The Six Most Dangerous Words in Farming Are

Written by: Ashley Collins

I saw this question in my social news feed in late August: “A lot of people are getting out of farming. What can we do to keep people in it?” Responses poured in almost immediately, and to date there have been more than 1,600 comments. As I scrolled through looking for the answer myself, I noticed two distinct groups forming. One consisted of people who had inherited farming and wanted to stay in it but had a laundry list of barriers they felt needed to be removed. I suspect most of you reading this can rattle off that list yourselves. The other group surprised me. These were people with an incredible passion for farming but no clear path to get started, and many of them cited the very same barriers.

One comment, however, caught my attention. The author challenged the growing list of obstacles by saying, “The six most dangerous words in farming are, ‘we’ve always done it this way.’”

That line stuck with me. In fact, I shared it during my closing remarks at our annual meeting in September. It seemed especially fitting as we officially announced the dissolution of Virginia Carolina Peanut Promotions (VCPP). When VCPP was formed more than sixty years ago, no one talked about visiting a website or scanning a QR code to find an organization on social media. Marketing has changed, and so has the way we communicate. Today, each of our three states manages its own promotional efforts and social media presence. We will continue to publish this seasonal newsletter together, maintain our shared website, and collaborate on regional promotions that highlight Virginia-type peanuts. We also remain committed to supporting the Peanut Variety Quality Evaluation Program, and you’ll see updates on that work in our next issue.

What I didn’t anticipate when I shared that quote in September was how often it would come back to mind over the following months.

As I write this article, the Federal-State Grading Service reports that 257,027 tons from the 2023 crop have been graded, putting North Carolina’s average yield at 4,228 pounds per acre. We’ll have final numbers in March, but for now, that’s a new state record for total tons graded. It also appears we’ll remain the nation’s third-largest peanut-producing state for the second consecutive year. Considering the weather challenges we experienced, it’s an impressive accomplishment. Increased planted acreage certainly contributed, but so did years of breeding efforts focused on improving yield.

Earlier I mentioned searching for answers about how to keep people in farming. I can’t say I found anything groundbreaking, but it did remind me that North Carolina has some unique advantages for those who want to remain in agriculture. Our climate and diverse soils allow growers to diversify their operations. Most of us know someone who has been willing to try something different. It doesn’t always work, but sometimes it’s exactly what keeps an operation moving forward.

We certainly saw that in 2023. Some growers diversified by adding peanuts. We recorded the highest planted acreage on record, nearly an 8% increase over 2022, with about half of that increase coming from our traditional Virginia-type peanuts. According to the National Peanut Board, in-shell peanut consumption increased 13% over 2022. Hopefully that trend continues. We also saw greater diversification within peanut types, including a noticeable increase in Runner peanuts and a significant number of Valencia acres.

While one season doesn’t guarantee the next, we’ve experienced steady increases in planted acreage over the past five years, and diversification has continued to expand during the last three. Those changes influence many of the decisions we make as an Association. Where should promotional dollars be invested? Which research projects will provide the greatest long-term benefit? How do we engage with state and federal leaders to support peanut production and grower profitability?

Between September and December, I participated in meetings, presentations, and media events, and throughout each one I found myself thinking about that same quote. We discussed everything from finding new uses for peanuts that could support other agricultural industries to creating additional value from peanut hulls, skins, and vines. We talked about planning strategically for continued production growth while maintaining profitability. We also revisited long-standing issues, including improvements to the grading system that remain fair to everyone involved and whether breeding programs should continue emphasizing maximum yield or place greater emphasis on reducing input costs.

As I write this, I also recognize that it has only been twenty-one years since the end of the peanut quota program fundamentally changed our industry. That transition caused many growers to leave peanut production, and for some, farming altogether. Throughout this article I’ve used the word “we.” While I have the privilege of serving as the full-time representative of North Carolina peanut growers, those comments reflect the direction and priorities of our Board of Directors.

At our annual meeting, we welcomed six new members to the Board. Each peanut-producing county averaging at least 1,000 planted acres over a three-year average qualifies for representation, giving us a current board of 25 members. As we work through updates to our bylaws, I continue to come back to that quote from September. It is important to respect the history that has brought our Association to where it is today, while also ensuring we remain relevant and responsive to the growers we represent. Our responsibility is to help create opportunities that keep growers farming and allow North Carolina to continue producing the high-quality, nutritious peanuts our industry is known for.