by Debbie Williams
Published: Tue, February 17, 2009 - 4:56 pm CST
Last Updated: Wed, February 18, 2009 - 12:33 pm CST
Tractors wait. Fields are empty. Peanut farmers like Joel Sirmon are about a month away from planting this years crop. "Our peanuts go to peanut butter, oil and cookies and candy."The very products being pulled from shelves because of the salmonella outbreak.
Peanut farmers produced a bumper crop last season. Not only in Baldwin County but across the country and with growing season right around the corner, the question is what happens this year.
"We still haven't planned nothing yet. It's still a day to day thing. I would assume we're going to plant a few peanuts maybe not as many acres, more cotton maybe," says Sirmon.
Regional Extension Agent Richard Petcher says the entire industry has been affected. "The peanut acres will probably go down just a little but yes for the most part this area grows excellent peanuts and the farmers will plant again."
After a record yield last year, farmers should have been enjoying the fruits of their labor. Instead, they wait, trying to make up for someone else's mistake.
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