Cindy Loggins Wise

Texas Pecan Board schedules election for three at-large slots

BRYAN, TEXAS — The Texas Pecan Board will hold elections in August to elect three board members where current members’ terms are expiring. The board was established in 1998 after pecan growers throughout Texas voted into effect a one-half-cent-per-pound pecan assessment to provide funds for promotion and research. Nine pecan producers serve on the board....

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...

American Pecan Council Immerses PR Team in Everything Pecan

It was dubbed “immersion tour” and structured to give a cadre of public relations specialists a feel for multiple facets of the pecan industry. The American Pecan Council brought its newly engaged team from the Weber Shandwick agency to New Mexico and West Texas on June 5 and 6 to introduce them to the world...

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...

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...

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,...

NPSA Gathers at Scenic Tubac, Arizona for Winter Meeting

Tubac Golf Resort and Spa south of Tucson, Arizona, was the setting for the recent National Pecan Shellers Association’s Mid Winter Meeting. Attendees heard interesting reports from Jim Zion regarding the marketing efforts by the American Pistachio Board and on the topic of drought impact on tree nuts by Paul Brown of the University of...

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...

New Plantings Continue as Common Sight in Georgia

The huge interest in planting pecans in the United States over the past five or so years continues and is easily evident when driving through pecan-growing regions of Georgia. National Pecan Company is one of the entities actively expanding current and new acreage of pecans. National’s director of farming operations Tom Stevenson recently escorted Pecan...

APC elects at-large members, continues set-up duties

The American Pecan Council convened in Biloxi, Mississippi, on Feb. 23, prior to the Southeastern Pecan Growers Convention and took several more steps toward being fully functional. The remaining two seats on the Council were filled: J.B. Easterlin of Easterlin Pecan Company in Montezuma, Georgia, was elected to the Accumulator seat on the board, while...

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...

WPGA Event Draws Big Crowd, Tackles Diverse Topics

The annual Western Pecan Growers Conference, March 5-7 in Las Cruces, New Mexico, drew participants from around the globe this year. A contingent of 25 or so growers from South Africa were on hand, as well as an Australian grower and numerous attendees from Mexico. They joined U.S. growers from across the pecan belt for...

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...

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,...

USDA Tags 2015 Pecan Crop at 254 Million Pounds

USDA released its final report on production and prices regarding the 2015 pecan crop on July 8 (see chart), stating that the U.S. produced 254.3 million pounds of pecans in 2015, in-shell basis. USDA did not issue a preliminary summary of the 2015 crop in January as has been done in past years. On July...

TPGA 2016 Trade Show

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...

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...

NPSA Meeting: Attendees Hear Optimistic Presentations

The National Pecan Shellers Association provided an interesting program at its recent Mid Winter meeting in New Orleans, with updates on past and current activities within the industry as well as a look ahead at potential developments. Christopher Snabes of The Acheson Group related the impact of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) on the...

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”...

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...

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...

Pacific Gold Ag Bullish on California Pecan Industry

Any number of words or phrases come to mind when contemplating Ben King’s endeavor known as Pacific Gold Agriculture – vision, commitment, investment, the pursuit of excellence, optimism, risk, and teamwork are a few of those. He would be quick to say the endeavor is a partnership; but he is undoubtedly the driving force, providing...

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...

Jimenez Grower Aims for Top Quality Crop

José Juan Fuantos grows pecans in the Mexican state of Chihuahua west of the city of Jimenez, along the Parral River. His quest is for top quality nuts and, as he cut pecans in late September so that visitors could assess the nut fill, he was not quite satisfied with what he saw — which...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

New Players Looking to Impact Pecan Industry

Positive developments and publicity focused on the pecan industry have abounded over the past 5 five years, drawing attention and interest from well outside the mainstream of the pecan world. As a result, there has been a myriad of new investments, by industry veterans and newcomers alike — in small ways for some, but in...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

Texas Pecan Board showcases pecans in Texas Co-Op’s holiday contest

Again in 2014 the Texas Pecan Board sponsored Texas Co-Op Power magazine’s holiday recipe contest resulting in enthusiastic response from consumers and great exposure for Texas pecans. The winning recipe, Ultimate Chocolate Pecan Pie, was featured on the cover of the magazine’s December issue (see photo) and the other winning entries appeared within the magazine....

Cold storage carry-in totals 171 million lbs.

The latest USDA cold storage report was released on Oct. 22 and indicated that 171 million pounds of pecans, in-shell basis, were in cold storage at the end of September 2014. This number is used by the industry as the carry-in supply for the 2014/2015 season. The cold storage number at the end of August...

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...

APB hosts second session to discuss pecan marketing order

The American Pecan Board hosted another round of informational sessions on Sept. 3, this time in Tifton, Georgia. Southeastern growers and buyers were invited to participate in the conversational exchange with APB representatives as well as USDA personnel, for the purpose of exploring a federal marketing order for pecans. This was the second of at...

