by Bryce Ethridge for CAES News

The University of Georgia Tifton campus and Georgia Peanut Commission are set to host the 43rd annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference on Jan. 17, 2019, at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center.

The show focuses on peanut production in Georgia and allows the state’s producers to hear about the latest trends from industry leaders while learning about the newest research findings from members of the UGA-Tifton Peanut Team.

Scott Monfort, UGA Cooperative Extension peanut agronomist, said that UGA-Tifton’s peanut production seminar — which will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. — serves as an educational resource for the growers.

“We are here solely to help growers solve issues and have higher production,” he said. “We want to ensure that they have everything they need (information-wise) to go back to their farms and produce quality and high peanut yields for the upcoming year.”

Weather played a significant role in lower yields growers experienced this season. A wet spring delayed planting of approximately 45 percent of Georgia’s peanut crop until after May 25. Because of the late planting dates, more than 200,000 acres of the state’s crop were vulnerable to damage from Hurricane Michael, which hit Georgia on Oct. 10. A rainy November added to harvest problems for producers.

Georgia producers are usually done harvesting their crop by early November but were pushed back into December because of the delays.

“Once we got the crop in the ground, we had good weather this year, but this fall we have just been really wet,” Monfort said. “A lot of the growers can’t finish and harvest the last few acres. It’s been frustrating.”

The peanut farm show is expected to attract more than 1,400 farmers, who will see more than 100 exhibits during the show, which runs from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.

“The peanut commission and UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences strive every year to make sure that we don’t miss something and provide as much as we can, educationally and opportunity-wise,” said Monfort. “Anything that the growers need related to any part of peanut production, they should be able to find at the farm show.”

For more information, visit www.gapeanuts.com.