Dr. Joseph McIntyre, research agricultural engineer at USDA-ARS National Peanut Research Laboratory presents current aflatoxin research projects during the Aflatoxin Research Update, Jan. 14, 2026, at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center.

(Jan. 21, 2026 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) Last week, the American Peanut Shellers Association, National Peanut Buying Points Association, Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, and United States Peanut Federation hosted the fourth annual Aflatoxin Research Update at the University of Georgia Conference Center in Tifton, Georgia.

Throughout the day, 21 presentations were given by research leaders from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s National Peanut Research Lab, research and extension professionals from land grant universities such as Fort Valley State University, University of Georgia, University of Florida, and Mississippi State University.

“These annual updates allow us to see the steady progress being made across multi-year research projects. From seasoned experts to emerging researchers, this year’s aflatoxin research update highlighted potential solutions at every point in the supply chain—from enhancing plant resistance and displacing the fungus at the soil level, to understanding how warehouse conditions and practices influence aflatoxin proliferation, and developing more efficient detection methods that could help shellers and manufacturers mitigate financial risk,” said Courtney Dorsett, chair of the American Peanut Shellers Association Committee on Regulatory Compliance and Research Coordination. “Winning the war against aflatoxin will require a multi-pronged approach, and thanks to the financial support of the U.S. Peanut Federation, we are steadily marching toward success.”

U.S. Congress recently approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies legislation, which would continue the peanut aflatoxin research funding for FY 2026 at $4 million.

“Aflatoxin is a major concern for the US peanut industry. The funding secured by the U.S. Peanut Federation has created foundational knowledge among the researchers and allowed university extension professionals to make applicable recommendations to the industry around the management and mitigation of aflatoxin. Growers, buying points, and shellers have all collectively been part of this effort to continue to research and understand aflatoxin,” said Chris Chammoun, executive director of the American Peanut Shellers Association.

The U.S. Peanut Federation will continue to work with USDA, land grant universities and peanut organizations on research, funding, and updates surrounding aflatoxin in peanuts.

“The Georgia Peanut Commission is proud to partner in support of these peanut aflatoxin research efforts. We will continue to prioritize this research and welcome future opportunities to advance innovation and progress within the U.S. peanut industry,” said Taylor Arnold, executive director of the Georgia Peanut Commission.

“We are pleased to continue supporting research focused on aflatoxin in peanuts. Discovering new strategies to mitigate the impacts of aflatoxin in peanuts is essential to the long-term viability and success of the entire U.S. peanut industry. The National Peanut Buying Points Association appreciates the important work being carried out by research institutions and departments dedicated to strengthening and sustaining U.S. peanut products,” said Tyron Spearman, executive director of the National Peanut Buying Points Association.

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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.

(Dec. 9, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) Yesterday, President Trump announced a new agricultural economic assistance package, totaling $11 billion for row crop producers, including peanuts. Specific payment rates for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program have not yet been announced, but farmers can expect to receive payments as early as February 2026.

U.S. peanut growers have continued to struggle with high costs of production, low commodity prices, and recent natural disasters. The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) is grateful to President Trump and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins for their continued attention to the success of rural America’s producers.

For the peanut industry, this announcement strengthens the farm safety net and provides confidence for producers to continue their farming operations. USDA Secretary Rollins noted that producers will have payment rates by the end of 2025 and will be able to provide this information for lending purposes as growers enter the new crop year. As of now, USDA has shared the following details: the payment rate will apply to 2025 planted acres; a $155,000 payment limit applies; a $900,000 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) test applies; and for growers who double crop, both crops will be eligible for payments. Additionally, in order to be eligible for this program, growers must file their acreage report and ensure farm data is up to date with their local county Farm Service Agency (FSA) office by December 19, 2025.

“Following years of financial strain for peanut farmers, we are grateful for the efforts made by the Trump Administration to identify options for relief. This new economic assistance package will ensure our industry can continue to operate under a struggling farm economy. We are thankful to President Trump and Secretary Rollins for listening to the voices of production agriculture and prioritizing the success and sustainability of our industries,” said Jamie Brown, U.S. Peanut Federation Chairman.

