The American Peanut Council’s mission is to support the long-term growth of the U.S. peanut industry. We are the only organization that represents all segments of the peanut industry, including growers, shellers, manufacturers and allied partners. In a nutshell, we bring the industry together as we support exports, sustainability, reputation management and research of the world’s favorite nut.
Serving as chair of the American Peanut Council in 2024 was a wonderful experience for me. I greatly enjoyed all the interactions throughout the peanut industry and appreciated the passion that so many of us have for advancing this industry. The APC represents all segments of the industry, which means you may think there could be competing interests. But the fact is APC members commit much time and many resources to work together on issues that are mutually beneficial and, in the greater scheme of things, beneficial for the industry as a whole. To me this is the heart of the APC mission, and we made strides toward achieving our goals in 2024.
An issue I feel passionate about is peanut sustainability. In 2024, we continued to seek greater grower involvement in Sustainable U.S. Peanuts and made progress in an economically challenging time for farmers. We also put communications and programs in place to approach 2025 with optimism. The sustainability story for peanuts continues to be highlighted in our promotions and those of our members and partners.
Another pillar of APC is export promotions, where we continued to advocate for U.S. peanuts around the world and implemented the strategic objectives of our plans. 2024 brought about increased funding opportunities and APC was successful in securing $6.5 million over the next five years in new funding through the RAPP program. We also continued to work with the EU on complex testing and other technical issues in hopes of better positioning U.S. peanuts in that marketplace. APC members and staff have dedicated countless hours and efforts toward a measured and steady focus on achieving the APC export strategy and should give us reason to believe that the future is bright for U.S. peanut exports.
Other areas of focus, such as Peanut Butter for the Hungry, food safety, membership and reputation management for the industry continue to be important functions for APC.
Overall, 2024 was a year of progress in achieving the goals set forth by the APC Board of Directors. I particularly enjoyed the interactions and involvement of the Executive Committee as we reviewed that progress, and I am excited to see how the industry grows and develops in 2025 and beyond. As I reflect on my year as chair, I am struck by the dedication of volunteer leadership and APC staff to give value to the APC membership. It has been my privilege to be a witness to the process in 2024.
Annual value of U.S. peanut and peanut product exports.
Grower enrollees in Sustainable U.S. Peanuts covering 103,000 acres in 11 States.
Joined USDA on its trade mission to Korea, where we held 22 B2B meetings.
Two reverse trade missions from Mexico and Japan; 31 travelers from Mexico and 24 from Japan.
The International Peanut Forum with a new look worthy of the global event.
In funding for peanut research through The Peanut Research Foundation.
Attendees at the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Peanut Research & Education Society (APRES).
Combined attendees at the Insights Summit and USA Peanut Congress.
Continued to provide reputation management to the entire peanut industry through crisis communications and other critical resources.
New grower tools and communications resources for Sustainable U.S. Peanuts.
New export funding from USDA RAPP for market development work in SE Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Contributed by Peanut Butter for the Hungry to Hurricane Helene disaster relief.
We curated a roster of top-tier speakers at the 2024 Insights Summit in Atlanta, giving participants insights into Canadian consumer peanut marketing, international food aid, peanut genomics and the impact of elections on the peanut industry.
We jointly hosted a successful USA Peanut Congress with the American Peanut Shellers Association on Amelia Island, Fla., where we awarded our signature Lifetime Achievement awards to Dr. Stanley Fletcher and posthumously to James C. Adams II. APC’s Hall of Fame Award was given to John Powell, past executive director of the American Peanut Shellers Association.
We held the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Peanut Research & Education Society (APRES) in Oklahoma City with 302 attendees, a historical high. Select APRES members were awarded for their distinguished work in peanut research, while nearly 60 graduate students competed in student research competitions.
We rebranded the International Peanut Forum with a new look. The premier global peanut event will take place April 9-11, 2025, in Seville, Spain. The IPF is for all sectors of the peanut supply chain – suppliers, buyers, service providers, or those in purchasing, R&D and marketing – there is something for everyone.
