Newspaper Page Text
Peanuts Are sss Making
Crop In Houston County
By. J. Frank McGill
Extension Agronomist
Peanuts
Peanuts are not just
• peanuts”. Farmers in the
Houston County area can
now look with pride in being
among the most efficient
peanut producers in the
world. As a result, this crop
is now “big business” not
only to peanut growers in the
Houston County area, but is
now a major economic factor
which “primes the pump” in
the Middle Georgia area
economy and throughout the
agribusiness community.
Look at what has hap
pened! In 1971, the average
per acre yield of peanuts in
Houston, Bleckley, Macon,
Dooly, Peach, and Pulaski
Counties averaged 2,490
pounds per acre. Peanut
acreage in these counties
produced more than 50,000
tons valued at more than sl4
million to the peanut
growers. In Houston County
alone, the average per acre
yield of peanuts in 1971 was
2,433 pounds per acre.
Production from the allotted
acreage of peanuts in
Houston County alone almost
reached 8,000 tons in 1971,
and were valued at ap
proximately $2 milliion.
Peanuts income to
growers in the Houston
County area, like all other
agricultural income, is
creative wealth and literally
“Primes the pump” for the
area’s entire business
community. This is because
agricultural income goes
through the hands of many
different people in all
segments of the area’s
economy. For example, in
producing peanuts in this
immediate county area, it is
reliably estimated that over
s'/2 million is spent for fer
tilizer, lime, and gypsum;
$ 3 /4 million for seed; $1
million for pesticides to
HOUSTON COUNTY FARMER
We Salute You!
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The following improvements are why KMC outperforms all others!
1. A specially designed Jalloy steel plow standard.
2. Longer Rattler Bars and Narrow Fenders allow a more positive pickup from the plows, also
insures a constant flow of vines over the Rattler.
3. A stronger Category 2 Hitch.
4. Improved Dirt Knocker.
5. Improved Vine Cutter.
6. Tri-ply Sealed Bearings where needed.
7. New hour glass designed cylinder inverters with special engineering features that perform more
efficiently, more consistently, and run quieter with less upkeep,
GRAY- WALKER TRACTOR CO.
912 Jerniean Street Perry, Georgia Ph . 987-1173
control weeds, diseases, and
insects. Tractor and
machinery costs would
exceed $1 million. Each
year, over $600,000 is spent
for cleaning, drying, and
storage of peanuts. These
items do not include labor
cost or the peanut grower’s
tremendous investment and
During 1971
Georgia Produces 43 %
Os All Peanuts In U.S.
J. Frank McGill
Extension Agronomist
The peanut, a native of
South America has been
carried by man onto every
continent. In 1969, peanuts
were grown on ap
proximately 45 million acres
in the world as an important
food and vegetable oil crop.
About 75 percent of this
acreage is in five major
peanut producing countries
in the following order of
importance: India,
Mainland China, Nigeria,
United States, and Senegal'.
India along grows 18 million
acres of peanuts.
Just when and where
peanuts were first grown in
the U.S. is somewhat of a
mystery. History indicates
that they were grown in this
country during colonial
days. However, they did not
become an important
commercial cash crop until
1970.
In this country, peanuts
are grown almost ex
clusively for the domestic
food market. Two-thirds of
all peanuts are used for such
edible products as peanut
butter candy, salting and
taxes on land, buildings, and
machinery.
Good farm management,
which includes applying the
latest technical know-how
are essential ingredients to
this success story which has
resulted in peanut growers
doubling their efficiency
during the past ten years.
roasting in shell. The
remaining one-third are used
for seed or feed, crushed for
oil and meal, or exported.
Peanuts in Georgia were
first used mainly for animal
feed and were processed into
oil and peanut meal.
Georgia’s first commercial
peanut shelling plants were
built in 1916 at Edison and at
Cordele. Since then, peanuts
have occupied a significant
place in the state’s
agricultural economy.
Georgia is the leading
peanut producing state in the
nation. It holds ap
proximately one-third of the
total U.S. peanut acreage
allotment and in 1971,
Georgia produced 43 percent
of the U.S. production.
Peanuts contain ap
proximately 25 percent
protein and 50 percent oil.
Most of this protein is highly
digestible.
Peanuts skins are high in B
vitamins. Raw of processed
peanuts are excellent
sources of riboflavin and
niacin.
The energy value in one
pound of peanuts is about
equal to that of fourteen
The Extension Service of the
College of Agriculture will
continue to make available
through their local county
agents in each of these
counties, the results of
research which, if applied,
will continue to increase
yield and quality of Georgia
peanuts for a consumer
demand.
ounces of cooked round
steak, fifteen ounces of
natural cheddar cheese,
three quarts of milk, or eight
eggs.
One pound of peanut butter
has as much total food
energy as one and three
eights pounds of cheese, two
and one-fourth pounds of
steak, four quarts of milk, or
thirty-two eggs.
Peanut consumption has
steadily increased in recent
years. The increase was
from five and eight-tenths
pounds per person in 1955 to
seven and eight-tenths
pounds per person in 1969.
They were consumed in the
following ways:
Peanut Butter 3.6 lbs.
Salted Peanuts 1.6 lbs.
Peanut Candy 1.6 lbs.
Roasted Peanuts in shell .5
lbs.
Peanut Butter Sandwishes .1
lbs
Farm and local use .1 lbs.
All other uses .libs.
Georgia grows an abun
dance of highly nutritious
peanuts and consumers
receive one of their best
dollar buys in peanuts and
peanut products.
Peanuts In Houston County
.... 8,000 Tons Grown Here In 1971
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DOWNTOWN PENNY
perry, HOUSTON COUNTY, GEORGIA, 31069, THURSDAY, JULY 6, 1972