The July/August 2025 issue of the Southeastern Peanut Farmer is now available online.
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Legislation Includes Key Peanut Provisions
(July 3, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the final version of H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, in a 218-214 vote. This follows the U.S. Senate passage of the legislation in a in a 51-50 vote Tuesday, with Vice President JD Vance casting the vote required to break the tie. The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) applauds the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives for working diligently to pass this legislation and send it to the President’s desk for final approval.
The U.S. House Agriculture Committee and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee both prioritized many typical Farm Bill provisions to be included in this budget legislation package, additions which focused on investments in rural America. The final legislation included meaningful provisions for the peanut industry, including an increase in the reference price for the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program, a voluntary base acres update, a marketing loan increase, and modified payment limitations that reflect increased costs of production.
Specifically, this legislation:
USPF commends the efforts of Congressional agricultural leaders for working tirelessly to protect peanut industry provisions and ensure these meaningful policies were included in the final legislation. During the U.S. Senate approval process, the peanut industry and other agriculture commodity industries faced a challenge with an amendment offered by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to restrict payment limits. USPF joined over 40 agriculture groups in signing a letter to Senate leadership to oppose the amendment, and on June 30, Senator Grassley withdrew his amendment.
“The peanut industry has struggled over the past several years due to increases in farm inputs, labor shortages, and trade barriers. This inclusion of peanut provisions in the budget legislation package is significant in our efforts to provide producers with the tools and assistance they need to continue to produce our nation’s food, fuel, and fiber. USPF applauds the Members of Congress who supported rural communities by voting to advance this important legislation. We are grateful to U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman for their hard work and leadership in ensuring the much-needed provisions for the peanut industry were included in the final version of this bill,” said Jamie Brown, U.S. Peanut Federation Chairman.
“The budget legislation passed today reflects a strong response to the peanut industry’s continued discussions about challenging economic conditions. Alabama peanut growers appreciate the U.S. House Agriculture Committee and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee for their actions taken to address these issues. After two extensions of the 2018 Farm Bill, producers currently have no viable safety net in today’s economy. The peanut provisions in this package address these outdated farm bill provisions and provide a chance to quickly improve financial conditions for growers. We applaud Congress for prioritizing the advancement of this legislation,” said Carl Sanders, Alabama Peanut Producers Association President.
“The budget reconciliation package provides much-needed financial relief to the peanut industry. Peanut growers have faced significant economic strain due to high production expenses and low commodity prices. The detrimental financial situation has made increasing the reference price essential to preserving the farm safety net. The legislation passed today contains our industry’s top policy priorities, and we are thankful for the urgency in passing this bill,” said Joe Boddiford, Georgia Peanut Commission Chairman.
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The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) is comprised of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, the American Peanut Shellers Association, and the National Peanut Buying Points Association. USPF serves as a unified voice in Washington D.C. for all sectors of the peanut industry and advocates actively for strong agricultural policy. For additional information, contact Lorene Parker at (202) 543-7464 or by emailing lparker@reddingfirm.com.
Agriculture Title Includes Key Peanut Provisions
(July 1, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) applauds the U.S. Senate for working diligently to pass H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act earlier today. The bill passed by a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the vote required to break the tie.
U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman’s proposed legislation portion focused on Investment in Rural America. The Senate bill is similar to the bill first passed by the U.S. House, containing several important provisions for the U.S. peanut industry, including an increase in the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) reference price, an update for base acres, a marketing loan increase, and payment limitations that reflect increased costs of production.
“We are grateful to the U.S. Senate and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman for their hard work in ensuring the much-needed provisions for the peanut industry were included in this bill. We now urge the U.S. House to act quickly in their review process and final passage of the legislation package,” stated Jamie Brown, U.S. Peanut Federation Chairman.
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The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) is comprised of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, the American Peanut Shellers Association, and the National Peanut Buying Points Association. USPF serves as a unified voice in Washington D.C. for all sectors of the peanut industry and advocates actively for strong agricultural policy. For additional information, contact Lorene Parker at (202) 543-7464 or by emailing lparker@reddingfirm.com.
Agriculture Title Includes Key Peanut Provisions
(June 13, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) is grateful to the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry for their efficient and effective work in preparing their version of bill text for the budget legislation package.
U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman’s proposed legislation is similar to the recently passed U.S. House Agriculture Committee legislation that focuses on Investment in Rural America. The proposed Senate bill contains several important provisions for the U.S. peanut industry, including an increase in the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) reference price, an update for base acres, a marketing loan increase, and payment limitations that reflect increased costs of production. This legislation was released by the Committee last night and will soon undergo a parliamentary review process before being considered on the Senate floor.
