Press Release
March 27, 2023
Ron and Linda Sholar Honored at the 2023 Oklahoma Peanut EXPO
WEATHERFORD, OK: Ron and Linda were recognized by Oklahoma Peanut Commissioner Chairman Les Crall at the Oklahoma Peanut EXPO held in Weatherford, OK on March 23, 2023. Ron Sholar is reQring as Executive Director of the Oklahoma Peanut Commission on April 1, 2023. Ron and Linda were given giUs provided by the Oklahoma Peanut Commissioners. Ron received a rotaQng globe and Linda received a cutting board. Ron served as Executive Director from March 2015 through March 2023.
Ron is a natve of Tennessee but he and his wife Linda have proudly called Stillwater, OK home for the past 50 years. He received his BS in Agriculture Sciences from the University of Tennessee in June 1971. He received his MS and PhD degrees at Oklahoma State University. He then severed as a Professor of Plant and Soil Science and Extension Agronomist at OSU.
He also had a military career that spanned 39 years of active Army Reserve Service. He was promoted to Major General in 2003 and over the following years had 3 different assignments as a Division Level Commander. His final assignment was Deputy Commanding General of the US Army Command. He retred from the Army in 2010.
For the past decade he has served as Executive Director of several agricultural commissions including the Oklahoma Peanut Commission. Ron and Linda have served the commission by promoting peanuts and peanut products in Oklahoma. Also, by educating the public on the nutritional benefits of peanuts and making sure that much needed research dollars are provided.
Peanut acres have increased in Oklahoma since Ron took over as Executive Director in 2013. In 2022 there were 16,795 acres of peanuts in Oklahoma, producing farm income of approximately 21 million dollars to Oklahoma farmers.
Photo: L-R Joel Hicks, John Clay, Joe D. White, Linda Sholar, Ron Sholar, Anthony Reed, Les Crall, Art Kell
Press Release
January 20, 2023
Mark DeLeon to Serve on the National Peanut Board
The USDA has announced that Mark DeLeon of Erick, OK will serve a 3-year term on the National Peanut Board. Mark and his wife Amy farm peanuts and cotton and have a cow-calf operation. Amy is a Grant Manager at Elk City Public Schools. They have two grown children; Bridget who recently completed her M.S. Degree in Speech Pathology from the University of Texas-Dallas and Addison who is a sophomore at Oklahoma State University majoring in Agribusiness. Addison also helps Mark on the farm when he is not at school.
Mark is currently serving as chairman of the North Fork Red River Conservation Board and serves on the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan Committee. He has also served on the Elk City Summer Youth and Recreation Board for many years.
Mark said that he is honored to be appointed to this position and stated, “I look forward to learning more about all the facets of the peanut industry and sharing that knowledge with my fellow farmers in my area. I am thankful for the progress the National Peanut Board has made in addressing peanut allergies and hope to play a part in further advancements to help the peanut industry to become even more profitable in the future.”
The National Peanut Board will hold its quarterly Board and committee meetings in Atlanta, Georgia, February 6 – 8. The Board’s Research Committee will consider requests for FY-23 funding for production research from state peanut producer organizations and universities. Funding production research to make America’s peanut farmers more competitive is a core part of the Board’s mission.
Pete Dotray, Texas A&M AgriLife weed specialist, presents the Baily Award to USDA-ARS peanut breeder Kelly Chamberlin at the recent APRES annual meeting in Savannah. The Baily Award recognizes the best research paper presented at the previous meeting.
RON SMITH Southwest Farm Press August 8, 2023. FULL ARTICLE
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Press Release
June 30, 2023
Two great people complete their time on the Oklahoma Peanut Commission.
John Clay of Carnegie and Joel Hicks of Leon decided not to serve another term on the Oklahoma Peanut Commission.
- John Clay served the OPC; July 1, 2001 - June 30, 2023, he served as Secretary for the OPC for many of those years.
- Joel Hicks served the OPC on two different times. July 1, 1999 - June 30, 2005 and July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2023.
They time they served and the challenges they faced and successfully completed are greatly appreciated by Oklahoma peanut growers. Their presence at our commission meetings and promotional events will be missed.
Why it’s critical we act now on peanut sustainability
By Dan Ward
Chair of the American Peanut Council Sustainability Committee
President North Carolina Peanut Growers Association
When someone asks what sustainability means to me, I pull out my phone and show them a photo of my two-year-old granddaughter, Blakely. In 20 to 25 years, I want Blakely to have the choice of becoming the ninth generation of our family to carry on our farm. For that to happen, I must stop and think about every operating decision I make and ask if what I’m doing today will help her make that decision. Critically, I must make sure our farm is productive and profitable so that if she decides to farm, there’s a farm for her to come back to.
For peanut growers to be productive and profitable we need to increase demand for peanuts, and in our current market one of the biggest drivers for demand is quickly becoming sustainability. As manufacturers increasingly must meet consumer, investor, and regulatory demands for sustainable farming practices, we are going to have to prove and document peanut sustainability.
We are already seeing this come to play in peanut export markets as our trading partners are progressively having sustainability expectations. Our competitors are hard at work documenting and demonstrating their peanut sustainability. It would be a sad situation for the U.S. to have an over-supply problem with growers having to accept lower contracts, all because foreign competitors have proven their sustainability, thus meeting those market demands.
Sustainability is not going anywhere. It’s only going to become more critical with each passing year. Currently, growers are in control and can help shape the process. But if we don’t voluntarily act now, the peanut industry could instead easily become a victim of onerous regulations and lost market share, which we’ve seen happen to other agriculture commodities. That’s why I am committed to the Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative.
