Agricultural News
OPC's Ron Sholar Helps Oklahoma Farmers Working for Peanuts, Search for More Contracts
Mon, 07 Aug 2017 17:52:06 CDT
During a recent visit to the Radio Oklahoma Network studios, Ron Sholar of the Great Plains Canola Association, switched hats for a moment, to talk about his alternate role with the Oklahoma Peanut Commission. He told Farm Director Ron Hays, that this year's peanut crop in Oklahoma, is looking very well so far. Listen to their full conversation, by clicking or tapping the LISTEN BAR below at the bottom of the page.
"We went in really good in May, good moisture," Sholar said. "The crop looks really good."
He says, too, production is also on the rise this year.
"We have twice as many acres as we had in '15, which would be about 50 percent more than we had in '16, so that's really good news," Sholar shared. "We see peanuts in fields where they have not been in a number of years."
According to Sholar, this means those fields are fresh and will help to control pest and weed populations and lower disease pressures.
While the condition of the crop seems to be under control, Sholar says the concern now for his organization is to find peanut producers more contracts, with the hope of restoring Oklahoma to its former glory as the primary producer of Spanish peanuts.
"That continues to be our concern," he said. "Getting more contracts for our growers. We would grow more if more contracts were available. We're optimistic we'll continue to be a player."
Currently, though, Sholar says producers are raising a mix of runners, both Virginias and Spanish, and says Oklahoma has become a very important producer of both types.
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