“Peanut growers have remained steadfast in their operations over the past few years, even while facing challenging economic conditions at the farm level. We are grateful to President Trump and Secretary Rollins for their leadership in securing this economic assistance and their continued advocacy for rural America. This announcement provides hope to U.S. peanut growers as they prepare to enter the next crop year,” 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.

(Nov. 17, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) Three days after the government reopened and despite the radical left Democrat caused shutdown, President Donald J. Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins continue to put Farmers First, including the unprecedented move to reopen over 2,000 county FSA offices in the middle of the government shutdown so farmers could continue to access U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) services during harvest. Today, the USDA will continue to support farmers and will release billions in disaster assistance for those recovering from natural disasters across the country.

“President Trump continues to put Farmers First and provide relief to American farmers reeling from the devastating natural disasters that struck across the United States in 2023 and 2024. The continued financial success of our farming and ranching operations is a national security priority,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “USDA is doing whatever it takes to make good on President Trump’s promise to expedite disaster recovery assistance to U.S. farmers and ranchers, ensuring viability, prosperity, and longevity for these men and women who dedicate their entire lives to our nation’s food, fiber and fuel production. The majority of payments from the first stage are already in the hands of producers helping them prepare for and invest in the next crop year.”

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is delivering more than $16 billion in total Congressionally approved SDRP assistance. This is on top of over $9.3 billion in Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) assistance to over 560,000 row crop farmers and over $705 million in Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) assistance to over 220,000 ranchers. Stage Two of SDRP covers eligible crop, tree, bush and vine losses that were not covered under Stage One program provisions, including non-indemnified (shallow loss), uncovered and quality losses. For Stage Two program details, including fact sheets, please visit fsa.usda.gov/sdrp.

The first stage, announced in July, remains available to producers who received an indemnity under crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for eligible crop losses due to qualifying 2023 and 2024 natural disaster events. FSA county offices will begin accepting SDRP Stage Two applications on November 24, 2025. Producers have until April 30, 2026, to apply for both Stage One and Stage Two assistance. FSA is establishing block grants with Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, and Massachusetts that cover crop losses; therefore, producers with losses on land physically located in these states are not eligible for SDRP program payments.

Since March 2025, USDA has supported U.S. farmers and ranchers with more than $16 billion in supplemental disaster assistance mandated by Congress in the American Relief Act, 2025 including $9.3 billion through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, over $1 billion through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program and, to date, more than $5.7 billion in SDRP Stage One payments.

Milk and On-Farm Stored Crop Loss Assistance

The Milk Loss Program provides up to $1.65 million in payments to eligible dairy operations for milk that was dumped or removed without compensation from the commercial milk market because of a qualifying natural disaster event in 2023 and/or 2024.

Producers who suffered losses of eligible harvested commodities while stored in on-farm structures in 2023 and/or 2024 due to a qualifying natural disaster event may be eligible for assistance through the On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program, which provides for up to $5 million to impacted producers.

The enrollment period to apply for milk and on-farm stored commodity losses is Nov. 24, 2025, through Jan. 23, 2026. Information and fact sheets for both programs are available online at fsa.usda.gov/mlp for milk loss and fsa.usda.gov/ofsclp for on-farm stored commodity losses.

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Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

(Aug. 25, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) Last week, the White House released a statement regarding the Framework on an Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade (“Framework Agreement”) made by the United States (U.S.) and the European Union (EU).

According to the U.S. EU Joint Statement, The European Union intends to eliminate tariffs on all U.S. industrial goods and to provide preferential market access for a wide range of U.S. agricultural goods. Additionally, the European Union and the United States have committed to work together to address non-tariff barriers affecting trade in food and agricultural products.

For almost a decade, the U.S. peanut industry has advocated for EU trade solutions, specifically regarding non-tariff barriers the industry has faced due to EU sampling protocols. The EU has been a long-time importer of U.S. peanuts, and the U.S. peanut industry appreciates the Trump Administration’s efforts to assist in strengthening one of our top export markets.

“We are grateful for the efforts made by the Trump Administration to identify solutions to the non-tariff trade barrier issues the U.S. peanut industry has been facing. The European Union has the potential to be one of our strongest export markets, but we have continued  at a significant disadvantage over our export competitors. This agreement provides a sense of security to the U.S. peanut industry with the knowledge that the Administration has prioritized resolving unfair, non-tariff trade barriers for U.S. agricultural products,” said Jamie Brown, United States 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.