Americus, GA |

More than one and a half million tons. That’s how many peanuts are grown and harvested here in Georgia each and every year. So, it should come as no surprise that the annual Georgia Peanut Tour attracts guests from all over the world. This three-day tour takes them on the journey from planting to processing and everything in between. And one of their first stops was at a seed development company, where it all begins.

“Well, out here, we take breeder material from UGA breeders. We increase that. They give us about a hundred and forty pounds of seed from their breeding programs. We take that and we increase it and we increase it again until it’s available for public to buy. We’re kind of the bridge between the public breeders and the commercial buyers,” says Justin Tanner, Manager of Georgia Seed Development.

The number one goal for this kind operation is to maintain the integrity of the seed, even while being mass produced.

“Seed production is different than food production. The way we handle our seed, the way that it’s treated for purity and quality to ensure that the variety remains pure. It is our number one goal that the genetics remain just as pure as the time we get it from the breeder,” says Tanner.

Once in the ground, getting the crop all the way to harvest is quite an undertaking. Thankfully, there are companies like GreenPoint Ag that help the grower keep their peanuts healthy and strong.

“Yeah, we’re a full-service ag retailer here in Cordelle, Georgia. We sell everything a farmer needs from crop nutrients to precision ag services, agronomy services, all insecticides, herbicides and fungicides that are needed to protect the crop through the growing season. It’s important to support farmers. We give them all the things they need to protect their crop, keep the pests out of it, keep all the diseases out of their crop so they can make a good harvest and sustain a profitable operation,” says Clint Powell, Manager of GreenPoint Ag.

While here, attendees got to hear about some the latest treatment options, as well as all the dedication it takes to keep Georgia’s peanut industry running smoothly.

“I hope they enjoy seeing what we do. I love my job here and I hope everybody takes away that we’re devoted to the farmers of Georgia and supporting them and giving them everything they need. We’re very versatile. We’ll go anywhere in the state needed to support the growers. I just hope that they realize how important agriculture is for the state of Georgia, for the economy of Georgia. It’s not just farmers. It’s the entire area that we’re living in here in Georgia,” says Powell.

Even though there are many cogs in the machine when it comes to peanut production in the state, it’s important to note how they are all pulling in the same direction.

“The message that I would like to get across is that we’re all here to support the farmer. We’re all here to support the industry. There’s a lot that goes into it, a lot of hard work. We’re all committed to the farmer of the area and we all love agriculture. That’s why we’re in this industry,” says Powell.

By: Damon Jones