Hitch your wagon to a star, Emerson famously advised. This month, I’ve officially hitched my trailers to biomass.

As readers of this blog know, Advanced Trailer announced a grant to the University of Idaho to study the application of our trailers for drying wood chips and procuring biomass. Here is one of the many reasons I am so excited about biomass: it saves money:

http://www.leader-vindicator.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20296543&BRD=2758&PAG=461&dept_id=572984&rfi=6

According to the article this school district has saved money since switching to biomass three years ago. As the article states:

“Rook said the school used to pay between $105,000 to $125,000 annually in natural gas heating costs. With the biomass system, those heating costs have been reduced to $40,000 annually.”

That’s just one more reason why we all need to be looking into biomass. It works, it saves money and it can be produced right here, right now in the United States.

March is National Peanut Month. So despite what the media say, I’m going to celebrate this wonderful, nutritious, affordable product:

http://www.peanutbutterlovers.com/loversmonth/index.html

As the website above points out:

“One serving of peanuts is a good source of protein, Vitamin E, Niacin, Folate, Phosphorus and Magnesium. Peanuts are naturally cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat.”

Peanuts are both good tasting and good for you. That’s a powerful combination. And, as I have written repeatedly on this blog, the peanuts you see in the store are safe.

So buy them and enjoy them…this month and every month.

Yesterday, the media reported that the Food and Drug Administration advised people not to consume products sold by Westco Fruit and Nuts. This is a classic case of where there is more to the story than the media reports:

http://www.upi..com/Science_News/2009/03/23/FDA_announces_more_peanut-related_recalls/UPI-64841237831962/

What this story doesn’t tell you is that Westco Fruit and Nuts already tested all of their peanut products in an FDA-approved lab. And guess what? They all came back safe.

I understand that the FDA is being overly cautious. But the FDA is on the verge of destroying entire companies and maybe an entire industry. I repeat what I have written on this blog several times: peanuts are some of the safest, healthiest and most affordable products on the market. If you see a peanut product in the store, it is safe to buy and safe to eat.

And don’t forget: you can’t always believe what you read in the newspaper.

Never let the facts interfere with a good story. That seems to be
the media’s approach to the peanut industry.

The fact is peanuts remain safe and healthy. The fact is less than
2% of the peanut industry has been impacted by salmonella. The fact is the
press has blown this out of all proportion. And who is paying the
price for it? Hard-working peanut farmers:

http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10057009

As the article correctly notes, peanuts are a “good source of
protein, lots of energy, stores well, easy to serve. Peanut butter
can stretch a food dollar a long way….” Yes it can. But not if everyone is scared.

I’m calling on everyone to get the facts. Go to http://www.peanutsusa.com/USA/Index.cfm and find out the truth for yourself.

They say one bad apple can ruin a whole bushel. But recently, some peanut farmers in Georgia met to show that one bad peanut producer can’t ruin a great industry:

http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=10049695&nav=5kZQ

As I’ve written on this blog, peanuts remains one of the healthiest, safest and most affordable foods on the market. Yet the media have focused on one bad producer–the Peanut Corporation of America. Yes, this company did not do enough to ensure safety and quality at its plants. But 99.9% of the rest of the peanut industry has. Here is how Congressman Sanford Bishop described it:

“It’s unfortunate. They [the Peanut Corporation of America] have such a small percentage in regards to the peanut industry. They have done a great deal of damage to consumer confidence, but we are not going to let that hold us back.”

Amen, Congressman. We are not going to let that hold us back. Let’s all go out and buy some peanuts today!

Today is the day! Around noon today, I’ll post my first e-book, entitled “From Tragedy To Triumph: How Economic Challenges Often Create  Economic Progress.”

This book takes a tour through some American history to show that some of our greatest economic inventions occurred not in times of growth but in times of challenge. In our current economic climate, that’s a good message for all of us to remember.

Check back later today and I’ll have the ebook posted on the website!

I believe free market enterprise is the best economic system in the world.

In fact, I believe it’s the only system.  But to work effectively, the free market depends on rational people making rational decisions and rational conclusions.  Being humans, we sometimes manage to mess with the effectiveness of the market by thinking and reacting emotionally rather than rationally.

I’ve previously written about the salmonella scare in the peanut industry.  The fact is more than 99% of all peanut products are perfectly safe. But some people continue to think emotionally.  Yesterday I was told of a man in Allendale, South Carolina, who went in a local convenience store to pick up a quick snack. When he presented his handful of items, which included a package of peanut butter crackers, the cashier immediately seemed alarmed and told the man “don’t eat that, it’s got peanuts in it.”  This is a perfect example of the public perception being influenced by emotions. I am not saying every small town convenience store in the country has cleared its shelves of products that could be on the list; I am saying 99% of all the products in all of the convenience stores across America containing peanut butter is safe.

Another example is the oil industry.  As I’ve been predicting, the price of oil continues to go down:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25043297-12377,00.html

Today, a barrel of oil costs $35.  Yet gas prices at the pump have risen to about $1.80 This violates the law of supply and demand.  With inventories high and demand low, the price of gas should better reflect the price of oil.  What explains this discrepancy?  Emotional thinking.  Daily I have people comment that they think a barrel of oil will soon be back over $100 and many say they think it will happen this summer. What is the basis or economic indicator for these conclusions? Nothing! It’s all emotions and right now with all that’s going on in America: we’re letting our emotions get the best of us.

I encourage each one of you to go out today to your local Wal-Mart and buy some peanut butter. As you are driving look at the prices of gas and think back a year ago and realize that our country and economy will survive and we still may see gas prices below $1.00. And I think its going to stay cheap for a long time.

The free market system works best when rational people make rational decisions.  Come to think of it, the whole world works better that way, too.

