April 2018

Pecans in D.C.— Update on the National Pecan Federation

Over the last few months, Congress has been busy finalizing legislation and working to keep the government open. One focus has been the 2018 Farm Bill, which will need to be finalized soon in order to pass in the coming fall. While representatives and staff hurry through the day to day work of bills and...

Dive into Spring with Fresh Recipes

Classic Chicken Salad with Pecans From the American Pecan Council Total 40 minutes Ingredients 6 cups water or low sodium vegetable broth 3 large celery stalks, divided 1 onion, peeled and cut into 4 pieces 1/8 teaspoon pepper, plus additional to taste 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (see recipe notes) 3/4 cup toasted...

NPGA Hosts Annual Educational Workshop

On Feb. 17, 120 enthusiastic North Carolina pecan growers assembled at the Duplin County Agri Center in Kenansville, North Carolina for the 24th Annual North Carolina Pecan Grower’s Association Educational Workshop. There, all in attendance enjoyed a full day of educational. Many interesting and timely topics engaged all present. Timely pecan topics such as: Five...

April Letter from the Editor: National Pecan Month Brings a New Chance

Spring has sprung for the pecan industry. This month we will see years of hard work culminate in a national brand launch. Led by Weber Shandwick under the American Pecan Council, this launch will re-introduce the American public to pecans. It seems fitting that during this month—National Pecan Month—pecans will finally take center stage. For...

Grafting—Some Kind of Magic

In my experiences so far in the pecan industry, I have had the pleasure of meeting many fine folks with some outstanding skills. I just returned from the Western Pecan Growers Conference and added new friends to my contacts. It is fascinating to observe the many diverse skills some of us may acquire along our...

Uncovering the Mystery of Pecan Pistillate Flowering

Every pecan grower in the entire U.S. will enter their orchards the first week in May to determine if they will have a crop this year. The initiation of female pistillate flowers does not occur until spring of the current season. There is no scientific system for growers to know their crop size before early...

New published study shows another health benefit of pecans

A new study published in Nutrients shows that eating just 1.5 ounces of pecans – one small handful – every day may protect adults at risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Conducted by researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, this study...

U.S. Pecan Growers Council Explained

This is the first of a planned bimonthly series of articles describing the mission and operation of the U.S. Pecan Growers Council (USPGC) and its work in developing overseas markets for American pecans. This first article will cover in brief the background of the USPGC, why it was established, what are its basic mission and...

New Plantings Out West

WEST TEXAS NEW MEXICO Also out in New Mexico, two equipment companies have built new buildings, hoping to service local pecan producers.

Spring Has Arrived, Time to Order PNC Pheromone Traps

Although it is only early March at the time of this writing, the redbuds are in bloom and a few bluebonnets are out here in the College Station area. Spring has arrived, and it is time to start thinking about ordering your casebearer pheromone traps and lures. I feel that anyone in the pecan business...

April Advertisers

The Annual Conference Whirlwind Continues

This February and March industry members from New Mexico to Alabama gathered at three different conferences to hear from pecan experts, network with each other, and celebrate the pecan industry. With more conferences set to come, Pecan South presents updates from the conferences for the Southeastern Pecan Growers Association, Western Pecan Growers Association and National...

Another Generation, Another Chance to Pass on Pecan Traditions

I don’t know about you, but springtime gets me all worked up. I welcome the change in weather with open arms, and something about this seasonal change builds my enthusiasm. To me, digging in the dirt and reorganizing my home are synonymous with spring. It’s a chance to get things accomplished with a fresh, new...

5 Costly Scab Control Mistakes & Some Possible Fixes

The USDA issues a final pecan crop report annually at the end of June or beginning of July, providing the industry a retrospective picture of the previous year’s pecan production across the pecan belt. Missing from this official documentation is any tabulation of crop loss. An unknown tonnage of pecans in each state fail to...