A Peanut Perspective on Sustainability
With your Southeast Regional Ag News, I am Haylie Shipp. This is the Ag Information Network.
“Sustainability.” It’s a big buzz word right now in all of agriculture. But the struggle is in defining it. A short while back, it was something I had the chance to pick the brain of Don Koehler about. He is the Executive Director of the Georgia Peanut Commission…
“I want to make sure that our consumers know especially, because our farmers understand this, but part of sustainability is moving us away from this whole issue of farming up equity. You know, farming for a loss three years in a row – no business can do that and sustain it.”
He told me the farm bill is critical for stability, but there’s more to the picture…
“We’ve got to work smarter at marketing and product development for our growers. We’re spending a lot of time trying to find ways that our farmers can get more of the money that the middle men are getting right now from a consumer dollar.”
So his definition of sustainability, highly summarized, is making sure the farm can make it to the next year…
“Well I think that’s critical in sustainability. The thing we know is the peanut is the most efficient user of water as far as any of the nuts. You know, that’s great but if we don’t keep farms in business, then how long will we grow peanuts?”
Again Don Koehler, Executive Director of the Georgia Peanut Commission.
