Letter from Cindy Wise

Our Pecan South readers probably noticed a new name in the magazine last month. Catherine Clark is now managing editor, having joined our staff in June. Two years ago, I decided a time for change was approaching and began to lay the groundwork for retirement. As of July 31, I will wrap up 36 years...

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OPGA attendees sit in trailers in the middle of a pecan orchard.

OPGA Conference Breakdown

The Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association packed much more than pecan production updates into its one-day educational program June 2 in Ardmore. Weather outlooks, farm transition/succession planning, and pecan tree and revenue insurance programs were spotlighted as well as some typical pest management and production topics. Al Sutherland presented an optimistic the weather outlook for the...

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TPGA Announces Conference Line-up

The Texas Pecan Growers Association has released the educational programming line-up for its 96th Annual Conference and Trade Show, July 9-12, at the Embassy Suites and Conference Center in Frisco, Texas. In addition to pecan production and research presentations by leading pecan scientists from throughout the U.S., TPGA has the privilege of hosting the rollout...

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Scenes from Georgia

ATTENDING GEORGIA PECAN GROWERS CONFERENCE IN MARCH—This contingent of growers from northern Coahuila, Mexico, were on hand for the Georgia Pecan Growers Association annual conference in Tifton, Georgia on March 29 and especially pleased to be mentioned in Pecan South. From left: Julio Valdez, Margil Fernandez, Rodolfo Chavarria, Romulo Garza, Andres Bergen Wiebe, Benjamin Ortiz,...

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Georgia Conference Draws Big Crowd in Tifton

The Georgia Pecan Growers Association packed a big crowd into a new conference venue in March. GPGA’s annual conference took place March 29 at the University of Georgia Conference Center in Tifton. Richard Heerema of New Mexico State opened the educational program with new information on zinc management, with a key point being “we are...

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SEPGA Gathers for Annual Conference in Biloxi

  Sunlight and clear skies have a significant impact on pecan production. At the recent Southeastern Pecan Growers conference in Biloxi, the University of Georgia’s Lenny Wells explained that the 70-80 percent clear skies enjoyed by growers in the western U.S. and in Australia paves the way for different management approaches versus the typical 60...

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American Pecan Council Goes to Work

The newly elected American Pecan Council convened its first face-to-face meeting Nov. 16-17 at the Houston Airport Marriott. Eight USDA representatives and 9 of the Council’s alternate members participated in the 1.5-day session along with the 15 growers and shellers recently elected to the Council. Last month as Pecan South was sent to print, election...

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NPSA Annual Meeting Provides Timely Industry Updates

When the National Pecan Shellers Association met for its annual meeting in September, topics requiring immediate responses and compliance within the industry were featured on the program — including Food Safety Modernization Act compliance and implementation of the newly enacted federal marketing order. NPSA’s legal counsel, Dick Wood of the Wood Burditt Group in Chicago,...

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TPGA Presents Diverse Program to Large Crowd

Approximately 600 people gathered in San Marcos, Texas, for the annual conference hosted by the Texas Pecan Growers Association. Opportunities abounded for interaction with vendors from throughout the country, education for novice and experienced growers, and valuable information exchange among fellow producers. The popular Embassy Suites venue with hotel and conference center under one roof...

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OPGA Program Packed with Information

The Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association packed plenty of information into a one-day program during its annual conference in Tulsa on June 3. The field day on June 4 at Mike Spradling’s Flying G Ranch was somewhat disrupted by heavy rain at the beginning but some attendees waited it out and enjoyed an abbreviated version and...

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Marketing Order Vote Underway

Anticipating there would be news to report on the effort to implement a Federal Marketing Order for pecans, American Pecan Board President Mike Adams was featured on two recent regional pecan conference agendas. Speaking at both the Southeastern Pecan Growers conference and the Western Pecan Growers conference, Adams suggested that a “new day is dawning”...

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WPGA Hosts 50th Annual Conference

Deputy Under Secretary of Agriculture Gary Woodward, from USDA’s Marketing and Regulatory Programs division in Washington DC, led off the Western Pecan Growers Association’s 50th annual conference and trade show on March 7 with comments on several issues of interest to the pecan industry. “There are two issues before you that will impact your industry...

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SEPGA Program Provides Updates on Industry Issues

A major topic of conversation at recent regional pecan grower conferences was the proposed Federal Marketing Order for pecans, covered elsewhere in this issue. But there was more news to report to the industry and Charles Rohla of Oklahoma’s Noble Foundation led off the agenda at the Southeastern Pecan Growers convention in Florida with some...

