By Faith Peppers
University of
Georgia

University of Georgia extension agronomist John Baldwin received
the prestigious D.W. Brooks Faculty Award for Excellence in
Extension Oct. 1 in Athens, Ga.

Baldwin is a recognized expert in peanut production and has been
responsible for developing and implementing a statewide
educational program for peanut growers.

Baldwin has been an integral part of the Tomato Spotted Wilt
Virus team since its inception and has led the group relative to
agronomic matters. He conceived and developed the concepts of
twin-row and strip-till planting of peanuts to reduce production
costs and environmental impact.

He proceeded to show that these cultural practices would not make
the peanut crop more vulnerable to TSWV damage, but would
minimize the impact of the disease while achieving yield
increases of 200 to 400 pounds per acre.

Both cultural practices were added to the UGA TSWV Risk
Assessment Index as management components for peanut production.
This index, coupled with the development of TSWV resistant
cultivars, has preserved the peanut industry in Georgia.

Turning point

In June of 1998, a meeting of extension and research specialists
from Alabama, Georgia and Florida was held to discuss the
decreasing profitability of peanut production, future prospects
for the USDA peanut program, the need to become more competitive
in the worldwide marketplace and to explore possible
solutions.

Under Baldwin’s leadership, the conference became one of the
first real efforts to bring the diverse elements of this industry
to the table to discuss common problems. It was one of the first
significant efforts within various segments of the industry to
work together to eliminate some of the major constraints facing
the industry.

“He has contributed significantly to the entire U.S. peanut
industry,” said Robert Lemon, associate professor and Extension
cotton agronomist at Texas A&M University.

“The high level of service he has provided to the academic
community, extension clientele, professional societies and
colleagues makes him unique,” Lemon said. “He has established the
benchmark that many in extension will be measured against and
will continually strive to achieve.”

Other winners

Other honorees this year were Sidney Law, county extension
programming; Robert Shewfelt, teaching; Gerritt Hoogenboom,
international agriculture; and Daniel Fletcher, research.

The teaching award was the first of the D.W. Brooks awards to be
given. It was established in 1981 to recognize faculty members
who make outstanding contributions and maintain excellence in the
CAES teaching program.

In 1983, the award was expanded to include research, extension
and county extension programs. An award for international
agriculture was added in 1988 and is given in even-numbered
years.

The awards include a framed certificate and a $5,000 cash
award.

Brooks lecture

Before the awards ceremony, Seth Carus, senior research professor
in the Center for Counterproliferation Research at the National
Defense University, delivered the 2002 D.W. Brooks Lecture,
“Bioterrorism, Homeland Security and the Food Supply.”

The lecture and awards are named for the late D.W. Brooks,
founder and chairman emeritus of Gold Kist, Inc.

Brooks was an advisor on agriculture and trade issues to seven
U.S. presidents. He started Cotton States Mutual Insurance
Companies in 1941 to provide farmers insurance.

His many honors for contributions to global agriculture included
being the first inductee into the UGA Agricultural Hall of Fame.
He received the distinguished agribusiness award from the Georgia
Agribusiness Council and was named Progressive Farmer magazine’s
“man of the year in agriculture in the South.”

The CAES sponsors the annual lecture series in his memory.