“This bill takes a commonsense approach to reforming SNAP—cutting waste, increasing state accountability, and helping recipients transition to self-sufficiency through work and training. It’s about being good stewards of taxpayer dollars while giving folks the tools to succeed. At the same time, our farmers and ranchers are facing real challenges, which have been unaddressed for too long. This legislation delivers the risk management tools and updated farm bill safety net they need to keep producing the safest, most abundant and affordable food, fuel, and fiber in the world. It’s an investment in rural America and the future of agriculture,” Chairman Boozman said.
“The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) is pleased to support the Senate Agriculture Committee’s budget reconciliation text which addresses the current challenging economic times for the U.S. peanut industry. Following the passage of the House Agriculture Committee’s budget legislation, the Senate Agriculture Committee worked diligently to complete their version of the legislation, which includes provisions for our industry’s success. Peanut farmers are struggling financially due to the impacts of rising costs of production and low commodity prices. There have been two extensions of the 2018 Farm Bill which, due to antiquated data, provides little in the form of a safety net for producers in today’s marketplace. The Senate Agriculture Committee’s bill addresses these outdated farm bill provisions, updates key pieces of the farm safety net, and supports commodity export, research, and marketing efforts. This bill assures that growers, agribusinesses, and rural communities can move forward with confidence in farm policy for the foreseeable future,” stated USPF Chairman Jamie Brown.
“Peanut growers continue to face challenges as costs of production have long outpaced market prices. Unfortunately, peanut growers have seen no signs of hope for improvement in the 2025 crop nor the 2026 crop year. The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee’s budget package contains our industry’s top policy priorities. We are thankful for the urgency in releasing this legislative text and are pleased to support the Committee’s bill. We encourage the U.S. Senate to pass the full reconciliation package, including the Agriculture Committee’s provisions,” commented Joe Boddiford, Chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission.
Alabama Peanut Producers Association President Carl Sanders stated, “The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee’s proposed budget legislation is very important to Alabama peanut growers. Capitol Hill has listened to the peanut industry’s concerns about the current economic conditions, and we appreciate how the Committee has worked to address them. We believe the peanut provisions included in this budget legislation package are the peanut industry’s best opportunity to address significant financial conditions for growers as soon as possible.”
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The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) is comprised of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, the American Peanut Shellers Association, and the National Peanut Buying Points Association. USPF serves as a unified voice in Washington D.C. for all sectors of the peanut industry and advocates actively for strong agricultural policy. For additional information, contact Lorene Parker at (202) 543-7464 or by emailing lparker@reddingfirm.com.
Agriculture Title Includes Key Peanut Provisions
(May 16, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) applauds the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture for passing Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson’s budget legislation that focuses on Investment in Rural America.
Chairman Thompson’s proposed bill contained several important provisions for the U.S. peanut industry, including an increase in the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) reference price, an update for base acres, marketing loan increase, and payment limitations that reflect increased costs of production. This legislation was passed by the House Agriculture Committee and will soon be considered on the House floor as part of the full budget legislation package.
Chairman Thompson stated, “We’re strengthening the farm safety net and delivering critical support to the farmers, workers, and communities that keep America fed. These commonsense solutions help build a stronger, more resilient rural America. I’m grateful to my colleagues on the Committee for their hard work, and I look forward to passing this bill in the House and delivering results for families across the country.”
“The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) is pleased to support the House Agriculture Committee’s Budget Reconciliation bill, which addresses the current challenging economic times for the U.S. peanut industry. With the impact of rising costs of production and low commodity prices, farmers are struggling financially. There have been two extensions of the 2018 Farm Bill which, due to antiquated data, provides little in the form of a safety net for producers in today’s marketplace. The Agriculture Committee’s bill addresses these outdated farm bill provisions, updates key pieces of the farm safety net, and supports commodity export, research, and marketing efforts. This bill assures that growers, agribusinesses, and rural communities can move forward with confidence in farm policy for the foreseeable future,” stated USPF Chairman Jamie Brown.
“Costs of production continue to outpace market prices for peanut growers. We don’t see this situation improving for the 2025 crop nor the 2026 crop year. The U.S. House Agriculture Committee’s Budget package contains the top policy priorities for U.S. peanut growers and the peanut industry. We are pleased to support the Committee’s bill and encourage the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Reconciliation package, including the Agriculture Committee’s provisions,” commented Joe Boddiford, Chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission.
