The staff and participants on the 2024 Peanut Tour were given an opportunity most would love to have. They were able to do a walk-through tour of Thrush Aircraft located in Albany, Georgia.

Thrush Aircraft, originally called Rockwell from Olney, Texas, came to Albany in March of 1970. The first crop duster, the Rockwell ag plane, was created in 1970 and quickly became in high demand. Due to high demand, production quickly progressed. Over many years and ownership changes, the name Thrush Aircraft came to life in the early 2000s and is now a leading agricultural aircraft manufacturer.

Throughout the tour, attendees were able to see firsthand how the aircrafts were built from the guts of the motor to the paint on the body and tail. It was a true privilege to see just how these amazing machines were built and the pan power behind it all. But now I can stand firm and say that there are many hard-working men and women who work at Thrush Aircraft who put in long hours to make the machines perform to their best ability. From mechanics to the paint and even a test flight, Thrush Aircraft does it all. My advice to you….take a tour and see what they have to offer!

View the 2024 Georgia Peanut Tour Photo Album.

During a stop at WH Cross Farms in Unadilla, Georgia, Peanut Tour attendees had the opportunity to see first-hand a father and son duo showing the process of harvesting peanuts. WH, the father, has been farming since the 1980s while his son, Jared, has been farming since 2007. They grow peanuts, cotton, and corn.

Agricutlure is an important industry for Dooly County. There are 90,000 acres of cotton and 25,000 acres of peanuts.

Peanut harvesting is a multi-step process. Digging, which is first, is the process of removing the peanuts from the ground, shaking off any excess soil, rotating the plant, and then leaving the plant in rows, allowing the peanut to release moisture before being picked from the vine once dry. Farmers must monitor the maturity of the peanut crop before commencing the important task of digging. If removed from the ground too early, the peanuts will not reach the necessary maturity to meet accepted standards for grading. To reach maturity, the peanut growing period is 140-150 days following planting.

After a few days left to dry, peanuts are ready to be picked. Peanuts are picked with a combine. The combine separates the peanuts form the vine, placing the peanuts in a hopper on the top of the machine and depositing the vines back into the field.

View the 2024 Georgia Peanut Tour Photo Album.

Nolin Steel is a third-generation family manufacturer, that values on quality, integrity and constant improvement. They provide in-house design, quality materials and cutting-edge technology with a customer-focused process from start to finish.

Beginning in 1975 with Guy and Frank Nolin, Nolin Steel’s roots and passion began and remain in the peanut industry; however, Nolin is quickly becoming a leading provider of processing and handling systems for dry bulk solids.

For peanuts specifically, Nolin supplies equipment and turnkey projects throughout the world and serve all segments of the industry. In addition to system designs and modeling services, they handle installation, millwright and maintenance services.

Segments of the peanut industry Nolin serves: buying points, commercial shelling, blanching, seed shelling, in-shell cleaning and processing, and specialty niche projects.

To learn more about their peanut systems, click the following link: Information on Peanut Systems.

To watch a brief video summarizing their quality of their peanut systems, click the following link: Quality Preciseness and Simplicity

View the 2024 Georgia Peanut Tour Photo Album.

GreenPoint Ag is a farmer-owned supplier headquartered in Decatur, Alabama. With over 100 retail locations, GreenPoint Ag is a leading supplier of crop nutrients, crop protection products and seed and professional products. They provide services to Georgia, Alabama, Arkansans, Florida and other states.

Tour attendees were able to visit GreenPoint Ag’s Cordele location on the first day of the tour. At the stop, attendees had the opportunity to learn about GreenPoint’s high volume fertilizer and chemical retail facility. Throughout the visit, attendees heard from people within the agronomy team, precision ag team and seed team.

View the 2024 Georgia Peanut Tour Photo Album.

After leaving the farm, tour attendees traveled over to the Southwest Georgia Research and Education Center and Georgia Seed Development. Here, they split into two groups to tour each.

Georgia Seed Development is responsible for overseeing the foundation plant material production in Georgia. As a nonprofit, self-supporting organization, GSD provides economic support for new business opportunities that help keep agriculture as Georgia’s No. 1 industry. This effort has resulted in more than $15 million of additional support for University of Georgia cultivar development since 1997.

Overseen by an 11-member board, operating funds are derived from seed and vegetative plant material sales, as well as royalty fees for cultivars developed by UGA.

GSD works closely with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the University of Georgia Research Foundation and the Georgia Crop Improvement Association in supporting various research projects and in bringing new cultivars to market. GSD has an active seed production program for most crops grown in the state including peanuts, soybeans, small grains, cotton, canola, blueberries and bahia grass. Their programs maintain varietal identity and high seed quality as they increase seed quantities from a small amount of breeder seed to a sufficient volume of certified seed and plant stock for commercial crops. Quality factors such as purity, germination and freedom from noxious weeds are monitored during the certification process.

