Blair Krebs

National Pecan Federation Walks the Hill

While Washington, D.C., is where work is being done on behalf of the U.S. pecan industry’s advocacy efforts, the results touch pecan farms and operations across the country. A part of that work was this year’s National Pecan Federation (NPF) annual Washington, D.C. fly-in. The annual event is meant to enhance and complement the work...

Letter from the Publisher

Dear Pecan South Readers, Another pecan harvest has finished in the United States; for many, it was not the things dreams are made of. Some saw a good year, but many others are glad to see 2022 behind them.  However, as a new growing season emerges and the industry starts to gather at conferences in...

APC and APPB gather for landmark meetings

The pecan industry in the United States has gone through many organizational changes within the last decade. A group of meetings at the end of March represented another pecan industry landmark. The American Pecan Council (APC), representing the Federal Marketing Order, and the American Pecan Promotion Board (APPB), representing the Research and Promotion Program, held...

Letter from the Publisher: 55 years with pecans

Dear Readers,  This issue starts Pecan South’s 55th volume, and the publisher, I get to address the readership with the start of each new volume. Of course, Pecan South did not start as Pecan South 55 years ago. It all started in May of 1967 as The Pecan Quarterly, with fantastic diagrams of inlay grafting,...

The pecan industry at work

Throughout the year, not just the legislative sessions, the National Pecan Federation and individual pecan industry members are working to shape policy and advocate for the industry. Both groups have worked to build relationships with legislators and tackle topics such as tariffs, trade, research, legislation, among others. Two years ago, the National Pecan Federation (NPF)...

Letter from the Publisher, 2021

Dear Readers, Each March issue of Pecan South starts a new volume for the magazine. This year is volume 54. Over half a century of bringing pecan knowledge and communication to the industry and it has always been our honor to do so. Continuing in that tradition, this month’s issue brings you timely information about...

Letter from the Publisher: A Fireside Chat

Dear Readers, We decided to change up the opening letter, or fireside chat if you will, for the first issue of Volume 53. I am the Publisher for Pecan South, handling the business of the magazine and ultimately responsible for the magazine’s publication each month. I hope I have gotten to meet a good majority...

The Doors to India and Washington

Pecan growers know how to work their way through an orchard and, as it turns out, through the halls of Congress as well. Of course, that involves literally and figuratively being led by the National Pecan Federation (NPF) around the twisted maze that is Washington, D.C. The Redding Firm, hired on by the National Pecan...

Arizona Pecan Growers Meet for Conference

The Arizona Pecan Growers Association hosted its annual Conference and Trade Show on Sept. 5 through 6 at Desert Diamond Casino and Hotel in Tucson, Arizona. Growers from throughout the West as well as vendors and other industry members kicked off the conference with a Reception and Social on Thursday night. This social was followed...

Chefs Discover Pecan’s Story & Versatility at NPSA’s 2019 Pecan Chef Summit

When so much goes into growing, processing, and marketing a food product, we can easily forget the other side of the equation: actually eating the product. For pecans, this other side is simply that our industry produces a food that’s full of taste and nutrition and has so many uses from a gourmet kitchen to...

The Western Pecan Producer Short Course

Out West, growers from all over the western production region, including those who are just getting into pecans, gathered in Las Cruces at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum on Oct. 15 to participate in the biennial Western Pecan Producers Short Course. Over three days, around 100 current and future pecan producers received...

Inside the APC’s August Meeting: Council releases industry data, approves budget & discusses funding policy

The American Pecan Council gathered at the Hyatt Regency near the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport on Aug. 20 to discuss marketing updates, research proposals, governance, standardization, and industry relations. The meeting was attended by 25 council members and alternates as well as the APC staff, U.S. Department of Agriculture representatives, and guests. The meeting kicked off...

Snapshots of the Pecans in Georgia & the Georgia Pecan Growers Association’s Annual Conference

NPSA Hosts Fall Meeting & Plans for the Future

The National Pecan Shellers Association was Navigating the Winds of Change at their annual meeting in Portland, Maine at the beginning of September. The meeting covered a number of pecan industry issues. Topics included updates on legislative matters, promotion and research, health studies, other tree nuts, exports and the American Pecan Council. The NPSA business...

