National Peanut Board Announces New President and CEO
Ryan Lepicier, longtime NPB SVP and CMO, brings marketing expertise and peanut passion to new role.
Reported by National Peanut Board. FULL ARTICLE
Contact: Lindsey Stevens / Sept. 27, 2023
Guide for Serving Peanuts in School Foodservice
Looking for new ways to power up your school meals with peanuts or peanut butter? Learn more from National Peanut Board’s free Peanut Power for Schools: Guide for Serving Peanuts in School Foodservice. In addition to five unique recipes that were thoughtfully developed and properly scaled for school foodservice, this guide includes nutrition information, resources for handling allergies, and guidance for conducting taste tests in schools.
Reported by National Peanut Board. FULL ARTICLE
Contact: Lindsey Stevens / Sept. 5, 2023
Improving grower production efficiency drives USDA-ARS breeding efforts.
Reported by Southwest Farm Press. FULL ARTICLE
August 8, 2023
NPB President and CEO Bob Parker Inducted into Peanut Hall of Fame
Article from the National Peanut Board website. FULL ARTICLE
July 5, 2023
Meeting the Challenge Head-On
Reported by Peanut Grower FULL ARTICLE
Contact: Amanda Huber / June 1, 2023
Peanuts: Sustainability, allergy, marketing key NPB issues.
Reported by Southwest Farm Press FULL ARTICLE
Contact: Ron Smith / April 11, 2023
Balancing the Peanut Market
Reported by Southwest Farm Press. FULL ARTICLE
Contact: Brad Haire / April 10, 2023
Ron Sholar Retires from the Oklahoma Peanut Commissiojn
Reported by Southwest Farm Press. FULL ARTICLE
Shelley E. Huguley / April 7, 2023
USDA Announces Four Members and Four Alternates to the National Peanut Board. FULL ARTICLE
National Peanut Board / January 19, 2023
National Peanut Board President and CEO Bob Parker Announces Retirement
Reported by National Peanut Board FULL ARTICLE
Contact: Maria Mehok, mymehok@nationalpeanutboard.org
Stutzman credits practices, God, family for high-quality peanuts
Reported by Southwest Farm Press. FULL ARTICLE
Shelley E. Huguley | July 1, 2022
Planting 2022 underway, weather, heavy input costs weigh heavy.
Reported by Southwest Farm Press FULL ARTICLE
Shelley E. Huguley | May 24, 2022
Peanuts Come In All Flavors.
NPB Chairman Les Crall discusses peanut products.
Reported by Southwest Farm Press. FULL ARTICLE
Shelley E. Huguley | May 2, 2022
Panel Discussion at the 2022 Peanut EXPO.
Reported by Southwest Farm Press. FULL ARTICLE
Ron Smith | Apr 20, 2022
Increased peanut yields and quality credited to research, superior varieties, commitment and partnerships.
Reported by Southwest Farm Press. FULL ARTICLE
Shelley E. Huguley | Apr 19, 2022
Scroll Down for More Links to Important Press Releases
Press Release
January 20, 2023
Mark DeLeon to Serve on the National Peanut Board
The USDA has announced that Mark DeLeon of Erick, OK will serve a 3-year term on the National Peanut Board. Mark and his wife Amy farm peanuts and cotton and have a cow-calf operation. Amy is a Grant Manager at Elk City Public Schools. They have two grown children; Bridget who recently completed her M.S. Degree in Speech Pathology from the University of Texas-Dallas and Addison who is a sophomore at Oklahoma State University majoring in Agribusiness. Addison also helps Mark on the farm when he is not at school.
Mark is currently serving as chairman of the North Fork Red River Conservation Board and serves on the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan Committee. He has also served on the Elk City Summer Youth and Recreation Board for many years.
Mark said that he is honored to be appointed to this position and stated, “I look forward to learning more about all the facets of the peanut industry and sharing that knowledge with my fellow farmers in my area. I am thankful for the progress the National Peanut Board has made in addressing peanut allergies and hope to play a part in further advancements to help the peanut industry to become even more profitable in the future.”
The National Peanut Board will hold its quarterly Board and committee meetings in Atlanta, Georgia, February 6 – 8. The Board’s Research Committee will consider requests for FY-23 funding for production research from state peanut producer organizations and universities. Funding production research to make America’s peanut farmers more competitive is a core part of the Board’s mission.
Pete Dotray, Texas A&M AgriLife weed specialist, presents the Baily Award to USDA-ARS peanut breeder Kelly Chamberlin at the recent APRES annual meeting in Savannah. The Baily Award recognizes the best research paper presented at the previous meeting.
RON SMITH Southwest Farm Press August 8, 2023. FULL ARTICLE
Press Release
June 30, 2023
Two great people complete their time on the Oklahoma Peanut Commission.
John Clay of Carnegie and Joel Hicks of Leon decided not to serve another term on the Oklahoma Peanut Commission.
- John Clay served the OPC; July 1, 2001 - June 30, 2023, he served as Secretary for the OPC for many of those years.
- Joel Hicks served the OPC on two different times. July 1, 1999 - June 30, 2005 and July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2023.
They time they served and the challenges they faced and successfully completed are greatly appreciated by Oklahoma peanut growers. Their presence at our commission meetings and promotional events will be missed.
Press Release
March 27, 2023
Ron and Linda Sholar Honored at the 2023 Oklahoma Peanut EXPO
WEATHERFORD, OK: Ron and Linda were recognized by Oklahoma Peanut Commissioner Chairman Les Crall at the Oklahoma Peanut EXPO held in Weatherford, OK on March 23, 2023. Ron Sholar is reQring as Executive Director of the Oklahoma Peanut Commission on April 1, 2023. Ron and Linda were given giUs provided by the Oklahoma Peanut Commissioners. Ron received a rotaQng globe and Linda received a cutting board. Ron served as Executive Director from March 2015 through March 2023.
Ron is a natve of Tennessee but he and his wife Linda have proudly called Stillwater, OK home for the past 50 years. He received his BS in Agriculture Sciences from the University of Tennessee in June 1971. He received his MS and PhD degrees at Oklahoma State University. He then severed as a Professor of Plant and Soil Science and Extension Agronomist at OSU.
He also had a military career that spanned 39 years of active Army Reserve Service. He was promoted to Major General in 2003 and over the following years had 3 different assignments as a Division Level Commander. His final assignment was Deputy Commanding General of the US Army Command. He retred from the Army in 2010.
For the past decade he has served as Executive Director of several agricultural commissions including the Oklahoma Peanut Commission. Ron and Linda have served the commission by promoting peanuts and peanut products in Oklahoma. Also, by educating the public on the nutritional benefits of peanuts and making sure that much needed research dollars are provided.
Peanut acres have increased in Oklahoma since Ron took over as Executive Director in 2013. In 2022 there were 16,795 acres of peanuts in Oklahoma, producing farm income of approximately 21 million dollars to Oklahoma farmers.
Photo: L-R Joel Hicks, John Clay, Joe D. White, Linda Sholar, Ron Sholar, Anthony Reed, Les Crall, Art Kell