Working with organic producers, specialists, and researchers, a great organic tour of both peanut and cotton production has been planned for Wednesday, August 19th in the Seminole area. The tour will start with registration at 8:00 am at the Gaines Co. Civic Building in Seminole at 402 NW 5th Street (Corner of NW 5th and NW Ave. D). The tour will leave at 8:45 am from the Civic Building and return at 12:20 pm for a sponsored lunch. Two continuing education credits for TDA Pesticide Licenses will be offered on the tour. There is no cost to attend!
The 2026 stops on the tour include the Neil Froese Peanut Farm just north of Seminole on CR 108 and CR 109 east of Hwy 62 North. At this organic peanut field tour participants will discuss growing organic peanuts and production in 2026. Speakers include Dr. John Cason, Texas A&M AgriLife Research Peanut Breeder will talk about a research variety trial in this field for organic peanuts. Bob Whitney and Dr. Dylan Wann will talk about work done with peanut seed treatments done near the variety plots.
A special part of the tour in 2026 will be information about the use of robotics for field operations, particularly weed control in cotton and peanut production. Carbon Robotics and others are working with us to be a part of the tour and to show current research projects at Neil’s farm. Dr. Muthu Bagavathiannan and Thomas Rushing will present information on the Carbon Robotics weed control research provide an update on other non-chemical weed control. Dr. Dana Porter, Extension Irrigation Specialist, will spend a few minutes discussing ways to improve water use and conservation with new technology available.
Dr. Ken Lege, Extension Cotton Specialist, and Dr. Carol Kelly, Research Cotton Breeder, will talk about cotton production in the South Plains and discuss some of the breeding efforts and research efforts for both higher quality cottons and even some discussion of ELS cottons.
After lunch at the Gaines County Civic Building, a few minutes will be spent on an Organic Cotton and Peanut Market Update and answering questions for the 2026 season.
2026 Sponsors for the Organic Cotton and Peanut Tour include Birdsong Peanut, Texas Peanut Producers Board, Golden Peanut, Lallemand, HSI Water, JH Biotech, Kunafin Insectary, May Seeds, South Plains Compost, Viatrac Fertilizer, Trico Peanut, Living Water, Dragon Line Irrigation, American Plant Food, Ag Texas Farm Credit Services, 7H Nutrients, Natural Eco System Restoration, Attune Ag, Certis Biologicals, and more to be added!
If you would like to be a sponsor of the Organic Cotton and Peanut Tour please contact Amanda Howard with the Gaines County Extension Office at ahoward@ag.tamu.edu or call at 432.758.4006.
Texas A&M AgriLife Organic 