The Legacy of Kris Balkcom
Kris Balkcom, area peanut specialist with Auburn Univesity, passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 12, 2206. His loss has been felt throughout Alabama agriculture and across the Southeastern peanut industry.
For countless peanut growers across the Southeast, seeing Kris Balkcom pull into the field meant answers weren’t far behind.
Balkcom, who served as an area peanut specialist with Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 12, 2026, surrounded by friends and family. His loss has been felt throughout Alabama agriculture and across the Southeast peanut industry, where he spent more than 25 years working alongside growers, researchers and industry leaders.
Those who knew Balkcom say his commitment to agriculture was matched only by the care he showed the people around him.
“He had a passion for helping growers and anyone he met. He had that same passion for his farm and his family,” says William Birdsong, peanut grower and friend of Balkcom.
A Career Rooted in Agriculture
Balkcom began his career in 1999 after earning a master’s degree in agri-science from Auburn University. Throughout his career with Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, he served in a variety of roles before becoming an area peanut specialist.
Though much of his work was centered in the Wiregrass, Balkcom’s knowledge and willingness to help reached far beyond the region as he worked with producers across Alabama and throughout the Southeast to navigate the challenges of peanut production.
His work included research projects, variety trials, field days, production meetings, crop tours and one-on-one assistance with growers throughout the season.
But those who worked with him say his impact could not be measured by job descriptions alone and his influence extended well beyond the farms he visited in Alabama.
“As a peanut agronomist he transcended state lines and school loyalty. He was “our” agronomist and we respected his knowledge and experience; we treasured his friendship. Auburn will fill the peanut agronomist position with someone talented and motivated. But no one can ever replace Kris Balkcom,” says Bob Kemerait, University of Georgia Extension plant pathologist.
Kris Balkcom, area peanut specialist with Auburn University, discusses his research trials at the Alabama Field Day in 2024.
A Resource for Growers
From planting through harvest, Balkcom was a constant resource for peanut producers.
Whether a grower had questions about disease or pest issues, variety selection, irrigation, harvest timing or another production challenge, Balkcom had an answer for it, and if he didn’t, he would find one.
Balkcom was known for his constant desire to learn more so he could better serve growers. From the beginning of his time at Auburn until his final days, he was always asking questions, seeking new information and soaking in every bit of knowledge he could. For him, learning was never just about expanding his own expertise; it was about finding better ways to support peanut growers across the Southeast and help them succeed.
William Birdsong, a peanut producer from Hartford, Alabama, remembers when he and Balkcom worked together at the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center.
“I never had a brother,” Birdsong says. “But the Lord placed us together, and we not only developed a professional relationship, but also a friendship, and that was just who he was. He wanted to see each and every grower successful.”
Those relationships were at the center of Balkcom’s work. He understood that recommendations made in a meeting room ultimately had to work in a farmer’s field, and he never met a stranger.
Balkcom’s connection to agriculture extended far beyond his work with Auburn and Extension. He also farmed alongside his father-in-law and his son, Tanner, making agriculture not only his profession but a family tradition. That firsthand experience gave him a deep understanding of the decisions, challenges and uncertainties farmers face each season, and it allowed him to connect with growers not only as a specialist but as someone who truly understood the work because he lived it himself.
“Him living it and being able to apply his research and knowledge first hand,” Birdsong says, “that’s what made him one of a kind.”
Kris Balcom was a trusted voice for many Alabama peanut farmers and led several peanut pod-blast workshops, analyzed peanut samples and hosted production meetings across the state.
Peanut Production Impact
Balkcom worked alongside researchers and fellow specialists on projects covering nearly every aspect of peanut production, helping bring research-based information directly to producers through outlets such as the Southeastern Peanut Farmer magazine, the Alabama Peanut Producers Association newsletter and research-focused podcasts.
His work created a lasting, measurable impact. According to Alabama Extension’s 2025 Agronomic Crops Team Impact Report, Balkcom led 28 peanut pod-blast workshops that helped 349 farmers determine the best time to dig their peanuts. Those workshops influenced more than 100,000 acres and generated an estimated $2.52 million in increased profits. His team also analyzed more than 450 peanut samples and hosted seven production meetings attended by 231 growers.
A Lasting Legacy
As growers return to the field each season, the work Balkcom devoted his career to will continue. His influence can be found in the recommendations producers use, the research projects he helped advance and the relationships he built with generations of farmers. For those who knew him best, however, his legacy will be much more personal.
“Kris truly understood the clientele he served, and as a farmer, he personally stood behind the advice he gave,” says Chris Parker, associate director at the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center and longtime friend of Balkcom.
The peanut crop will continue to be planted, cared for and harvested each year. But for growers and agricultural professionals across Alabama and the Southeast, there will be an unmistakable absence in the fields.
Kris Balkcom leaves behind his loving wife, Amy; his three children, Tanner Folger (Clara), Elizabeth Folger (Rashard) and Sela Balkcom; his grandson, Beau; countless friends and colleagues; and an agricultural community made better by the time, knowledge and friendship he so generously gave.
By Peyton Woods