A group of people pose for a photo.

Cracking Open the India Opportunity

Driving export opportunities is a significant area of focus for the American Pecan Council. In particular, India presents a great opportunity to reach a growing, heavily vegetarian country where general awareness about pecans is low, but interest in nuts, especially U.S. nuts, is high—not just for cultural holidays, weddings, or gift-giving, but for nutritious snacking...

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U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. National Pecan Federation shares updates from the Hill.

New Year Update on the NPF’s Activities in Washington

Agricultural Groups Appeal for Changes to 2022 Disaster Relief and Aid On Dec. 29, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 that provides about $3.7 billion in financial assistance for agricultural producers impacted by eligible natural disasters that occurred in calendar year 2022.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released the...

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cover of APC Nutrition Handout

Growing Pecan Awareness and Affinity Among Healthcare Professionals

Over the past year, the collective efforts of the American Pecan Council (APC) and partners have culminated in a surround-sound success for America’s pecan growers and processors. APC’s collaborative endeavors to reach healthcare professionals (HCPs), fueled by passion and perseverance, have established APC as a trusted resource. Through ongoing investment in the healthcare professional audience...

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American Pecan Promotion Board Taco Trucks Serve Up Real-Time Sampling Opportunity

To cap off the summer, the American Pecan Promotion Board (APPB) activated custom-branded taco trucks at popular farmers’ markets in Dallas, Atlanta, and Chicago. At an in-person trial, consumers sampled Al Pastor-style Pecan Tacos highlighting pecans’ versatility and showcasing how they serve as a nutritious, natural, plant-based protein. On-site consumer feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with...

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Around the Industry: TPGA 2023 Conference

Texas Pecan Growers Association Gathers for Annual Conference and Trade Show The Texas Pecan Growers Association ventured to Denton, Texas, from July 30 through August 2 for its 102nd annual Conference and Trade Show at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Denton Convention Center Hotel. In addition to hearing several talks from pecan specialists and industry...

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The August 2023 Crop Corner

The Crop Corner provides seasonal updates throughout the industry and continues in Pecan South’s August 2023 magazine. The Crop Corner will take a break after this issue as The Pecan Newsletter returns on September 15, 2023.  The Pecan Newsletter is a weekly harvest and market newsletter published from mid-September through January. Read a sample of...

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A pecan snack mix from the APPB's summer marketing.

Summer Marketing Updates from the APC and APPB

The American Pecan Promotion Board continues to reach consumers across traditional and social media and to produce a range of paid content live on Facebook and Instagram (@eatpecans), featuring pecan recipes, benefits, and animations to engage our target audience. As part of the APPB’s paid social content development, we partnered with content creator Emily Laurae...

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Around the Industry: Oklahoma Pecan Growers Conference

Oklahoma Pecan Growers Gather for 2023 Conference The Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association hosted its Annual Conference on June 1 through 3 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the Cox Business Convention Center. The educational seminar covered a variety of topics, including new pecan cultivars, soil health, financial considerations for regenerative agriculture, and agritourism. Participants visited with vendors,...

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Blooming tulips sit in the foreground of this shot of the U.S. Capitol

A Pecan Industry Update from Washington

CBP Confirms Pecan Import Fee Collections Will Begin October 2023 U.S. Senator Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) sent a letter on May 18, 2023, to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on behalf of the pecan industry regarding the ongoing issue of customs collections for assessments of imported pecans. The letter requested confirmation from CBP that...

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A group of people with the NPF stand in front of the U.S. Capitol for a group photo.

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...

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A barrel full of inshell pecans with a metal scooper resting on top of the nuts.

The Ins and Outs of the APC’s Voluntary Quality Assurance Program

Retailers’, buyers’, and consumers’ preferences are constantly evolving. These pressures come domestically and internationally as each country sets its own rules and regulations. Regarding international regulations, many countries—including Australia, Canada, and the European Union—have food safety and quality mandates for imported products.  One recent example of international regulations can be seen in the EU Commission’s...

