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 The Agriculture Committee’s bill addresses these outdated farm bill provisions, updates key pieces of the farm safety net, and supports commodity export, research, and marketing efforts.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.

(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.

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.

Garrett Moore of Moore Family Farm LLC in Chancellor, Alabama, testifies at the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry hearing held Feb. 5, 2025.

(Feb. 10, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry held a hearing on February 5 titled “Perspectives from the Field: Farmer and Rancher Views on the Agricultural Economy, Part 1.” The U.S. Peanut Federation was honored to have representation by Garrett Moore of Moore Family Farm LLC in Chancellor, Alabama.

Moore’s testimony highlighted the struggles facing the peanut industry, including growers, shellers, and buying points. He outlined the major financial challenges over the past few years, including supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, inflation, non-tariff trade barriers and low market prices. Despite the recently passed economic assistance package, farmers will still face significant deficits, with input costs rising dramatically.

According to peanut economist Dr. Stanley Fletcher, Professor of Policy at the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, the 2021 cost of production was $546.54 per ton, and reports the 2024 cost of production at approximately $656.80 per ton, a 20.17% percent increase over the course of three years.

During his testimony, Moore gave anecdotal evidence supporting the rising cost of production, stating, “On our farm alone, many of our expenses have almost doubled since 2018, and we are seeing no signs of relief in the cost of production area. For example, we need specific fertilizers to sustain nutrient levels in the soil, both for the peanuts we are growing and to protect the land for future crops. In the past few years, the significant increase in fertilizer costs has caused tough management decisions.”

Additionally, Moore emphasized the need for Congress to pass a new Farm Bill this year, and to include an increase in the reference price for the peanut Price Loss Coverage program (PLC) and a voluntary base update that will assist newer growing regions and younger growers.

“This testament to our current farm economy clearly conveys why we need a new Farm Bill. Peanut growers, shellers, and buying points all support the PLC program as included in the 2018 Farm Bill, but with a reference price increase. While the 2018 Farm Bill’s PLC program has been beneficial for peanut growers in the past, the rise in cost of production requires a reference price increase if this program is to remain relevant and valuable as a farm safety net,” Moore said.

“Additionally, the U.S. Peanut Federation supports a voluntary base update that includes growers with and without peanut base acres. While the 2014 Farm Bill allowed for base updating for peanut growers that already had base acreage on their farms, it excluded many young farmers and new production areas,” Moore added.

In closing, he stressed the importance of the peanut industry in the global food supply and urged continued support for farmers to ensure the future of agriculture.

“I am proud to be an American peanut grower and am thankful for the opportunity to contribute to our nation’s food supply. I hope to continue my family’s farm for a 5th generation, which cannot be done without increased support for our industry,” Moore said.

In addition to Moore, Mr. Zippy Duvall, President, American Farm Bureau Federation, and Mr. Rob Larew, President, National Farmers Union, also testified, as well as representatives from other commodities including cotton, corn, wheat, barley, sorghum, soybean, sugarbeet, and rice.

Watch the full hearing here.

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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.