Nutty News
“PB for OK” raising peanut butter donations for Oklahoma storm victims
Through “PB for OK” the Texas Peanut Producers Board is raising funds to send cases of peanut butter to the thousands in the Oklahoma City suburbs impacted by yesterday’s devastating storm. TPPB encourages fellow Texans to support the cause through monetary donations.
“PB for OK,” is working with the food banks’ relief efforts in Moore, Okla., and surrounding areas to distribute peanut butter to the victims as they start to rebuild their lives and the community over the next few weeks.
“It’s an honor to be a part of an industry so eager to step up and give to those in dire situations,” TPPB Executive Director Shelly Nutt says. “We are working closely with the food banks to ensure this peanut butter is made available to the tornado’s victims when they need it most. This is an excellent opportunity for Texans to work together to provide food to people who in many cases have lost everything.”
Clements Nut Co., located in Lewisville, Texas, and less than 200 miles from the destruction area, has generously offered TPPB its peanut butter product at-cost. This Texas company’s gracious effort will enable TPPB to get even more peanut butter in the hands of those who certainly need it.
“This is an easy and secure way for Texans to help the people impacted by this terrible storm by providing them with a nutritious, non-perishable food item that is high in protein,” Nutt says. “I’m so proud to work in an industry that is always so willing to help others who are in need, especially when we’re producing a product that these people so desperately need.”
Check donations can be mailed or delivered to the Texas Peanut Producers Board office at 4205 N. Interstate 27, Lubbock, Texas 79403. Designate "PB for OK" in the memo line or lower left hand corner of your check. All proceeds from this effort will be directly used for the purchase of peanut butter for this cause.
The nation’s peanut industry has a long-standing history of aiding those in need. Texas worked with other peanut-producing states in the establishment of Peanut Proud, based in Blakely, Ga. This non-profit organization donated 3.6 million servings of peanut butter to Haitian earthquake victims in 2010, and provided peanut butter to tornado victims across the Southeast and in Joplin, Mo., in 2011, as well as other philanthropic efforts. Peanut Proud is also collecting funds to donate peanut butter to victims in Oklahoma.
For more information about “PB for OK”, the Texas peanut industry and more, visit www.TexasPeanutBoard.com. Those with questions or wanting to further support this effort can contact TPPB staff at 806.687.6363.
Farmers given opportunity to share state peanut production situation with national board
Delegates of the National Peanut Board took the opportunity during their last quarterly board meeting April 9-10 in San Antonio, Texas, to host a Grower Summit with the Texas Peanut Producers Board; enabling them to learn about the challenges and triumphs of the state’s peanut production firsthand.
The purpose of the Grower Summit was to promote open dialogue about the challenges and opportunities peanut farmers face and to help foster dialogue between growers. Farmers attending the summit noted the benefits this fresh perspective offers the board on a national level.
“Texas is unique in that it is still a prominent part of the peanut industry, yet it grows the crop under rather different circumstances than farmers in the Southeast where the majority of the U.S. production is,” TPPB Chairman Larry Don Womack of DeLeon, Texas, said. “Having a summit like this allows us to not only visit with delegates not as familiar with our state’s production and issues, but also show them directly what peanut farming looks like in Texas.”
NPB Chairman Vic Jordan, a peanut farmer from Rayville, La., concurred with Womack’s thoughts.
“These meetings are extremely instructive and helpful for board members,” Jordan said. “Many of the issues confronting peanut farmers in Texas are very different from those in other parts of the country, but we share many of the same challenges. We really appreciate the opportunity to get the perspective of these Texas peanut farmers.”
Womack said one of the more interesting discussions of the group centered on genomics research.
“Every growing region focuses on research specific to their region, but the genomics project is one area of research that will benefit us all,” Womack said. “Texas is a large geographical area and we have farmers growing different types in different areas of our state. Some grow Virginias and runners just like farmers in the Southeast or in the Virginia-Carolinas, while others grow Spanish and Valencias. It was helpful to talk about similarities and differences in disease control with growers from other regions.”
Following the meeting, Grayson Wilmeth, a TPPB director and farmer from Dilley, Texas, hosted the boards for a tour of his farm. The group also joined the South Texas Peanut Growers Association for its annual meeting in Pearsall, Texas. The meeting had nearly 100 people in attendance.
“It’s good for both our state and national boards to have the opportunity to visit with farmers at these events,” TPPB Executive Director Shelly Nutt said. “It gives farmers the chance to visit with their farmer leaders with these organizations, while also enabling us to share what the checkoff programs are doing at local and national levels.”
Anne-Marie DeLorenzo with M&M Mars, Inc. also discussed market trends from a manufacturer’s point of view at the summit. At the conclusion of the meeting, members of both boards toured the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio to gain a better understanding of how peanuts impact the food industry.
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Peanut farmer meeting to host multiple industry experts
Peanut farmers from across South Texas are invited to join the South Texas Peanut Growers at their annual meeting, sponsored this year by the National Peanut Board and the Texas Peanut Producers Board, on April 9, 2013, at the First Baptist Church in Pearsall, Texas. Registration for this FREE event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the formal program starting at 6 p.m.
TPPB Executive Director Shelly Nutt encourages farmers from across the region to attend this unique gathering of several organizations that work on behalf of Texas growers on a daily basis.
“This is a perfect opportunity for farmers to learn about industry news, research, and visit with members of all these boards to gain valuable insight on the current state of the peanut industry and where it’s going,” Nutt said.
The meeting will include a meal and presentations from several industry leaders, including:
- TPPB Update – Chairman Larry Don Womack of DeLeon
- NPB Update – President and CEO Bob Parker
- Peanut Variety Survey & Update on Premature Senescence of Whiteflies – Mark Black, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Plant Pathologist
- Weed Control and Resistance Issues – James Grichar, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Assistant Research Scientist
- Peanut Breeding and Testing Results – Michael Baring, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research Assistant Research Scientist
- Variety Performance and Management Considerations for Peanut Production 2013 – Jason Woodward, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service State Peanut Specialist
The event is being held following both the NPB and TPPB’s board meetings in San Antonio, Texas, April 8-9.
“It’s good for both our state and national boards to have the opportunity to visit with producers at events like this one,” Nutt said. “It gives farmers the opportunity to visit with their producer leaders with these organizations, while also enabling us to share what the checkoff programs are doing at local and national levels.”
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