Georgia Seed Development also maintains foundation material of vegetatively propagated turfgrass and horticultural cultivars developed by the University of Georgia and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service.

GSD’s peanut program is housed at their Plains, Georgia, location. They recently completed a multi-year expansion of this facility to add enhanced equipment for drying, storage, shelling and treating peanuts. The Plains facility also has the capacity to condition and store small grains and soybeans using an air-screen machine with flat bag storage. A large temperature- and humidity-controlled room at this site provides long-term seed storage.

View the 2024 Georgia Peanut Tour Photo Album.

The first stop of the 2024 Georgia Peanut Tour was a stop at the 102 year old farm, Davis Farms, in Terrell County, Georgia. Davis Farms is owned and operated by Glenn and Riley Davis. They farm peanuts, cotton, corn, soybeans and pecans on approximately 4,500 acres. Riley is a fourth generation farmer and feels very fortunate that his father helped him get a start in farming once he finished college. Riley hopes to be able to pass the love of farming onto his three boys, Luke, Drew and Landon.  Learn more about Riley and why he is proud to be a Georgia farmer from a WALB News Interview.

This stop highlighted the first step of harvesting peanuts which includes digging the peanuts up out of the ground. The field of the runner type of peanut, Georgia-12Y, was planted April 15 and is currently 152 days old. According to recent maturity tests of the field, the field has about 10 to 14 days until it reaches full maturity. Digging too early can cause a loss so farmers use the peanut maturity board and pod blasting to determine the optimum time for digging their peanuts.

The field was planted behind a cover crop of black oats and radish. Riley strip tilled the peanuts in at planting. Throughout the season, Riley has an issues with drought in the dry corners of the field where the irrigation does not apply water to the crop. He has also had issues with spider mites which thrive in dry conditions.

Terrell County, Georgia is in the heart of peanut production in the state. According to Seth McAllister, Terrell County Extension agent, the county has 60,000 acres of row crops. Many farmers in the county plant using a 3-year rotation of corn, cotton and peanuts.

To learn more about peanut production in the state of Georgia, click here.

View the 2024 Georgia Peanut Tour Photo Album.

We are delighted to welcome you to the 2024 Georgia Peanut Tour and thank you for your participation. Whether you’re joining us for the first time or you’re a seasoned “Peanut Tour Veteran,” we are thrilled to have you on our 36th tour. As in previous years, you’ll gain an in-depth look at the production of one of Georgia’s key agricultural crops. We hope this experience will provide you with a deeper understanding of both the challenges faced by our farmers and the reasons we proudly declare that Georgia grows the best peanuts in the world. Our goal is for you to develop a greater appreciation for the rich heritage of peanut farming in our state. Those involved in the peanut industry—farmers, buyers, processors, researchers, Extension personnel, and Georgia Peanut Commission representatives—take great pride in Georgia’s position as the leading peanut-producing state in the U.S., and we’re excited to showcase this year’s crop to you.

The 2024 Georgia Peanut Tour is staged in the central region of our state’s production area and begins on the afternoon of Tuesday, Sept. 17, with a “Hot Topics” symposium. Expert speakers will address the status of this year’s peanut crop and provide a special focus on sustainability within the global peanut industry.

The two days that follow will provide you with the opportunity to learn more about production, research, processing, and more. Field visits will provide you with a glimpse of peanut production, digging and harvest. The University of Georgia and U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers will provide updates on innovative research projects at the Southwest Georgia Research and Education Center in Plains, Georgia and the USDA-ARS National Peanut Research Lab in Dawson, Georgia. The tour also includes visits within the supply chain to Olam Shelling Plant and Locke Farm Center. Attendees will also tour GreenPoint Ag, Nolin Steel, Thursh Aircraft, Amadas, and more!

Once again, on behalf of the Peanut Tour Committee, which includes members from the Georgia Peanut Commission, the University of Georgia, and the USDA-ARS National Peanut Research Lab, I extend a warm welcome to the 36th Georgia Peanut Tour! Over the next few days, we hope you gain a deeper appreciation for the complexities of Georgia’s peanut industry and the dedication of those involved in producing the world’s finest peanuts. We aim for our events to foster fellowship and allow you to experience the best of southern hospitality while exploring the beautiful, rural areas of our state. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors, whose generosity makes this tour possible. Please feel free to reach out if you need assistance navigating through our state’s production areas. We take great pride in our peanut farmers and industry and are excited to share them with you.

