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Adam Anderson with his children Paxton and Gracie, Moultrie, Georgia.
Malcolm Broome, Mississippi Peanut Growers Association, and Ken Barton, Florida Peanut Producers Association, grilll peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as guests arrive.
We scream for ice cream! Southern Peanut Growers served ice cream with various nut toppings at the welcome reception. A kid's favorite!
A family affair: For the last 15 years, the Roneys, like many, make the Southern Peanut Growers Conference an annual family trip. From left, grandson Evan Wilson with his mother Beth, grandparents Charlene and Sammy Roney and granddaughter Hadlee Roney, Dothan, Alabama.
Ron Smith and Glenda Brock eat ice cream and visit with conference attendees.
Marshall Lamb family: from left, Wendy, Madison, Brett Sauls, Blake and Marshall. Marshall is the peanut research leader, USDA National Peanut Research, and the Peanut Efficiency Award project leader.
In between sessions conference attendees visit booths.
Conference swag.
Among friends.
Valor Award: Armond Morris, the 2022 Valor Award recipient, with his wife Brenda and John Altom, Valent USA. Valent sponsors the award.
One Peanut Efficiency Award (PEA) winner to another. 2022 PEA honoree Wayne Hobbs, left, congratulates 2021 PEA winner Armond Morris for receiving the Valor Award at the Southern Peanut Growers Breakfast.
Oklahoma crew: The 2022 Southwest Peanut Efficiency Award winner, Karl Stutzman and his wife Brenda and National Peanut Board President Les Crall and his wife Laurie, following the Prayer Breakfast. Les also serves as chairman of the Oklahoma Peanut Council.
2022 Peanut Efficiency Award winner Ben Cowin, left, with Farm Press associate editor John Hart. Hart presented Cowin with his award at the annual PEA Breakfast.
Stetson greets conference guests with his mom Brittany Saylor, Tifton, Ga., while attendees load up on peanut snacks in between sessions.
It's not all work at the 2022 Southern Peanut Growers Conference. There was also a cookie-decorating session that included a peanut sugar cookie, of course!
Yasmine Moffet, Premium Peanut, left, and Telea Perry, Alabama Farmers Association, prepare to decorate cookies.
Working together. Decorating sugar cookies at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference.
The final product. Too cute to eat, well… almost.
Better together.
Talking it over: George Jeffcoat, Alabama Peanut Producers Association, visits with Rodney Dawson, Georgia Peanut Commission, in between sessions.
Accident or coincidence? The truck on the left has a peanut license plate, while the pickup on the right sports a pecan plate that reads, "Eat more pecans." I wonder if they're friend or foe?
Peanut swag included in the conference totes.
The sun sets on another Southern Peanut Growers Conference. See you next year in Destin, Florida!
The sun sets on another Southern Peanut Growers Conference. See you next year in Destin, Florida!
Peanut producers recently gathered from across the Peanut Belt for the 23rd annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference.
While attendees received peanut industry updates, they also reconnected with others in the peanut industry and their families. Sammy and Charlene Roney farm in Dothan, Ala., and attend every year with their children and grandchildren.
"We love getting together with other peanut farmers, seeing everybody every year and being with family," Charlene said. "We look forward to this every year."
The three-day event opened with a welcome reception where attendees snacked on grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and ice cream topped with nuts, of course. Day 1 began with a Prayer Breakfast. Worship was led by the bluegrass family band, The Baileys, and the Valor Award was presented to peanut producer, leader, and 2021 Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Award winner Armond Morris.
"We appreciate all the organizations' input in helping us determine our Valor recipient, who has dedicated more than 40 years of service to the Georgia Peanut Commission as an advisory board member, board member and chairman," said John Altom, Valent USA, as he announced Morris. "This recipient is no stranger to the peanut industry, within his hometown, his home state, and at the national level."
"I appreciate all of you as peanut growers, peanut industry folks, and all those that come to the exhibits here. Every one of you make peanuts what it is," Morris said as he accepted his award. "It's not about any one of us or any one group. Regardless of where you fit into the peanut industry, we all have to work together. I'm very proud of the peanut industry and everyone has done a great job promoting peanuts."
Conference presentations included topics such as school nutrition and the importance of integrating peanuts back into the school-lunch menu, ag labor and carbon credits.
The conference concluded with the Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Awards Breakfast, including a question and answer session with the winners. Final conference addresses were delivered by Congressman Michael Cloud, R-Texas, about the state of U.S. peanut policy, and peanut economics by Stanley Fletcher, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation.
Take a look through the photo gallery to catch a glimpse of the 2022 Southern Peanut Growers Conference.
SPGC is organized by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, comprised of the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, the Florida Peanut Producers Association, the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association and the Georgia Peanut Commission.
See, PEA Breakfast photo gallery: Peanut industry gathers to discuss progress, challenges ahead
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