Colquitt County Ag Update

While at Sunbelt this morning, peanut tour attendees were able to hear a crop update on Colquitt County from Dr. John Beasley and Colquitt County extension agent, Matt Roberts. Below is an outline of the update from Roberts.

  • Overall crop condition is good to very good, even after a rough start with cool conditions at planting, early Thrips pressure, and wet growing season. Things could certainly be worse right now.
  • We have seen a huge acreage drop this year as we should have….went from probably an all time high or close to it of nearly 23000 to just a little more than 15000 about where we usually are. This was around 35% decease in acreage and still below the state average.
  • Not sure on the price situation but i don’t foresee yield being anywhere close to last year’s numbers.
  • We have run alot of maturity samples in the past week. Late April and very early May planted peanuts are running about 145 to 150 days. Later planted peanuts are running around 140 days. Looks like the crop is going to be ready all about the same time.
  • There will be a good many dug in the next week or so.
  • We have had a few growers dig and harvest. Grades have been in the low to mid 70s.
  • Diseases have not been all that terrible this year. TSWV has maybe been a little worse than the past few years, especially on larger plants. Leaf spot and white mold have ramped up in the past weeks. If growers were more than two weeks from digging according to the profile board and a week or two from their last fungicide spray, we have recommended another application to get them through to harvest.

2013 Peanut Tour Photo Album

Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition: UGA researchers are taking things a step higher with UAVs

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The first stop of the 27th annual Georgia Peanut Tour was the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition in Moultrie, Ga. Many of you may be familiar with the annual expo that takes place at Sunbelt each October. This facility is not only the home to one of the largest farm shows in the country, it is also home to a 600 acre research farm. At Sunbelt, Dr. John Beasley and Dr. Glenn Harris with the University of Georgia, demonstrated their research related to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) supported by the Georgia Peanut Commission, Georgia Cotton Commission, Georgia Centers of Innovation for Aerospace and Agribusiness, as well as the Sunbelt Ag Expo, University of Georgia Tifton Campus and Middle Georgia State College. Their project’s primary focus is on detecting pests, irrigation needs, diseases and nutrition issues in peanuts earlier in the production process.This early detection becomes a huge benefit to crops as it can help prolong the life of crops, better-manage pesticide applications, as well as maximize yields and profits. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems expects the unmanned aircraft systems industry to grow by leaps in bounds in the upcoming years, and believes agriculture is the largest potential sector for UAVs to be used. Check out this video demonstration of the UAV in action.

2013 Peanut Tour Photo Album

2013 Georgia Peanut Tour set for Sept. 17-19 in Valdosta, Ga.

2011_gpt_101sThe 27th annual Georgia Peanut Tour will be held Sept.18-19, 2013, and centrally located out of Valdosta, Ga., at the Fairfield Inn & Suites. The tour begins at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, and will end on Thursday, Sept. 19, at approximately 9:30 p.m. Tour stops will be made in several peanut-producing counties including Brooks, Lowndes and Lee Co., Fla. Attendees can expect to see first-hand many aspects of peanut production in the state of Georgia throughout the tour. This year’s tour is a host to many interesting and educational stops including on-farm harvest demonstrations, local crop consultant news updates and several special highlights including: Birdsong Peanuts in Lee, Fla.; Kelley Manufacturing Co. in Tifton; R.L. Cunningham & Sons in Quitman; and DuPont Crop Protection in Valdosta. Other stops will include the Georgia Department of Agriculture lab and Federal-State Inspection Service offices, both in Tifton, as well as research stops at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus’ Gibbs Farm and the Darrell Williams Research Farm at the Sunbelt Agricultural Expo grounds in Moultrie.

Another highlight of the tour will include an Early Bird “Hot Topics” Seminar on Tuesday, Sept. 17, beginning at 3 p.m. The “Hot Topics” Seminar, also held at the Fairfield Inn & Suites, will feature topics on the economic sustainability of U.S. peanut farms, global and U.S. peanut markets and opportunities, as well as a current crop update.

The Georgia Peanut Tour is coordinated by the Georgia Peanut Commission, the University of Georgia Griffin and Tifton Campuses and the USDA/ARS National Peanut Research Lab.

Register by visiting www.gapeanuts.com or for more information, email dana@gapeanuts.com.