Texas Pecan Board schedules election for 3 at-large slots

The Texas Pecan Board will hold elections in August to elect 3 board members where current members’ terms are expiring. The Board was established in 1998 after pecan growers throughout Texas voted into effect a one-half-cent-per-pound pecan assessment to provide funds for promotion and research. Nine pecan producers serve on the board. Board members whose...

Canadian pecan market has expansion potential

A team of 3 represented the National Pecan Growers Council in the U.S. Pecans booth at the recent (April 2-4) SIAL Canada trade show in Montreal. Cindy Wise of Texas Pecan Growers Association, Ben Anthony of Pecan Plantation in Granbury, Texas, and John Handley of South Georgia Pecan Co. in Valdosta, Georgia, participated in this...

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...

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...

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...

Pecan museum to begin construction in Seguin, TX

A Pecan Museum is back on the drawing board for Seguin, Texas, after a few years of non-activity. The museum will soon be under construction at the Texas Agricultural Education and Heritage Center in Seguin, better known locally in Seguin as the Big Red Barn. Seguin’s Pecan Museum Association presented a check for $264,366 to...

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...

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...

Cold storage pecan carry-in totals 181 million pounds

USDA has reported that, as of Sept. 30, 2013, there were approximately 181 million pounds of pecans in cold storage. This is a converted-to-inshell total number. This is the number traditionally used by the pecan industry as the “carry in” for the season. Broken down into shelled and inshell numbers, the actual cold storage statistics...

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...

Irrigation District Water Allotment Lowest Ever for Western Growers

Kevin Ivey stands next to his thriving pecan trees, planted 7 years ago. Like many other growers in the El Paso Valley, he has optimistically expanded his pecan acreage in recent years with high hopes for the future. Could that optimism be nipped in the bud, the future outlook not quite so bright as it...

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...

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...

U.S. Pecans effort probes ingredient market in China

The National Pecan Growers Council participated in the Food Ingredients China trade show for the first time, March 26-28, 2013, in Shanghai, China. Cindy Wise of Texas Pecan Growers Association served as team leader for this project and was assisted by Ellen Burkett of Priester Pecan Company. This is only the second year that this...

WPGA keeps growers up to date on diverse topics Outgoing WPGA

Those attending the Western Pecan Growers Association conference in Las Cruces March 4-5 were treated to a diverse educational program providing tips on estate planning and smart-phone apps for pecan growers, as well as production information on pest control and irrigation. Blake McKibbin of Farm Bureau Financial Services addressed wealth transfer and business succession for...

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...

Food Safety Issues in Spotlight at Shellers Meeting

Food safety issues loom large in the United States right now, particularly with the new Food Safety Modernization Act poised to impose a host of new regulations on the food industry, including nuts. Warren Stone of the Grocery Manufacturers Association spoke to pecan shellers at their recent Mid Winter meeting in Florida on the topic,...

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...

U.S. Pecans advances presence in European market

The National Pecan Growers Council participated in SIAL Paris 2012, a trade show billed as the world’s largest food industry exhibition, Oct. 21-25. The Paris, France event boasted 140,000 visitors from more than 200 countries; 6,000 exhibitors from 106 countries; 19 product sectors; and 1,500 journalists from 45 countries. This event is held every two...

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...

Current harvest started early, progressing rapidly

Harvest has moved along at a fairly rapid clip this season after an early start in much of the country. A few Texas growers actually gathered their first ‘Pawnees’ during the last week of August, which they noted was their earliest ever harvest. Most other areas of the country are also reporting early crop maturity....

Second ‘Jimenuez’ conference a repeat success

Mexican pecan growers turned out by the hundreds again this year for the Jimenuez conference in late September. Topping last year’s attendance of 800 with the number of exhibits increasing as well, the conference is the largest in Mexico. This event is hosted by the Jimenez Pecan Growers Association and takes place at a unique...

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...

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...

Sponsored By Texas Pecan Board Texas Co-Op Power Magazine Features Recipe Contest Winners

Pecan South readers can expect to see a copy of Texas Co-Op Power magazine in their mailbox soon, courtesy of that magazine and the Texas Pecan Board. For the past couple of years, TPB has sponsored a highly popular pecan holiday recipe contest in the utilities co-op publication that has a circulation of 1.3 million. Cash prizes totaling...

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...

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,...

National Pecan Shellers Association Elects Board Members & Officers

ATLANTA – The National Pecan Shellers Association elected new officers and board members at the NPSA Annual Meeting in Asheville, NC, Sept. 8-10. Marty Harrell of Harrell Nut Co. was elected Chairman, replacing Helen Watts with Young Pecan Inc. whose two-year term concluded at the end of the meeting. Other officers elected include: Jerry Dowdy,...

