GFB News Magazine

Peanut awards, D.C. Updates & new leaders

by Jennifer Whittaker

Posted on February 18, 2026 12:05 AM

Peanuts took center stage Jan. 15 at the Annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show & Conference on the UGA Tifton Campus hosted by the Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC). About 100 exhibitors displayed products and services pertaining to growing or harvesting peanuts. 

The UGA Peanut Team presented a peanut production seminar covering the 2025 peanut crop’s yield and quality and what to expect in 2026. Special emphasis was placed on how peanut growers can remain profitable this year while also controlling diseases, pests and weeds in their crops. A seed seminar was held, which highlighted peanut varieties available for 2026.

Peanut farmers & industry supporters honored

The day kicked off with a breakfast during which the GPC and AgriSupply presented the Outstanding Georgia Peanut Farmers of the Year Awards to individuals representing each of the commission’s five districts. The 2026 recipients are: GPC District 1 - Willard Mims of Seminole County; District 2 – Jones Brothers Farms of Tift County; GPC District 3 – Carl Hood of Burke County; GPC District 4 – Keith Moore of Crisp County and GPC District 5 – Rodney Locke of Terrell County. 

The GPC started this award to honor farmers who have the passion, diligence, leadership and desire to see the peanut industry in the state of Georgia continue to be the highest quality. A grower from each of the GPC Districts is selected each year.

Pictured from left, Georgia Peanut Commission Committee Chairman & Dist. 5 Director Donald Chase congratulates Willard Mims, representatives of Jones Brothers Farm Derrick, Dalton & Larry Jones; Clint Hood accepting for his father, Carl Hood, Keith Moore & his son, Jacob Moore, and Rodney Locke. / Photo courtesy of the GPC

During the Peanut Farm Show lunch, the GPC presented awards to individuals and businesses for their service to the peanut industry and promotion of peanuts. Award recipients were: Research & Education Award – Dr. Steve Brown, retired executive director of The Peanut Research Foundation; Media Award - Tommy Rountree, retired editor and publisher of The Dawson News and Amanda Huber, former editor of The Peanut Grower; Innovator Award – Frank Nolin, owner and operator of Nolin Steel; Distinguished Service Award – Dr. Scott Monfort, UGA Extension peanut agronomist who leads the UGA Extension Peanut Team; Special Award - Andy Bell, 2021 chairman of the National Peanut Board and Ken Barton, retired executive director of the Florida Peanut Producers Association.

 From left, GPC Chairman Donald Chase congratulates the award recipients: front row, from left, Research & Education Award – Dr. Steve Brown, retired executive director of The Peanut Research Foundation; Media Award - Tommy Rountree, retired editor and publisher of The Dawson News; Innovator Award – Frank Nolin, owner and operator of Nolin Steel; Hall of Fame - Don Koehler, former Georgia Peanut Commission executive director and now senior executive director who will have worked for the GPC for 40 years when he retires on Aug. 1; back row, from left Distinguished Service Award – Dr. Scott Monfort, Extension peanut agronomist with the University of Georgia; Media Award - Amanda Huber, former editor of The Peanut Grower; Special Award - Andy Bell, 2021 chairman of the National Peanut Board & Outstanding Georgia Young Peanut Farmer Award - Will Anderson of Bulloch County. Not pictured is the Special Award – Ken Barton, retired executive director of the Florida Peanut Producers Association. / Photo by Jennifer Whittaker

Also, during the awards lunch, Don Koehler, former GPC executive director and now GPC senior executive director, was inducted into the commission’s Georgia Peanut Hall of Fame. A portrait of Koehler, unveiled at the Georgia Peanut Farm Show, will be displayed at GPC headquarters in Tifton. Koehler has served as executive director of GPC since 1986. His announced retirement date is July 31. Throughout his 40 years of service to Georgia’s peanut farmers, he has represented their interests on initiatives ranging from farm bills and disaster assistance to appropriations requests and more. He is the eighth person to be inducted into the hall of fame.

