TIFTON, Georgia– Producers were able to fine-tune their farming operations with information gained at the 33rd Annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show on Jan. 15, 2009, at the Albany Civic Center in Albany, Ga. The show is sponsored by the Georgia Peanut Commission in cooperation with the University of Georgia.

The Georgia Peanut Commission presented the first ever Outstanding Georgia Young Peanut Farmer Award during the show. The award is presented to one Georgia peanut farmer based upon the applicant's overall farm operation; environmental and stewardship practices; and leadership and community service activities. The 2009 winner is Jimmy Webb of Leary, Ga.

Webb started farming when he returned from college in 1986 with 75 acres of peanuts and 75 acres of cotton. Today the farming operation has grown to encompass 2,800 acres with 900 acres of peanuts. He has been named a three time district winner and one year state winner in the Georgia Peanut Achievement Club and the 2005 Lancaster Sunbelt Expo Georgia Farmer of the Year.

Stewardship is a priority on his farm which utilizes conservation tillage, variable rate applications, twin row planting, irrigation scheduling methods and an electrical irrigation pump. He has converted all of his irrigation systems to low pressure systems with drops to help maximize irrigation efficiency. He has also installed a GPS guidance system to have more accuracy in planting and digging of his peanut crop.

The Georgia Peanut Commission also presented awards to individuals and businesses for their service to the peanut industry and promotion of peanuts across the U.S. The award recipients are: Distinguished Service Award - Birdsong Peanuts; Research and Education Award – Roy Pittman, agronomist with USDA Agricultural Research Service, and Jim Todd, professor emeritus of entomology at the University of Georgia; Media Award – Southeast Ag Net and a Special Award - Jimmy Lee, retired from Georgia Farm Bureau.

The one-day show offered farmers a full day to view the products and services of more than 65 exhibitors and a day of education. The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service presented educational peanut production seminars throughout the day focusing on weed management, disease management, insect management, soil fertility, peanut plant nutrition, and economics of peanut production.
For the first time ever an industry seed seminar was also held during the farm show.

At the close of the day, the presentation of the grand door prize donated by Kelley Manufacturing Company was presented to Mark Griffin of Alapaha, Ga. He received one season’s use of a new 4-row or 6-row KMC peanut combine. For photos and additional information on the Georgia Peanut Farm Show visit the Georgia Peanut Commission Web site at www.gapeanuts.com.