-Randy Hill

These are tough times for our nation’s economy.  I know first hand.  This week, my company, Advanced Trailer & Equipment, announced a one-month pause of trailer production.  This pause will allow us to determine expected demand and have a better understanding of our customers needs for the year.

In other words, what we are doing reflects our company’s strength, not weakness.  We have plenty of trailers to meet our customers’ needs.  But now we can use this time of plenty to plan ahead for the rest of the year.

That’s what’s so great about the free market.  People ask: how will things turn around in our economy?  They already are turning around.  Businesses are adjusting; the markets are responding.  For example, housing prices are down.  So guess what’s starting to happen?  People are buying houses.  Wal-Mart cut prices.  And guess what happened?  Wal-Mart recently announced huge sales numbers.  The free market works.

But that’s not the only reason the free market works.  It also works because of the people who work in it.  I found this out again this week when I met with my team to give them the news.  I told them the truth: that we didn’t want to initiate a pause in production but that we needed to since we had so many trailers in stock.  Without exception, each member of my team took it well and promised to “be back” once we open production again.  One man even thanked me for “telling us the truth.”  What great workers!  What great people!  Want to know why we in America have the best economy in the world?  Because we have the best people in the world.

I know the free market isn’t perfect.  But it beats any other system out there. Companies like mine will adjust and adapt.  And we will survive and prevail.  So will our economy…and so will our country.

-Randy Hill

As a business owner in the peanut industry, I share the concerns
about the recent salmonella scare.  The good news is the FDA is
fully investigating the scare and has already traced the salmonella
to one company: the Peanut Corporation of America.

I support the FDA’s actions on the PCA.  However, it’s important to
note that virtually all other peanut goods are perfectly healthy.

Here is a list of some brands that are safe and healthy for you and
your family:

ConAgra Foods (Peter Pan Peanut Butter)
The J. M. Smucker Company (including Jif)
Kraft Foods, Inc.
Mars Snackfoods US
American Blanching Company
Clasen Quality Coatings (CQC)
Confectionery coatings
Clements Foods Company, Inc.
Flavors “R” Specialty, Inc.
Girl Scouts of the USA (Girl Scout Cookies)
Golden Peanut Company
Hampton Farms
Harvest Manor Farms
Hearts&Minds LLC
Hubbard Peanut Company
Jimbo’s Jumbos
John B. Sanfilippo and Son, Inc
Peanut Butter & Co.
Producers Peanut Company, Inc.
Smart Balance
Superior Nut Company, Inc.
Universal Blanchers/Seabrook Ingredients
Virginia Diner

So don’t get overly concerned.  Peanuts and peanut products are good for you.

-Randy Hill

Today, our country and our world celebrate the inauguration of a
new president. Barack Obama’s journey’s to the White House is
remarkable. All Americans should be proud. But undoubtedly there is
a special pride for African-Americans.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17680.html

Throughout our nation’s history, African-Americans have made enormous
contributions to politics, culture and business. Indeed, I own and
operate a business today that would not be possible without the
inventions of George Washington Carver more than a century ago.
Carver wanted to find a product other than cotton for the South to
produce. To encourage the production of peanuts, he invented more
than 105 recipes for the product. As a result, the peanut industry
took off. And years later, people like me are still reaping the
benefit of his investment.

So on this day, let’s celebrate America’s past and it’s future.
This truly is the greatest nation in history.

-Randy Hill

In recent days, reports have surfaced about peanut butter products having salmonella contamination:
http://admin.peanutsusa.com/documents/Document_Library/January%2017%20APC%20release%20update%20-%20final.pdf

As with any public health issue, people are rightfully feeling concerned about what they should and shouldn’t eat.  The cure for uncertainty is fact. So, as someone associated with the peanut industry, let me give you the facts.

First, 99.9% of peanut butter products are safe. And none of the affected peanut butter was sold at retail.  So if you see peanut butter on the shelf at your store, it’s safe. Besides, peanut butter is regulated and must pass FDA standards.  And the industry has a long track record of success.

Second, the recent salmonella scare has already been traced to one company in one part of the country.  A few products from the Blakely, Georgia plant of Peanut Corp of America have been linked to salmonella in three states.  PCA has already issued a recall of all its products produced at this plant in recent months.  And the FDA is investigating and has promised to release a list of safe peanut products.

What does all that mean for you?  It means you should not be worried. Retail peanut butter on grocery shelves is safe.  And the FDA will soon issue its list of safe products.  I call on both the FDA and the PCA to get to the bottom of this and release the results of the investigation as soon possible.

-Randy Hill

In recent days, reports have surfaced about peanut butter products having salmonella contamination:
http://admin.peanutsusa.com/documents/Document_Library/January%2017%20APC%20release%20update%20-%20final.pdf

As with any public health issue, people are rightfully feeling concerned about what they should and shouldn’t eat.  The cure for uncertainty is fact. So, as someone associated with the peanut industry, let me give you the facts.

First, 99.9% of peanut butter products are safe. And none of the affected peanut butter was sold at retail.  So if you see peanut butter on the shelf at your store, it’s safe. Besides, peanut butter is regulated and must pass FDA standards.  And the industry has a long track record of success.

Second, the recent salmonella scare has already been traced to one company in one part of the country.  A few products from the Blakely, Georgia plant of Peanut Corp of America have been linked to salmonella in three states.  PCA has already issued a recall of all its products produced at this plant in recent months.  And the FDA is investigating and has promised to release a list of safe peanut products.

What does all that mean for you?  It means you should not be worried. Retail peanut butter on grocery shelves is safe.  And the FDA will soon issue its list of safe products.  I call on both the FDA and the PCA to get to the bottom of this and release the results of the investigation as soon possible.

-Randy Hill