TROPICAL STORM FAY HITS SE PEANUT BELT

TROPICAL STORM FAY HITS SE PEANUT BELT – Tropical Storm Fay pounded the Florida peanut belt and finally started moving its slow trek West across North Florida bringing lots of rain to the Florida Panhandle, Southern Georgia, Southern South Carolina and Southern Alabama. Some parts of Florida received over 2 feet. The impact on peanuts is unknown, but drainage should be quick since the area was so dry and many farmers hope to get back to harvest next week. The rains should help the peanut crop, provided the peanuts can drain. Harvest in Georgia and Alabama has not started, likely after Labor Day.

UPDATE ON GEORGIA ACREAGE – Peanut Farm Market News had reported 653,156 acres, two percent higher than the estimated 640,000 acres from the 2008 peanut acreage estimate. FSA reported this week that some counties were late and now the certified acreage number is 684,680 acres, almost a 7% increase above the estimate and 31.6% above last year. This number could change again until about September 1. Top 10 counties on acreage are:
Worth – 33,902; Mitchell - 32,192; Decatur – 26,199; Early -25,892; Dooly – 24,711; Irwin - 24,477; Bulloch - 24,040; Coffee - 23,223; Miller – 22,943; and Colquitt - 21,880.
– Tropical Storm Fay pounded the Florida peanut belt and finally started moving its slow trek West across North Florida bringing lots of rain to the Florida Panhandle, Southern Georgia, Southern South Carolina and Southern Alabama. Some parts of Florida received over 2 feet. The impact on peanuts is unknown, but drainage should be quick since the area was so dry and many farmers hope to get back to harvest next week. The rains should help the peanut crop, provided the peanuts can drain. Harvest in Georgia and Alabama has not started, likely after Labor Day.

UPDATE ON GEORGIA ACREAGE – Peanut Farm Market News had reported 653,156 acres, two percent higher than the estimated 640,000 acres from the 2008 peanut acreage estimate. FSA reported this week that some counties were late and now the certified acreage number is 684,680 acres, almost a 7% increase above the estimate and 31.6% above last year. This number could change again until about September 1. Top 10 counties on acreage are:
Worth – 33,902; Mitchell - 32,192; Decatur – 26,199; Early -25,892; Dooly – 24,711; Irwin - 24,477; Bulloch - 24,040; Coffee - 23,223; Miller – 22,943; and Colquitt - 21,880.