SIAL China 2017 in Photos

For the fifth year, U.S. Pecans attended the annual SIAL China Food Show in Shanghai, China. (From left to right) Blair Krebs, Matthew Langford from Diamond Foods and Executive Director Janice Dees worked U.S. Pecans’ booth at the show. The group promotes U.S. pecans to Chinese consumers and buyers. A total of eight pecan companies attended...

SEPGA Features Launch Of New Web Tool, New Cultivars

The Southeastern Pecan Growers Association congregated in Destin, Florida at the end of February for its 2009 annual meeting. Growers came to learn from the seminars as well as talk to other growers about this year’s crop expectations and the economy. The meeting covered a number of topics including pest and disease management, newly released...

Oklahoma companies sponsor gathering, offer info and tour

In early October, growers were offered an afternoon and evening of pecan education and networking in southern Oklahoma. Those who wanted a seminar and demonstration in pecan tree planting headed over to Baker Pecan Tree Nursery in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. Charles Rohla from the Noble Foundation and Becky Carroll from the Oklahoma State University pecan program joined Roger Baker,...

South Georgia Growers Feared Hermine But Losses Minimal

When driving around South Georgia, it is hard to not come across pecan trees in orchards big and small. In the beginning of September, there was a lot to look at — from heavily pecan-loaded branches to downed trees and damage from Hermine, a hurricane that came through the state on Sept. 2-3. The Georgia...

Nut Tree Nursery hosts Georgia fall field day

Those who attended the Georgia Pecan Growers Association’s 2016 Fall Field Day were welcomed by Nut Tree Pecan Company in Baconton, Georgia on Sept. 8. The event took place in the Nut Tree Pecan Nursery and Flint River Orchard for a morning full of pecan management and industry discussions. Putt Wetherbee of Nut Tree Pecan...

TriState Conference – Grower offers honest look at Louisiana orchard challenges

Members of the Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas Pecan Growers Associations kicked off another year with the Tri-State Pecan Convention June 16-17 in Alexandria, Louisiana. The participants were treated to a morning in a nearby orchard, a trade show and a day’s worth of educational seminars. The show started at Woodside Farms near Alexandria, Louisiana, owned...

U.S. Pecans Make Progress in Middle East

After many hours of travel, the U.S. Pecan team landed with cowboy hats in hand and ready to market pecans at the Gulfood Trade Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.). Well, only some of us had a cowboy hat, but the team was loaded with information about pecans to share with people from all...

Pecans Around the Globe

When those associated with the U.S. pecan industry travel abroad, it is fairly common for them to check out retail outlets in other countries to see if pecans are offered for sale. Pecan South’s Blair Krebs traveled in Germany recently and took note of these offerings of in-shell pecans, roasted halves, and pecans in nut mixes....

Georgia Field Day Offers Close Up Look at Research

At the beginning of September, growers in Georgia converged upon the USDA/ARS Fruit and Tree Nut Research Lab in Byron, Georgia for the Georgia Pecan Growers Association annual fall field day. Attendees were treated to a few presentations inside the lab, but the bulk of the day was spent in the research orchards to update...

Tri-State kicks off with tour of The Company Farm

Growers from Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi gathered in June for the annual Tri-State Pecan Growers Conference. The conference covered two states with an orchard tour in Louisiana and business meetings, a reception and a broad educational seminar hosted in Natchez, Mississippi. The Tri-State conference kicked off with an orchard tour at The Company Farm in...

Pecan Newsletter Offers Harvest, Price Updates

Editor’s note: The Pecan Newsletter is a publication owned and published by Pecan South magazine. The report below was issued on Dec. 12. For information on subscribing to the weekly update, contact pecansouth@tpga.org. SOUTHEAST — The Southeast is on the downhill side of harvest with many growers having already finished harvest or planning on wrapping...

NPGC sponsors pecan nutrition seminars in China

The National Pecan Growers Council sponsored a multi-city seminar series on the nutritional and clinical value of pecans in the human diet in China. The program was a FAS/MAP initiative funded by U.S. pecan grower contributions. Dr. Ronald B. Pegg, Associate Professor of Food Science, University of Georgia, and Dr. Randy Hudson, Vice President of...

Alabama Summer Tour Focuses on Small Pecan Operations

In the beginning of August, the Alabama Summer Tour and Field Day educated and delighted over 60 participants in Fairhope, Alabama. The focus of the tour and field day was “pecan production practices designed for small growers and homeowners.” Participants were shown what is considered to be a smaller orchard and the management practices available...