Alabama Peanut Producers Association President Carl Sanders stated, “The U.S. House Agriculture Committee passed Budget Reconciliation bill is good for Alabama peanut growers. The Committee listened to the peanut industry’s concerns about the economic conditions in Rural America and moved to address them. We believe the peanut provisions in the House Bill are the peanut industry’s best opportunity to address these significant financial conditions for growers.”
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The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) is comprised of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, the American Peanut Shellers Association, and the National Peanut Buying Points Association. USPF serves as a unified voice in Washington D.C. for all sectors of the peanut industry and advocates actively for strong agricultural policy. For additional information, contact Lorene Parker at (202) 543-7464 or by emailing lparker@reddingfirm.com.
The May/June 2025 issue of the Southeastern Peanut Farmer is now available online.
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This issue features:
The April 2025 issue of the Southeastern Peanut Farmer is now available online.
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(March 18, 2025 – TIFTON, Ga.) The Farm Service Agency is issuing a notice in the Federal Register announcing the funding for the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP), which will provide economic assistance payments to eligible producers of eligible commodities for the 2024 crop year. ECAP is a new FSA program authorized by the American Relief Act, 2025. This notice also announces the eligibility (commodities, acres, producers, and losses), payment calculations, payment limitations, and how to apply (pre-filled application and any required adjustments) for ECAP.
This document is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on March 19, 2025, and available online at https://federalregister.gov/d/2025-04604, and on https://govinfo.gov (Pub. L. 118-158) and administered by FSA. ECAP will use up to $10 billion to issue one-time economic assistance payments to eligible producers of eligible commodities for the 2024 crop year. These payments are intended to help farmers cope with losses from natural disasters and a difficult farm economy, and will help preserve family farms and ranches across the country while also continuing to ensure food and agricultural security for our nation.
Eligible commodities include barley, canola, crambe, corn, dry peas, extra-long staple cotton, flax, large chickpeas, mustard, lentils, oats, peanuts, rapeseed, rice, safflower, sesame, small chickpeas, sorghum, soybeans, sunflower, upland cotton, and wheat. The payment rate for peanuts is $75.51 per acre.
Farmers can sign up on the FSA website on March 19 at https://www.fsa.usda.gov/ecap. Applications must be submitted by Aug. 15, 2025.
The March 2025 issue of the Southeastern Peanut Farmer is now available online.
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This issue features:
Peanut industry representatives donate 5,760 jars of Peanut Proud peanut butter to the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, D.C.
(March 7, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) leaders combined advocacy with service during their March 2025 Washington, D.C. Fly-in. The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC), in conjunction with USPF, proudly partnered with Peanut Proud, the peanut industry’s humanitarian relief organization, to donate 5,760 jars of peanut butter to serve the Nation’s Capital and surrounding areas. This donation was made to recognize and celebrate National Peanut Month in March.
“We are grateful to provide this donation of peanut butter to the Capital Area Food Bank to help ensure that those affected by food insecurity in this area can have access to safe, nutritional food,” said Joe Boddiford, GPC chairman.
USPF representatives were able to visit the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) and hear firsthand how this donation will positively impact families in the local community. According to representatives at CAFB, the peanut butter donated will be distributed as quickly as this week to children, families, and the elderly in the community.
Molly McGlinchy, deputy chief of programs and innovation at CAFB, expressed appreciation to the peanut industry representatives in attendance.
“Protein is a critical nutrient at all ages and all stages of life for the individuals that we serve, and peanut butter is a great way to provide that nutrient,” McGlinchy said. “It’s shelf-stable and kid-friendly, and always in high demand among our clients. We’re grateful for this donation, which will be distributed to neighbors across our region.”
CAFB works to address hunger today and create brighter futures tomorrow for the half a million neighbors across the region experiencing food insecurity. As the anchor in the area’s hunger relief infrastructure, they provide over 60 million meals to people in need each year by supplying food to hundreds of nonprofit organizations. They also work in partnership with organizations across the region to address hunger’s root causes by pairing food with other critical services.
March is also National Nutrition Month – a great time to recognize the nutritional value of peanuts. One serving of peanuts is a good source of protein, vitamin E, niacin, folate, phosphorus, and magnesium. Peanuts are naturally cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat.
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The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) is comprised of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, the American Peanut Shellers Association, and the National Peanut Buying Points Association. USPF serves as a unified voice in Washington D.C. for all sectors of the peanut industry and advocates actively for strong agricultural policy. For additional information, contact Lorene Parker at (202) 543-7464 or by emailing lparker@reddingfirm.com.
