Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today asked the U.S. Agriculture Secretary to re-appoint Portales resident Jimmie Shearer to the Peanut Standards Board for the Southwest Region. 

Shearer is an original member of the Board, which was created in the 2002 Farm Bill to advise the agriculture secretary on the establishment of quality and handling standards for domestically and imported peanuts.  He was reappointed in 2006 for a 3-year term ending in June 2009. 

In a letter sent to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack -- who will appoint the board’s members -- Bingaman asked that he consider reappointing Shearer. 

“Jimmie is currently President, CEO and Director of Sunland, Inc., the nation’s largest handler of Valencia peanuts.  He has been with Sunland since 1991 and has extensive experience in all phases of peanut handling and processing, including the production of peanut butter.  Sunland is also one of the nation’s major handlers of organic peanuts and markets peanuts and peanuts and peanut products all over the word. 

“New Mexico continues to be one of the nation’s major peanut-producing states.  In 2007, the state produced 35 million pounds of peanuts with a value of $7 million.  The peanut-growing region on the east side of my state is centered in Portales.  More importantly, New Mexico’s farmers produce the prized Valencia peanut. 

“More than 90 percent of the nation’s Valencia peanuts are grown within 120 miles of Portales, including the neighboring region in West Texas.  Because of the unique characteristics of the Valencia peanut and the obstacles facing the market in the future, I believe it is essential for New Mexico’s peanut industry to continue to be fully represented on the Peanut Standards Board.”

The Peanut Standards Board consists of 18 members - producers and processors - from each of the nation's three peanut-producing regions – Southwest (New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma), Southeast (Georgia, Florida and Alabama) and Virginia-North Carolina.