Each year Farm Press sponsors the Peanut Efficiency Awards celebrating peanut growers and the efficiency with which they produce their crop.

Nominations are currently being accepted. If you know a peanut farmer that does a good job growing their crop, go to www.farmprogress.com/peanut-efficiency-award to nominate them.

Farm Press established the peanut efficiency program to recognize and reward producers who use tried-and-true practices along with innovative methods to improve the efficiency and sustainability of their operations.

This year marks the 25^th year the awards have been presented and in those years the face of peanut production has evolved - new technologies have been developed, a greater emphasis has been placed on environmental considerations, and production has expanded outside of the traditional growing regions.

Today, producers are seeing increased yields because of variety improvements, helping the crop to become more resistant to disease, pests and other environmental stresses.

But the one thing that remains constant is the quality of the people who grow peanuts. I’ve spent time with some incredible people since I was introduced to the peanut grower community.  I can’t say I have a favorite because they have all been outstanding individuals.

When I sat down with Mitchell Rogers outside of Hot Coffee, Miss., we talked more about the community of people he was involved with – and those he had encouraged to farm – than his own operation.

His son called me later to tell me that I should realize that he does what he does because he loves the people he encounters. He spends a good deal of time manning his roadside stand selling boiler peanuts and enjoying the company it brings.

Last year I was introduced to the Deane family in Sikeston, Mo., two brothers and their adult sons who started growing peanuts in 2015 and have been successful in an area new to peanut production.

Granted, when people sit down for an interview they are generally on their best behavior, but the Deanes genuinely seemed to like each other. Each one plays a dynamic role in their operation and claims that peanuts have helped increase profitability on their farm.

It was like spending time with family.

Those peanut producers I have met from the Carolinas to Texas have all had a relaxed comfort about them when talking about their crop.

Once, when I was with a group of farmers who were left at a peanut grower’s shop in North Carolina (a longer story than this space allows), the host fed us boiled peanuts and beer while our misplaced transportation was tracked down.

The farmer showed us every corner of his operation and remained in touch with several of us for years.

So, for me, much like Mitchell Rogers, I think that the Peanut Efficiency Awards are more about the people than the process.

If you have a favorite progressive peanut farmer, nominate that person today.