TIFTON, Georgia— Representatives from peanut growers, shellers, manufacturers and an economist all expressed concern today to U.S. Senators regarding the national posted price issued weekly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Their testimony was presented during a senate hearing to review the implementation of the peanut program today in Washington, D.C.

The representing groups all voiced disgust at the continuation of a high price that doesn’t accurately reflect the price of peanuts in the worldwide market. U.S. peanut producers have lost a significant portion of their export market despite the changes invoked by the 2002 Farm Bill.

“While the U.S. peanut industry can be successful in the domestic market, this does not hold true for the international market. The U.S. peanut industry used to have over 30 percent of the world peanut trade under the old peanut program during normal crop years,” says Stanley Fletcher, director of the National Center for Peanut Competitiveness and professor at the University of Georgia. “In 2005, the industry had approximately 13 percent of the world trade. If one looks at the trend since 1992, the U.S. peanut export volume has dropped 54 percent from 1992 to 2005.”

According to Fletcher, the problem does not lie within the peanut program itself. Rather, the problem exists due to the method USDA is using to implement the language in the law.

Also testifying during the hearing include Floyd Gaibler, deputy under-secretary of the USDA Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services; Evans Plowden, general counsel to the American Peanut Shellers Association and Gary Rasor, consultant for the American Peanut Products Manufacturers, Inc.- The J.M. Smucker Company. Two peanut farmers, Armond Morris, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission, and Jimbo Grissom, Western Peanut Growers Association, accompanied Fletcher to answer questions.

“We have visited with USDA about the national posted price several times and they have neglected to correct it,” Morris says. “Hopefully, this hearing called by U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss will help solve the problem.”