We applied for and received nearly $6.5 million (over five years) in new export funding from the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) for market development work in Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America, aligning with the industry export strategy. The increased RAPP funding also allows us to increase promotions in our target markets.
APC joined the Agriculture Department’s trade mission to Korea and led a peanut industry delegation on the tour, holding 22 B2B meetings over two days. South Korea is an increasingly important export customer for the U.S.; the trade mission was a tremendous opportunity to meet with potential importers and processors.
We hosted two reverse trade missions from Mexico and Japan., with 31 Mexican travelers and 24 Japanese travelers. The international peanut customers visited peanut farms and businesses in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Virginia to learn more about U.S. peanut production.
Staff, contractors and industry members participated in 21 export-related trips, including international conferences and trade shows, and hosted international customers.
We visited 12 different countries to promote U.S. peanuts.
We also introduced a new quarterly publication, Deep Dives, for our domestic members to see how APC is carrying out its export promotion work around the globe.
APC carried out ongoing trade, consumer and promotional work in markets around the globe.
APC completed the third year of Sustainable U.S. Peanuts and has opened the fourth crop year enrollment. Since launching the initiative in 2021, we have taken significant steps toward developing a credible sustainability framework for the entire peanut industry, starting at the field level. We are excited about the path forward as we move into year four.
To kick off the 2024 crop year, we are offering a $250 incentive to the first 300 enrollees.
We also created a grower toolkit, complete with a step-by-step, how-to enroll video and other valuable resources to assist growers, and a comprehensive communications toolkit to help industry stakeholders promote the program.
Growers enrolled in
11 states
Peanut acres enrolled, representing 6.2% of U.S peanut acres
Peanut acres included a Fieldprint Analysis, representing 60,204 tons of peanuts
The Peanut Research Foundation funded eight research projects in 2024, totaling $237,000. The foundation also entered into an agreement with the HudsonAlpha Institute and USDA to provide genotyping support for its research and breeding projects. While genotyping costs continue to go down, they are still a significant expense when utilizing modern marker assisted selection technologies. This agreement will provide $200,000 in peanut genotyping credit at HudsonAlpha.
The Peanut Wild Species Lab at the University of Georgia continues to produce allotetraploid germplasm which will be an invaluable source of wild peanut genes for breeders. Wild peanut species are a large and underutilized source of beneficial traits.
Several breeders continue to use the winter nursery in Puerto Rico, which is supported by the foundation. The availability of this site allows breeders to accelerate their variety production process by getting two generations of peanut production per year.
PeanutBase continues to house and organize large volumes of peanut genomic data for use by breeders and researchers.
We continued to cultivate strong relationships with our members in 2024, while providing exceptional member value through programming, industry involvement and reputation management. APC members are engaged in growing and developing export markets, are connected with industry leaders and experts, and are at the forefront of industry issues.
Our website and member portal, at peanutsusa.com, continue to be the go-to destinations for the latest member information.
We introduced the quarterly publication Deep Dives to keep our domestic membership in the know about our global export marketing programs and accomplishments.
We continued to deepen member communications to keep them in the know with our Growing Together webinar series, Insights newsletters, social media engagement and timely alerts.
We developed creative assets and marketing tools to help industry communicators promote Sustainable U.S. Peanuts with their grower audiences.
We grew the From the Field video series to hear directly from our members in their own words.
The American Peanut Council’s Peanut Butter for the Hungry (PB4H) donated $10,000 to help send peanut butter to those impacted by Hurricane Helene. The donation was part of a broader effort by Peanut Proud, which was able to distribute nearly 100,000 jars of peanut butter to areas hit hardest by the storm.
With help from American Peanut Research and Education Society (APRES) members, PB4H and Peanut Proud, we donated more than 15 tons of peanut butter to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma during the 56th APRES annual meeting. That’s a whopping 30,240 one-pound jars of PB!!!
We also worked with the White House Historical Association to offer members the official 2024 White House Christmas Ornament, honoring President Jimmy Carter. A portion of each ornament purchased through APC went directly to PB4H.