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Jimenez Pecan Growers Gather for Fifth Conference

Mexico’s Jimenez Pecan Growers Association hosted its fifth “Jimenuez” conference in September under sunny skies and with a promising harvest on the horizon. The trade show and educational program were again held in the Las Palmas orchard owned by the Uriona family. Growers from throughout the state of Chihuahua participated and pecan buyers were out...

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Jimenuez Snapshots

JIMENUEZ — On the road approaching the Jimenuez conference, on the outskirts of Jimenez, Chihuahua, one gets a glimpse of the impressive cleaning plant that is nearing completion, above. Several growers have partnered to invest in the facility, which was operational for cleaning last season. Significant, secure storage space is also available for growers who need...

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Texas Delegation Promotes Pecan Exports

Three Texas pecan growers and a representative of the Texas Pecan Growers Association met up with Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller and TDA’s Carlos Guerrero in Shanghai in August to promote pecan exports to China. “There has long been an international dialogue between Texas and our counterparts across the globe,” Miller said in a statement...

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TPGA Offers Ideas for Business, Crop Management

Agricultural producers are faced with an increasing demand for “reporting” all kinds of information, a demand that is going to grow and grow, according to Ben Allen of Agri-Data®. And that is not something “you can do simply on paper,” he emphasized. “Consumer demands for food system transparency are creating a level of complexity in...

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OPGA Panel Focuses on Native Pecan Market

Three panelists involved in marketing pecans provided some advice and assessment of current market conditions to those attending the Oklahoma Pecan Growers conference June 12-13 in Ardmore. With Oklahoma being somewhat unique among pecan-producing states in that the majority of the crop is native pecans, much of the conversation focused on natives, and growers were...

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GPGA hedging panel captures audience interest

The Georgia Pecan Growers Association offered up a diverse program with concurrent sessions at its annual conference March 25-26 in Perry. Helpful advice and presentations for new growers as well as veterans comprised the 1.5 day program at the Georgia National Fairgrounds, along with a trade show encompassing equipment, chemicals, nurseries and more. One of...

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King Springs Pecans a Story of Friendship

Paul Quiros began our recent interview for this article by basically writing the lead himself. “This is a story of great friendship,” he said. King Springs Pecans, a young 550-acre orchard not far from Perry, Georgia, was launched 3 years ago by newcomers to the pecan industry, Quiros and his law partner and friend of...

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WPGA Panel Addresses Increasing Salinity Issues

The Western Pecan Growers Association held its annual conference March 1-3 in Las Cruces, New Mexico as usual and enjoyed its typical robust attendance and trade show participation. The educational program encompassed varied topics and concluded with a panel discussion on salinity, an issue of increasing concern in the West, particularly as drought conditions continue....

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NPSA Provides Updates on Issues Impacting Industry

The National Pecan Shellers Association met for its mid-winter gathering March 10-12 in Savannah, Georgia with an agenda that included updates on several major issues with potential impacts on the pecan industry. Diane Welland of Kellen Communications offered an overview of what to expect when USDA’s 2015 version of its official Dietary Guidelines is released...

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Marketing Order Info Widely Shared at Industry Meets

A significant effort has been underway the past several weeks to disseminate information to the pecan industry regarding a potential federal marketing order for pecans. USDA representatives along with American Pecan Board members have made appearances on conference programs at the Southeastern Pecan Growers conference, the Western Pecan Growers conference and the National Pecan Shellers...

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Marketing Order Plans Progressing

Mike Adams, president of the American Pecan Board, reports that the development of the Federal Marketing Order for pecans is progressing. As reported earlier, the American Pecan Board met with USDA staff at DFW airport on Jan. 13-16 to begin the process of composing the order that will be sent to the Secretary of Agriculture...

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An image of the cover of a book, titled "The Pecan: A History of America's Native Nut," by James McWilliams.

New Book Focuses on Pecan History

A new book, “The Pecan: A History of America’s Native Nut”, is now available from The Olde Pecan Bookstore. This 172-page hardback is written by James McWilliams, a historian and writer from Austin, Texas. Cost is $20. In this book, McWilliams explores the history of America’s most important commercial nut. He describes how essential the...

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NPGC considers export strategies for 2015

The Oversight Committee of the National Pecan Growers Council (NPGC) met on Oct. 13 in Dallas to prioritize marketing plans for 2015. National Pecan Growers Council is receiving Market Access Program funding from USDA to promote pecans in export markets. NPGC received slightly over $500,000 in MAP funds in 2014 and will be notified in...

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Nutrition, fertilizer, marketing focus at WPGA

Pecan growers continue to search out optimal orchard fertilization and nutrition practices in order to achieve healthy trees and maximum production. The recent Western Pecan Growers conference in Las Cruces launched its educational program with those topics. New Mexico Extension pecan specialist Richard Heerema reported on revised recommendations for potassium and phosphorus levels (previously reported...

