The Georgia Peanut Tour host city this year is Douglas, Ga. Agriculture is very important to the economy in Coffee County. Eddie McGriff, Coffee County Extension Coordinator, says the peanut crop in the county looks very good although it all depends on the weather since they have such a late crop. Out of the 15,400 acres of peanuts planted in 2009, there is an estimated production rate of 25,410 tons. Farmers in Coffee County have to face production issues such as excessive rains during planting, which resulted in a very late planted crop, controlling pigweeds, and low prices. 40% of peanuts planted in the county are irrigated. Coffee County also grows cotton, corn, soybeans, blueberries, and hay.
“2009 Georgia Peanut Tour”
Georgia Peanut Tour kicks off
The 23rd Annual Georgia Peanut Tour brings the latest information on peanuts while giving a first-hand view of industry infrastructure from production and handling to processing and utilization. The Hot Topics Seminar on Tuesday will include food safety experts discussing production practices, quality management, outbreak investigations, and more. The tour includes visits at farmers’ fields, research plots, a buying point, Federal- State inspection, an equipment dealer, a weather network station, and a shelling and storage facility as well as a peanut blanching facility. Demonstrations of determining optimum peanut maturity and an innovative new technology for evaluating pod moisture will also be observed.
Scott Tubbs, University of Georgia cropping systems agronomist, is serving as the 2009 chairman of the Georgia Peanut Tour.
2009 Tour Set For September
The Georgia Peanut Tour Committee has set September 15-17, 2009, as the dates for the 23rd Annual Georgia Peanut Tour. The Early Bird Hot Topics’ Seminar begins Tuesday, September 15, at 3:00 p.m. and will be held at the Holiday Inn Express in Douglas, Ga. The tour spotlights South Central Georgia’s peanut production area.
The tour includes a cross section of field conditions in South Central Georgia, peanut harvest clinics, production research at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus, peanut handling and grading facilities as well as a focus on biofuels, equipment and implements, trailers and dryer, dome storage and handling, shelling and blanching.
The registration fee is $35 per person, which includes all meals and reserved transportation during the tour. After Aug. 7, the registration increases to $45. For more information about the 23rd Annual Georgia Peanut Tour contact the Georgia Peanut Commission at (229) 386-3470 or tammy@gapeanuts.com. Tour information is also available at www.gapeanuts.com.
The Georgia Peanut Commission, University of Georgia-Tifton Campus and Griffin Campus, Southwest Research & Education Center, Attapulgus Research & Education Center, and the USDA Agricultural Research Service National Peanut Research Lab coordinate the tour.