PEANUT MARKETING NEWS – August 23, 2021 – Tyron Spearman, Editor (104)

LOSS OF PEANUT LEADER - We are saddened to report the death of Thomas Henry Birdsong, III. He died on August 20, 2021 at
age 94. He entered the peanut business in 1949 with Birdsong Peanuts, Suffolk, Virginia, and spent his entire career spanning 72 years
with the company and was the Chairman at his death. In 2000 he was inducted into the Peanut Hall of Fame by the American Peanut
Council for his "Outstanding Contributions" to the peanut industry.
In 1965, Mr. Birdsong became Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the southwest operations of Birdsong
Peanuts, headquartered in Gorman, Texas. He served four terms as President of the Southwestern Shellers Association; Chairman of
the National Peanut Council; he served on the Ex-Officio Advisory Board Long-Range Planning for the National Peanut Council; he
served on the Advisory Council for the Secretary of Agriculture at the Federal level; Chairman, Southwest Peanut Research and
Education Advisory Committee and Director of the West Texas Chamber of Commerce.
Due to the coronavirus, a church service is inadvisable at this time. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be
made to Randolph-Macon College, P.O. Box 5005, Ashland, VA 23005 or Animal Welfare League of the Northern Neck, 75 South
Main Street, Kilmarnock, VA 22482. R.W. Baker Funeral Home in Suffolk, Virginia is in charge of all arrangements.

FORMER BUYING POINT LEADER PASSES - Mitchell Burke, age 59, of Colquitt, GA, passed away Thursday August 19, 2021.
He was known around Bainbridge for his work at Mitchell Burke Farms, LLC. He was a former board member of the National Peanut
Buying Points Association and was associated with American Peanut Growers Group in Donalsonville. Funeral services were
Saturday, August 21, 2021 at Ivey Funeral Home Chapel in Bainbridge, GA.
GEORGIA HONORS 2020 PRODUCERS - The Georgia Peanut Achievement Club gathered recently to celebrate top yields from last
season. Coordinated by the UGA Peanut Team and the UGA Cooperative Extension Agents, the club has been honoring the top
growers since the 1960's. Along with the UGA peanut team, supporters of the peanut achievement club include Bayer Crop Science,
BASF Crop Protection, Amvac Chemical Company, the American Peanut Shellers Association, the National Peanut Buying
Points Association and the Georgia Peanut Commission. Plaques were presented to producers and the county agents. The
2020 Georgia Peanut Achievement Club winners:
• Overall State Winner: 100-299 acres, Donald Chase of Macon County, 6,632 lbs/acre on 232 acres
• Overall State Winner: 300 -699 acres – Hulin Reeves of Irwin County, 6,181 lbs/acre on 531 acres
• Overall State Winner: 700+ acres – Jimmy Webb of Calhoun County, 6,279 lbs/acre on 961 acres

D-I: 100-299 acres, Wesley Webb of Calhoun County, 5,686 lbs/acre on 234 acres
D-1: 300-699 acres, Rodney Locke of Terrell County, 5,023 lbs/ac on 665 acres
D-1: 700+ acres, Neil Lee of Terrell County, 4,452 lbs/acre on 1,482 acres
D-2: 100-299 acres, John Gaines, Jr. of Baker County, 6,382 lbs/acre on 154 acres
D-2: 700+ acres, Eddie Miller Farms of Seminole County, 6,017 lbs/acre on 827 acres

D-3: 100-299 acres, Larry Ray Walker of Ben Hill County, 6,288 lbs/acre on 168 acres
D-3: 300-699 acres, Daniel Newberry of Jefferson County, 6,017 lbs/acre on 338 acres
D-3: 700+ acres, Ken Hall Farms of Worth County, 4,980 lbs/acre on 1,233 acres
D-4: 100-299acres, Bucky Tyler of Irwin County, 5,713 lbs/acre on 176 acres
D-4: 300-699 acres, Andrew Grimes of Tift County, 5,618 lbs/acre on 660 acres
D-4: 700+ acres, ABC Dorminy III of Irwin County, 5,999 lbs/acre on 934 acres

BUYING POINT MANAGERS TRAINING SESSION –The Georgia Crop Improvement Association will host the Training Meeting
on Wednesday, August 25. Join Zoom Meeting starting at 9 AM. Meeting ID: 822 5403 5198, Passcode: 482685
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82254035198?pwd=dmFOYnF4THo2emdrZVBmSDlwUis2Zz09
The Agenda includes a Welcome by Terry Hollifield, GCIA, and presentations by Tyron Spearman, NPBPA, Don Koehler, GPC,
Jack Davis, JLA and Billy Skaggs, GCIA.

NEW PEANUT MAGAZINE – The Virginia-Carolinas PEANUT NEWS has a new magazine format and is filled with peanut news
and information from the VC area. Prepared by Virginia Carolinas Peanut Promotions, which serves as the promotion/market
development organization for North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia Peanut Grower Associations, this is the Fall, 2021 edition.
For a subscription, advertising information and to submit articles, contact Marianne Catalano at Marianne@aboutpeanuts.com or 252-
459-9977.