The 15th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference is set for July 18-20, at the Edgewater Beach Resort in Panama City Beach, Fla.

The three-day event will provide farmers with an opportunity to learn more about the industry and issues affecting them, in addition to a relaxing family time at the beach.

The general sessions at this year’s conference will offer farmers information on maintaining markets, innovations for sustainability, production sustainability and sustaining farm policy.

In addition to the conference sessions, the event focuses on the family by offering a ladies program and a golf tournament.

Registration for the meeting will begin on Thursday, July 18, at 1 p.m., lasting until 7:30 p.m. A welcoming reception will be held at 7 p.m. Following the reception, from 7:30 until 10 p.m., will be a welcoming dinner.

On Friday, July 19, Valent will sponsor a prayer breakfast beginning at 7 a.m., and also host the presentation of the Valor Award. This will be followed by General Session I, at 8:15. The theme of the first session — Maintaining Market Growth — will feature the following topics: Industry Changes & Innovation; The Domestic Markets; The International Markets; and A Manufacturer’s View.

Session II, with the theme Innovations for Sustainability, features the following topics: Energy Alternatives, Incentives for Rural Development; and Solar Energy.

The theme for General Session III, beginning at 1 p.m., is Production Sustainability. Topics include Production Techniques; Disease Management; and The Future in Genomics.

The Southern Peanut Growers Conference continues on Saturday, July 20, with registration opening at 6:45 a.m. and the Farm Press Peanut Profitability Awards Breakfast and Grower Panel sponsored by the National Peanut Board set for 7 a.m.

The awards will be presented this year to Tim McMillan and Southern Grace Farms, Lower Southeast Region; Murray Phillips, Southwest Region; and Jart Hudson, Upper Southeast Region.

Sponsors of this year’s awards include AMVAC Chemical, Arysta LifeScience, BASF, DuPont Crop Protection, Golden Peanut Company, Helena Chemical Company, John Deere and Company, National Peanut Board, Rio Tinto Minerals, Southeast Farm Press, Southwest Farm Press and Delta Farm Press.

General Session IV will convene at 8:45 a.m., with the theme, Sustaining Farm policy. Topics include the following: Congressional Viewpoint; Agricultural Political Trends; and The Farm Bill.

A golf tournament will be held from 12:30 until 6 p.m., followed by a reception at 7 p.m. Dinner and entertainment — beginning at 7:30 p.m. — will be sponsored by Syngenta.

Conference registration information is available online at www.southernpeanutfarmers.org or farmers should contact their state grower organization for a registration form. Hotel registration must be made separately with Edgewater Beach Resort by calling 1-800-874-8686.

When reserving rooms, be sure to ask for the Southern Peanut Growers Conference rate.

The 2013 Southern Peanut Growers Conference is presented by the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, Florida Peanut Producers Association, Georgia Peanut Commission, and Mississippi Peanut Growers Association.