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What’s to Come, What’s Been Done for Pecan Marketing

The American Pecan Promotion Board (APPB) just finished a multi-pronged holiday marketing push. The holiday push for 2022 featured a Pecan Pizza Pie. This truly nutty pie included a savory buttermilk pizza crust, a thick bourbon-infused tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella, fennel-dusted pepperoni-flavored pecan halves, and a spicy balsamic pecan pie glaze. As of early December...

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American Pecan Promotion Board 2022 Updates

Upcoming Marketing Campaign The American Pecan Promotion Board is deploying a marketing strategy starting this holiday season that is sure to cut through the usual holiday clutter. Competition for media attention is fierce during the holidays. The APPB intentionally shifted from health and snacking—which gets limited media coverage during the holiday season—to grab headlines with...

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A native pecan grove. Mature pecan trees grow tall in this wooded space.

Federal Register Notice Pecans Grown in Multiple States; Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection

USDA has published a notice for public comment regarding the extension and revision of a currently approved reporting form. In the notice, it refers to 14 forms in the OMB package. This includes two ballot forms for committee nominations, two grower and sheller nomination forms, two background and acceptance statements forms for growers and shellers...

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A group of people stand together for a photo outside next to a banner for the NUTS 2022 meeting.

International Experts Recommend Nuts and Dried Fruits as Part of a Healthy Diet

From October 20-21, 2022, the world’s leading researchers gathered for NUTS 2022 to discuss the current and future of health research on nuts and dried fruits. NUTS 2022 was a historic gathering of the brightest minds in the field of nutrition research on nuts and dried fruits. Twenty-five researchers and professors from universities in Europe,...

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The August 2022 Crop Corner

The Crop Corner provides seasonal updates throughout the industry and continues in Pecan South’s August 2022 magazine. The Crop Corner will take a break after this issue as The Pecan Newsletter returns on September 9, 2022.  The Pecan Newsletter is a weekly harvest and market newsletter published from mid-September through January. Read a sample of...

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The July 2022 Crop Corner

The 2022 crop is approaching nut fill, and growers across the country continue to support their trees as best they can, even while battling drought, pests, and extreme temperatures. Here’s a quick update on the state of the crop from region to region for July. Southeast: In the Southeast, growers report a decent crop, depending...

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Hands cradle pecan kernels over a large bin filled with pecans. Photo used to reflect U.S. handlers' large inventories as reported in October 2020 Position Report.

Pecan successes in grocery and retail

This month, we highlight three major successes for the American pecan industry with data pulled from Information Resources, Inc. (IRI). You may be wondering, “What is IRI data?” IRI is retail-based scanner data collected from a large sample of grocery stores across the United States. Through our subscription purchase of this data, we are provided...

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Banner image to represent the Pecan Crop Corner

The May 2022 Crop Corner

The Crop Corner provides seasonal updates for readers on pecans throughout the industry and continues in Pecan South’s May 2022 magazine. Created and published by Pecan South editors, The Pecan Newsletter provides weekly harvest and market updates from September through January by compiling reports from growers and market information from reliable sources worldwide. The Crop...

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A timeline of the American Pecan Council's marketing activities and successes over its first 5 years.

American Pecans’ marketing milestones

2017 was a monumental year for the American Pecan industry. Uniting to support the passage of a Federal Marketing Order, we commenced our first large-scale, domestic marketing effort. Our collective endeavor to increase domestic demand has produced impressive results; in fact, our integrated marketing efforts—which began with Weber Shandwick less than five years ago—have resulted...

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A chart for Net Open Position as of Aug. 31 for the past three crop years. The 2020-2021 crop year ended with the lowest amount of pecans available for sale and reflects a steady decrease in ending Net Open Position number for the past few years.

Pecan Growth for 2020-2021 Crop Year

Every year, the American Pecan Council, as the Federal Marketing Order (FMO) for the U.S. pecan industry, creates a marketing policy statement that includes recaps and projections for the upcoming fiscal year. These marketing policy statements are approved each year during the August Council meeting in preparation for the pecan industry’s new fiscal year beginning...

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U.S. Capitol on a cloudy day.