Seoul food show suggests promising pecan market in South Korea

The National Pecan Growers Council sent 4 representatives to the Seoul Food and Hotel show in Seoul, South Korea (Republic of Korea) from May 9-17. Rosemary Alexander from the Georgia Pecan Growers Association and Blair Krebs from the Texas Pecan Growers Association were team leaders on the mission and were joined by 2 industry representatives,...

U.S. Pecans showcased at Gulfood show in Dubai

The National Pecan Growers Council sent a team to represent U.S. Pecans at the Gulf Food Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates at the end of February. The team included Drew Haas from San Saba Pecan Company, Scott Hudson from Hudson Pecan Company and Blair Krebs, Texas Pecan Growers Association and a project leader for...

Georgia expands annual conference format

The Georgia Pecan Growers Association met for its 49th annual educational conference and exhibition at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry, Georgia on March 25 -27, 2014. This year’s show marked a change in schedule with the conference being extended into another day. The events were kicked off with a fundraising golf tournament and reception,...

U.S. Pecans team travels north to promote, change perceptions

The U.S. Pecans team led another trade mission to Canada and into a market where customers are familiar with pecans, but there is still work to be done. The team included Janice Dees from the Georgia Pecan Growers Association, Olivia Carver from the Western Pecan Growers Association and Blair Krebs from the Texas Pecan Growers...

New plantings growing tall in Georgia

Take a drive around South and Middle Georgia and one cannot help but notice the amount of new pecan tree plantings and development in the pecan industry. New growers are joining the pecan industry and experienced growers are making the most of the development and planting new trees. Along with the planting, other services, such...

U.S. Pecans launches 2013 promotions at Fruit Logistica

The U.S. Pecans program continues to promote pecans around the world, helped in part by MAP (Market Access Program) funds and incredible industry support. Through the program a team member and an industry representative attended the Fruit Logistic trade show in Berlin, Germany on February 6 – 8. Sean Hayes from The Green Valley Pecan...

Alabama pecan growers treated to diverse industry perspectives

A beautiful fall day and trees full of pecans welcomed growers in Fairhope, Alabama at the Alabama Pecan Growers 52nd Annual Convention at the end of September.  A number of experts spoke, including several from other states, ranging in topics about orchard management and pecan marketing. Mike Smith from Oklahoma State University started out the...

Central Texas Growers Deal with Drought Aftermath

Growers in Comanche County, Texas gathered at the end of February for a drought program put on by the AgriLife Extension office. Charles Rohla from the Noble Foundation spoke about recovering from the drought as well as the future of the industry. Bill Ree spoke about any insect-related problems to expect this year and those...

U.S. Pecans Makes Splash at China Ice Cream Show

A team from U.S. Pecans traveled to China at the end of October to continue promotion of pecans in the Chinese market, particularly in the ice cream, baking and ingredients industries. James Ditmore from New Mexico, Blair Krebs from Texas, Dan Zedan from Illinois, Glenn Honaker from Texas and Odie Dollins from Texas all participated...

OPGA Attendees Hear Where Industry Is Headed

At the end of June, growers came together in Bartlesville, Oklahoma for the Oklahoma Pecan Growers Annual Conference. Educational topics and grower chatter displayed feelings about the industry — feelings of change, uncertainty and optimism. Growers and industry speakers alike know that changes have been popping up in sectors of the pecan industry. To update...

Georgia Growers “Cautiously Optimistic” for 2011

Pecan growers across Georgia gathered for the Georgia Pecan Growers Association annual meeting on March 30 in Perry, Georgia. University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean Scott Angle summed up the mood of the conference saying, “growers are in a good mood when other years they were not always in a good...

Georgia’s Fall Field Day Spotlights Fort Valley Farms

Georgia growers were treated to the annual Georgia Pecan Growers Association Fall Field Day on Sept. 9. The Fall Field Day generally alternates every three years to different locations, usually between the Tifton and Byron research orchards and then to a grower’s orchard. Mason Pecan Farm hosted the field day at their orchards in Fort...

TriState Attendees Get Salmonella Briefing

For the first time, growers from all 4 associations in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi gathered for the TriState Convention and Trade Show in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Growers were treated with a program full of a number of topics ranging from pest and disease control, management practices, salmonella and the future of the industry. The day finished...