Chairman
Donald Chase
Georgia Peanut Commission
Vice Chairman
Anne-Marie DeLorenzo
Mars Wrigley
Treasurer
Clint Piper
Golden Peanut
Richard Owen
President & CEO
rowen@peanutsusa.com
Louise McKerchar
Vice President & European Marketing Director
lmckerchar@peanutsusa.org.uk
Tracy Grondine
Vice President, Communications
tgrondine@peanutsusa.com
Peter Vlazakis
Vice President, International Programs
pvlazakis@peanutsusa.com
Renee Deuell
Director of Finance
rdeuell@peanutsusa.com
Allie Randell
Director of Sustainability
arandell@peanutsusa.com
Christina Taylor
Director of Events
ctaylor@peanutsusa.com
Kate Maher
Membership Manager
kmaher@peanutsusa.com
Gene Crawford
Websites Manager
gcrawford@peanutsusa.com
Steve Brown, Ph.D.
Executive Director
The Peanut Research Foundation
sbrown@peanutsusa.com
Carl Sanders
Alabama Peanut Producers Association
Joel Sirmon
Alabama Peanut Producers Assoc (ExCo)
Greg Baltz
Arkansas, National Peanut Board (ExCo)
Ken Barton
Florida Peanut Producers Association
Larry Ford
Florida Peanut Producers Association
Don Koehler
Georgia Peanut Commission
Rodney Dawson
Georgia Peanut Commission
Joe Boddiford
Georgia Peanut Commission
Tim Burch
Georgia Peanut Commission (ExCo)
Donald Chase
Georgia Peanut Commission (ExCo)
Ross Kendrick
Georgia Peanut Commission
Casey Cox Kerr
Georgia, National Peanut Board
Lonnie Fortner
Mississippi, National Peanut Board
Ashley Collins
North Carolina Peanut Growers Assn
Ray Garner
North Carolina, National Peanut Board
Les Crall
Oklahoma, National Peanut Board
Neal Baxley
South Carolina, National Peanut Board
Katherine Helms
South Carolina Peanut Board
Otis Johnson
Texas Peanut Producers Board
Jeff Roper
Texas Peanut Producers Board
Larry Don Womack
Texas Peanut Producers (ExCo)
Dell Cotton
Peanut Growers Coop Mktg Assoc (ExCo)
Chris Chammoun
Amer Peanut Shellers Assn (ExCo)
Charles Birdsong
Birdsong Peanuts
Darlene Cowart
Birdsong Peanuts
Robert Crumpler
Birdsong Peanuts
Greg Harnish
Birdsong Peanuts (ExCo)
Lupe de Lira
Golden Peanut
Blair Hillen
Golden Peanut
Clint Piper
Golden Peanut (ExCo)
Mike Davis
Olam Peanut Shelling Co.
Patricia Moody
Olam Peanut Shelling Co. (ExCo)
Miriam Crosby
The Peanut Institute/APSA
Rachel Santos
Premium Peanut (ExCo)
Clay Garnto
Premium Peanut
Byron Warnken
Wilco Peanut Co.
John Gray
Williston Peanuts
Anne-Marie DeLorenzo
Mars Wrigley (ExCo)
Jack Pattengale
Clements Foods Company
Kimmi Wernli
Crazy Richard’s Peanut Butter
Victor Galindo Del Toro
Galdisa
Juan Rodas
Hormel/Planters
Brian Reed
The JM Smucker Company (ExCo)
Michael Campagna
John B. Sanfilippo & Son
Jay Hathron
John B. Sanfilippo & Son
Lauren Flexon
Luray Peanut Company (ExCo)
Brandon Underwood
Once Again Nut Butter
Ted Williams
Amadas
Jon Moore
J.R. James Brokerage Company
Collins McNeil
M.C. McNeill & Company (ExCo)
Nick Smith
R. Smith Nut Company
Rex Vandiver
The Seam
Courtney Dorsett
The Peanut Research Foundation Chair