National Pecan Federation update on agricultural climate policies

USDA Announces Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Partnership Initiative On Sept. 29, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced they are considering using the $30 billion Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) next year to pay for large-scale pilot programs to scale up farm and forestry practices that help mitigate climate change. “Our work will be voluntary and incentive-based,” Agriculture Secretary Tom...

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A pecan nut cluster with three bright green shucks hangs from a branch surrounded by dark green leaves.

Around the industry—snapshots of fall meetings

North Carolina pecan growers gather at NCPGA’s Orchard Tour The North Carolina Pecan Growers Association conducted its Fall Orchard Tour on Sept.11, 2021, at Ronnie’s Berry Farm, Angier, North Carolina. This was the first in-person event the association conducted in over two years because of COVID-19, and all were glad to be together. John Taylor,...

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FMO—201

In 2016, after years of dreaming and working to develop a Federal Marketing Order (FMO), our historically divided industry came together and established the American Pecan Council for the common goal of building awareness and demand for American Pecans. In the beginning stages of the FMO, consumer research was conducted and showed pecans lagged tremendously...

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An orchard in Arizona during the fall.

Around the Industry

National Pecan Shellers Association gathers for 2021 Annual Meeting in Denver The National Pecan Shellers Association (NPSA) gathered in Denver, Colorado, for its 2021 Annual Meeting on August 25 and 26 at The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa. This meeting marked the first in-person gathering for NPSA since the start of the pandemic. Attendees visited...

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2021 Crop Estimates

Here are the 2021 crop estimates as predicted at the Texas Pecan Growers Conference, National Pecan Shellers Association annual meeting, and the USDA NASS Crop Production report, which shows utilized production for the 2020 crop. Please note that the USDA released its annual production report for 2020 in May and only publishes data for the...

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The schedule for APC's quarterly webinar series to connect with credentialed health and wellness professionals.

Reaching consumers through credentialed wellness professionals

A key audience the American Pecan Council has identified and been pleased to gain inroads into is the world of credentialed health and wellness professionals (registered dietitian nutritionists, physicians, nurses, fitness professionals, etc.). This community of highly engaged and influential individuals is passionate about promoting holistic, healthy living and educating those who look to them...

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Banner image to represent the Pecan Crop Corner

The Crop Corner August 2021

The Crop Corner provides seasonal updates for readers on pecans throughout the industry and continues in Pecan South’s August 2021 magazine. The Crop Corner will be taking a break as The Pecan Newsletter starts on September 10, 2021.  Created and published by Pecan South editors, The Pecan Newsletter provides weekly harvest and market updates from...

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A group of people stand in front of mature pecan trees at an orchard in West Texas.

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)...

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Clippings from social media posts for the Super Safe Pecan Debate that the APC shared during its marketing recap.

APC marketing recap for the mid-year

The American Pecan Council had its biannual meeting on April 28 to discuss mid fiscal year updates on activities approved in the 2020-2021 fiscal year budget. The topics of discussion included Grades and Standards, Industry Relations, and Domestic and International Marketing. During the marketing presentation, APC staff provided a recap of the first and second...

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Digital image for APC's 2021 marketing campaign, The Super Safe Debate. The graphic shows two pins with the different pronunciations for pecan and encourages people to vote. APC campaign focuses on healthy snackers.

APC Campaign Calls All Healthy Snackers

COVID-19 has changed consumer behaviors worldwide. Recent data states that 54 percent of consumers are cooking and baking more. There has also been a 39 increase in snack category sales—both healthy and indulgent. Consumers are very concerned with their health. Google searches for immunity boosters like antioxidants, healthy diets like Keto or Mediterranean, and plant-based...

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Banner image to represent the Pecan Crop Corner

The Pecan Crop Corner: August 2020

A monthly column, The Crop Corner comes in response to popular demand from readers of The Pecan Newsletter and gives updates on the 2020 pecan crop. Created and published by Pecan South editors, The Pecan Newsletter provides weekly harvest and market updates from September through January by compiling reports from growers, as well as price...