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...

TPGA Conference – Future Looks Bright Despite Not-So-Great 2011 Crop

While Texas pecan growers were generally less than enthusiastic about their crop potential for the 2011 season, the overall sentiment that seemed to prevail at the 90th Annual Texas Pecan Growers Conference in Frisco was that the national industry faces a bright future as long as pecan-producing states cooperatively tackle upcoming hurdles. The need for cooperation...

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...

U.S. Pecans on Hand for Sial China Trade Show

The U.S. Pecans effort to promote the export of pecans was focused on China May 18-20 when 4 representatives manned a booth at the large annual SIAL China trade show in Shanghai. Cindy Wise of the Texas Pecan Growers Association, Bob Whaley of Whaley Pecan Co. in Alabama, grower Mike Spradling of Oklahoma and grower/sheller...

Shellers Hear Outlook on Economy, Report on Prevalence Study

Even though the pecan industry has enjoyed a profitable season, the U.S. economy will require a little more “patience” before it rebounds, according to Dr. Gerald Swanson, Professor of Economics, University of Arizona. Swanson addressed the National Pecan Shellers Association at its recent mid-winter meeting in New Orleans. “Believe it or not,” Swanson said, the...

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...

Western Growers Keep Up to Date on Pest Issues and More

The western pecan-growing region of the United States has been fortunate in not having to deal with many of the insect pests that plague the eastern half of the pecan belt. So, when a new pest threat shows any sign of emerging in the West, the industry there is quick to respond. Several speakers at...

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...

El Paso Valley Growers Deal With Water, Soil Salinity

West Texas pecan growers gathered on Jan. 19 in El Paso to discuss their two biggest challenges: water availability and soil salinity issues. Jesus Reyes, the general manager of their El Paso County Water Improvement District #1, brought relatively good news on the water availability situation, at least for this season. Pecan growers in the...

Pecan Industry Sees Record High Grower, Meat Prices

Demand for pecans has been at an all-time high this season with U.S. growers enjoying record high prices for in-shell product. Export demand from China has continued to be a significant factor in the pecan market in 2010. Growers have been paid over $5.00, point basis, for large top-quality pecans in recent weeks — that...

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...

With Help of MAP Funding , Pecan Industry Launching International Promotions

Riding the crest of recent export demand for pecans, the U.S. pecan industry has united to pursue and be granted $200,000 in Market Access Program (MAP) funds from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. The funding will be utilized in 2011 to promote pecans in several foreign markets including China, India, Europe and Dubai.   Additionally, the...

Arizona: Young Plantings Fill the Horizon

Several thousand acres of new pecan trees have been planted in Arizona over the past five years and several thousand more will likely go in during the next couple of years. Enough new pecan acreage has been or will be planted to boost the state’s production by 10-15 million pounds — if all current established...

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...

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...

APGA Tour Offers Optimistic Glimpse of Industry Direction

Most pecan growers will tell you that if they make the effort to attend a grower meeting or field day or orchard tour, they always learn something. Those Alabama pecan growers who made the trip to South Georgia for their association’s annual summer tour learned a lot — much of which should put them in...

Industry ‘Guesstimates’ Suggest Hefty “Off-Year” Crop Potential

If Kenneth Pape’s crop forecast, offered at the recent Texas Pecan Growers conference in San Marcos, proves true, the 2010 “off-year” pecan crop would be as big as 2009’s “on-year” total. Pape predicted a 292-million-pound total for U.S. production this coming harvest season. That set off a lively debate between Pape and fellow prognosticator Ben...

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...

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...

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...

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,”...

Georgia Industry Energized, Planting And Renovating

The attitude in Georgia about pecans is not the same today as it was 10 years ago. A strong grower market in recent years has generated an optimistic outlook and thousands of acres of new trees are being planted. Not only have several thousand acres of new trees been planted over the past 5 years,...

New Mexico: Will Increasing Acreage Plut It In Top Spot In Future?

With the pecan industry literally abuzz with talk of exports to China and grower groups seeking government funding to capitalize on the current interest from export markets, Pecan South is taking a look, state by state, at the future of pecan production in the United States. First up is New Mexico, to be followed by...

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...

Pape Nutcracker Collection May Be World’s Largest

Kenneth Pape of Seguin, Texas, may have the largest collection of nutcrackers in the world and his collection is now showcased in his Nutcracker Museum, one of the biggest attractions in this small town about 30 miles east of San Antonio. Seguin is rich in pecan tradition and the Pape family is responsible for much...

Royalty Pecan Farm Launches New Welcome Center

The distance from the old to the new is not far—only about 100 yards or so—but visitors to Royalty Pecan Farm this fall surely think they’ve arrived at a completely different place. And they have, in some ways. The new Welcome Center at Royalty Pecan Farm officially opened on Oct. 1, a beautiful new building...