USA Peanut Crop Situation American Peanut Shellers Association American Peanut Product Manufacturers, Inc. Industry Spring Conference 5 March 2008 Lake Blackshear, GA American Peanut Shellers Association American Peanut Product Manufacturers, Inc. Industry Spring Conference 5 March 2008 Lake Blackshear, GA John P. Beasley, Jr. Extension Peanut Agronomist University of Georgia

Questions What is the anticipated acreage in your state? Up, down, or about the same as 2007? What are the key production issues in your state for 2008? What will be the main cultivars planted?

Response from Peanut Scientists listed below V-CV-C –Dr. Pat Phipps – Virginia –Dr. David Jordan – North Carolina –Dr. Jay Chapin – South Carolina SWSW –Dr. Naveen Puppala – New Mexico –Dr. Chad Godsey – Oklahoma –Dr. Todd Baughman – Texas SESE –Mike Howell – Mississippi –Dr. David Wright – Florida –Kris Balkcom – Alabama –Dr. John Beasley - Georgia

VIRGINIA Dr. Pat Phipps – Virginia Tech Acreage –Up 10%, could have been more but seems this is the amount of increase supported by contracts. Total could be 25,000 acres Key Production Issues –Cost of production, Sclerotinia blight, seed quality, adverse weather (drought, etc.) Cultivars –VA 98R, CHAMPS, Perry, Gregory, Brantley

VIRGINIA Dr. Pat Phipps – Virginia Tech There are germination problems with some seed samples due to adverse growing conditions last season in the V-C area. The Virginia Seed Certification Board has met with seedsmen to discuss this issue. Some seed may be sold in 2008 with less than 75% germination.

NORTH CAROLINA Dr. David Jordan – North Carolina State University Acreage –Up maybe 10% Key Production Issues –Dry weather persisting into 2008, increased production costs, tomato spotted wilt virus possibility, and weed resistance to herbicides Cultivars –Perry, VA 98R, Gregory, NC-V 11, CHAMPS, Phillips, Brantley, NC 12C, Wilson

SOUTH CAROLINA Dr. Jay Chapin – Clemson University Acreage –SC acreage should be up about 10%. Increase limited in part by soybean prices Key Production Issues –Disease complex management – late leaf spot, white mold, CBR, TSWV, pigweed resistance (dna, ALS, glyphosate), and of course, #1 is always – timely showers Cultivars –Virginias – NC-V11, CHAMPS, VA 98R, Gregory, Phillips, Perry –Runners – Georgia Green, Georgia-03L

New Mexico Dr. Naveen Puppala – New Mexico State University Acreage –About the same or possibly up a little. Valencia peanut contracts at $685. Acreage may go up a little if we get rain in the next month or two Key Production Issues –Fertilizer – high prices –Fungicides – pod rot and black hull are major diseases Cultivars –Valencia A and C account for about 70% of acreage –Rest is in H&W GenTex 101, 102, and 136 –Two new lines in 2008, NM02565 and NM Both yield about 15% higher than existing lines

OKLAHOMA Dr. Chad Godsey Acreage –Up, in the 20,000 to 30,000 acre range. Most producers realize profit potential exists. Key will be if old quota farmers get back in. Also riding the momentum of excellent 2007 crop in west and SW OK Key Production Issues –Weed control, especially ALS resistant Palmer amaranth. In west central OK control of Sclerotinia blight remains an issue but crop rotation has eased the pressure a little. Cultivars –Runners (60%) – Tamrun OL02, Flavorunner 458, Tamrun OL07 –Virginias (20%) – Jupiter, Brantley, Gregory –Spanish (20%) – AT (runner growth habit, graded as runner)

TEXAS Dr. Todd Baughman – Texas A&M Acreage –Initially thought acres would be up more than 10%. However, with current dry conditions and cotton prices near or above 80 cents, all bets are off. We can get by with less water on cotton than peanut. Leaning toward same as 2007 at this point Key Production Issues –Water (always an issue in TX) –Disease has become a bigger issue in west TX – leaf spot, pod rot, verticillium, Thelaviopsis, Rhizoctonia, Pythium, Sclerotinia –Rotation

TEXAS Dr. Todd Baughman – Texas A&M Cultivars –Runners (53% of acres in 2007) Flavorunner 458 will still be on majority of TX acreage, followed by Tamrun OL02. New varieties include ACI 51 and 48 (both are similar to 458 with earlier maturity and higher grade). Tamrun OL07 is new variety with increased disease resistance package but longer maturity than OL02 –Virginias (20% in 2007) Gregory, NC7, Jupiter, Phillips –Spanish (17% in 2007) Tamnut OL06 – new variety with similar kernel characteristics to Florunner. Could allow Spanish growers north of Lubbock to grow a peanut for the runner market –Valencia (10% in 2007) Nothing new at this time

MISSISSIPPI Mike Howell – Mississippi State University Acreage –Up again, possibly 20,000 – 23,000 acres Key Production Issues –Rotation – lot of talk of peanuts behind peanuts because of price. This sets up for a bad disease year –Water – growers fearful of another dry summer and are exploring irrigation options. Been getting plenty of rain this winter Cultivars –Georgia Green will still be grown on the most acres. Interest in AP-3 and Georgia-03L. Few acres of Georgia-02C in the delta. Growers in north MS looking for early maturing variety.

FLORIDA Dr. David Wright – University of Florida Acreage –Up 10-15% due to contracts Key Production Issues –Herbicide resistant weeds, water for irrigation (ponds are full now), lesser cornstalk borer (if dry) Cultivars –Mainly Georgia Green. AP-3 will be big in the Live Oak area. Growers want to try Florida-07 and other new ones. Most everyone wants a replacement for Georgia Green

ALABAMA Kris Balkcom – Auburn University Acreage –Up. Hard to say how much but possibly 15-20% Key Production Issues –TSWV –Wanting to plant earlier Cultivars –Georgia Green, AP-3, AT 3085RO, Georgia-02C, Georgia-03L –Still a lot of Georgia Green and it performs well with high management. TSWV is still a major issue –Georgia-03L is best choice for most growers to replace Georgia Green.

GEORGIA Dr. John Beasley – University of Georgia Acreage –600,000 – 650,000 range (up 13-23% from 530,000 acres in 2007). Acreage will depend on cotton and soybean prices Key Production Issues –Herbicide resistant weeds, especially Palmer amaranth –Water – good rainfall late Dec thru early March What will happen June – September? –Cost of production – diesel and seed prices –Disease management – CBR and white mold in short rotations Cultivars –Georgia Green, Georgia-03L, AP-3, AT 3085RO, Georgia- 02C, C-99R, AT 3081R will account for 90% –Growers anxious to try Florida-07, Georgia-06G, Tifguard, McCloud, York, AP-4, AT 215

Peanut Planted Acreages (1,000 acres) *2008** AL FL GA MS SE1, ,014 NM OK TX SW VA NC SC V-C USA1,6571,2431,2301,446*** *Source: NASS Crop Production 2007 Summary, Jan 2008 **Upper range of estimate from each specialist ***Maximum increase of 17.6%