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APC Activities Update: Adapting and Preparing in 2020

Entering into the final stretch of the current crop year, the American Pecan Council updates industry members on its many activities, projects, and industry initiatives. This update on APC activities and ongoing projects include increasing pecan awareness, expanding industry efforts, and releasing accessible and transparent data for all. Marketing Successes – Increasing Pecan Awareness 2019...

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Banner image to represent the Pecan Crop Corner

The Pecan Crop Corner: July 2020

A new monthly column, The Crop Corner comes in response to popular demand from readers of The Pecan Newsletter. Created and published by Pecan South editors, The Pecan Newsletter provides weekly harvest and market updates from September through January by compiling reports from growers, as well as price and market information from reliable sources across...

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U.S. Capitol on a cloudy day.

Industry Update from Capitol Hill

Federal COVID-19 Relief Actions The U.S. Congress reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic by passing three stimulus bills. Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020 Families First Coronavirus Response Act Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) Although the first two COVID-19 stimulus bills included items that impacted pecans as far as nutrition...

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Graph showing U.S. pecan consumption growth in comparison to other tree nuts

Your Federal Marketing Order at Work

It has been a year and a half since the American Pecan Council hired a permanent executive director with full-time staff. In that time, we have undergone a thorough Strategic Planning process and have implemented numerous programs that benefit the pecan industry as a whole. The industry’s unified labor is coming to fruition. The encouraging...

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A collage of photos shows different recipes created through the American Pecans marketing campaign.

Are You in the Know on Industry Projects?

We always seek to keep the industry informed on the numerous projects being conducted by the American Pecan Council at any given time. Now that conference season is underway, we look forward to connecting and providing you with a detailed report in person, but we hope this article serves to give you a snapshot of...

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2020—An exciting Year Ahead

With the beginning of the American Pecan Council’s (APC) new fiscal year, the industry has several projects moving forward. With the strategic plan in full swing, these projects can be broken down into five specific areas: Marketing; International Marketing; Grades, Standards & Research; Industry Relations; and Unified Industry. 2019 – 2020 promises to be a...

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An orchard in fall.

A Year in Review

It may sound cliché, but time has a way of marching right on by when you’re busy having fun. This past year has been full of many firsts. The American Pecan Council (APC) was established in 2016, but like any endeavor built from the ground up, it has taken a couple years to establish a...

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Two rows of green and vibrant pecan trees at an orchard in Georgia.

How to Enroll in the Market Facilitation Program

Pecans are an eligible specialty crop under the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency. MFP assists farmers who continue to suffer from damages because of trade retaliation from foreign nations. Pecan producers have until Dec. 6 to enroll in MFP. Pecan producers who have not participated in FSA programs should follow...

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Report from Capitol Hill

The U.S. Congress has finally passed agricultural disaster legislation and President Donald Trump promptly signed the bill into law. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working to get resources to growers harmed by natural disasters. After being hit hard by Hurricane Michael, pecan growers in the Southeast may benefit from this legislation. The following are...

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A promotional image from the APC that shows a bag of pecans and the Superweek logo in red. It reads: "1 bag of pecans = so many super recipes."

APC 101 Series: Marketing Strategy 101

As consumer behavior changes and generations establish their likes and dislikes, industry marketing, education techniques, and technologies must also adapt or be left behind. To understand and thrive in the future market, the industry must understand consumer trends and preferences. Consider the following: traditional TV viewing is down across all major age groups. According to...

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Photo of a road lined with pecan trees

APC 101 Series: Strategic Planning

The pecan industry is at a critical stage. Trade pressures, volatile market prices, and natural disasters have created uncertainty for many during a time when the industry has only just recently unified under the Federal Marketing Order. Under our remit through the FMO and as the largest and broadest organization for the pecan industry, the...

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FMO – 101

Since coming on board as the Executive Director of the American Pecan Council, I have received numerous questions as to the abilities of the Federal Marketing Order (FMO). Simply put, what can the FMO do? What is the function? Are we really a government body or an industry body? Can FMOs really do research, domestic...

