Letter from the Editor: “Happy Holidays!”

Dear Readers, The holidays always bring forth a time of reflection on our lives, our work, and our future. We cherish moments of joy and fun while celebrating the obstacles we overcame and contemplating the challenges we faced. Harvest continues this December throughout the Pecan Belt, and as an industry, we look back on all…

On a cool, windy afternoon, around 170 attendees participated in the Native Field Day held at Leon and Judy Bailey’s Pecan Farm. The Baileys, with their four kids and their families, own and operate a native pecan/cattle operation on over 600 acres in the Okfuskee County area (east-central Oklahoma). Their pecan barn is near Paden,…

For years, the U.S. pecan industry has based its annual expectations on crop “estimates,” which have been used to determine how large or small the crop may be. These estimates, in turn, have historically gone a long way toward determining the price growers receive for that season’s crop. The calculation of these estimates is inherently…

During 2022, the United States exported 14.0 thousand metric tons (TMT) of inshell pecans and 23.6 thousand metric tons (TMT) of shelled pecans (Figure 1). These exports totaled over $308 million worth of value for the industry, with $63.5 million coming from inshell exports and the other $244.6 million coming from shelled exports. Total inshell…

Last month, an emerging pest made its way into the Lower El Paso Valley. This pest is the flatheaded tree borer. I first became aware of the borer in one location, but it appeared in more places in the following weeks. The flatheaded tree borer is a xylem-feeding insect and has been identified in multiple…

It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving has come and gone. We hope you enjoyed plenty of pecans on your dinner table—in and out of pie. The holidays are in full swing, and at the American Pecan Promotion Board, we’re filled with cheer for the opportunity to inspire consumers to purchase more pecans to make their season…

Oftentimes, our pecan pioneers and heroes labor in relative obscurity. John Lee Turner, Jr. was such a man. Dan York, an original APC Council Member, introduced me to John in 2015. We asked him to testify as a native pecan grower from Arkansas during the Pecan Federal Marketing Order hearings in Dallas. He graciously accepted…

Earlier this year, a team of researchers at Texas A&M University’s Department of Agriculture and Life Sciences invited pecan industry members to participate in a study about consumer decision-making and consumer preferences for pecans. This research arose out of the belief that understanding an expert’s ability to accurately forecast the effectiveness of marketing efforts to…

Pecan harvest is here, and as always, customers consider the best way to store the nuts they purchase. Renowned for their nutty, buttery flavor, a variety of essential vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and antioxidants, pecans offer unique nutrient benefits for human health. A study published in Nutrients in 2018 (Cupisti et al. 2018) showed that…

If handled properly, integrating livestock into an orchard can greatly benefit. As I have visited with growers over the past several years about managing soil health in their orchards, livestock integration is the most common practice pecan growers are hesitant to implement. Knowing how to graze properly to improve soil health is essential for growers…

Pecan South December 2023 advertisers share their products and services between the pages of this issue. Below, we present a full list of our December 2023 advertisers and their contact information.

The December 2023 Classifieds feature available equipment, property, trees, services, and more from industry members. These classifieds can also be viewed at the back of the December 2023 issue.

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate voted this week to approve a short-term funding bill, avoiding a November 17 government shutdown. The funding legislation, which was proposed by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), funds the government by setting up two deadlines. The first Jan. 19 deadline covers…

The National Pecan Shellers Association (NPSA) is excited to invite industry members to participate in an upcoming webinar to discuss the recently published USDA proposed rule on revised grades and standards for shelled and inshell pecans. Over the past several years, NPSA has worked closely with the American Pecan Council (APC) and interested grower organizations…

The November 2023 Classifieds feature available equipment, property, trees, services, and more from industry members. These classifieds can also be viewed at the back of the November 2023 issue.

Pecan South November 2023 advertisers share their products and services between the pages of this issue. Below, we present a full list of our November 2023 advertisers and their contact information.

Ah, fall. At times, it can be the best time of the year, with cooler weather and more optimum working conditions, often after a brutal summer. This year did not disappoint as far as summer heat goes, as we have had a record number of 100-degree days along with minimal rainfall. Of course, the other…

Ice storm damage is one of the major factors limiting pecan production in Oklahoma. Throughout history, ice storms have struck Oklahoma several times and caused the loss of millions of dollars (Smith & Rhola, 2009). The latest severe ice storm in October 2020 damaged many pecan orchards in central Oklahoma; the severity of the damage…

Bryan, TX—The Texas Pecan Growers Association would like to assist Texans in finding farm-fresh pecans this season by providing a Trail Map identifying many specialty retail stores selling pecans. Whether you are looking to find a store close to home or during your holiday travels, use the Holiday Pecan Trail Map to find pecans, gifts,…

As I sit down to write this article, I am in the midst of preparation for an OSU Extension’s Native Pecan Field Day on the evaluation and management of native pecan groves. So, I think now is a good opportunity to discuss some of the tasks you should be doing as we near another native…

“I’m not going back,” I told myself as I drove up to my pecan barns in late July. The trees looked good with a strong nut set and were much less stressed than last year despite the 103-plus F temperatures we experienced the last few months. We had no rain recently, and the dryland row…

Farm Bill Delays Authorization for Farm Bill programs expired on Sept. 30. U.S. House and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committees are busy drafting legislative text for the 2023 Farm Bill. However, it is unlikely that there will be any movement on the legislation until after the appropriations process is finished. The timeline for the 2023 Farm…

Harvest is a time of gratitude and hard work, and it’s with that spirit that I began as Chief Executive Officer of the American Pecan Council (APC) and American Pecan Promotion Board (APPB) on Oct. 1. These two organizations are dedicated to growing demand for your pecans here and around the world so that we…

Pecan South‘s November 2023 Marketing Guide provides a list of pecan buyers from across the industry who are looking to purchase nuts from the 2023 crop. Download the complete 2023 Marketing Guide from our November issue here. Many pecan growers use this guide as a reference when looking for pecan buyers and processors. Spots fill…