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Pecan meal stars in neat™ meat alternative

New applications for pecans are always welcomed by the industry — especially those that enhance the healthy image of pecans; especially those that enhance the image of pecans as a great tasting nut; and especially those that create demand for something other than halves! Well, here it is and it is on the shelves of...

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Future of industry a theme at SEPGA

Looking forward and preparing for the future seemed to be the theme for the recent Southeastern Pecan Growers Association conference in Biloxi, Feb. 21-22. The program included discussions about the possibility of implementing a pecan marketing order to help the industry deal profitably with likely increased supply, about how the Southeast’s extremely wet weather in...

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Culinary Students Create World’s Largest Praline

More than 2,000 high school culinary students secured their place in the Guinness Book of World Records as they created the world’s largest praline with donations supplied by the Georgia Pecan Commission and U.S. Foods. The 531-pound confection was prepared to celebrate the Hospitality Education Foundation of Georgia’s (HEFG) 10th annual Career Expo, held on...

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SIAL Middle East Trip Report

The National Pecan Growers Council participated in SIAL Middle East for the first time Nov. 24-26, utilizing a booth featuring U.S. Pecans. The participating team consisted of Cindy Wise, Bruce Caris, Executive Vice President of Green Valley Pecan Co, and Vickie Mabry, Executive Director of the National Pecan Shellers Assn. The trade show was held...

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New U.S. Pecan Council

On May 16, 2013, an historic event occurred for pecans. Up until that date, no group had been assembled that represented all segments of the U.S. pecan industry. On that date, the newly formed U.S. Pecan Council seated its first board of directors. This article is an account of its beginnings and future vision. In...

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Informative Orchard Tour Launches TriState Event

Those attending the Tri-State Pecan Conference in Mississippi, June 13-14, who were willing to brave the heat and humidity, were treated to a very informative orchard tour as the starting point of this annual meeting of Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas grower groups. Assembling near Raymond, Mississippi, on June 13 for tours, the attendees started at...

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Retirement Hobby Fires Up R.G. Box

Blacksmith artist R.G. Box of Lubbock, Texas, is pondering the possibility of creating a pecan tree. Considering the fact that he has already made a 6-foot roadrunner, an entire tree is certainly within the realm of possibility and his capability. But to date, his pecan work in the forge has been smaller projects like limbs...

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Incoming SEPGA president Lamar Jenkins, left, expressed appreciation to outgoing president Miley Adams at the association’s banquet. (Photo by Cindy Wise)

SEPGA weathers 106th annual meeting

The weather was damp but spirits were not at the 106th annual convention of the Southeastern Pecan Growers Association held Feb. 22-23 at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, Florida. Convention chairman Michael Horne and program chairwoman Katherine Stevenson structured an enjoyable, informative event that proceeded smoothly despite heavy rains during much of...

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NPSA President Marty Harrell, left, thanks Warren Stone of the Grocery Manufacturers Association for his presentation at the NPSA meeting.

Pecan shellers hold mid-winter meeting

The National Pecan Shellers Association held its Mid Winter meeting Feb. 6-8 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel on Amelia Island, Florida, with food safety and pecan health-related information getting top billing on the program. More of this information will be included in next month’s Pecan South. The NPSA group also put together their own assessment...

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NPSA launches Facebook page

The National Pecan Shellers Association has recently launched a Facebook page. Visit the page at www.Facebook.com/ILovePecans . “Like” the page to get regular updates and tips for using pecans. Also recently, NPSA hosted a nationwide media tour to promote the nutritional benefits of pecans for men. Nationally syndicated morning TV show, The Daily Buzz, highlighted...

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New Mexico field day set for first of November

The New Mexico Pecan Growers Association is hosting its annual Field Day on Nov. 1 at the Leyendecker Plant Science Center near Las Cruces. Registration for the event will begin at 8 a.m. with the program commencing at 8:30 a.m. Marketing, manganese, weed management, pesticide regulations and climate forecasts are among the topics to be...

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New Mexico Growers Hold Annual Field Day Event

New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte joined the New Mexico Pecan Growers Association at its recent 10th annual field day and saluted the industry for having become one of the leading agricultural commodities in the state. Citing historical statistics, Witte noted that New Mexico’s pecan production has grown from a reported 53 pounds of harvested...

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Jimenuez Conference Attracts Large Crowd

The Jiménez (Chihuahua, Mexico) pecan growers hosted their first full-fledged conference Sept. 23-24 and enjoyed amazing success in grower and exhibitor turnout. Billed as “Jimenuez International Forum 2011”, the meeting drew almost 800 participants, including 60 exhibiting companies. Held at Aguas Termales Las Pampas, the conference venue was unique — a water park supplied by...