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2018 NPSA Lifetime Achievement Award Winners

Atlanta, Georgia – Sept. 14, 2018 – The National Pecan Shellers Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor the NPSA can bestow upon a member of our association in recognition of an individual’s significant contributions and lasting influence for the pecan industry. It is especially impactful as the association celebrates its 75th Anniversary in...

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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...

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The Power of Partnership: Influential Recipe Developers Promote American Pecans

In last month’s issue, we covered the many ways you, as members of the American pecan industry, can use the new American Pecans, The Original Supernut brand—including sharing delicious recipes created through our partnerships with some of the nation’s top food and nutrition influencers. Since well before the consumer-facing campaign officially launched in late April,...

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2018 Crop Estimates

Here are the 2018 crop estimates as predicted at the TriState Conference and Texas Pecan Growers Conference this Summer. This was the first year in a long while to break with tradition. Last year was Kyle Brookshier’s last crop estimate; this year newly appointed  TPGA president Lalo Medina gave the Texas estimate. At the TriState Conference,...

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USDA 2018 Noncitrus Fruits & Nuts Report

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released its annual non-citrus fruits and nuts report today. Pecans are included in this report, and you can see the annual summaries of acreage, yield, production, use, price, and value by state for the 2017  crop. You can review the USDA 2018 report here. Below you can compare the...

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Around the Industry: the 2018 World Ag Expo

The World Ag Expo returned to Tulare, California on Feb. 13-15 this year to give producers, consumers and ag innovators the chance to meet, network and celebrate the future of agriculture. Presented by the International Agri-Center, this year’s World Ag Expo covered 2.6 million square feet and featured exhibitors with various focuses from safety to...

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USPGC: “China Lowers Tariff on Pecans”

The Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China announced on Nov. 22 that the tariff on some imported products, including pecans, will be lowered to 7 percent starting on Dec. 1, 2017. This announcement came a month after Kevin Ivey, president of the U.S. Pecan Growers Council, visited with Chinese pecan growers, toured farms...

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Around the Industry: Weber Shandwick Team Finishes Immersion Tours in the Southeast

As growers rushed into harvest last month, the American Pecan Council’s Weber Shandwick team embarked on its final immersion tour. This time the group visited Georgia. Team members witnessed harvest, learned how pecan production varies in the Southeast, and met with local growers and industry members. MASON PECANS, FORT VALLEY, GEORGIA— An employee at Mason Farms collects...

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Industry Updates & Happenings

  HOW IT’S MADE, OCT. 2017— While filming the harvesting process at Sorrells Farms, the film crew worried over the possibility of standing in fire ants and asked the Texans present, multiple times, if they were. It’s safe to say, they escaped unscathed. (Photos by Blair Krebs)   HOW IT’S MADE, OCT. 2017— Kinley and...

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Promising Nut and Dried Fruit Production Worldwide for 2017-18

July 2017. During the debate sessions held at the latest INC Congress, recently celebrated in Chennai, India, the 2017/18 season world tree nut production (almonds, Amazonia -Brazil- nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts) has been forecasted at 4.2 million metric tons, up 25 percent from prior 10 years average (data referring...

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Crop Estimates Graph & USDA 2016

The chart above shows Littlepage’s and Brookshier’s estimates from the TriState and TPGA conferences respectively. It also shows the USDA numbers of production in 2016. USDA released its annual production report for 2016 in early July. A number of states have no data reported and are marked with an “NA” instead of a “D” for...

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At the U.S. Pecans booth at SIAL China, the representatives smile and pose behind the counter, which is covered in brochures and pecans.

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...

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New Name, Same Services

Earlier this year, the Noble Board of Trustees elected to separate the activities of The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, and that transition began on May 1, 2017. The organization’s research, education and consultation activities will remain with our existing entity but will continue forward with a new name: Noble Research Institute, LLC. The new name...

This content is only available to members.

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A green tractor pulls equipment through a pecan orchard during harvest season.