GPC Chairman Donald Chase, left, congratulates GPC Senior Executive Director Don Koehler on being inducted into the Georgia Peanut Hall of Fame. Koehler will retire with 40 years of service to the GPC on July 31. / Photo by Jennifer Whittaker 

Will Anderson of Bulloch County received the Outstanding Georgia Young Peanut Farmer Award sponsored by the GPC and BASF. The award is presented to one Georgia peanut farmer annually based on the applicant’s overall farm operation, environmental and stewardship practices, and leadership and community service activities. Anderson grows peanuts, cotton and corn, as well as has eight broiler houses. Anderson strives to incorporate new and innovative ways to increase his crop yields and be a natural steward of the land while also hosting on-farm research trials for the Bulloch County Extension Service. He is a Bulloch County Farm Bureau member.

Bulloch County Farm Bureau member Will Anderson, center, accepts the Outstanding Georgia Young Peanut Farmer Award from GPC Chairman Donald Chase, left, and award sponsor BASF representative Jacob Smith. /Photo by Jennifer Whittaker

GPC welcomes new GPC Executive Director Arnold

Georgia Peanut Commission Executive Director Taylor Arnold, above, who hit the ground running with the GPC  Jan. 1, introduced himself at the Georgia Peanut Show Lunch. / Photo by Jennifer Whittaker 

“I’m very excited about joining the staff of the Georgia Peanut Commission. It’s very humbling to work for all of you and this industry,” Arnold said. “I’m joining an incredible staff that has been doing incredible things. I look forward to working for you, and I guarantee I will work hard for the industry.”

Arnold, a native of Calhoun County, is replacing Don Koehler, who announced last year he would retire on July 31 of this year after 40 years with the GPC. Koehler will serve as senior executive director until his retirement. 

Arnold has a background in ag leadership, farm program administration, and on-the-ground experience in production agriculture. From 2017 until December 2025, he was the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Worth County executive director where he oversaw the implementation of key federal programs supporting farmers.

Arnold holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Mercer University, where he served as president and vice president of his fraternity, director of judicial affairs for the Interfraternity Council and volunteered with IRS VITA and Relay for Life.

Chase chairing GPC

Macon County peanut grower Donald Chase, above, who represents the GPC Dist. 5, was elected by his fellow GPC directors at their January board meeting to chair the commission for 2026.

This is Chase’s first term serving as chairman. He previously served as vice chairman and succeeds GPC District 3 Director Joe Boddiford of Screven County who is serving as vice chairman.

“I am honored and humbled to serve as the board chairman this year. While the commission organization is changing, rest assured that the mission remains the same,” Chase said. “We must deliver value to every one of the peanut farmers of Georgia. This board, senior management and this staff are all committed to that goal. As fellow farmers we understand the challenges all too well, and pledge to you our commitment to making your investment in the Georgia Peanut Commission pay dividends.”

Other officers elected during the board meeting include GPC District 3 Director Joe Boddiford, Sylvania, Ga., as vice chairman, and GPC 4th Dist. Director Rodney Dawson, Hawkinsville, Ga., as treasurer. Additional board members include GPC District 1 Director Tim Burch, Baker County and GPC District 2 Director Ross Kendrick, Turner County.

The Georgia peanut production area is divided into five districts based on acreage distribution and geography with one board member representing each of the GPC’s districts.

The GPC represents more than 4,000 Georgia peanut farm families and conducts programs in the areas of research, promotion and education. For more information on the programs of the Georgia Peanut Commission, visit www.gapeanuts.com.

Washington, D.C. Update

Bob Redding, above, who represents the U.S. Peanut Federation in Washington, D.C., reminded growers of the peanut program provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act effective for the 2026 crop. It increases the peanut reference price from $535 a ton to $635 a ton, increases the loan rate for peanuts from $355 per ton to $390 per ton, allows farmers to add new base acres of peanuts and other row crops, and allows a separate peanut payment limit bumped from $125,000 to $155,000 per entity and indexed to inflation in future years, Redding said.

“In the long run we have the absolute best peanut program and safety net that we’ve had in 20 years or more,” Redding said. “I know the farm economy has been strained for several years now. We've been working on ways to try and make it better.”  

Redding said the bridge payments the USDA announced in early December will send $11 billion to row crop growers by the end of February.

“The U.S. Peanut Federation signed a letter Jan. 14, along with other southern commodity ag groups and the American Farm Bureau Federation, asking Congress to take a look and see what they could do before we get into this problem again. We're hopeful we will see another economic assistance package roll out sometime between now and the planting of peanuts,” Redding said.