The thirty-sixth annual Georgia Peanut Tour will be held September 17-19, 2024, in Americus, Georgia, and the surrounding area. The tour brings the latest information on peanuts while giving a first-hand view of industry infrastructure from production and handling to processing and utilization. Tour stops will be made in several peanut producing counties in South Georgia.

Attendees can expect to see first-hand nearly every aspect of peanut production in the state. This year’s tour hosts many exciting stops including on-farm harvest demonstrations and clinics, as well as, research at the University of Georgia Southwest Georgia Research and Education Center and the USDA-ARS National Peanut Research Lab.

Hotel accommodations can be made at the host hotel, The Windsor in Americus, Georgia by calling 229-331-7076. A standard room ranges from $129 – $199++ (depending on room type). Breakfast is not included in the room at The Windsor. Be sure to ask for the 2024 Georgia Peanut Tour room block when making a reservation. Additional rooms are available at the Hampton Inn in Americus. A standard room is $129++ (breakfast included). Call 229-924-3890 and mention the Georgia Peanut Tour for a discounted rate. The room block’s deadline is Aug. 16, 2024.

For attendees flying, the closest airport is the Southwest Georgia Regional Airport in Albany, Georgia.

For specific tour info or details, contact David West at 229-386-3470.

The Georgia Peanut Commission, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the USDA-ARS National Peanut Laboratory coordinate the tour.

Registration for the 2024 Georgia Peanut Tour is now closed.
Download Sponsorship Packet
Tour Schedule
Map & Driving Directions – Wed., Sept. 18 & Thurs., Sept. 19.

During the final stop on the Georgia Peanut Tour attendees were able to tour the grower-owned peanut processing facility, American Peanut Growers Group, which is based in Donalsonville, Georgia. Throughout the tour, attendees were able to visit the buying point, shelling plant, blancher and learn more about APGG’s new peanut ingredient processing facility. APGG was formed in late 2002 and the company includes two buying points, two shelling plants, one blancher, one cold storage facility, multiple warehouses, a feed mill, a solar field for renewable energy and their newest venture, a ready-to-eat peanut ingredient facility.

Neal Flannagen, president and CEO of APGG, welcomed attendees to APGG and provided an overview of the facility. The first step of the process includes peanuts arriving to APGG from the farm. APGG currently processes 80,000 tons of farmer stock peanuts at their buying point.

When peanuts first arrive their moisture level is checked. If the moisture level is not below 10.49 percent, then the peanuts are sent to the drying shed. Once peanuts are dried, they are cleaned if needed and then they are inspected and graded by the Georgia Federal-State Inspection Service. Then the peanuts are stored in a warehouse on-site at APGG until they are needed.

APGG sells raw and blanched peanuts to all major peanut product manufacturers in the U.S. and many companies worldwide. APGG offers bulk packaging to their customers through rail cars or semi-trucks. Additionally, APGG exports peanuts to customers in South America, Europe and Asia, through the port of Savannah, Georgia, which is one of the busiest ports on the east coast of the United States.

APGG has the ability to roast 20,000 pounds of peanuts per hour. After roasting they temper the peanuts for six to eight hours before shipping. Peanuts can also go to the blancher where the red skin is removed. The blanched peanuts are sorted by size, splits are removed, and orders are shipped based on customer specifications.

In 2022, APGG began their newest venture with the creation of the American Peanut Ingredients, LLC (API). The new 140,000 square-foot facility includes an additional shelling plant and a ready-to-eat peanut ingredient plant. The new venture allows API the ability to sale peanut butter in bulk, peanut paste or as a granule.

One unique thing about the grower owners of APGG is that they have a higher percentage of irrigated land than the state average for Georgia. All of the APGG farmer members are excellent growers who deliver exceptional quality and high yields to APGG’s shelling plants.

For more information on APGG visit their website at www.apgg.com.

View the 2023 Georgia Peanut Tour Photo Album

While at LMC Manufacturing, tour attendees had an opportunity to sample grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made by Tyron Spearman, executive director of the National Peanut Buying Points Association.

Tyron Spearman (left) and Wesley Powell grill peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the tour attendees.

Each year, Spearman joins attendees on the tour and gives them a taste of America’s favorite sandwich with a unique twist. Spearman says the key to a great grilled PB&J is to mix your peanut butter and jelly together first before spreading it on the bread. After that, you can butter each side of the sandwich and grill it just like you would a grilled cheese. Be sure to try it at home!

Below is a throwback video from the 2016 tour, where Spearman describes the simple process of making your own grilled PB&J.

View the 2023 Georgia Peanut Tour Photo Album