From Around the Pecan Industry

NO PRETTIER SIGHT! Georgia photographer Gary Cutrell of Fort Valley captured this beautiful pecan harvest scene in Peach County, Georgia, and was generous enough to share it with Pecan South readers.   JIMENUEZ 2017 — The Jimenez, Mexico, Pecan Growers Association hosted its annual conference, known as Jimenuez, in April. The association’s board organizes the...

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American Pecan Council Hires Executive Director

The American Pecan Council announced May 11 that Byron Gossett is its newly hired administrative consultant and acting executive director. The Council convened via conference call on May 8 and voted unanimously to offer the position to Gossett. APC’s Governance Committee voted to recommend Gossett for the position after numerous meetings, personal interviews, and reference...

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Renowned Chefs Gain Pecan Insights at Pecan Chefs Summit

ATLANTA, Georgia — Commercial chefs’ appreciation for the versatility of pecans continues to grow thanks to the National Pecan Shellers Association’s (NPSA) annual Pecan Chefs Summit. The most recent Summit, a series committed to immersing research and development chefs into the world of pecans, convened in April in Birmingham, Alabama. Chefs experienced the flavors, food...

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USDA Implements Certificate Requirement for Organic Products from Mexico

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Mexico’s National Service for Animal and Plant Health, Food Safety and Quality (SENASICA) are committed to increasing transparency and strengthening monitoring and enforcement controls for organic products traded between the two countries. One important mechanism for achieving this goal is the use of import certificates....

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Harvest Progressing as Prices Strengthen

Although harvest in the West got a relatively late start, pecan growers were actively gathering their crop in December after cold weather finally descended on western production regions. Prices were surging upwards partially as a result of the late availability and partially because other areas of the country have seen lower-than-expected quality and quantity, resulting...

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INC Says Tree Nut Production to Increase in 2016/17

The International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC) has released its latest Global Statistical Review with production trends for almonds, Amazonia (Brazil) nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts, peanuts, dates, dried apricots, dried figs, prunes, raisins, sultanas and currants for 2016-17. In the 2015/16 season, world tree nut production has been...

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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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USDA Estimates 2016 U.S.Pecan Crop at 263 Million

USDA released its 2016 pecan crop estimate (see next page) on Oct. 12 with the following statement. “Production is forecast at 263 million pounds (utilized, in-shell basis), up 3 percent from 2015. Improved varieties are expected to produce 239 million pounds or 91 percent of the total. The native and seedling varieties are expected to...

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Flory unveils environmentally friendly harvester

Flory Industries, headquartered in the heart of the California Central Valley, has just released the newest model of their self-propelled nut harvesters: the Flory 8700. The Flory 8700 combines a host of improvements over models released even a decade ago, from computerized in-cab controls to extra-thick safety glass windows. What sets the 8700 apart, however,...

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U.S. Pecan Growers continue to develop China market

I recently served as the U.S. Pecans Project Manager for the 2016 SIAL China trade show, a component of the 2016 U.S. Pecan Growers Council (USPGC) China Unified Export Strategy (UES). Our objective for the show was to showcase/promote U.S. grown pecans in the China country market, to share information, and improve knowledge on pecan...

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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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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...

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No Preliminary Crop Report; Final Numbers to Come in July

In a Feb. 8 newsletter, Dan Zedan of Nature’s Finest Foods reported some follow-up information on the recent suspension of USDA’s January report for NonCitrus Fruits and Nuts Preliminary Summary. This USDA summary has annually reported on pecan crop production and average prices for the current season. After the suspension of this report was brought...

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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....

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Matching Funds Essential for MAP Export Program

Randy Hudson, president of the National Pecan Growers Council, and Bruce Caris, chair of the National Pecan Shellers Association, are asking pecan stakeholders to continue supporting the NPGC’s MAP export initiative with monetary contributions. Hudson said recently, “The international marketing of U.S. pecans through the MAP and U.S. Pecans’ effort has contributed millions of dollars...

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NPSA to Meet March 22-24 in New Orleans

The National Pecan Shellers Association will meet March 22-24 at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in New Orleans for its mid-winter meeting. Current NPSA Chairman Bruce Caris will preside over a NPSA board strategic planning session on March 22. The General Session begins at 8:30 a.m. on March 23. Topics on the agenda that morning include:...