In its third crop enrollment year, Sustainable U.S. Peanuts, or SUSP for short, is a voluntary, industry-wide and industry-supported initiative. It is buoying America’s peanut farmers with metrics on the most efficient use of on-farm resources, as well as encouraging farm operation sustainability practices that will help meet expectations, lead to increased demand for peanuts and set the stage for long-term economic viability.
Here's how it works: Growers enroll by completing a self-assessment questionnaire and field-level survey. All farm information is private and is not shared with anyone. This is very important and bears repeating. Your farm information will never be shared. Joe A. will never be privy to his neighbor Mary B’s farm information, and neither will the government nor the industry.
Once enrolled in the SUSP, participants will need to maintain their involvement by annually updating their information, which is much faster after a grower’s initial enrollment. Are you part of the Cotton Trust Protocol? Great news! You can join that account with Sustainable U.S. Peanuts to streamline your enrollment.
Importantly, SUSP promotes the entire U.S. crop, not individual states or regions. That is why it’s critical to have peanut farmers from West Texas all the way to Southeast Virginia participate in the program. All peanut farmers’ voices must be heard for SUSP to be truly representative.
Peanuts have an incredible sustainability story. They have the smallest carbon footprint of any nut and ounce for ounce use significantly less water than tree nuts. Peanuts are a zero-waste crop since all parts of the plant are utilized, and they require less fertilizer to grow since they are nitrogen-fixing. I would hate to think we have this great story to tell and yet miss our opportunity to sell more peanuts, or let someone enjoy our peanuts, because we aren’t taking that extra step to demonstrate peanut sustainability.
So, what does success look like? For the peanut industry, it would be ensuring the long-term economic viability of growers; satisfying the sustainability interests of buyers, consumers and trading partners; and increasing demand for peanuts – both domestically and globally – without it being forced on growers.
Personally, success for me would be leaving our family farm in the best possible shape for my granddaughter Blakely to one day take the reins, if she chooses. I want her to have that choice because we have made smart decisions and done all the rights things to ensure a farming business that lasts, and one she can be proud of.
Learn more about Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative and enroll your farm at: sustainableuspeanuts.org
Dan Ward is a seventh-generation grower in Southeastern North Carolina. He currently serves as chair of the American Peanut Council’s sustainability committee and as president of the North Carolina Peanut Growers Association.
2024 Oklahoma Peanut EXPO
The 2024 Oklahoma Peanut EXPO is set for Thursday, March 21st at the Stafford Air & Space Museum in Weatherford, OK. We are expecting an increase in peanut acres this year, and hope it reflects that with a good attendance at the EXPO.
Reported by: Oklahoma State University Ag Communications FULL ARTICLE
Contact: Alisa Gore / March 6, 2024
National Peanut Board Announces New President and CEO
Ryan Lepicier, longtime NPB SVP and CMO, brings marketing expertise and peanut passion to new role.
Reported by National Peanut Board. FULL ARTICLE
Contact: Lindsey Stevens / Sept. 27, 2023
Guide for Serving Peanuts in School Foodservice
Looking for new ways to power up your school meals with peanuts or peanut butter? Learn more from National Peanut Board’s free Peanut Power for Schools: Guide for Serving Peanuts in School Foodservice. In addition to five unique recipes that were thoughtfully developed and properly scaled for school foodservice, this guide includes nutrition information, resources for handling allergies, and guidance for conducting taste tests in schools.
Reported by National Peanut Board. FULL ARTICLE
Contact: Lindsey Stevens / Sept. 5, 2023
Improving grower production efficiency drives USDA-ARS breeding efforts.
Reported by Southwest Farm Press. FULL ARTICLE
August 8, 2023
NPB President and CEO Bob Parker Inducted into Peanut Hall of Fame
Article from the National Peanut Board website. FULL ARTICLE
July 5, 2023
Meeting the Challenge Head-On
Reported by Peanut Grower FULL ARTICLE
Contact: Amanda Huber / June 1, 2023
Peanuts: Sustainability, allergy, marketing key NPB issues.
Reported by Southwest Farm Press FULL ARTICLE
Contact: Ron Smith / April 11, 2023
Balancing the Peanut Market
Reported by Southwest Farm Press. FULL ARTICLE
Contact: Brad Haire / April 10, 2023
Ron Sholar Retires from the Oklahoma Peanut Commissiojn
Reported by Southwest Farm Press. FULL ARTICLE
Shelley E. Huguley / April 7, 2023
USDA Announces Four Members and Four Alternates to the National Peanut Board. FULL ARTICLE
National Peanut Board / January 19, 2023
National Peanut Board President and CEO Bob Parker Announces Retirement
Reported by National Peanut Board FULL ARTICLE
Contact: Maria Mehok, mymehok@nationalpeanutboard.org
Stutzman credits practices, God, family for high-quality peanuts
Reported by Southwest Farm Press. FULL ARTICLE
Shelley E. Huguley | July 1, 2022
Planting 2022 underway, weather, heavy input costs weigh heavy.
Reported by Southwest Farm Press FULL ARTICLE
Shelley E. Huguley | May 24, 2022
Peanuts Come In All Flavors.
NPB Chairman Les Crall discusses peanut products.
Reported by Southwest Farm Press. FULL ARTICLE
Shelley E. Huguley | May 2, 2022
Panel Discussion at the 2022 Peanut EXPO.
Reported by Southwest Farm Press. FULL ARTICLE
Ron Smith | Apr 20, 2022
Increased peanut yields and quality credited to research, superior varieties, commitment and partnerships.
Reported by Southwest Farm Press. FULL ARTICLE
Shelley E. Huguley | Apr 19, 2022