Peanut growers organize to protest Farm Bill buyout provision

ALBANY - Farmers who hold government quotas that allow them to grow and sell peanuts at inflated prices are organizing to fight a farm bill proposal that would abolish the peanut perk. <br> <br> The group will hold its first meeting Tuesday at the Albany Civic Center -- two days before the annual meeting of the Georgia Peanut Commission at the same location. <br> <br> The Peanut Commission, which represents all Georgia peanut growers, supports the elimination of quotas. But some quota holders say the change will deprive them of a valuable asset. <br> <br> Under the current system, quota holders are guaranteed $610 per ton for peanuts produced for domestic consumption. Many growers do not have quotas. If they want to grow the higher priced peanuts, they have to rent land from quota holders. <br> <br> The alternative is to grow only ``additional&#39;&#39; peanuts for export or oil. Those peanuts have a guaranteed price of only $132 per ton, an unfair disparity to some congressional leaders. <br> <br> Legislation passed by the House and by a Senate committee would abolish the quota system, but compensate quota holders for the loss of their asset.