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National Pecan Co. Buys Young Shelling Operation

FRISCO, Texas — Nov. 9, 2015 — National Pecan Company has announced the acquisition of Young Pecan Inc. – one of the leading pecan processors with the industry’s largest shelling capacity. The purchase, which includes Young Pecan’s premium brand and state-of-the-art production facilities, is another step toward vertical integration and overall growth for National Pecan....

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Some growers dry their pecans using bins like this one. Forry Orchards in Colusa, California, installed these drying bins in their dehulling facility in 2015. Drying your pecans is a necessary task that can impact your profits.

Forry Unveils New Facility for Dehulling

Lincoln Forry of Forry Orchards in Colusa, California was anxiously awaiting completion of his new multi-million dollar dehulling/drying plant in October and hoping to get walnut and pecan processing underway this season. His sophisticated new facility sits beside the older plant, which was kept in operation until the new plant could be started up. Walnut...

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Around the Industry

FAST-PACED RETIREMENT — California pecan grower and sheller Brian Blain retired from the pecan business some time ago and now pursues his exciting hobby of collecting, restoring and racing old cars. Most of his cars are shiny with an “off the charts” wow factor. But even the rustically displayed Model T below is in running...

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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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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 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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LeRoy Olsak holds his state championship plaque from the 2013 crop's Texas State Pecan Show.

Texas Pecan Show Snapshots

REGIONAL PECAN SHOW — From left, Bill Ree and Monte Nesbitt judge the West Texas Pecan Show in San Angelo in December while County Horticulturist Allison Watkins and grower Chester McCown look on. Top entries from the three regional shows were collected and preserved for more judging next July at the Texas State Pecan Show,...

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Marketing order sessions continue

USDA Under Secretary of Marketing and Regulatory Programs Edward Avalos recently told an audience of pecan growers gathered in New Mexico that insisting on always doing things the way your fathers did them is not a path to success. “Nothing ever stays the same. If you want to be successful, you must change. It is...

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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...

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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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American Pecan Board hosts USDA delegation

The American Pecan Board, a relatively new organization, is currently in the process of staging regional meetings across the pecan belt to inform and receive feedback on a potential federal marketing order for pecans. The board is recommending that the industry establish such a plan. There are many details to be worked out, according to...

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Cold storage pecans total 264 million lbs.

According to USDA’s latest cold storage report, there were approximately 264 million pounds of pecans, on an inshell basis, in cold storage at the end of June. That number is reached by converting the 55.624 million pounds of meats to an inshell number and then adding that number to the actual inshell number which is 137.696...

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U.S. Pecans probes European market at Alimentaria

In an effort to enhance pecan exports to Europe, the National Pecan Growers Council participated in the Alimentaria Trade Show in Barcelona, Spain for the first time in April. Those volunteers who represented U.S. Pecans at this show included Helen Watts of Young Pecan Co., Rett Salopek of 6U Farms in Las Cruces, New Mexico,...

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Georgia Pecan Commission Exhibits at Nutrition and Dietitian Conference

The Georgia Pecan Commission exhibited at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) in Houston, Texas, Oct. 19-21, 2013. Advisory board members/spokespersons registered dietitian Carolyn O’Neil, Dr. Ron Pegg and registered dietitian Densie Webb made appearances in the Georgia Pecans booth to answer nutritional questions and spread the “antioxiNUT”...

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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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Chef Hugh Acheson sits on a porch.

Georgia Pecans visits the Big Apple

In advance of Georgia Pecan Month and the upcoming harvest season, celebrity chef and cookbook author Hugh Acheson joined a Georgia Pecan Commission representative in New York City to conduct desk-side editorial meetings with key editors of consumer, food and health magazines. Acheson is the chef and partner of three restaurants, Five and Ten, and...