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INC NREF Recaps Recent Accomplishments

The pecan industry has been contributing $50,000 per year for a number of years to the International Tree Nut Council’s Nutrition Research and Education Foundation. This is the minimum amount that the foundation requires from any nut industry that wishes to be included in the foundations efforts. The nuts currently participating are almonds, brazil nuts,...

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Texas Pecan Board Sponsoring Holiday Recipe Contest

For the second consecutive year, the Texas Pecan Board is sponsoring Texas Co-Op Power magazine’s annual holiday recipe contest. Winners will receive $5,000 in total prizes and their recipes will be published in the December 2011 issue of that publication. This year’s competition invited entries in two different categories — savory and sweet, with the grand prize...

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First Crop Estimate at 246.5 Million

Two flat-bed trailers would not hold all the attendees who showed up for the Louisiana Pecan Growers Association’s tour of the LSU Ag Station in Shreveport, which kicked off the annual Tri-State Pecan Conference June 16-17. Mississippi and Arkansas pecan growers sponsor the conference as well. The morning tour was followed by educational sessions and...

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SEPGA Convention Draws Enthusiastic Turnout

The Southeastern Pecan Growers Association enjoyed an enthusiastic turnout for its annual convention, Feb. 24-26, at the Beau Rivage Resort in Biloxi, Mississippi. A lot of activity was packed into the 2-day event — educational programming, trade show, golf tournament, and awards banquet. The program included several updates regarding important promotional and marketing projects underway...

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U.S. Pecans Team Probes Canadian Market

A team of U.S. pecan industry representatives headed north to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Jan. 23 to carry out a whirlwind two-day agenda that included meetings with six influential Canadian nut buyers. This “outbound trade mission” was the first official activity for the newly launched promotional effort dubbed U.S. Pecans, which is being funded in...

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World Race 2011 Has One Nutty Sponsor

Cecil and Kay Crabtree of Crabtree Pecans in Denison, Texas are sending their business name around the world in 2011 — on the side of an antique car entered in World Race 2011. This is a re-creation of the Greatest Auto Race of 1908, leaving New York City on April 15, 2011 and arriving in...

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Pippin Pecan Farm Diversifies Its Harvest

While pecan operations are a familiar sight throughout South Georgia, Trey Pippin’s farm near Arlington, Georgia has a unique feature that sets it apart from the others — a one-acre plot covered with 836 solar panels that are generating the equivalent of 310,000 kilowatt hours of energy annually. It is the largest privately-owned commercial solar...

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Shellers Launch Prevalence Study, Focus on Food Safety

The National Pecan Shellers Association has listened and heard over the past few years about the importance and increased emphasis on food safety. Invited speakers at several of NPSA’s recent meetings have focused on this topic. And now NPSA is making a considerable investment in determining precisely the “prevalence of Salmonella in pecans.” NPSA has...

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TPGA Conference Draws Big Crowd to San Marcos

A crowd of almost 500 participated in two full days of educational programming and then finished up the 89th Annual Texas Pecan Growers Association Conference and Trade Show with a multifaceted field day that encompassed tours and demonstrations at two different orchards. TPGA members Troy Swift and Mark Friesenhahn hosted tours of their operations that gave...

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Food Safety, Regulations In Spotlight At OPGA Meet

Food safety and health department regulations were featured presentations at the recent Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association annual meeting in Ardmore. OSU Food Scientist William McGlynn told the group that many producers of agricultural products are now being asked — either by government regulators or by private industry — to create and follow some kind of...

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TPGA Hosting 89th Annual Conference and Trade Show

The Texas Pecan Growers Association will host its 89th Annual Conference and Trade Show, July 11-14 at the new Embassy Suites in San Marcos. The conference includes two full days of educational programming and will conclude with a half-day orchard tour. Hotel accommodations at the Embassy Suites may be reserved by calling 512-392-6450. The group...

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Optimistic Crowd Gathers For Gpga Meet

The Georgia Pecan Growers Association enjoyed an enthusiastic turnout for its recent annual meeting in Perry, Georgia, and speakers shared some helpful insight into issues that Georgia producers are facing. USDA’s Bruce Wood led off the program by reporting on a study focused on orchard thinning. “One of the most common mistakes is delaying thinning,”...

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A Final Conversation With Dr. Storey

In May 1967, Dr. J. Benton Storey launched The Pecan Quarterly magazine on behalf of the Texas Pecan Growers Association. TPGA later also purchased Pecan South magazine, which was being published in Georgia, in 1984 and combined the 2 national magazines into one industry-wide publication. The first issue of Pecan Quarterly is pictured here, featuring...

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