never that way and therefore the Peanut Commission finds itself in a similar situation with always something to do.

September is going to be a busy month with harvest beginning, the Georgia Peanut Tour, A Cotton and Peanut Research Tour, The Plains Peanut Festival, the Farm Bureau Peanut Day, and so much more. Also, our March of Dimes promotion starts this month. This has been one of our great partnerships to get the health and nutrition message to consumers.