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Cropland 18% of U.S. total

The USDA Economic Research Service recently reported, “The United States has a total land area of nearly 2.3 billion acres. In 2007, the major land uses were forestland at 30%; grassland pasture and rangeland at 27%; cropland 18%; special uses (primarily parks and wildlife areas) 14%; miscellaneous uses (like tundra or swamps) 9%; and urban...

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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 IPM Team Wins Superior Service Award

COLLEGE STATION – The Texas AgriLife Extension Service’s Pecan Integrated Pest Management team has been awarded the Superior Service Award. The nine-member team was recognized for “their work in developing and implementing a program that has culminated in a computerized information delivery system to provide real-time information to pecan growers throughout Texas and other pecan...

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BASF Offers Savings on Headline Fungicide

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, April 21, 2011 – Growers who use Headline® fungicide may qualify to save $50 per gallon on purchases through BASF authorized retailers made by Aug. 15. “Headline fungicide is a smart, strategic investment for growers, and the Headline Advantage offer means it pays even more to plan ahead,” said Jason Ward,...

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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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Thanking the Commissioner

THANKING THE COMMISSIONER — The Georgia Pecan Commodity Commission honored retiring Georgia Ag Commissioner Tommy Irvin, center, for 42 years in his position, making him the longest serving ag commissioner ever, according to commission president Duke Lane, right. Lane, along with Chop Evans, left, presented Irvin with this pecan wood plaque made by grower and commission...

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Industry to Establish Research and Extension Priorities

Research and Extension programs on pecans need your direction and support. A planning conference has been scheduled for Feb. 13-15, 2011 at the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, Oklahoma. Industry representatives have been invited to establish research and Extension priorities in a) production, b) processing and distribution, and c) consumer and retail markets. The industry...

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King Ranch Acquires Southwest Nut

King Ranch Inc. announced on Oct. 6 that it has acquired the name and substantially all of the assets of Southwest Nut Co. The newly acquired assets include a pecan processing and shelling plant and related equipment in Fabens, Texas and substantially all of the equipment in a second plant located in Juarez, Mexico. Robert...

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NPSA Elects Board Members at Annual Meet

The National Pecan Shellers Association re-elected three members and elected three others to serve on the Board of Directors during the NPSA Annual Meeting Sept. 16-18 in Memphis, Tennessee. Jerry Fogle of Golden Kernel Pecan Co., Terri Lynn Schuck of Terri Lynn Inc. and Larry Willson of Sunnyland Farms Inc. were re-elected to new two-year...

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Pecans Provide Neurological Protection

Lowell, MA – Eating about a handful of pecans each day may play a role in protecting the nervous system, according to a new animal study published in the current issue of Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research. The study, conducted at the Center for Cellular Neurobiology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, suggests adding pecans to your...

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Shellers Recap ’09 Crop, Hear Good Nutritional News

The National Pecan Shellers Association gathered for its Mid-Winter Meeting, Feb. 18-20, in New Orleans just as the city was winding down from a two-week celebration encompassing Mardi Gras and a Super Bowl victory for the Saints. However, some of the shellers were not feeling very victorious about their 2009 pecan-buying season as export markets...

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Growers Who Plan Can Save On Headline Purchase From Basf

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, February 17, 201—Growers using Headline® fungicide may be eligible to receive $75 per gallon back on purchases from authorized BASF retailers made by May 15, 2010. “Growers always want to get the most out of every acre,” said Reed Barrett, Market Manager for BASF. “In these economic times, it’s also important to...

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One Observer Says, “Be Careful What You Wish For!”

Change is inevitable. As General Eric Shinseki, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army once noted, “If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less.” During the last century, the pecan industry has experienced a number of changes — the change from hand to mechanical cracking, the grafting of better-yielding varieties, the introduction of...

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Hazelnuts Recalled Due To Salmonella; No Illness Reported

NEWBURG, Ore., Dec. 18 (UPI)—Willamette Filbert Growers of Newberg, Oregon, has recalled nearly 30,000 pounds of shelled hazelnuts because of a risk of salmonella, federal officials said. Salmonella was found in a production lot at the facility where the nuts were shelled, the U.S Food and Drug Administration said in a release Friday. No illnesses...

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